Bill is ten, @Nanny Beach. It’s a behavioural issue with Bill rather than a vet one, she has had a thorough health check - vets here are strictly medical!
Bill is at the pipe and slippers stage whilst she is a mischievous child, so it’s more about finding strategies for them both to come to a happy accommodation with each other.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Hi @Nollie, we have a 10 year old Westie who was definitely at the pipe and slippers stage and then got female cockapoo at 8 weeks. For about 3 weeks he was not interested at all and she constantly wanted to play with him, annoyed him, stole his toys and his bed. He is very placid and just used to walk away, I could tell she would end up being the dominant dog. After about 3 weeks he started to initiate play and from that day on they have got on brilliantly and it’s definitely given him a new lease of life. He’s 14 now and our cockapoo is 4. She is still the boss but I find female dogs often are. Good luck with yours and hopefully they’ll settle into a great friendship.
Thanks @pansyface and @CDouch, I’m so hoping time is all we need! The main problems occur in the garden, but I will definitely look into the diffuser idea for indoor use, Pansy.
Your story in particular gives me hope CD, since it pretty much mirrors my own, so thank you so much for that. I agree, female dogs are usually the boss, our old girl certainly was and I have no doubt Smudge will be top dog, in fact she already is! Bill also grew up in a household dominated by older female dogs (we got him when he was 5) so probably never got the chance to strut his machismo, poor lamb.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
This is our two @Nollie and I’m sure yours will be the same soon. Once they start walking together, they’ll form a pack, our old Westie will always stick up for our cockapoo even though he doesn’t realise he’s passed it!! I had a dog walking business for 10 years and all the dogs that regularly walked together formed a very strong bond. Good luck again.
Nollie, sorry yes I read back on the thread, apologies. Our vets are very good for everything, been going there 25 years,.....it's an 80 mile round trip. I have tried quite a few local ones over the 10 years since we moved, found them rude, (the one at Pets at Home,I thought I would like,made a sarcastic comment about my hearing) or condescending, expensive, weirdly,and my dogs didn't like them either, so it wasn't just me!!!! Just taken this picture. Leo doesn't smoke,and hates wearing his slippers! He's got bad teeth, cataracts, but no arthritis,or limb problems. He can still do several hours up the Downs,no problems.
Reading your comments is heartening, thanks Lizzie and CD. Oh and what a great pic, CD!
Nanny, no worries, I think dogs pick up your emotions very strongly. I remember we had to take Sandra to a dog show to get her pedigree endorsed (a Spanish thing) and we watched the judge in the ring pick on the few dogs with tails - most locals used to dock them, so the tailed were almost exclusively ex-pat owned. The fact that we disliked him meant she lost her pedigree for being too aggressive - as soon as we approached the judge she bit him 😆
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Good for her,I'm sure he deserved it! The last nearest vet....he expected me,at my size and age, with arthritis of hands/wrists to lift a 3 stone dog up onto a table, she peed as soon as we got in the door. My "old" vet,they get on the floor with the dogs,(unless it's my toy of course)
@Nollie The older Border, a female was 14 when I got the young scallywag. It wasn't love at first sight, but the older dog soon had the younger one under control, but by about 2/3 years later, the younger one took over. The older Border lived to the ripe old age of 14. This photo was taken on the first day I got the pup. I took them both down to the beach. The puppy had come from a working sheep farm in the Tarn.
Having a little roly poly in the sand with an audience!
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Bill is at the pipe and slippers stage whilst she is a mischievous child, so it’s more about finding strategies for them both to come to a happy accommodation with each other.
Your story in particular gives me hope CD, since it pretty much mirrors my own, so thank you so much for that. I agree, female dogs are usually the boss, our old girl certainly was and I have no doubt Smudge will be top dog, in fact she already is! Bill also grew up in a household dominated by older female dogs (we got him when he was 5) so probably never got the chance to strut his machismo, poor lamb.
Nanny, no worries, I think dogs pick up your emotions very strongly. I remember we had to take Sandra to a dog show to get her pedigree endorsed (a Spanish thing) and we watched the judge in the ring pick on the few dogs with tails - most locals used to dock them, so the tailed were almost exclusively ex-pat owned. The fact that we disliked him meant she lost her pedigree for being too aggressive - as soon as we approached the judge she bit him 😆
This photo was taken on the first day I got the pup. I took them both down to the beach. The puppy had come from a working sheep farm in the Tarn.
Having a little roly poly in the sand with an audience!