Dogfight at Midnight

In the small hours of this morning I awoke to a conversation of an unpleasant nature going on on my bed.  It seems Talulah had come up to bed after her statutory bout of peace and solitude downstairs and she must have trodden on Tussock and all hell let loose for a few seconds.  One loud yell of "Oi!!!!" from me and they all settled down again, although I was aware of Talulah standing very still in the aftermath, before slowly backing off.

I put the light on at this stage to make sure everyone was okay and to see why this should have caused such an unusual outburst.  River was on the floor out of the way, Tussock had her head on the pillow next to me, and by now Talulah was settling down at the bottom of the bed looking somewhat chastised.

The position that Tussock held at that moment is the top spot  (after mine) and normally Talulah wouldn't venture into that space if Tussock is already occupying it.  Perhaps this time she thought there was enough room for her as well as only Tussock's head was actually on the pillow.  But this was just one of a few unusual incidents this last week.....

I have been pondering on why Tussock should be so reactive at the moment and I confess I am a little concerned.  A few days back, she had a go at an elderly terrier, two days later she was chasing off a very large German Shepherd - both were dogs.  Today she bitched at another young bitch whom she would normally just ignore.  It suddenly seems as though nobody is allowed in her space, and anyone that does so is going to get their head bitten off. 

A few weeks ago I agreed to look after a friend's bitch who was in season - they have an elderly and ailing dog, and they didn't want his stress levels going up.  My gut instinct said no and in hindsight - oh, how I wish I had listened to that inner voice!!!  My two older girls are not that long since having a season, but having this other one around appeared to swing them back into a hormonal state.  This is all past now, but it seems the aftermath is still with us.

I didn't see the first incident start - I was getting stuff out of the car - but I suspect that little Slioch sniffed her bum.  I did hear the first warning, but he perhaps did not heed it or perhaps couldn't move quickly enough away and by the time I had backed out of the car, she was on top of him shouting and bawling at him.  I ended up hauling her off using handfuls of loose skin on her back.  Slioch went back in his car, shaken, but unharmed.

The GSD incident was one I could observe - she didn't want him near her, and yet the last time they met everything was civil.  That said, last time we took them all onto neutral territory.  Every time Fhinn came near her - boy, did she chase him off.  I wanted to observe her behaviour, but I did put her inside the house for a break.



I see you.....



....and you are too close......



.......so move away please.......



Properly away!!!



Keep going.....



....until.....

 

.....I say so!!!!



I see you coming up behind me.....



and what part of "go away" don't you understand?!

 And then today - she had a go at the little labrador bitch, and I suddenly realised I will have to be quicker on the mark at getting her inside the car or on the lead than I ever normally am - this is just so unlike her.

Another thing that is adding to Tussock's mood is that she has sore and itchy ears (getting better now).  I regularly check all their ears, and hers have always been clean, but somehow she has picked up some mites and I haven't noticed.  When I discovered her ears were hot and itchy and had a look, she really did not want me to clean them out etc - to the point of a small grumble, pushing my hand away and sticking her head under the bed.  Tussock grumble at me?????  Never before!  I guess she just wants to be left alone by everyone. 

I guess I am going to be keeping an eye on her, and make her life as calm as possible and not put her into situations where she will be upset.  Suddenly, I am seeing what it is to live with a reactive dog, having written about it not long ago.

We all have bad days, but somehow we accept it in humans but condemn dogs for such moods and behaviour.  After all, pre-menstrual women have been excused for murder because of their hormones!

So here's hoping all these hormones will settle down again soon.  I certainly won't look after another bitch in season!  Been there, done that, wearing the t-shirt.

Almost forgot though - she isn't too miserable to play with her new ball!!