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The Man, the Dog and the Hummingbird
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That's lovely.
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My daughter works at a Humane Society shelter and occasionally fosters baby animals who have lost their mother. She also has a 60-pound rescued Pit Bull/Boxer mix that's afraid of kittens.
When tiny kittens are in the house Dixie wants nothing to do with them. She might give them a quick sniff then walk away. Problem is, as the kittens get more comfortable they start to see Dixie as a mother/playmate/big warm thing, and they try to interact with her. Dixie seems truly uneasy with this. We've noticed that she'll occasionally tentatively do something playful, like shove them with her snout, then immediately look at my daughter as is to say, "Is that OK?"'
I'm starting to develop a theory that some previous owner (Dixie's had a hard and somewhat sad life) severely punished her for interacting with kittens. Now, she really wants to play with them but is afraid of the consequences.
What do you dog owners and lovers think?
When tiny kittens are in the house Dixie wants nothing to do with them. She might give them a quick sniff then walk away. Problem is, as the kittens get more comfortable they start to see Dixie as a mother/playmate/big warm thing, and they try to interact with her. Dixie seems truly uneasy with this. We've noticed that she'll occasionally tentatively do something playful, like shove them with her snout, then immediately look at my daughter as is to say, "Is that OK?"'
I'm starting to develop a theory that some previous owner (Dixie's had a hard and somewhat sad life) severely punished her for interacting with kittens. Now, she really wants to play with them but is afraid of the consequences.
What do you dog owners and lovers think?
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Sounds about right. Maybe she needs to sit down with Dixie and show some affection, then pick up a kitten and make introductions. Demonstrate that interaction is OK.
Some people get all panicky when the see small, cuddly critters close to much larger critters of the same species. When we raised Corgies, my wife always worried that our Shepard was gonna eat/step on one or more. His attitude was generally benevolent disinterest, but I did notice him herding a couple of wanderers once.
I have, a couple of times, had a cat & dog who co-existed without major issue. The cats did, however, like to tease the dogs.
Some people get all panicky when the see small, cuddly critters close to much larger critters of the same species. When we raised Corgies, my wife always worried that our Shepard was gonna eat/step on one or more. His attitude was generally benevolent disinterest, but I did notice him herding a couple of wanderers once.
I have, a couple of times, had a cat & dog who co-existed without major issue. The cats did, however, like to tease the dogs.
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William R Moore,
You COULD have had my problem, from my long ago days/DAZE of grad school: I had a >20 pound Maine **** cat, that I adopted from a shelter, who seemed to see it as his LIFE MISSION to SEVERELY PUNISH all dogs for being alive.
After the THIRD time (I tend to be a "slow learner" on some things.) that I paid a LARGE Vet bill for "injured dogs", I started keeping him in the house, unless April and/or I were at home.
(ONE of those injured K9s was a >80# German Shepherd bitch that "ventured, uninvited, into "Dutch's" territory and had to have over 100 stitches.)
yours, sw
You COULD have had my problem, from my long ago days/DAZE of grad school: I had a >20 pound Maine **** cat, that I adopted from a shelter, who seemed to see it as his LIFE MISSION to SEVERELY PUNISH all dogs for being alive.
After the THIRD time (I tend to be a "slow learner" on some things.) that I paid a LARGE Vet bill for "injured dogs", I started keeping him in the house, unless April and/or I were at home.
(ONE of those injured K9s was a >80# German Shepherd bitch that "ventured, uninvited, into "Dutch's" territory and had to have over 100 stitches.)
yours, sw
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We had a rescue/feral feline at one of our farms. Rufus was orange, about 20 lbs and obviously a warrior (half of one ear gone). When we closed that operation, Rufus went to our trainer, who raised Jack Russells and had a couple other dogs. When Rufus stalked the barnyard, the dogs hid. Rufus really didn't have an issue with dogs, they just had to know their place. If they didn't, they learned.
I kinda miss Rufus. He moved on down the road to retire with someone who wanted a house kitty. He deserved it.
I kinda miss Rufus. He moved on down the road to retire with someone who wanted a house kitty. He deserved it.
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