Tough question here...
We have a dog...about 3 or 4...pound dog
anyway
he is basically like a fat watermelon type dog and never does anything
moonfluff had her kittens and shorty has been kept outside with scooby the wonder peeing dog
tonight...shorty was left in the house while we went out to eat and he ate a kitten!!!!
my poor hardy#2 walked in while it was happening and is so traumatized that he can hardly function
so
baboo smacked him and threw him outside and now he snaps whenever baboo goes toward him
what the crap is this about???
do I need to put my dog down
i can't have him alpha maling it all over the place because what about little kids???
i am sick
holy crap Fig..that's not good.
How old is the dog?? Has the dog ever shown any aggression? Is the dog showing any other weird signs besides eating cats and snapping at Big Hands??
I once saw a mother rabbit eat one of her young..I'm serious..so it happens I guess.
Something is up with that dog. I believe I'd let a vet check him..and I would definitely keep kids away from him.
i had a cat who ate her kittens all the time
my dad said it was because she was used to being an outside cat and that she knew that kittens would hold her back
(MLC cat??????)
I have no idea what to do but my poor HArdy#2 is like the animal whisperer and he looks like he saw his friend get hit by a bus!!!!
blech
i think we will have to give him to the pound which will be traumatic for everyone too
blech
(MLC cat??????)
==================
oh figgi, you one in a million!!
My dog ate my son's goldfishes, he must've saw them as misterious things moving, never had seen such creatures before so he chew them to death, and he's a sweet little bichon.
I dont' think the poor ol' thing meant harm, he just saw something foreign and his animal nature kicked in and just swalled the poor kitten.
I'm sorry H2 saw it (my son sobbed hard as he was the one who accidently stepped on the carcasses of his fishes, was mad at the dog but then forgave him), help him understand that the dog isnt' evil, he just acted upon his animal instincts (at least that's my opinion)
Before you do that......
(Ugh, I can SO relate to young Hardy....I am an animal person)
It could very well be that the dog was going by instinct to chase (and eat) small game....what kind of dog is he? How old?
If he is a ratter, and has never been around a kitten, it may have just been a case of mistaken identity. How old / mobile was the kitten?
Snapping at BH is another thing....does he have a history of this? Is he protective of his food or toys? Sounds like he is showing fear-aggression with your man (with good reason, if he got smacked). If he has never done this before, and you want to keep him, BH may have to take over being the one to feed him and give him positive rewards for a while, to gain the dog's trust back.
Please don't throw the dog out for that, if you can. If he really has become a danger, you would just be passing the problem along. Might be better to put him down, if that is the case.
Figgy mistyped. The dog's 3 or 4 years old. He weighs about 40 lbs or so.
I'm not terribly impressed with him right now. He left Hardy 2 seeing something he should never have had to. And he is not endearing himself any further snapping at me.
I'd be more concerned about the snapping, even though the killing is so atrocious to us.
Any other signs of aggression or fear? It is actually fear-biters who are more of a problem...
nope
the only other time was when he peed and i was trying to pull him from underneath something
otherwise
no
he shares his food with the other dog and with the cat
he was licking them before
and nuzzling them back into their box
the kitten just started walking
and
it looked like it may have had some albinoism to it (reddish eyes etc)
No, they aren't smart enough to "weed out" according to those traits....but licking and nuzzling with lots of tail-wagging and excitement is more about the triggering of the hunt instinct than with nurturing.
Does he ever play "tag" with the cat?
Can you or BH put you hand in the bowl while he is eating? Take away a bone or favorite toy without a growl?
I think instinct had to kick in on the dog. I had my cats disappear a couple months ago - most likely coyotes. My last dog was on the wild side too and would only chase a cat if the cat ran otherwise it would just play gently with the cats head in its mouth. I dont know, maybe the kitty scratched the dog.
My brother had a rottwieler that would clean out the kitty litter box every morning. And it was a girl dog - not very lady like.
we can put hands in the bowl
take the bowl away
and
when the hardys were smaller
dyl would even smoosh his face into shorty's when he was eating
and
yup there was lots of nuzzling and tail wagging
ugh
he has never even growled at the cat and he lets her jump all over him
she would hide behind stuff and jump out and tackle him at our old house
they are super tiny kitties
like they haven't even gone pottie in the litterbox yet
and
apparently the mom cat was feeding them at the time
she hissed but didn't put up a stink
It sounds like an instinct thing....a toy to play with.
They don't realize that smaller versions of things are the same species of what they get along with. Some dogs are terrified of babies and small children - they have no idea what they are, even though they are find around adults.
So, cat can be ok, and her kittens not.
I am surprised that he actually ate the poor thing, though....
usually will do enough damage to kill it, maybe "destuff" it like a toy, but not eat it (I am so sorry if that is too graphic, hon - I know you are probably traumatized, too).
A month after my D got her gerbils for Christmas, we were babysitting my BIL's husky. He was VERY interested in the cage, but we figured all would be fine. He couldn't get in and lost interest.
We forgot all about it and went out.
Came home to the top off the cage, two carcasses and one scared gerbil who hid under the tv for 2 days. I think I cried more than she did (I felt so guilty and bad that she had to hurt for that).
We went out the next week and got more gerbils, then put the cage up on top of the entertainment center.
i think he was shaking it by the head and it sort of came off
if that makes sense
i don't think he was eating it like he was hungry
ugh
i didn't see it
i didn't clean it up
thank God for Baboo
i just had to clean the work shirt that had blood on it
but poor hardy#2
he loves animals so and he found it
actually heard it and then turned the light on and saw
he was shrieking and shaking and grabbed the other 3 kitties and came out here
he is torn between loving shorty and hating him
how do yo uteach a 10 year old to DB???
That poor kid!!!
It does sound like shorty was hunting / playing, not being vicious.
Just explain to Hardy that he was doing what dogs do - he couldn't even help it if he wanted to; that's what instinct is, behavior hard-wired into his brain.
Nature gave him the instincts, and also made sure that mama cat had more than one kitten at a time - because these things happen in the circle of life.
Shorty is probably confused as to what the fuss was over. About 10 minutes after it happened, he won't even remember he did it. Their brains don't work that way.
I still have the gerbils, and two rats. And I know that if D ever left the lid open, even our beloved Chloe wouldn't hesitate to munch on them.
For now, she watches through the sides of their tanks, like she is watching tv.
We keep the lids locked.
Please give Hardy a big hug for me...
When we love animals, we have to accept them for what they are, not what we think they should be (what does THAT sound like?)
ugggh Fig
Just have a min.
but this is so odd to read this as just today my gf C, emailed and said her D friend at schools'dog ate someones kitten!
I thought she was joking as I had never heard this ever before.
Gonna ask her what they did w/ the dog.
I'm so sorry for Hardy
what a disturbing thing for him to see.
yuck!
When I was a kid, we had a hamster that had babies. One day we looked into the cage and saw the mother eating the babies. My sister and I started screaming and my mom grabbed the hamster and flushed it down the toilet. I'm not sure why - she wasn't so good in emergencies.
20 years later, I find out that hamsters put their babies in their cheek pouches when they are trying to protect them. Our poor hamster was just scared of my sister and I!
Baboo is an attention whore and says that everyone is all worried about Hardy#2 and what about him
he had to remove it
he was also worried about the blood on his shirt as I was calming screaming children
so everyone send baboo a warm fuzzy hug
(insert eye rolling)
ugh
he just looked so sad all curled up in his fleece PJs hugging a bear that was almost his size. Hardy #1 sbuggled up next to him crying because it was his kitten but realizing that poor Hardy#2 was probably in his own little kids version of hell.
its like my hardy#2 managed through all this other shite to keep his innocence intact and now
shot to shite
you know
blech
and baboo is correcting my typing so I am done now
ugh
thank you everyone!!!
its been kind of traumatic
Glad there was a man around to clean up the.....stuff.
Although I have found that I am pretty adept at killing spiders and cleaning out mouse traps. Who knew?
I guess its like guys and the washing machine - if they pretend they don't know how, we don't ask them to help with it
BH - you were very, very brave. Please don't kick the dog.
Get those kitties to a locked room.
And hug Hardy again.
(((((Hugs)))))
That is for all of you.
How horrible!
I don't know what to say about this...if it is out of character for the dog it could have been many things, like a triggered prey instinct or maybe even some kind of deficiency. I had thought that maybe there was something wrong with the kitten...you might consider talking to a vet or animal behaviorist.
(((((Hugs again)))))
SG
(((((Hugs)))))
That is for all of you.
How horrible!
I don't know what to say about this...if it is out of character for the dog it could have been many things, like a triggered prey instinct or maybe even some kind of deficiency. I had thought that maybe there was something wrong with the kitten...you might consider talking to a vet or animal behaviorist.
(((((Hugs again)))))
SG
Lodo, you cracked us up with the gerbil story. Funny how peoples' brains work at times like that.
Wellllllllll, my brother's dog ate his bird once. The bird was gone but, there were a few feathers hanging out of the dogs mouth.......ICK!!!
Anyway, just have your baboo put his fleece jammies on and cuddle up with the hardies.
And...it doesn't sound like the dog is normally vicious but I'd still call a vet or dog trainer and get some insight as to why this may have happened before making any decisions about the dog.
Hugs to all of you and especially Hardy#2.
Oh Fig, I am sorry. Please don't have your dog put down unless the agression continues.
This is a natural thing for dogs. You should never leave young kittens around dogs.
The dog has just had a move to contend with, maybe he has been abit neglected and then the cat had kittens, so lots of attention for cat and kittens-maybe a bit of jealousy there.
Understandable he isn't keen on BH right now depends how severe the punishment was.
If the aggression continues and is very out of character it could be the dog is ill- possibly a tumour.
My dog is over 100 pounds and a real gentle giant but he gets a little jealous when I have my g/son.
Re enforce your position as alpha male in the pack and lots of love and affection.
The dog will have forgotten kitten inciddent shortly after. Just a life lessson for Hardy. It's hardy but happens. Please don't let it affect his love for the dog or animals in general.Afterall the kitten would have grown up and killed and eaten lots of animals smaller than herself. Survival of the fittest.
Always remember however pampered, however good the pedigree a dog is a step away from a wolf.
That said I would never be without one, my life would be so much poorer without my best friend.
There's been a lot of environmental changes for the dog and animals do take a while to adjust. Unfortunately we can't discuss it with them so they understand, they just have to find their groove.
Is this BH's dog? Sounds more like it's Fig's so there could be a loyalty issue - if Fig had done the correcting it most likely would have gone down differently.
The dog likely has no idea why he was hit, since he was doing what dogs do. So, yeah, he's going to react, snap. If he had continued to go after BH, I would be concerned. A snap is a warning and he was defending himself.
Hard lesson to learn, but it is why animals hide their litters. Sorry your son had to witness this.
If the family can't get past it, rehome the dog. IMHO this was a difficult situation, from history you've shared, not a temperament problem.
AO
My sister and I started screaming and my mom grabbed the hamster and flushed it down the toilet. I'm not sure why - she wasn't so good in emergencies.
And what did she do with vicious goldfish??
SO this morning we had to go ona kitty hunt
moonfluff took and hid the remaining 3 kittens
of course she hid them in the hardys' room!!!
we just followed the sound or meowing
i will be working with the kids and shorty today after i work with shorty on my own
shorty has been hiding out
so he knows he is in trouble
everytime i look out at him, he lays down and turns his head
i thinkk he is trying to show me his belly but is too chubby to roll over
he is part sheltie and part jack russel so a herding ratter he would be
we will see how it goes
regardless
he is outside indefinately...
for now
fig,
((hugs)) to hardy2, the kitties, and even your poor dog. Sounds like MommaCat has worked out a new game plan. If you do decide to take this dog to the pound, please make sure they have the full history. I'm sure your vet can assist, as well. Here in Portland, pets are often re-homed using that craig guy's list. Good luck.
he is all showing belly today so I think we will be fine
i looked up as much dog info as I can and it looks like you all were right here...
instinctual
and
nto a viscious attack
blech
we talked about the circle of life and are having a movie and pj day
we are renaming all the kittens the names of people who went into hiding
Anne Frank
Dali Lama
and
poor moonfluff keeps seraching for the lost kitty
siiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh
poor moonfluff keeps seraching for the lost kitty
siiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh
Osama Bin Laden?
i love the scarlet pimpernell
that is one of my favorite books
how about
the shadow????
Oh, poor mama cat - I am glad she found a good spot.
Hope that shorty can redeem himself someday - hear that the winters can get hard.
He knows that his pack leader is unhappy with him, and he is trying to be as submissive as possible. A doggie "I'm sorry."
I hope that all of you recover quickly...
today we had a pj day
we got up and went to church only to find out that church was a t a different time than it says on the outside because several churches share a pastor
so
we piled into the car and went to dirty spoon for omelets and pancakes
when we got home I told the kids to get into their PJs and we had a PJ day!!!
we danced in the kitchen to higher ground
we ate burgers and green bean casserole for supper
drank apple juice all day long
and had a muppet marathon where we watched muppet movies and the muppet show
(I also did about 10 loads of laundry and swept and did dishes and waxed my legs and am getting ready for a smelly hot bath!!!! and Goodfellas is on soon...woot)
Fig: I loved doing theme days when my kids were young. And pj day was one of them. Ashley's school used to hold it once a year too.
I would have fit in. I didn't get dressed till I got in the shower around 1 PM. I let my guests shower first and then we were finishing up the wallpaper so I waited till after that. Besides - it is Sunday - who cares?
Barb
I stayed in my PJs all day today!!! If I could've found a job where I could wear them all day, that would've been the perfect career!!!
My old school also had pj days. I would wear big giant fluffy bunny slippers!
(and kept a bunny stuffy in my robe pocket)
SG
so what about Big Hands and Mr. Full Belly..Is the little herder still snapping at Big hands at all??
Morning smooches, Figgy!
Short-man and I seem to be getting along better yesterday and today. When I fed the hounds this morning, he looked at me and let me scratch his ears, so we'll see.
I've got a pretty strong stomach, and have seen a few things, but that kitten scene was not nice.
It looks like all's well, minus an albinoish kitten.
I've got a pretty strong stomach, and have seen a few things, but that kitten scene was not nice.
I can imagine. I do remember walking up to the rabbit cage when younger, all excited about seing the baby rabbits only to realize that momma rabbit had one of the newborn between her front legs chewing on the new one like a carrot.
well it's good he's not snapping at you now and things have returned to normal..somewhat.
WOW!
Sorry about the kitten and sorry for your son to see and BH to deal with the findings. Definitely a horrible thing to have happen.
I have only dealt with my cat catching birds off the balcony and killing them and leaving them on my pillow for me to find. Although, there was the one time...but I will leave it at that.
Anyhow, I am glad you had a relaxing and fun pajama day. Very cool!
Oh, and on the trail by my place I have seen two rabbits feet now. There are coyotes in the area so I guess they get them and just leave the feet behind.
Niiiice. Weren't so lucky for the rabbits, now were they.
I know, eh? I took a picture too!
you are a goof!!
Hey
BH and I were kicking around the idea of planning a sumemr vacation with other DBers and families etc to some sort of landmark type thing (you know...mt rushmore etc)
how many people are game do you think
not that summer is anyway near us but it gives me something to occupy my mind other than dead kitties...
grand canyon
niagra falls
mt rushmore
what other national (or international) landmarks can we think of and plan to see
(it also makes me feel less selfish if I think of it as a family type vacation)
HELP topic #2
Ok
so I have this student (and remember I am new here so I know no one) who definitely eats his wheaties in the morning.
He is a senior and he has a habit of staring at me
like a preditor
but not in a totally i can put my finger on it sort of way
he stares at me until I smile at him and then he breaks into a huge grin
(and when he does, I hear the pants of every girl in class falling off)
i can't figure out if he knows he is hot and just trying out the power
or if he doesn't get that he is being inappropriate
or if he is being inappropriate
it just feels off
you know
and
he has come to get a pss from me and he comes close enough that I have caught him smelling me
not silence of the lambs like
but still inhaling my perfume
he said it smells good
and
it made me want to back up into the hallway
my past has made me petty over the top about stuff like that so I know sometimes I freak about people being in my personal space andhe feels like he is always in my personal space even when he is across the room!!!!
Advice please
DO nothing! Not yet. Make SURE he is doing this. If he gets too close - put up your STOP hand and in a humourous way say "You're in my 3 feet of personal space. We dont' want to cause talk now, do we"? And LAUGH> Laugh so hard it makes him KNOW you think the thought of it is absurd.
If that doesn't stop it you have to say something to your principal. In my opinion - never be alone with him. But if you laugh and use some humour when he does this and others are around - I suspect he will stop so you won't laugh again.
Just don't let him see you sweat.
JMHO
Barb
I agree here Figgy..
laughing may do the trick..if not see the principal.
(you know...mt rushmore etc)
HAHA.....I read this really fast and I thought it read, Mt Mushroom! I had never heard of that! It sounds like fun but some people have mentioned not opening things up. We certainly know enough e-mail addresses, FB, and myspace that we could get in touch with most of the people here.
Anyway, I just read about what happened over the weekend. I feel so sad for Hardy #2. I know how sensitive he is and of his love for animals. I'm sure that this has left him very shaken and traumatized. Thank goodness BH was there for you guys!
About the student. Much good advice here. Just make sure that however you handle it, make sure that at no time are you alone with him or left for things to be misinterpreted.
Love you Girlfriend.........
Bethie
I have tried joking with him
he seems a little...intense
i walk on the other side of the hallway
i don;'t think it is that he wants me
i don't knwo what it is
i feel awkward even talking to the principal
like
um
this kid looks at me
and
i don't like it??!?!?!?!?!?!
Hey figgy,
If there are issues with that student I am guessing at least some of the other teachers also have issues. Is there a school counselor you can talk to? Are there any red flags in his file? Do they have home rooms? Or a HR teacher who might know more? Or any of his teachers from last year?
Just brainstorming here. Also, he is still a kid in many ways and he just may be socially awkward and might not realize the effect he is having on you or others.
SG
i am meeting with a teacher about him later today or tomorrow
Good first step. You also might request an "observation" from a VP or someone. They can look for signs if they are off to the side of the room, rather than sitting in the back.
Remember the scene in Indian Jones, where the girls wrote messages to him on their eyelids?
I'd say to blurt out, I'm gay!, but that might take the interest even farther
Or you could give him the No F*cking Way, mean look that stops them dead instead of smiling. He may be mixing up his own reading of your signals.
They aren't very sophisticated...he might not get the laugher AT him rather than with him thing. Or he might get it but be too embarrassed and get angry at the rejection.
Stern mom/teacher might work better...? The Authoritarian.
i thought of that mom type look
i am working on perfecting it
he treats all females in class this way too
i think it is him discovering sexual power
and
trying it out on everyone
or maybe he is just a really intense kid and I am assigning too much significance to it
blech
Probably creeps the girls out, too (unless he is REALLY cute...) - I wonder if one of them would talk about it....
Oh, and the trip - I would love to get together with the kiddos.
With a big enough group, we might even get a discount at an amusement park like Disney, or smaller like Six Flags (there is one in NJ near the Jersey Shore). Niagra sounds good, too.
I think it is great to start planning a get together now. Helps for everyone to organize what they need to.
i think a get together would be great
and i need lots of plan time since I am a broke teacher and Baboo is a broke police guy
we is BROKE
so if we get our penny jar started now...
I think many of us are teachers or in the service industry....wonder what that says about us. Aren't we supposed to be the Good Guys? The UNDERPAID Good Guys?
Good guys? Naaaaaahhh.
Best.
No camping...........please!!!!
Niagara would be great. Maybe even the Canadian side, eh??!!! I've been to Rushmore. Flew over it in a helicoptor which was awesome!!! My D calls it "Rount Mushmore."
And all you peeps that work with kids are tops in my book and should be paid a fortune for molding the minds of our future leaders.
Fig, I say the "mom/authoritarian" role would work with this guy.
Ummm....
Niagara would be SOOO easy for me - I LIVE IN NIAGARA!!!
I am also frequently in Disney - that works.
But lots to do in Niagara.
Barb
Disney World would also work for me as my Mom is close by so I'm there a lot. It'd be awfully hot there in the summer tho.....
Cedar Point is not far from me.....Chicago is near........
This is all about me, isn't it???
Niagara isn't that far for me; I could drive (ugh). The weather there to FL in the summer is probably not all that different, with the humidity.
Either way. Never have been to Chicago, either....
And then there's always NYC.
Cedar Point is not far from me
man, I love rollercoaster..not the emotional kind..but the cedar point kind.
Cedar Point is not a far drive from me. Niagara is humid in summer (it can be) but it is also one of the more cost efficient places to visit, a ton of things to do and beauty at its best. And YES - I AM with the Niagara Falls Chamber of Commerce - LOL!
Barb
Mt. Mushroom
is not TOO far from me so we could probably swing that one!
And about a boy - Figgy sweet - go with your gut. If you feel not so comfy there is more than likely a good reason.
Keep us posted chickarooni
(and I'm sorry about the kitten
)
Dogs eating kittens and young men discovering their sexual "power"?!
Holy sh*t, fig!
I am going to have to stop in more often to be sure I don't miss an episode!!
LOL!
I know right???
So rushmore is nearish to us and we have been there...super cheap!!
I am all for cheap things
(cough) i mean inexpensive things to do
no camping for jillybean
what about cabin type things
if there are enough of us we could prob get a discount doing that somewhere
i just need someplace where all 3 of the kids could come because my parents love them but a weekish with 3 kids mught just send them over the edge
but I am game for wherever!!!
i love to plan
someone pick a destination so i can start to plan!!!!
There's always lakeside cabins.
The Twin Cities.
Des Moines.
Omaha.
Kansas City is always fun.
Morning Sweetie!
Now I can start my day knowing that the kitty trauma is somewhat behind you and that teenage stud hasn't made you totally nuts yet (well in all fairness to him, you WERE almost there!).
Hope things started off well. Kind of crazy here today but that's to be expected.
Have a great day!
Love,
Bethie
i gave him the stern mom look and he licked his lips
yup
he did
damn
there is always one high school boy that thinks they aer a stud muffin
lucky there are carlos and pedro in this class too...you know...the funloving instigators who have a heart of gold
so pedro is like 9 feet tall and saw wionderboy liplick and stepped up and went
what the f doofus
and
whacked him on the back of the head
lip licking subsided
and
i gave him the ole' raised eyebrow, you've got to be kidding me look and rolled my eyes in disgust
i thik he was slammed enough for today
Oh God! That skeeves me, fig. I think it is good that one of his classmates got after him, rather than you. peer pressure and all.
Got to love Pedro. You can wear the shirt to class tomorrow as a thank you (Vote for Pedro!)
It has to be pretty obvious if other BOYS are taking notice of it! Creepy. Glad you went for the mom look (although, with the new MILF status, even that isn't taboo anymore).
BH - love the cabin idea...not sure on any of your ideas, cause I've never been off the East Coast. You might push me out of my comfort zone, yet. Can we still get cheap airfare to those places, or is the cheapest to NY / FL?
I know that there are lots of cabin communities in upstate NY within an hour of the city and close to railroads. We could have the best of both worlds - mountains and lakes in the woods, entertainment in the big city....
More ideas?
Hey Fig,
i think it is him discovering sexual power
and
trying it out on everyone
or maybe he is just a really intense kid and I am assigning too much significance to it
Maybe he's farsighted and needs his lens prescription checked?
Don't you just love youth? No, don't take that literally, you'll get arrested!
FL
i found out today that he has a whole myriad of issues like that
and
blech
i am going to beat them all on the backsides of their heads
ugh