Dee-Ann and Rob's Alaskan Klee Kai
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Dogfights
posted Thursday, 30 March 2006
Hmm, dinner was a bit too good tonight. I admit it, our dogs get people food, though they're pretty good about waiting patiently for it. If you study pack order you know that the lowest in the pack eat last, so you can use that to reinforce some dominance issues and whatnot. Yes, I'm even a geek when it comes to my dogs.
Anyway, usually Zorro just bows out if plates are put on the floor to lick. He's not interested in drama. Maia will go and then leave if drama stops, typically. It's the sisters, Sikari and Piyomi, who are always the "Exciting" ones.
Sikari and Piyomi each have their favorite types of foods. If it's sweet, Sikari will bristle and growl and basically tell Piyo "If you want to keep your limbs, back off." Piyo then comes to us with a pathetic look, which is rather amusing since she's about twice Sikari's size if you factor in her weight--she's not fat, she's just a much bigger dog in height and build. For other kinds of things, Piyomi gets it and Sikari either bristles but just for show, or wanders off.
However, sometimes, occasionally, it becomes a knock-down, drag-out battle. There's rarely a scarier noise to hear than a dogfight, really. They're full of sound and fury. Having four dogs and none of them younger than 3 years old, the sound no longer freaks me out. However, there's always the delicate issue of whether to get involved or not. They have to be able to sort things out to a point or you mess up pack order and general canine "manners." At the same, time, though there's always the fear that a fight that isn't winding down is going to continue. Plus, you really don't want to encourage fighting over food.
So the fight was broken up, no more food was offered, and dogs were inspected. With these dogs we've learned from experience (Zorro's younger rough and tumble days) that a wound may not show up until hours later, the blood finally becoming visible in the fur. So, you look and feel and probe, focusing on the areas that are, well, damp from slobber. Dogs aren't exactly punching each other after all. Turned out Sikari had blood in her ear so she was whisked off to the bathroom counter for inspection, cleaning, and hibitane. Turned out not to be a huge wound, which is good. Ear wounds are very bloody though, ugh.
Piyomi on the other hand never did show any signs of damage. Guess she "won" that one.
Anyway, usually Zorro just bows out if plates are put on the floor to lick. He's not interested in drama. Maia will go and then leave if drama stops, typically. It's the sisters, Sikari and Piyomi, who are always the "Exciting" ones.
Sikari and Piyomi each have their favorite types of foods. If it's sweet, Sikari will bristle and growl and basically tell Piyo "If you want to keep your limbs, back off." Piyo then comes to us with a pathetic look, which is rather amusing since she's about twice Sikari's size if you factor in her weight--she's not fat, she's just a much bigger dog in height and build. For other kinds of things, Piyomi gets it and Sikari either bristles but just for show, or wanders off.
However, sometimes, occasionally, it becomes a knock-down, drag-out battle. There's rarely a scarier noise to hear than a dogfight, really. They're full of sound and fury. Having four dogs and none of them younger than 3 years old, the sound no longer freaks me out. However, there's always the delicate issue of whether to get involved or not. They have to be able to sort things out to a point or you mess up pack order and general canine "manners." At the same, time, though there's always the fear that a fight that isn't winding down is going to continue. Plus, you really don't want to encourage fighting over food.
So the fight was broken up, no more food was offered, and dogs were inspected. With these dogs we've learned from experience (Zorro's younger rough and tumble days) that a wound may not show up until hours later, the blood finally becoming visible in the fur. So, you look and feel and probe, focusing on the areas that are, well, damp from slobber. Dogs aren't exactly punching each other after all. Turned out Sikari had blood in her ear so she was whisked off to the bathroom counter for inspection, cleaning, and hibitane. Turned out not to be a huge wound, which is good. Ear wounds are very bloody though, ugh.
Piyomi on the other hand never did show any signs of damage. Guess she "won" that one.
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