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It’s been a while since I posted, but some of you will remember my chihuahua mix Grover. I think I now consider Grover a “post-reactive dog” -
he has not reacted to another dog at any distance for months, and will readily go up to greet dogs that he meets on walks/hikes. He tends to be interested in greeting and sniffing butts for a bit, but then will just go on his way - he’s not really interested in play. If the other dog is too exuberant or in his face, he will stiffen and attempt to leave, lip-curl, and air snap (in that progression) but I consider that to be fairly appropriate communication of his comfort boundaries.
However, as our interactions with other dogs have increased, it has become clear that Grover is a resource guarder against other dogs (not at all with people). He will guard food that is on the ground and he will also guard me sometimes, if I am sitting or squatting close to the ground.
That’s where we’re at now, and I’m trying to figure out how feasible it would be to take him to a friend’s home for over Christmas. I don’t have any personal obligations to be anywhere over the holidays, but I would LOVE to be able to spend it with this friend and her family. They have two toy poodles, a big house, and an expressed willingness to do what is needed to manage interactions between the three dogs, if we can figure out what that is.
I’m hoping to get advice on how others have prepared (training/equipment-wise) for dog-interactions during the holidays, what kind of management you’ve done, what has and hasn’t worked, etc. Grover is mat-trained, though we would probably need to refresh that training. I also have two small dog gates that I’d bring along.
Thanks!
he has not reacted to another dog at any distance for months, and will readily go up to greet dogs that he meets on walks/hikes. He tends to be interested in greeting and sniffing butts for a bit, but then will just go on his way - he’s not really interested in play. If the other dog is too exuberant or in his face, he will stiffen and attempt to leave, lip-curl, and air snap (in that progression) but I consider that to be fairly appropriate communication of his comfort boundaries.
However, as our interactions with other dogs have increased, it has become clear that Grover is a resource guarder against other dogs (not at all with people). He will guard food that is on the ground and he will also guard me sometimes, if I am sitting or squatting close to the ground.
That’s where we’re at now, and I’m trying to figure out how feasible it would be to take him to a friend’s home for over Christmas. I don’t have any personal obligations to be anywhere over the holidays, but I would LOVE to be able to spend it with this friend and her family. They have two toy poodles, a big house, and an expressed willingness to do what is needed to manage interactions between the three dogs, if we can figure out what that is.
I’m hoping to get advice on how others have prepared (training/equipment-wise) for dog-interactions during the holidays, what kind of management you’ve done, what has and hasn’t worked, etc. Grover is mat-trained, though we would probably need to refresh that training. I also have two small dog gates that I’d bring along.
Thanks!
