Snappy

We are pet sitting this week for Chad and Karen. Kaiser will be visiting for around 10 days and it has been a bit of a challenge.

My mom stayed the night on Sunday on her way from Washington, DC to Orlando. She brought with her Mike and Katie and both the dogs and the people were stressed from being in the car for so long. Mike hadn't been eating properly or getting his normal sleep because of all the traveling and he was unusually cranky. Being thrown into the new household with 3 other dogs was a real strain on him and so he didn't react well. Complicating it, Rose is easily unsettled by new dogs and new people and she hadn't met my mom or sister before. Her anxious barking put Kaiser on full alert and there were a few scuffles. Mike even got a tooth on Rose and left a little mark on her neck after one skirmish.

After my mom left, things got a bit better, but Kaiser is definately a challenge this visit. He has been crying in the early morning hours, around 3 am or 5 am each night. Finally last night he slept the whole time. It wouldn't be a problem, since he is downstairs, but when Scarlett hears him crying she wakes up and cries too. She can't stand for anyone to be upset and must comfort them. She was spectacular with my mom and her dogs, working really hard to make them comfortable and play with them, but Mike wasn't in the mood for it. Anyway, she has been waking us up when Kaiser cries.

They have also been playing a bit rougher with Kaiser around, no doubt because he is a bit bigger and tougher. However, delicate little Scarlett doesn't know her own limits sometimes and Rose gets overexcited and plays a bit harder than she should with Scarlett. Even though Rose is the first to step in and defend Scarlett against another dog, she is also the one who will grab Scarlett by the throat and pin her to the ground. I think Rose is probably a bit unsettled by it all and is struggling to gain control of the situation, by defending against intruders and trying to bring little Scarlett under control.

Luckily the only casualty has been my shoe, which Kaiser chewed up after he saw Scarlett carry it around. I hope that this ends up being a positive experience for Scarlett and Rose, instead of one in which Scarlett picks up Rose's anxiety and aggressive reactions.

Posted by Erin Doyne at 12:55

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