Angel, the next door neighbor’s dog, has relentless puppy energy that is too much for Gracie. She bites her ears. She tugs on her whiskers, particularly her eyebrows. And, now that she is bigger than Gracie, she tackles her.
I have tried many different tactics and tricks to prevent Angel from pouncing on Gracie during every walkie. It is so bad that Gracie sometimes refuses to take our usual path. She is simply not in the mood for Angel’s hyperactivity.
Rescue Daddy suggested that I give Angel a toy as a distraction. I resisted the idea at first. I did not want Angel to earn a reward for her bad behavior. However, the bullying is too much. I relented and bought puppy-approved tennis balls.
The first day I offered the tennis ball, Angel carried it the entire time she was with Gracie. It was wonderful. She chewed on the ball instead of Gracie. Since then, the tennis ball has lost some of its allure. She carries it for awhile but eventually drops it and tries to play with Gracie.
If you have any tips, I would love to hear them. It could be another year or two before Angel loses some of her puppy craziness – or it could be even longer. After all, Perdy, my late Dalmatian, did not lose her puppy energy until she was 10 years old; even then, she simply calmed to normal dog crazy. Suggestions are welcome!
Rescue Mommy
No comments:
Post a Comment