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Update Loki the Fawn boy

1K views 19 replies 9 participants last post by  princess bella 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi Everyone hows it going? We are doing ok with Loki training, he is 13 months. It's getting very hot here (near LA) which makes the dogs lazy until zoomie time after hose showers in the late afternoon. Bella loves her "nice hose" Loki thinks its too cold, so yesterday he got a real bath in our shower. His fur is looking great!

Bella and Loki play together a lot. Bella (is 8) is maintaining alpha status. It gets rough sometimes and we do overlook, and reprimand Bella for overdoing it, if she is snarling or about to get snappy. Sometimes the escalation is because of proximity to me. I know they are "jealous" of each other over my attention, and I do try to split my heart and attention very evenly or weighted towards Bee. Loki is my new bf. He Must Be In The Same Room as me.... there is Nothing like having Dobie Boy Love!!!!

Last night he was excessively shaking his head and I got up. Inside his ear was inflamed and had a scratch, I think because of rough play, and or the heat. I gently cleaned it and applied Anbesol. It is almost better today.

I had really hoped they could also enjoy toys. Both of them separately obviously think toys are great. When Bee was the only dog, she and I played endlessly with indestructible soft rubber type toys.

Now after 3 tries I think I will put them away for good. Possesiveness gets the better of them and the whole feeling of the fun they usually have is broken and they just can't handle it and there is a tussle which we have to break up.

Any advice greatly appreciated. Hang in there <><><>:)
 
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#2 · (Edited)
Thanks for checking in!
Surprise, surprise (not) your Dobegal is the Alpha! >:)

Great pictures, hope you have them in higher resolution.
The last one is very sweet.

My advice is to immediately submit that fantastic first picture in this month's "Outdoor Dobes" calendar picture contest...:2smile:
 
#3 ·
You have the right idea about the toy situation. You can spend an inordinate amount of time overseeing toys to make sure that possessiveness doesn't get out of hand but I'd personally vote for put them away and deal them out only when the dogs aren't out together.

Most of my Dobes didn't have problems with possession but there was rarely that much of an age and status difference between them. The one exception was that one of the older males had an attitude with a new bone--so he got to have it when it was new but only in his crate--after about a week the "new" wore off and he didn't care if someone else had "his' bone.

He's a handsome boy--I really do have a big fat soft spot that is evidently permanent for the fawn boys.

dobebug
 
#6 ·
As far as resource guarding goes...

There are some toys my dogs can have out all the time without getting "guardy." I have a box of Benebones and Chuck-it balls (a big box!) and they can both choose things out of that box (or, let's be real...they generally take everything out of the box and they are all over the living room all day!). They don't fight over those. Maybe it's because they are "low value" or because there are so many of them.

However, there are definitely things that are "high value" in my house, and they can only have those things when they are separated in their crates. Raw bones, bully sticks, stuffed Kongs...I know what kinds of things are going to provoke guarding, and I simply head it off by having the dogs separated. Or, if I happen to buy a toy that makes someone feel guardy, that's a nope, and it goes away.

I'd rather not deal with it, so I just use management. There's also a great book on resource guarding, Jean Donaldson's "Mine! A Practical Guide for Resource Guarding in Dogs." It's a step by step guide for addressing resource guarding, both between dogs, and from people. It works well.
 
#9 ·
That's super frustrating :(

Do they only fight over toys outside? Can you give us some more detail? For some dogs, if you provide many, many toys, it can cut down on the guarding. For some, they have to be a low enough value. For some, it takes a lot of training. For some, it just simply won't work.

If they are eating rocks outside, I'm going to HIGHLY recommend using basket muzzles. Eating rocks is really dangerous and can lead to an obstruction. A nice, comfortable basket muzzle will keep them safe and is comfortable for them. I've found that greyhound muzzles fit most Dobermans really well and are an inexpensive option (you can find them online for less than $20). I'd visit the Muzzle Up Project for instructions on how to introduce them to wearing muzzles in a way that makes it a happy, pleasant thing for them. Just remember good dogs wear muzzles, too: https://muzzleupproject.com/
 
#8 · (Edited)
I wanted to add that Loki wowed them at the vet, he had to go inside without us, and behaved well. He is 29", weighs 85 lbs eats Totw Pacific stream with 1 Tablespoon boiled chicken and 1 cup chicken broth total 5 cups with squirts of salmon oil, Bella is 75 lbs (steady adult weight) same stuff 2 cups; daily.

They both got rattler vaccines
 
#10 ·
The rocks here are sandstone and they are easily broken up into little bits and that's what they do. I have not seen them actually eat the rocks, only pretend they are nice and spit them out. Bella has never had an obstruction or anything remotely like that. And Loki does not steal stuff nor is a destructive chewer. Thank you for your concern and advice!

The last time I put out about 5 toys plus 2 old antlers. Loki likes the one he got when we used to keep him in the office at night. (This lasted 1.5 nights....) Bella likes her antlers. We realized one of the antlers had got too small for Loki's big mouth, and threw it out. Bella actually learned a new trick that evening leaping up to catch a high throw tennis ball! I know leaping is not good but it was special that one time because she has never been good at catch.

They traded off all the goodies a few times amicably but then started guarding and bristling. It escalated until it was the worst tussle yet and I had removed the toys by that time. I think Bella misses her toys, but she also loves to play with Loki endlessly and most of the time it is great entertainment to watch and a positive for both of them. Loki is pretty passive but he can whop her pretty good with his hook right paw. She is quicker and very agile.

Yesterday Loki and I went to a nearby wooded trail, a mini mall and a grassy park. He was quite good until the evil Frenchie was seen to be advancing and Loki flipped (out) around in excitement. I think he used to be picked on quite a bit by a male female dobie older pair. The po was going to sell him as a bait dog:(( btw we paid 120 bucks for this beautiful, well mannered and affectionate boy....
 
#12 · (Edited)
Bella, our beautiful doberman x lab, was brutally attacked by the neighbors female young 100 lb cane corso yesterday. These owners are supposedly famous dog trainers and had successfully recalled their off leash dogs in the past as I was walking Bella by on leash. It was horrible and Bella is recuperating ok with multiple stitches The biggest laceration behind is behind her elbow on torso, all the other small ones are in the area of between arms and on front chest, not neck, back or abdomen, thankfully) and 3 drains. Right after we thought that we were being chased and had to swiftly flee to safety. She actually went outside last night to pee, and has drank 3 cups h20 this a.m. The other animal has not moved since the incident, but, I don't think it went to the vet,,, I feel like I have ptsd. I was with 2 others and the man really helped, the owner also, in ending the fight. The neighbors have been very concilliatory paid the 2k vet bill in full. She is on gabapentin, tramadol and marbofloxacin. The antibiotic, we have to feed with food and she is not hungry yet. Her creatine (sp?) was elevated. These neighbors are moving away soon. Please keep her in your thoughts.
 
#14 ·
That's horrific. I'm so sorry--I hope her recovery is uneventful.

Of course, physical trauma can damage the kidneys, but I know creatinine can also be increased because of muscle damage, crush injuries and the like, so maybe that is what is going on. Keeping her hydrated will be very important.

I'll be thinking of you guys--I hope everything heals up quickly for you all.
 
#17 · (Edited)
Thank you everyone for your well wishes! We are doing ok. Her scars and swelling seem ok/ I just want to say Bella is a toughie, so we are hoping that emotionally she will overcome any repercussions. If this had happened to the sweetly gentle soul of Loki he would have been ruined for life.

On another note, I want advice about possibly doing Loki's neuter in about a week. He will be 15 months old and 90 lbs (he has filled out a little more). Bella will be coming out of her injuries, but still slow, and then presumably they could both get up to speed at the same time.

I know that general advice is 18 months, but I thought it might be a good idea now.
Thanks again!!
Julia, Michael, Bella and Loki
 
#18 ·
If you're planning to neuter at 18 months regardless, you could always have an xray done to see if his growth plates are closed. If they are, then you've hit that milestone to avoid the risks associated with early neutering and how it affects bones.
 
#20 ·
I Just discussed this early neuter subject with my husband and we decided to wait the 90 more days, to do it @1.5 yrs old.
Bella is having a rough day. Poor baby, and I've got a cold. We are taking her to vet tomorrow a.m. Maybe they will take the drains out. Abcessing is evident, I have been administering warm compresses. Maybe they will give her a stronger/ different antibiotic which they did not choose before due to creatinine level too high.
Loki is being so very good and so chill through all of this loss of playtime and you can tell he knows Bella is fragile. He is maturing rapidly and his training is going ok. I think its almost time to reduce feed amount as he is looking to be closer to ideal.
 
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