Hey, Good Morning, Maureen!
The boys (Blue and Charlie) were doing okay for the most part, up until Dec 3rd.
We were keeping Charlie on a very long cable, secured to the chainlink kennel. He could basically free roam on this cable. Blue mostly kept just out of Charlie's reach. Mostly.
On one occasion in Nov, Blue left his own chow bowl at the north end of the *deck, and went straight into Charlie's space at the south end of the deck and tried to knock Charlie off his dish. NOT. (*our deck is just an 8" rise and runs the entire length of our house). Charlie jumped him, pinned him with his chest (he weighs over 200lbs now)...John went out and broke up the tussle.
After that, we tied up Blue at the north end of the deck while the chow bowls were out.
It only takes them 10 minute to empty their bowls.
But, on Dec 3rd...I was home late from the hospital. Got the dogs fed first, then I took my shower, made a plate of food, got a glass of wine, and sat down to watch a movie...when I heard an odd noise out on the deck. Went out and sure enough, Blue had wandered into Charlie's space, and Charlie's cable had become wound around Blue's waist and then his hind quarters. He was hog tied like a calf in a cowboy's rope!
I carefully and calmly un-wound Blue and grabbing his collar at the same time, yanked him out from Charlie's wrestler's hug. Charlie hadn't been biting, but was just daring Blue to move a muscle. You know the posture I mean!
But guess what my dumb hound did??? Instead of running the other way to safety...he (on purpose) ran right back into Charlie to continue the fight. And there was a fight.
They tussled and squabbled south so I ran into the kitchen and opened that slider door and hauled Blue by the collar into the dining room/kitchen area. Charlie had him by the ear and wasn't gonna let go. He followed us right on into the dining room, across the kitchen (that cable is long I told you!)...keepin' a tight grip on that hound's ear. He finally could not go any further on the cable, and I was able to get Blues ear out of Charlie's mouth. Oh boy. Was that ear bleeding. I put Blue in the attached garage, shooed Charlie out, and went back to Blue to survey the damage. Had to give him a sponge bath to clear the blood all around his neck and head just to see where the blood was coming from. It was the ear. Oh my, ears can bleed, can't they? So I cleaned him up, put pressure on the ear wounds (slices)...and let him stay in for the night in John's recliner. He was feeling rather shaken, but the warmth of the room soon made him feel better. Will that hound NEVER LEARN? I do believe it's Blue that starts the trouble, and Charlie finishes it.
So now both boys are cabled at all times. Charlie is now at the north end, and Blue is at the south end. With the exception of "yard time" when one of the boys goes into the kennel so the other boy can run free in the yard with Dani. Oy vey!
I have to shorten Charlie's cable today. Last evening he ran up on top of a raised rockery that is at the back of our yard, not too far from the deck...but he ran 'down' somewhere else and almost hung himself. He was out there barking and howling up a storm, so I ran out and unclipped him and recovered the cable from the shrubbery up at the top of the rockery. (Blue was enjoying 'house time' by the fireplace at the time).
So, unless I get the Dog Whisperer over here, Charlie and Blue will not be allowed one inch of room to interact except with looks! It is so unpredictable. Dog Whisperer had a similar case. Two male neutered Shepard males (litter mates) that were as close as two peas in a pod UNTIL they were about 2 yrs old. Then they began to struggle for TOP GUN position. Cesar Milan says it's very 'normal' for two dogs in a pack, esp males, to jockey around for TOP GUN position. It's not out of the ordinary. Those two Shepherds fight just like Charlie and Blue. One picks it, the other finishes it! With Charlie and Blue it's such an unfair lopsided fight. Charlie has the weight and height; Blue has the will but nothing to back it up with! Since the Dec 3rd fight, Charlie has been looking evil looks at Blue. Like he's cranky with Blue, or just spoiling for Blue to try something.
Anyway, that's my dog story for today! Sorry you asked?
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Now I'm about to start the next project (my Xmas knitting is done). Some WIPs are nagging me though... I am always the person who finishes one project before starting another. How did I end up with all the following WIPs? Help!!
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