here is the update on the dogs ..
As you last heard, we had taken in a third boxer on a foster type arrangement. Samson is a 5 yr old boxer. His owners were moving and needed to find a place for their two dogs. we found a home for one, but not for the 120 pound boxer. He came in with us for a while (5 weeks).
Samson was a great gentle giant. He was no trouble. the trouble was with Dusty and Rocky, our other boxers. Here is the run down.
We got Rocky in September last year for my 50th birthday. My birthday is October 4 (for those of you that need a shopping reminder.) At that time we only had Lacy (dog-wise) a 4 yr old Mini doxie (a bat-eared stretched out wiener rat .. Sorry to Trish and any other mini doxie owners.) Lacy adopted Rocky even though he was bigger than her coming in the door. Still, he was a pup, and accepted this hierarchy.
As you last heard, we had taken in a third boxer on a foster type arrangement. Samson is a 5 yr old boxer. His owners were moving and needed to find a place for their two dogs. we found a home for one, but not for the 120 pound boxer. He came in with us for a while (5 weeks).
Samson was a great gentle giant. He was no trouble. the trouble was with Dusty and Rocky, our other boxers. Here is the run down.
We got Rocky in September last year for my 50th birthday. My birthday is October 4 (for those of you that need a shopping reminder.) At that time we only had Lacy (dog-wise) a 4 yr old Mini doxie (a bat-eared stretched out wiener rat .. Sorry to Trish and any other mini doxie owners.) Lacy adopted Rocky even though he was bigger than her coming in the door. Still, he was a pup, and accepted this hierarchy.
A couple months later, a guy in Louisville inherited a boxer, much the same way we did Samson, and asked if we wanted Dusty. We took him. There was no problem. Dusty accepted the role of alpha male and Rocky submitted cheerfully. All was well in animal kingdom-ville.
Enter Samson. Rocky submitted, no problem. Dusty - not so much. He and Sam tolerated each other for the most part. Dusty yielded when he had too. The problem was Rocky. His submission extended to both dogs. This set up a hierarchy problem. It manifested itself mostly by Dusty and Rocky getting into fierce scraps. We would have to pull them apart.
We found a home for Samson. We hoped that would fix the other problem. No such luck. Rocky and Dusty still got into melees. We decided we had to get rid of Dusty. We were afraid for Cloe. Dusty has never been aggressive toward any human. However, he is blinded to what he is doing when he and Rocky get into it. If Cloe is in their path, she will get hurt.
Enter Samson. Rocky submitted, no problem. Dusty - not so much. He and Sam tolerated each other for the most part. Dusty yielded when he had too. The problem was Rocky. His submission extended to both dogs. This set up a hierarchy problem. It manifested itself mostly by Dusty and Rocky getting into fierce scraps. We would have to pull them apart.
We found a home for Samson. We hoped that would fix the other problem. No such luck. Rocky and Dusty still got into melees. We decided we had to get rid of Dusty. We were afraid for Cloe. Dusty has never been aggressive toward any human. However, he is blinded to what he is doing when he and Rocky get into it. If Cloe is in their path, she will get hurt.
We put an ad on Craigslist. We specified that dusty had to go to a single pet home. He doesn't do well with other male dogs and doesn't do well with cats either. We had a slew of responses. Mostly from people that cannot read. How hard is it to understand "Single pet home" ?
We even managed to give him away once. They called us the next day. He got after their cat. Duh, told ya he didn't like them.
So, anyway, Dusty is back with us. We keep the dog separated for the time being. Dusty has an aggression adjusting appointment on October 8th. Yes, he is going in for a sac snip, a testicle tuck, a de-nutting, the eunuch maker. This should curb his testosterone fueled aggression. We shall see.
For now, we work around them being in different areas of the house. One stays upstairs and the other downstairs. We swap them out at irregular intervals. Ten more days.
We even managed to give him away once. They called us the next day. He got after their cat. Duh, told ya he didn't like them.
So, anyway, Dusty is back with us. We keep the dog separated for the time being. Dusty has an aggression adjusting appointment on October 8th. Yes, he is going in for a sac snip, a testicle tuck, a de-nutting, the eunuch maker. This should curb his testosterone fueled aggression. We shall see.
For now, we work around them being in different areas of the house. One stays upstairs and the other downstairs. We swap them out at irregular intervals. Ten more days.
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