Doggie hassles
Feb. 2nd, 2011 01:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
reynardoBasil and Cuton were, we thought, getting on.
Then Basil went from being territorial over his own food to attacking Cuton when he was feeding. At first Basil would gulp his food then head over to Cuton, often snatching the last morsel as Cuton was a little slower.
Last night, though, Basil ruddy well went for Cuton straight up when I put a treat in their separate bowls. Went for his neck in full-on street-fighting style, and Cuton just fled inside and bolted upstairs. I scolded Basil as well as I could, but the damage was done. Then I went up to Cuton and cuddled him lots, as he was trembling with fear.
Today, Cuton wouldn't come downstairs. He lurked upstairs for ages, not even coming down when I tried to lure him with food. He piddled on the upstairs carpet (not a great issue - that carpet is already ugly as sin - but it's so unlike him).
So I gave Cuton a huge cuddle, made him a special little plate of food (including bacon!), locked Basil in the downstairs loo, and carefully carried Cuton downstairs. He snatched one mouthful of food and headed back up again.
Crap.
I took the food upstairs and let him have it there. But I don't want to be cleaning up after Cuton, so with the aid of a couple of treats I lured him downstairs.
And he made it to the last step, snatched the treat and scurried back up again.
Damn.
One more set of treats, and I had him back down on the ground floor. At this point I decided to give love and cuddles, and brought Cuton over to the couch where I sat him on my lap and cuddled him muchly. Basil sniffed around then headed outside, and Cuton seemed to relax a little, and slipped off the couch to curl up on a mat on the floor.
Basil came by, and they regarded each other, then Cuton headed out to the lounge room, where he's on his beanbag.
So.
For a few days, I think we'll feed them separately, (as in one upstairs and one downstairs), and give Cuton lots of love (and Basil too), but teach Basil that he has to wait for his food.
Then we'll feed them at opposite ends of the patio, and keep an eye out for Basil's food-raiding habits. Hopefully that'll help.
And they'll both get lots of cuddles.
But if that doesn't work, then we can't keep Basil. Not if he's bullying Cuton.
Any dog owners with ideas?
Then Basil went from being territorial over his own food to attacking Cuton when he was feeding. At first Basil would gulp his food then head over to Cuton, often snatching the last morsel as Cuton was a little slower.
Last night, though, Basil ruddy well went for Cuton straight up when I put a treat in their separate bowls. Went for his neck in full-on street-fighting style, and Cuton just fled inside and bolted upstairs. I scolded Basil as well as I could, but the damage was done. Then I went up to Cuton and cuddled him lots, as he was trembling with fear.
Today, Cuton wouldn't come downstairs. He lurked upstairs for ages, not even coming down when I tried to lure him with food. He piddled on the upstairs carpet (not a great issue - that carpet is already ugly as sin - but it's so unlike him).
So I gave Cuton a huge cuddle, made him a special little plate of food (including bacon!), locked Basil in the downstairs loo, and carefully carried Cuton downstairs. He snatched one mouthful of food and headed back up again.
Crap.
I took the food upstairs and let him have it there. But I don't want to be cleaning up after Cuton, so with the aid of a couple of treats I lured him downstairs.
And he made it to the last step, snatched the treat and scurried back up again.
Damn.
One more set of treats, and I had him back down on the ground floor. At this point I decided to give love and cuddles, and brought Cuton over to the couch where I sat him on my lap and cuddled him muchly. Basil sniffed around then headed outside, and Cuton seemed to relax a little, and slipped off the couch to curl up on a mat on the floor.
Basil came by, and they regarded each other, then Cuton headed out to the lounge room, where he's on his beanbag.
So.
For a few days, I think we'll feed them separately, (as in one upstairs and one downstairs), and give Cuton lots of love (and Basil too), but teach Basil that he has to wait for his food.
Then we'll feed them at opposite ends of the patio, and keep an eye out for Basil's food-raiding habits. Hopefully that'll help.
And they'll both get lots of cuddles.
But if that doesn't work, then we can't keep Basil. Not if he's bullying Cuton.
Any dog owners with ideas?
