For the past bit of time, I have been trying to narrow down some issues I have been having with Yoshi. Aside from her allergies, and being terrified of people / new places / new things, she started to get aggressive with other dogs. After many hours of research I narrowed her problem down to be something related to ‘resource guarding’ which is fun -because her ‘resources’ that she ‘guards’ can be anything from a leaf on the floor that she saw, to her people. Fun times around here!
After a bit of work, I narrowed her main triggers down to food and her people. She gets upset if another dog/cat/animal is eating something that she wants, she doesn’t like to share her bones, steals food, and HATES it when you pay attention to another dog beside her. I have found it mostly best to limit her ‘triggers’ by feeding her on a schedule (so there isn’t food down for her to constantly guard) as well as limit the amount of treats / bones that hang out when there are other dogs around.
While this hasn’t completely limited her lashing out, it has put an end to a majority of it. As long as another dog doesn’t get to close to her bed / food / water / people / leaf on the floor etc. then we are ok.
Insert: The Pink Pig.
Last week we had a hot spell. We were dancing around high 80’s all week -and so I splurged and bought a $5 swimming pool and some plastic dollar toys to help keep the dogs cool (and keep the other dog from running off in seek of water -another story for another time.) Yoshi spotted the toys and was making herself comfortable with them, even doing her best to share when all of a sudden she started growling and snarling at the other dog.
I took the toys away -problem solved. I assumed she was just upset because it was a smaller space, and she was trying to take possession of the toys. The next day I filled the pool, and dropped the toys in.
Looking for pig
The pink pig disappeared a short time later.
I later found it buried in her bed.
Insert today: Dad was playing with the dogs for a few minutes when all of a sudden Yoshi jumped from her bed, went flying across the room growling and snapping.
No one had any idea what was going on…until I realized: Dad had given the PINK PIG to the other dog.
Once she got the pig back, she was happy as could be.
So now to add to her list of prized possessions: Food, Her People, Bones, and a stupid $1 Pink Pig.
Ah, yes. Such is our life with Yoshi…and forever and always, the pink pig.
Tangled Thoughts 