Our family isn't perfect and neither is our pack. Every family has their issues and small flaws that make them imperfect and naturally normal. One of the issue we struggle with in our pack is balance and it's not a balance in whole, but just with two of our four pups. Dublin and Nanook. Since puppies, both of them have been very loving and "needy" for attention, cuddling and love to be lap dogs. Some dogs like August and Kodak are more aloof and only want attention when needed. Because Nanook is the oldest and has been around longer he has always slept at the foot of our bed and was always allowed in our lap and once Dublin came along with the same sort of personality she wanted to fill that place as top dog. In all reality there's plenty of lap space, bed space and love to go around but she never saw it this way and would lash out on him to dominate and make him be the underdog for love and attention.
When she started at the desk with me at work that extra attention filled that void and gave her special "mommy" time so she felt special just like Nanook did sleeping on the bed. Over time it got to be a little too much and her ego grew with time. She would steal his toys, nip at him walking through doorways and would push herself in between him and us when he was on our laps.
Over time we found a balance and she was able to work the desk with me and not lash out on Nanook at home as they were both equally loved and they finally saw it this way. Now that firework season is here Nanook has started showing weakness daily fearing the loud pops bangs and cracks outside just like the thunder that has been raining down on us the last week as well. Dublin has been feeding off of this fear for dominance once again tending to pick on him. So the answer you ask? Balance. She is feeling superior and with this weakness feeds off of this to grow more powerful and more loved to our eyes. We have since cut her off from the desk and she now stays in the kennel with the other 3 daily. This "dehumanizes" her and makes her one of the pack balancing out any tilting in the way this family functions. She has nothing on him to feel like the top dog.
We notice now she starves even more so for attention at home to replace the 8 hours she missed during the day but she is learning that she gets it as we decide to give it. She cannot throw herself at us and force love onto herself. Balance has been restored and Nanook doesn't have to fear being the lowest man on the totem pole in our house. Our pack is all equal in every aspect and we will make sure it stays this way. Overall attention need to be equal and when there is a disturbance in your pack you must nip it in the butt immediate or it can grow to be a larger issue. You are alpha and you should make sure your kids all feel loved equally.
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