[Edwood]

Well, it's your call. There is absolutely nothing wrong in admitting that you cannot do what would need to be done to get Tam and Pixie to get along. If it doesn't feel right for you, then it's not right for you.

But in the end, I think too many people think of their dogs are people, with human emotions, when they are simply dogs. Doesn't matter the breed, sex, or upbringing. Even the most ferocious dog, or frightened dog, or stubborn dog can be trained. Give or withold food, they will obey very quickly. I know it may seem cruel, but dogs really don't have the same type of feeling we do. They need to be consistently conditioned. It may be a lot of stress for the humans, but believe me, Tam and Pixie won't dwell on it like we do.

And yes, it is very difficult to say no to a cute face. MoMo has mastered it, but I remain strong. (mostly.)

And your situation is actually very common. I know it won't make you feel any better, but it's just the nature of dogs, as much as we may like to think they are far removed from wolves, they still have common behaviors.

I know you trust your breeder, but it might help in the future (don't give up, you'll get another chance later) to consult an experienced dog trainer or behaviorist (not a pet psychic) help out. Dogs, like wolves, left to their own devices will fight for position in the pack. It is in their nature. It is up to us to tell them where their position is in the pack.

-Ed

 

[Old Pa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plainsong /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's ok guys. Ed means well. I know he's not crapping on my already crappy day. He's just giving his opinion. It's tough for him to see what went on here and why I had to draw the line. Two landed bites, and one traumatized dog (the one doing the biting) doesn't bode well. It didn't get better as time went on it got worse. Pixie has gotten on with dogs in the past so we know how it is when it's working. It wasn't, and wasn't going to. Rea has yet to be wrong where Pixie is concerned, so it's tough explaining just how many years of experience she's coming from. This little flaw only popped up in the bloodline in Pixie's generation, and she's talked to the owners of Pixie's father, investigated this - because, she's a breeder, she wants to always improve her dachshunds. And yeah, it's from him. Yes, breed standards are only a general guideline, but I'm saying that Pixie has this in her, and her decision was as plain as day. If the breeder's opinion didn't correspond to our experience that would be one thing, but it's another when someone whose opinion you respect is speaking a home truth. Yes, we could have soldiered on, taken the risk, never trust them to be together, no matter how friendly they seem, chosen to ignore the broken shell that used to be our dog, and maybe she'd come around, probably not. Probably Tammis would take the lead role, which is fine, but that Pixie would not be beta, but Omega to the extreme. Or maybe not. She could choose instead to fight, and fight, and fight. Yes, we're the pack leaders, we can stop fights, but at what cost? Always guarding them? Always using crates? Always having to be exactly correct in who gets petted first, and Pixie not at all, and fed first, no toys to speak of, trying to keep them apart in a small flat... What the hell kind of life is this? No no no, they deserve better. You know what happened when two female doxies similarly differing in age and size got together? They seemed only to bicker, so they were outside playing, Rea and her friend came back out into the yard after only a few minutes and one of the dogs was dead. I'm not going down that path of always having to guard. Either they get along, with some guidance and help from us, or they don't. Despite what they sell you on tv, not ALL dogs are meant to be friends. With anyone else, Pixie may have just said "Oh I just love you." But not Tammis, for some unknown reason. Now as for a puppy, she loves puppies, so at the puppy stage there would be no worries at all. She loves playing mom. It would just be a risk hoping she remembers it's the same puppy once it grows up. She should, but we feel a bit gun shy now. This was all so she could have a sister and be part of a flock. There's no point making both of them suffer if that's never going to truly happen. I love Pixie...and yes even Tammis too much to put them through that. We weren't looking for love at first site. Pixie is a big one for that, but even ignoring each other would have been an excellent start. An argument is par for the course, only depending on the circumstances. If they're working out their rank, that's normal...this was.not.that.

Give it time. At least a month. For all of the aforementioned reasons. Your breeder and you sharing at this time the same prejudices does not make them the fact. Give it time. Be the Ma.

 

[Edwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Pa /img/forum/go_quote.gif Give it time. Be the Ma.

So says the Pa.

-Ed

 

[braillediver]

Sorry to hear about your hardships with the dachshund.

Here's a first- I agree with you. You and the breeder (especially) know more about what's going on. You have to trust the breeders judgment since they know the animals.

It's probably best to clear up the situation quickly to prevent any lasting trauma to the rest of your family.


I was going to post in the beginning and relate an experience I had as a kid. A dachshund in our neighborhood owned a cul-de-sac where I was supposed to deliver newspapers. It became a daily ritual where I would sneak into the cul-de-sac and get as close to the house as possible then throw the newspaper at the house, turn tail and run full speed to get out of there before the little (in stature not spirit) dachshund came after me. If I got a head start I could out run him. He never went beyond the end of the road so if I made it that far I was safe. I laugh now but that little bugger made my life difficult for several years straight.


Good Luck Mitch

 

[plainsong]

Thanks, I really appreciate the support. I guess no matter how hard you try to explain yourself, it's impossble to explain to someone who doesn't know anything about where your dog is from or what your dog is like as an individual to convince them that you know when a situation is bad. It's not a case of "Being the mom" - for heaven's sake - oh, I never thought of stepping in.

Maybe I'm not selfish enough to put dogs in a bad situation just to please my own ego - how's that sound?

And I'm not going to put two animals in danger who have no need to be in danger. No one remembers I guess that I used to train horses as well - you think I don't know what a fight looks like?

If any one of the detractors could have seen the situation, I guarandamntee you you'd change your tune.

Should I take the advice of my own common sense combine with that of someone with 40 plus years experience, or should I trust some well-meaning people on an internet forum who have zero experience with the breed, much less the family of the breed... gee, I wonder... hmmm... tough choice there...

Quote:

Originally Posted by braillediver /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sorry to hear about your hardships with the dachshund. Here's a first- I agree with you. You and the breeder (especially) know more about what's going on. You have to trust the breeders judgment since they know the animals. It's probably best to clear up the situation quickly to prevent any lasting trauma to the rest of your family. I was going to post in the beginning and relate an experience I had as a kid. A dachshund in our neighborhood owned a cul-de-sac where I was supposed to deliver newspapers. It became a daily ritual where I would sneak into the cul-de-sac and get as close to the house as possible then throw the newspaper at the house, turn tail and run full speed to get out of there before the little (in stature not spirit) dachshund came after me. If I got a head start I could out run him. He never went beyond the end of the road so if I made it that far I was safe. I laugh now but that little bugger made my life difficult for several years straight. Good Luck Mitch

 

[jbloudg20]

I just thought I would add how wonderful Dachshunds are. Our ginger (3yo) has the most wonderful personality. She loves people, and plays up all the attention. She has this little prance she does when she is showing off. Its so funny to watch her do that. When moving me in and out of my dorm, she comes for the ride, and gets all the attention from the girls. It's absolutley so funny to watch her prance away, head in the air, tail swaying back and forth.

But i do notice the stubbornness in her, especially when I am trying to teach her something new.

However, she is the most wonderful family dog. You can tell she just loves all of us to death.

however, my Ginger really HATES another dog invading her space. If another dog comes in the house, she gets very jealous and cautious.

She is also VERy protective of us, her family. I was playing with a friends Shiba Inu, and i was holding a tennis ball. the Shiba jumped up at me to go for the ball, and Ginger intercepted the dog midair, and I had to jump quick to grab her cause she was going for the neck. She didn't liek that dog coming at me at all.

I'm sorry your adoption didn't work out. I think i would have done the same thing you did, though. At least to us, Ginger is not a dog, but a member of the family. If she isn't happy, we do what we need to take care of it.

 

[plainsong]

Pixie turned 5 today, and got a duck that quacks. Ugh! We also sent Tammis away with a toy, as she was a major toy-hound. But it's hardly a case of giving them human emotions, it's simply a case of knowing your own dog, and knowing a little bit of something about how dog behavior works with two adult bitches. To not get along and to have their minds made up wouldn't make any news headlines in the doggy world.

Pixie sounds a lot like ginger. She knows how to get on with people, likes most dogs she meets, but doesn't like when her humans are being taken from her. It's a threat and must be dealt with....by panicing in terror.

The way I see it, better to get them out of that situation than prolong it, let us get more attached to Tammis, and have them fight more as a result. Not all dogs are going to get along. In fact, it could have maybe gone better had Tammis not been sooo nice. Maybe if she had clearly dominated Pixie (as her sister Kira does), well that lays the cards out on the table. But nah, not in her nature, and in Pixie's to panic. Not a good mix I guess.

But the good news is that Rea knows of two or three people who may want Tammis, all experienced doxy people, so she will find a good home, and there's even a good chance we'll bump into each other. The doxy community is a small one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbloudg20 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just thought I would add how wonderful Dachshunds are. Our ginger (3yo) has the most wonderful personality. She loves people, and plays up all the attention. She has this little prance she does when she is showing off. Its so funny to watch her do that. When moving me in and out of my dorm, she comes for the ride, and gets all the attention from the girls. It's absolutley so funny to watch her prance away, head in the air, tail swaying back and forth. But i do notice the stubbornness in her, especially when I am trying to teach her something new. However, she is the most wonderful family dog. You can tell she just loves all of us to death. however, my Ginger really HATES another dog invading her space. If another dog comes in the house, she gets very jealous and cautious. She is also VERy protective of us, her family. I was playing with a friends Shiba Inu, and i was holding a tennis ball. the Shiba jumped up at me to go for the ball, and Ginger intercepted the dog midair, and I had to jump quick to grab her cause she was going for the neck. She didn't liek that dog coming at me at all. I'm sorry your adoption didn't work out. I think i would have done the same thing you did, though. At least to us, Ginger is not a dog, but a member of the family. If she isn't happy, we do what we need to take care of it.