Learning to speak dog...

[Pat and Traveler]

Not really a play pose...

 

No mistaking this message!

 

Trav and I had an interesting couple of days house and pet sitting for a friend. I’ve been a little nervous about doing this ever since I agreed to it, because my friend’s dog, a Dane mix named Eve, doesn’t really like other dogs. She and Trav have been together a couple of times, but my friend was there then to help monitor and keep the peace. This time I was on my own.

The house is out in the country with a large, unfenced yard, plenty of brush, a garden, a chicken coop full of chickens, an old dog run and some other outbuildings. I decided to put Trav in the dog run for their first meeting this time around. After I put him in the run, he barked and howled to high heaven when I walked away. Nice. I cautiously unlocked the door to the house and opened it a bit, talking nicely to Eve, who was also barking. She recognized and greeted me, so I let her go check out Trav in the dog run. After she’d had a few minutes to get used to the idea that he was there, I took a deep breath and let him out. He was ecstatic, and rushed over to her. She wasn’t pleased at all, growled some at him, but I reprimanded her and she toned it down. They waded in the creek for a while, Trav following Eve everywhere she went and Eve pretty much ignoring him.

When we headed back to the house, Trav found a ball and ran with it, trying to tempt Eve to chase him. ‘Chase me’ is a game Trav dearly loves and plays often with his other dog friends. Eve doesn’t play. She ran him down, got the ball and snarled. Trav backed off for the moment, but after she dropped the ball he got it again and ran again. This time she pretty much ran right over the top of him, got the ball and REALLY snarled. Lesson learned. Eve’s ball.

Once Trav understood that Eve ruled, things went fairly well. I was on high alert all the time though, and it was sort of exhausting. I fed them in separate rooms, with closed doors between them, as I didn’t want to risk Trav getting near Eve’s food bowl, and I removed all the toys from the floor in the house so Trav wouldn’t try to play with them. One interesting thing Eve did was to start guarding me. I could push her away and let Trav come up to me, but she would continually try to put herself between us. She didn’t snarl doing this, but she definitely used body blocking.

I feel like I've had a crash course in dog language in the last few days!

 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Is that a leather gentler leader Eve has on?  Nice.  Didn't know they made them.   Too bad Eve does not know the fun she could have had with the chase game.

So nice of you to risk your life for her dog! 

[Sue, Lola, Pongo & Hubby]

Wow, looks like Eve picked up a couple of possessive habits in her life. Glad it didn't turn out to be a horror show!!!! Poor Traveller...just wanted to be doodley!

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

This would have made me nervous - that is a big dog!!!

[Pat and Traveler]

Thanks, F Parker and Laurie.  As multiple dog owners, you can probably speak dog pretty fluently!  I'm hoping to become more aware of what body language means and how to best react.  Eve was training both me and Trav.  Also realized how much of a playful, energetic puppy Trav still is, at about 1-1/2 years of age.  

[F, Calla & Luca]

I am glad things turned out OK in the end and no doubt bot you and Trav learned a lot and are glad to be home.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

That sounds like a nerve wracking weekend. You are a good friend and Trav is a good dog :)