Buddy Update

[wireweiners]

Buddy is doing well at my mom and dad's. His wounds are healing nicely. My mom is retired and home most of the day so she plays ball with him a lot. He really enjoys that. He is getting along fine with her dogs.

The tension has been eased around my house. Pippin seems more relaxed and happy. I ran across a good article on pack interaction and hierarchy at www.doggiedoor.com. (http://www.doggiedoor.com.) I didn't explore the whole site but it looked like it had some good information on a lot of canine subjects. The article I read mentioned Jean Donaldson's books and C.W. Meistersinger's books on canine behavior.

[Buddy's mom]

Thanks wireweiners. I just looked around the site and I think they have some good info there. Iam glad to hear you Buddy is settling in and calm as entered your home again.

[WOTANSMUTTI]

Glad to know that Buddy is getting back to his old self, and that pack relations have eased at your abode. That sort of thing can really mess up a happy family...

If you find out what may have happened- post it. I'd be interested.

Smiles, Sonja

[wireweiners]

The best I can figure out after reading the article on packs of 3 or more, is that our pack was reaching critical mass. According to the Doggie Door article, when you have 7 or more dogs in your "pack" that creates a lot of stress for the alpha dog in trying to maintain his position. The alpha dog will then try to eliminate the one that he feels is most likely to try to take over. In my "pack" Pippin is alpha male, Katie, alpha female, then Buddy, Rita, Wheeler and the pups are last. Rita, Wheeler and the pups are overtly submissive to Pippin and Katie. They do the greeting, face licking, rolling over, etc. Pippin accepts this in what I call his "Godfather" mode. He reminds me of Marlon Brando in the Godfather when the lesser mob members are kissing his ring and asking for favors. Pippin is aloof from the other dogs, doesn't play with the pups, etc. Buddy, while never directly challenging Pippin's position, never was overtly submissive either. He would stay out of Pippin's way but do none of the greeting, etc. He would interact more with the other dogs, play with Wheeler and the pups etc. I would call him the Beta dog. I can only guess as the pups matured and the "pack" became larger, Pippin felt more pressure to maintain his alpha position so he turned on Buddy. Until I find an "animal communicator" that's the best I can do.