Through circumstances too complicated to go into, we are providing temporary shelter for two bichon-shihtzu mixes. The plan is to have them here for just a couple of days while I coordinate with a bichon rescue league. They are sweet dogs, just not our thing. They'll make great pets for someone who likes lap dogs.
They've been here since yesterday afternoon and I like them very much, except for one problem: one of them barks at Jane. Unfortunately Jane has a nervous temperament, and runs away when the bichon barks at her. The result is that, predictably, the bichon barks more often and with more force. Now Jane won't come in at all, she acts like she's been exiled to the yard, and the bichon thinks she rules the roost. It would be comical -- a 15 pound yappy dog scaring off a 70 pound shepherd mix -- if I didn't feel like the biggest heel in the world for introducing this conflict into Jane's home. These bichons are cute and all, but Jane is family.
With some expert advice from Ms. Pants we have a new approach to the problem. Hopefully this will work better than "wring my hands, hope for the best, and scold the bichon when she barks." Which didn't work at all because the scolding seemed to upset Jane more than anybody.
Ms. Pants suggested, first of all, not to give the bichon run of the house. Keep her tethered to me (or to my chair) at all times she isn't crated. This way she has less opportunity to bully Jane; for instance she can't sit at the front door and bark if Jane tries to come in. At first the bichon was excited by the leash because she thought, you know, walkies. Eventually she realized that we're doing the same puttering around the house, just now she can't go more than four feet away from me. It doesn't seem like a great hardship to her because these dogs are fairly people-oriented and want to be right near me all the time anyway.
Part 2 of the Pants Plan is that every time the bichon barks, she gets a time out. No scolding, just put her in the crate for ten minutes. If I'm consistent, the bichon will realize that her behavior (bullying), instead of a positive result (intimidate other dog) now has a negative result (short period of isolation). I decided to use the travel crate because their wire crate is so big and so crammed full of toys, it hardly seems like a punishment to be in there.
Only a half hour into the Pants Plan I had to administer a time out. The bichons and I were in the kitchen making my lunch; Jane was outside looking in the back door. I started talking to Jane and the bichon barked. Just once, but that was the first time she had done that (barked at Jane for just looking in, not even trying to come in).
I didn't scold, just said "Time out!" scooped her up and into the travel crate. The other bichon tried to go in too but I thought the bully should be alone for the time out to be effective. It certainly caught her by surprise. She spent five minutes yipping and scratching at the door while I ignored her. Then she calmed down and after five minutes of quiet I let her out. Gave her lots of affection so she wouldn't think I put her in there just because I'm a meanie.
Now they're both sleeping by my office chair. Here's hoping the Pants Plan puts an end to the bullying. Like I said, I hope this will only be for a few days. And I don't want these days to be miserable for Jane. The other bichon, by the way, is equally outgoing but much less aggressive. She seems content to follow the first one's lead, and only barks when the first one barks a lot and gets her riled up.
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