Rippa, it would seem, is a touch territorial about her owner and his spaces. Daca's been on the receiving end of a couple puppy fights based on her going into his house and chewing on Rip's toys, and we discovered they don't really like to tolerate sitting next to each other on the bench seat of his truck. Talk about trying to get us into an accident. We slept in the bed of his truck (it has a camper shell on it) when we were in Vegas and the puppies got into what I think was territorial spats in the dark, which resulted in sharp puppy teeth bites on my hand when we separated them. Ouch. But up until now, Rips has been the one to start them and most of the time I thought she was in the right until recently.
When Daquiri came to us, she really had no concept of self control. She spazzed out everywhere, had no doggie manners with us or with the dogs. She's calmed down to a perfectly nice, livable dog now, but it took Rippa, Rex, Fury, me, Laura, and Yishai to show her the way, so I have let Rippa set her straight a lot.
Yishai and I were pretty bummed that the kids were fighting again.
I was waaaaaaaaay more bummed when one day Yishai came over to drop Rippa off for the day (they all stay out in the backyard and play and what not) and Daca totally jumped Rippa and would not stop it. Ooooh, I was so mad. I told her that she was unequivacally not to start things, and she respects me, so if I was there to stop it, she stayed away from Rippa (ideally, she wouldn't 'stay away' she would just quit giving the stink eye), but if not, puppy fight was on. They get super spitty and loose-tooth bloody. (Man, I need to get you a photo of their disproportionately large incisors right now, they look funny!) But, but, but, nothing happens.
So I was really worried about that. I had to go to work and not properly deal with it so I sat all day thinking about it while Dax was in a crate and Rips was outside with the Fury.
I came home and let Fury try to sort it out between them. Fury, having too strongly corrected her kids when they were much younger, had a hard time trying to figure out how to do it. I was really worried this was a "thing." It may yet be.
One of my most distinct memories of working for a vet in high school was that these two husky siblings would come in every month torn to shreds due to sibling rivalry. Two dogs of the same age and general weight and demeanor are going to have a hard time finding their pack order, and yeah . . . two bitches? Wee. I'm really worried about how we'll manage that if I don't find Dax a new home.
But, happily, after that day we have gone back to a happy, copacetic life in which we play and cuddle together and so long as there's no food protection to be had, everyone is friends.
Except, well, now Dax is trying to start stuff with the Fury (I have seen Rippa try, too), and miss Fury says OH HELL NO, but maybe not as strongly as I'd like her to (who would have guessed my firey little controlling dog would have this be an issue), but I am not too worried Daxy will get away with too much with Fury. And the Furs, for her part, is having a marvelous time separating the two when their play gets too rough, so she's doing a nice job of managing them for me.
But, all in all, here's a cute photo that shows you that yes, we can all be friends:
I have said before that the Fury is like a Ferrari - great handling and fun to drive, but in the wrong hands you'll crash and burn. Rippa is more like a rally car - handles nicely on and off road, but can go anywhere. Dax is definitely more taking after Fury on that one. But, well, she let people pet her this weekend, no sign of fear at all. I think a few more months and we'll get her back to where she was when she left: friendly, funny, and awesome.
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