help plese with Libby!!

[sitdownshep]

Hi you may have read my post about getting Libby, (trixxie) little blind cocker  rescue dog from Lizzie's barn, well things have been going really well with her, except one bad point, she will growl & 3 times now really go for my old collie Shep, but only when we are sat in the lounge or dining room, she comes & sits next to me, & when Shep walked in through the door last night Libby really went for him, teeth snapping & really growling/barking, he ran i had got hold of her so she couldn't do any damage, she is fine with him in the kitchen/garden & at night they sleep near each other, no bother. She has bonded with me more than Steve my hubby, & if i go out she sits & wines by the front door, he has started to feed her, he takes her out & gives her treats, but she will not go to him willingly, i have been going out just so they can bond but no chance, i know people will say "but you have only had her 5 days" but i would like to nip this aggression towards Shep in the bud as he's 15 & really good with her, he doesn't need the stress!! any advice will be listen to gratefully before one of them get hurt, Tricia

[Poppsie]

I think that the problem is she has bonded with you more than your husband, she feels like shep is a threat. it's like she is trying to become top dog as far as you are concerned. I had this problem with my golden cocker Honey, my god she was a living nightmare if anyone came near me in the lounge.  Your husband needs to interact with her more so that she isn't as possessive with you, or you will have to stop her going into the lounge before shep. This will reinforce that he is top dog not her. hope this helps?  x x x Dianne and pebbles

[sitdownshep]

Thanks Dianne, i can see that, i have started leaving the pair of them in the kitchen, but it would be nice to be able to relax in the chair with out the worry that she is going to go for him, did ring Fionna at the home & she said that if she growls at him to push her away then call her back & fuss them both, which worked for a while but the last time i didn't get chance to push her away as she flew across the room at him before i got chance!! Steve is trying to be more involved with her but as soon as she smells that it is him she will move away from him, & if i go out she won't go near him just sits by the door & whines for me, i know it's probably because i am with her all day while Steve is working, just don't know what else i can do except go out every evening!! any way it's Arley days so hopefully it might get better in time!!

[cindere528]

I'm sorry you're having these problems with Libby, but if it's any consolation, I've had the same kind of problem with Dolly.

Dolly has been here for just 7 weeks now and we're still not completely over it. She started off by really going for Pansy, teeth and all, but now she just growls at her, she doesn't snap any more.

The problem is that Dolly has really bonded with me, like Libby has with you, and she didn't like Pansy coming to me for attention.

We still haven't completely solved it, as I said, Dolly still growls at Pansy a bit, but they snuggle up together in one bed at night. They have 2 beds, but choose to sleep together, so they love each other really.

Good luck with them, I'm sure you'll get there in the end.

[sitdownshep]

Hi cinders528, well have come up with this idea & it seems to be working, as soon as Libby starts to growl i make her go out of the room for a few minutes with Shep in the room with me, then i let her in again, if she doesn't growl i keep telling her "good girl" so far she hasn't gone for him! only been doing it since yesterday, so time will tell!! I'll try anything as he is too old & bad on his legs to be moving fast to get out of her way!! next problem i have is that at night she never does any mess in the house but in the day, even though we leave the door open to the garden, she will still do a wee on the rug in the kitchen, i have caught her in the middle of doing it this morning & told her NO, but she doesn't seem to be bothered!! if she does one outside i give her a treat & say good girl, saying that i have to make her go into the garden as she really doesn't want to go out there & is only at ease if i go with her!! hints would be fantastic!!   

[Crazy Cocker Gang]

Go right back to basics with the housetraining.

Dont scold her for accidents just clean them up.

 keep the door closed and take her out regulary.

Spend time with her in garden so she gets more confident being there.

[cindere528]

next problem i have is that at night she never does any mess in the house but in the day, even though we leave the door open to the garden, she will still do a wee on the rug in the kitchen, i have caught her in the middle of doing it this morning & told her NO, but she doesn't seem to be bothered!! if she does one outside i give her a treat & say good girl, saying that i have to make her go into the garden as she really doesn't want to go out there & is only at ease if i go with her!! hints would be fantastic!!   

Sorry to laugh, but we've had that problem too!  To the extent that last week, I put the rug in the bin, it was just sooooo smelly!

I actually caught Dolly just the once, weeing on the rug & I said NO in a very loud voice & took her outside. Since then, we've had no further accidents. I think in her little mind, she thought "the rug smells of wee, Mum's never told me off for weeing on it, so it must be ok" Once I caught her in the act & said NO, she realised that outside is the place to wee.

I must add though, my cockers don't like going out in the rain, so Mummy has to go out with them, umbrella and all 

Cockers - who'd have em eh?

[mooching]

she will still do a wee on the rug in the kitchen, i have caught her in the middle of doing it this morning & told her NO, but she doesn't seem to be bothered!! if she does one outside i give her a treat & say good girl, saying that i have to make her go into the garden as she really doesn't want to go out there & is only at ease if i go with her!! hints would be fantastic!!   

I'd suggest that you move the rug right out of the house (and perhaps get it professionally cleaned - with a view to putting it back later), don't say "no" if she goes inside, just clean it up without saying a word, and always go outside with her if you want her to go outside.