Obsessed with another dog

Discussion in 'Labrador Behavior' started by Emily, Apr 20, 2018.

  1. Emily

    Emily Registered Users

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    Ella has developed an obsession with my friend's (female, desexed) GR.

    She immediately starts sniffing the air (with that weird mouth thing like they're eating the air) when they arrive at dog club. When she knows River is in the area, she spends the whole time looking for her. If she knows where she is, she will angle her body in that direction, to the point where I can't get her to sit straight at heel as she pointing her body in the direction of Riv.

    They interact a bit and we do sometimes let them play a bit but, to be honest, Ella seems to be obsessed with wanting to be with her/near her more than wanting to play with her.

    We've tried lots of things e.g. River in a crate and Ella a long way away and just rewarding for attention, river working and me/Ella outside the ring and rewarding for any attention on me, River sitting with her mum and me playing games with Ella but nothing seems to he working.

    I'm feeling really disheartened because it's my friend that I go to trials with but, because of Ella's obsession, I find myself looking for trials that my friend can't go to.

    I don't even know if I'm asking for advice, similar stories or if I just want to vent my frustrations!
     
  2. Karen

    Karen Registered Users

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    Do you go for walks together, or allow the dogs to play? I don't know, I'm just wondering whether if they were allowed to play together, then Ella might calm down a bit???
     
  3. SwampDonkey

    SwampDonkey Registered Users

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    The only time my dogs do this something is wrong health wise with the dog.
     
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  4. Emily

    Emily Registered Users

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    All of the above. We've let them do zoomies together, we've played with them together (long distance recalls between each other - they LOVE this),We've walked them together, we've worked the separately but near each other etc. They like each other, play nicely but not OTT (Ella is actually more sensible with River than with a number of other dogs) but Ella just HAS to be with her. All of the time.
     
  5. Emily

    Emily Registered Users

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    Wrong with your dog or the focus of the obsession?
     
  6. SwampDonkey

    SwampDonkey Registered Users

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    Wrong with the dog.my boys go crazy like this for dogs who have impacted anal glands, crystals in the bladder or urinary tract or cancers. Rory was so sensitive to one greyhound that he would not even have to see it for me to even know it was on the park.
     
  7. Beanwood

    Beanwood Registered Users

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    Yes, sometimes even a minor yeast infection can smell quite "fruity" to another dog. Yeast infections in terms of scent can smell very much like a bitch in season.
     
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  8. SwampDonkey

    SwampDonkey Registered Users

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    Maybe they just love each other. Seems like good things happen for Ella when rivers around. They get on well they just have a special feelings for each other.
    Moo had Jake and Rory has poppy and Finn. They were puppy hood friends grew up together and now really enjoy each others company above all other dogs. Jake has passed now but Moo still misses him.
    They do have special friends :)
     
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