Dear Dog Lady,
We have three dogs in our home — one is a mixed beagle (my daughter's), a very young boxer (my granddaughter's), and a half-Pomeranian and half-Boston terrier that's mine.
The problem we are having is the boxer is so much bigger than the Pomster that I am afraid he is going to hurt him. The boxer puts both his front paws on the smaller dog's back and jumps on him. The Pomster weighs about 15 pounds and while he is a sturdy little dog, he has really small legs.
Is there any way I can break the boxer from stepping on him? The boxer is not mean, just a puppy. But I feel this is the time to set boundaries and train the dog about what not to do. His house training is coming along very well.
I think part of the problem is he doesn't get enough exercise. Being 68-years-old, I really don't feel like walking this dog after I get home. If I say anything about the jumping (he jumps on people too), I am told he is just glad to see you. I just don't want to get knocked down. Any suggestions?
A. Sue
Dear A. Sue,
You need to have a talk with your granddaughter about taking better care of her boxer. As you correctly point out, you can't be expected to exercise a high-spirited dog that isn't yours — although Dog Lady doesn't accept the age excuse because walking the dog is good exercise no matter how old you are.
Also, you shouldn't worry about the boxer mashing the Pomeranian. The sizes may be awkward but, in the canine cosmos, an alpha Chihuahua (a peanut) can corral an Irish wolfhound (a pony). Dogs take care of themselves and older dogs train puppies to fool around. This is called "socialization" and it's very important in their development as good animal citizens. The Pom will let the boxer know when he's had enough. You certainly can supervise their play but you shouldn't interfere. Again, your granddaughter must be expected to set the limits with the boxer.
Dog Lady believes in equal opportunity dog-keeping. Owners should represent many ages and stages in life. However, when a granddaughter doesn't do right by her grandmother in terms of keeping her dog well-exercised and socialized, grandma must step in and set her limits.
Dear Dog Lady,
'Tis the holiday season and being in a festive mood I bought my dog Max (a 75-pound pit bull/Lab mix) a pair of reindeer antlers. His coloring is such that he truly looks like a reindeer with them on, not to mention the fact he looks adorably funny. We got them at the pet store the other day and I made him walk home with them on. He did a great job of wearing them on the short walk home and didn't try to shake them off. When we got home, however, he gave me a look that said, "You owe me."
My question: Do I owe him?
Brian
Dear Brian,
Your dog sounds like a sweetie — as if he'd do anything to please you. Dog Lady has a warm-fuzzy feeling from reading your note. You don't need the antler test to be reminded of your dog's devotion. At the very least, you owe Max a meaty meal, a tender tummy rub, and a long arduous outing — sans funny headgear.
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