Re: [PyrNet-L] BEHAVOIR: 3 Sticky Wickets

[judith diamond <pyrenees@gwi.net>]

>    Charlotte wrote; I
> guess, however, that I have a different outlook on rambunctious
> puppies.  I
> just don't want them chasing all over the house or jumping on me or
> the
> furniture.  Our house rule is no chasing or rough play inside.
> <   I can understand and appreciate that.  However, here in Maine for
> 7-8 months of the year, I find it too uncomfortably cold to go out and
> play with them very often. Besides, Lee & I, spend endless hours
> watching and delighting in them rough housing  indoors and outdoors.
> For some reason unbeknownst to me, I have never had a mature pyr that
> knocked anything over or broken something, while they played inside.
> ( Just you wait, now that I've said that, it will happen,  <VBG>.)  I
> don't think that it is because they are being goodie, goodies, they
> are probably,  just protecting their own bodies from hitting something
> and getting hurt. <g>. I guess I've been lucky.      > . We discourage
>
> puppy buyers from playing tug of war or rough games with their pups
> because
> we don't want the pups growing up to think their people are their
> equals and
> playmates.        >     I see your point and  I respect it. I can give
> up the tug o' war type of game.  But, one of the fun things for me
> about owning gentle giants, is that they are big enough to be thrown
> around. <VBG>.   One time last early autumn, Lexi, Jonah and I were at
> a nearby reservoir, (*all* fenced in.) No one else was there and they
> were off lead. ( Still, a rare occurrence, even there.)  Lexi & I got
> into a wrestling match. We ended up hugging each other on the ground,
> right at the top of a very steep, grassy hill.  Well,  we both must've
> lost our balance, because the next place that I remember being was at
> the bottom of  the hill. We rolled all the way down together. I
> suppose that her and I were so suprised that gravity had it's way with
> us, that we held on for dear life to each other.  <VBG>          >
> They need to know that their people are the bosses. > Jonah & Lexi,
> are acutely aware that their Mommy is boss. Even though, *  dare* I
> say this here?   Well....... no guts, no glory.     I not only let
> them sleep on our king size bed, I encourage them to do so. YIKES!
> I know, really, I know that this is The Cave, The Den. I,  as the boss
> woman and Lee, as my mate, should  be the only ones only permitted on
> the bed.  However, one of the greatest joy's in my life, is sleeping
> with my Jonah & Lexi. Again, here, during a Maine winters night, there
> is nothing quite as fluffy and warm, as flannel, sheets, pillow cases,
> a duvet cover, combined with a pyrenees, on ether side of me. <BG>.
> 2 dog nights are the best!  This, for me, only for me, is one one of
> the greatest pyrenees blessings of all. I can hear your growls coming
> on this next one already.  <BG>.    We have even talked about adding a
> twin bed to the side of our's, or having a custom made bed designed,
> that will fit the four of us.   Surely, there have* had* to  be time
> periods,  that one or both of them have not been allowed up there.
> Times when they were trying to ' work me 'and become the Alpha. In
> general, the vast majority of the time,  they both know who is their
> leader,  (  and it ain't them!) ,  and act accordingly. Despite the
> fact that they are permitted on the bed, when invited, they are not
> allowed on the couches. Unless, it is for posing for a
> photo.
> My Pepper (a Lexi
> relative) .    <   Big smile.    I wonder. Lexi has a habit of butting
> like a goat. When being touched, if she's had quite enough. Or just in
> general, she likes to swing her nose way up in the air.  Kinda' like
> some snobbish people that I have encountered.  <G>   Does Pepper,
> being Lexi's relative, ever do that?                >  Lexi sounds
> smart enough to enjoy
> more training...agility, tracking, carting or therapy?     >  From
> what I have read here, she maybe too young for agility, for a pyr,
> since she is under two years of age, right?  I have thought about
> carting. I have even recently,  filed Warrick Wilson's last post on
> carting. If it is anything like training a horse, which is only
> something that I imagine it to be like, I do not know if I could find
> enough time. I need to learn more about it. Thanks Charlotte, for some
> really good ideas.
>
> #2 Is Jonah feeling ok - not wanting to play or eat  treats would
> worry me.   < Jonah is in top form. He's feeling very well, thanks for
> asking.    < He will eat them. Just not readily from the hand's. He is
> my very first pyrenees that is a  fussy eater though.
> Is he being overpowered by Lexi and feeling left out? What is he doing
> while
> you are playing with Lexi?       <    Not in this house. Not my baby.
> Jonah is my  first male pyrenees. I waited half of a life time to
> prepare myself for a boy. I had the first male pick of the litter that
> he was in. I instantaneously knew he would be " the one', as soon as
> our eyes met, when Barbara brought him out and he was peeking over her
> shoulder at me.  I am getting carried away here. I go to any lengths
> to never give any of the pyrs a reason to feel left out.  In fact, I
> have had to work extra hard at dividing my time evenly with them,
> because I had been so used to giving Jonah so very much attention
> before Lexington had joined our family. Trust me, Jonah is my pride &
> joy, ever so slightly more than Lexi, simply because I adore the pyr
> boy's so much. Of course, Lexi has more than won my heart.  <G>  It
> seems though that sometimes I love Jonah more and visa versa. But I
> never let them see that.     >  Sometimes dogs get sort of apologetic
> when they
> are feeling like underdogs. Does Lexi push him out of the way to get
> treats?    > Not yet.  I imagine like with most females, the day will
> come when she will dominate. It hasn't come yet. Not for lack of
> effort on her part though. One way that I think she tries is,  she
> likes to shove her nose repeatedly into Jonah's body, when she doesn't
> want him to be as near to me as she is.  She will also herd him away
> like that. Jonah's still the pyr king.
> Many Pyrs are afraid of things over their heads - cabinet doors,
> hands, etc.
> Try patting him under the chin instead of on the head and holding
> treats up
> over his head for him to reach while praising him.            > I
> will.
>
> #3 Is there any way you can fix up a fenced area away from those
> sliding
> glass doors so the dogs can't get to them?  Are there any other ways
> in and
> out of the house that you could use instead of those?   <    Even if
> they go out the other entrance, where it is also fenced in, they will
> see me in the my den, dining or living room through the slider's.  So,
> they will jump when I do not bring them in immediately. I have heard
> of dogs
> going through the glass and getting hurt.      < God, I hope not.  For
> four day's I once upon a time, I had a Nuebien goat, some year's ago,
> to keep my horse Rainbow, company. Rhonda the goat, in her own way,
> did what the pyr mush balls now do. All to attract my attention.  When
> I went into the house, after playing with Rainbow and Rhonda, Rhonda
> wanted still more of me, she let me know this by repeatedly, raming
> her horns into the sliding glass door's. Miraculously, they did not
> break or even shatter. Need I say, that I  found another good home for
> her pronto?  <G>.  How about hooking up a hose and
> squirting them when they head for the doors.             A hose might
> work. I have to wait for it to stop snowing first. It's so pretty. Lex
> and Jonah are out now, playing until their hearts are content. What a
> site.          Let's see. My house layout is hard to explain. It's not
> that simple. How could it be since I designed it?  <g>. Looking at the
> house from an aerial view, you would see the shape to look like a
> letter Y at one end, where all the slider's are. The other end, look's
> like the top or the bottom of a capitalized i,( I.) Around the Y, in
> almost every location, there is a slider. It look's out to our best
> view's.  Below all the sliding doors is a huge wrap around deck.
> Therefore, unfortunately, it wouldn't be feasible to block it off.
> But, anything else that you or anyone else can come up with, would be
> most appreciated. I am way open to all any any ideas.    Thanks a
> bunch for your suggestion's.    Now, don't go getting into a dither
> about our 'cave' situation. Okay?  <VBG>.    Judith, Jonah & Lexi
>
> Just some thoughts.
> Charlotte