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Thread: Jackson and Pepper

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
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    Georgia
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    15,292

    Default Re: Jackson and Pepper

    Ah gosh, Shana, I'm so sorry for everybody.

    Maybe you might want to sent a note to Saskia and ask her to check in. She's so helpful with behavioral and training issues, and I know you want to get this under control before Pepper gets hurt or really traumatized. I'll bet she can give you some good suggestions.

    Marianne

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Washington
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    Default Re: Jackson and Pepper

    Thanks Marianne. I sent her a pm.

    There were a few drops of blood in a couple places on the tile where he retreated. I can only assume they are from him and this fight. Poor little guy.

    I had Jackson go outside and convinced Pepper to come in the TV room and go in the crate. So he is safe now.
    Mama to Jackson and Kira, and my darling Cushing's angel, Visuddha

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Glen Cove, NY
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    1,941

    Default Re: Jackson and Pepper

    Poor Pepper~ Our Chihuahua, Doree, still attacks Sibbie if she gets too close and it's been 9 months. But Doree has always been nasty. She's 12 and set in her ways. If she's in a bad mood, none of them can go near her and the boys are smart enough to leave her alone, but Sibbie still keeps trying and it gets pretty bad...I usually have to pick Sibbie up and hold her until Doree calms down. Doree has bitten me a couple of times when I try to separate them. She has back problems and is in pain a lot, so we really can't get mad at her...she doesn't want to be bothered by a puppy.

    Jackson must have gotten used to having you all to himself and he might sense your missing V and feeling like only he can make you feel better. Maybe your husband or a neighbor can walk with you and take Pepper, so Jackson doesn't feel like he is not welcome on those walks. Whenever we introduced other dogs, we did it on walks.

    Good luck, Shana...I hope it gets better.
    Joan, mom to my Angel Lena, Angel Gable, Angel Phoenix, Angel Doree, Cooper, Sibble, and now Raina.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Washington
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    1,063

    Default Re: Jackson and Pepper

    Thanks Joan. Yeah I read about having two people walk the dogs. I just asked my husband if he will do that with me in the mornings and he agreed. Hopefully that will help.

    I also sent Saskia a very long message with all the details I could think of in the past few days. Jackson pinned Pepper down this morning. Pretty sure it was because I was nearby...

    My husband thinks it will just take time, and Jackson is asserting his dominance. This morning's altercation did not result in injury so other than the possible injury last night (I can't confirm where that blood on the floor came from, it was dry so it may have been there a while or maybe not I'm just not sure), there hasn't been any real physical damage done. Pepper's certainly afraid of Jackson now though and keeping his distance. It sucks. I hate for either of them to be living with that stress all the time.

    I'm going to call a behaviorist I emailed last year and make an appointment with her. She said she comes in for 2 hours for the first appointment, so if nothing else, I'll get an outside opinion on the situation. See if she agrees that time and training will help, or not.
    Mama to Jackson and Kira, and my darling Cushing's angel, Visuddha

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Georgia
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    Default Re: Jackson and Pepper

    Shana, I commend you for jumping on this and trying to get some evaluation and assistance ASAP. I know nothing about dealing with this type of situation. But given Jackson's seemingly unprovoked attacks and the fact that he has the potential to harm Pepper truly seriously, I wouldn't think you'd want to sit on this any longer to work it out themselves. Just one unpredictable attack could have really bad consequences. I am so sorry that things are not going smoothly for you guys, but I think you are taking the right steps to try to get a handle on it.

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    York, PA.
    Posts
    11,037

    Default Re: Jackson and Pepper

    Oh Shana!

    Congratulations on the new addition to your family!! And I am sorry to be late in welcoming your new precious boy, Pepper!!!!

    When I adopted Sampson my cat just hated him. In fact when Sampson was first let of his crate my cat (Alex the bad cat) hissed and backed poor Sampson into a corner, Sampson was terrified. Walking them both together helped immensely in getting them to be friends although every now and then Alex would let Sampson know that he was the top "dog" Alex always thought he was a dog in a cat's body

    I am sure with the behaviorist and Saskia that they will be able to help get things sorted out between Jackson and Pepper.

    Love and hugs, Lori

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Washington
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    Default Re: Jackson and Pepper

    Marianne, Lori, thank you.

    Saskia has been so very helpful with messages today, providing suggestions on how to set up the dogs for success.

    And tonight I spoke to the behaviorist, Cathy, for quite a while on the phone. She will be coming over next Tuesday when I get off of work for her initial consult. I have shared with her everything I could think of about Jackson's experiences to date, and the interactions between Jack and Pepper so far. Of course I hope that her evaluation will say that if we can do X Y Z then she believes all will be well. I know it will probably take time and a fair amount of work, even in the best case scenario, and I am committed to that. At the same time, I am trying to prepare myself for the possibility that she will suggest rehoming Pepper.

    For now, I remain hopeful. We will be walking them "together" in the morning, keeping them separated when I am home alone (tonight and Monday night) or THEY are home alone, with Pepper in his crate or in a different room.

    My husband put Pepper in his crate before he left for work and he has stayed there so far this evening. I gave Jackson some attention away from Pepper, as well as a little training in the same room as Pepper's crate. Then I told Jackson to lay down; he chose to go in the other room and I opened the crate and gave Pepper some attention. He came out of the crate just far enough to rest his head on my legs. What dinner he ate, was in his crate. He hasn't needed to go out so he's basically just snoring away.

    I kind of feel bad for leaving him in there all the time but I have to keep reminding myself this is just a short term solution. It sucks, but I think it is the best choice for us right now. Both Saskia and Cathy essentially agree, keeping them separated, especially when I am home alone with them is good. If I can figure out a room that Pepper could be in so he has a little more space, with his crate, some toys, etc that would be better. Then I can go in there and spend some time with him, as well as spend time with Jackson where he is. Cathy said that if they will respect a baby gate (Jackson always has before), then using that as a barrier would be a good choice. I'll talk to my husband about their ideas in the morning and see what we can do.

    For now, I'm going to try to get some sleep. I didn't get too much last night.
    Mama to Jackson and Kira, and my darling Cushing's angel, Visuddha

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
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    1,118

    Default Re: Jackson and Pepper

    Shana, I am so proud of you I hope you slept better last night and you all had a good walk this morning...

    Saskia

  9. #19
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    Apr 2009
    Location
    Georgia
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    15,292

    Default Re: Jackson and Pepper

    Shana, I am so proud of you, too. I am truly hoping things will settle down soon. In the meantime, you are doing a great job of working toward that goal.

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Washington
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    Default Re: Jackson and Pepper

    Thank you. Sincerely.

    Last night was really good. Of course, the dogs had extremely limited access to each other but hey - there were no scuffles, growls or anything so I'll mark it as a win!

    When I had to let Pepper out to go potty, I put Jackson out back. Then I took Pepper to the front door. Jackson inside, behind baby gate. Leash on Pepper and out the front we go. But he didn't go. So... bring him back in and put a leash on Jackson too. I tethered him to furniture in the living room, through which I had to walk Pepper to go to the back yard. Told Jackson to sit/stay - and he did. The tether was there just in case. Then Jackson got to go around the block with me.

    When we came back, I left Jack in the front room in a sit/stay and let Pepper back in and to his crate. Jackson was then allowed in the room and all was good.

    I told Jackson to lay down, then opened the door to Pepper's crate and gave him attention. Jack stayed so well and Pepper got a little love. He didn't want to stay in his crate but he had to. So I put the TV on and sat in there with him and Jack until Pepper was snoring. Then Jackson and I went upstairs to bed.

    Pepper woke me around midnight because he needed to pee. I had Jackson lay down, took Pepper to the back door and as soon as we were outside, Jackson ran past us. Pepper saw him, turned around to go back in the house. I told him it was okay and he turned back around to go in the yard. I stayed outside and watched, once Jack was done he looked toward Pepper. I said his name and he looked to me, then back at Pepper. I said his name and called him to come inside; he ran straight to me. He got lots of praise for being such a good dog, dried off and then told to go lay down again. Stay.

    Once Pepper was done, he comes up onto the deck but keeps a bit of distance from the door and looks at me as if to ask if it's ok to approach. I went back outside with the towel to dry him off there, then led him inside and to his crate. He really didn't want to go inside this time but once in he settled right down.

    Jackson and I went back upstairs to bed until my alarm woke us.

    My husband came home early last night so he was already sleeping. He woke but is really sleepy; since he does not have to work tonight, I will walk the dogs separately this morning. We will do our first together walk tonight.

    I moved Pepper's crate to the laundry "room" (really more like a hallway) which has a sliding door. I also set up a gate in the doorway, so we can still close the door but we can keep it open with just the gate if that works okay. At the moment the door is open. Pepper has room in front and behind the crate, and just enough room on one side to pass it. I feel better about this arrangement and a bonus - it provides him with full time access to a water dish. It is also where I have been feeding him most of the time so he naturally heads there as a safe spot anyway.

    Ok - off to walk Jackson.

    I'm so grateful for all of your support. SO grateful.
    Mama to Jackson and Kira, and my darling Cushing's angel, Visuddha

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