The language of dogs

[ksmith]

So, Gaby is home.

I was looking forward to bringing her home, but I was concerned that she and King would start roaring around and that she would hurt herself. She's healing well, but she is on Rimadyl for the next couple of days, and must still be a little sore. But she's a willful little beast and King missed her and I didn't know what might happen.

So I pull into the driveway. King spots Gaby through the car window, and starts whining and barking. Gaby whines a little. I go and get the nice extendable ramp so that she doesn't have to jump down out of the car. She whimpers a little, then ignores said ramp and jumps out of the car. Walks to the fence where King is waiting anxiously, and...growls at him.

I have never heard Gaby growl at King in the two months she's been here. She makes a grumbling sound when she chitters his face, but this was different. She growled. Taken aback, I opened the gate, talking all the while, and walked her in. King bounced up to her, and she still growled. She let him sniff her, but there a definite overtone of 'watch it.' A stiffness.

Thoughts of anesthesia-induced amnesia ran through my head. Did she remember him? Did her post-op hormone levels plunge to the point that she did not want him near her?

Since coming indoors, she has chittered his face a few times, and sniffed his face. But King is keeping his distance. He's sleeping now. Gaby is chewing on a bone. Ok, he just got up to scratch, and she hurried over to sniff his face. Things are relaxing a little.

I'll know more tomorrow, but the only thing I can figure is that she issued him the doggy version of 'Not tonight, dear. I have a headache." And King backed off and is, so far, staying backed off.

Comments

[lagringa.livejournal.com]

That's actually a fairly common response for animals who have been at a vets clinic for an overnight stay. Something to do with disrupting their sense of smell temporarily. I take my cats in to have their teeth cleaned and inevitable one of them will pick a fight with the other when they get home.

Try putting a blanket that smells like King inside a room with Gaby for a little while. Let her get used to the smell again.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

I did not know that.

Right now, she's relaxing on the bed that King just got up from. Things are loosening up.

I was just so surprised, and a little concerned.

[neutronjockey.livejournal.com]

Also, she's injured and vulnerable --- so really, a natural defense response.

Try putting a blanket that smells like King inside a room with Gaby for a little while. Let her get used to the smell again.

Double ditto --- she needs to recognize King as a pack protector as opposed to a potential predator. In the wild and injured, sick, lame etc member would either be driven from the pack or in desperate food situations...um, you know...

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

It's too late for the blanket thing, I think. They're both sleeping now, relatively close together.

Like I said, this didn't happen between King and Mickey. I didn't expect it, and wasn't told that it might happen.

[lagringa.livejournal.com]

When I had Buddy neutered, he was really hissy and growly at Stinkyboy for about 24 hours. Stinkyboy actually carried dry food to him and set it next to his head when he was sleeping; then he sat across the room and watched him for the whole day. He seemed very upset.

After Buddy's dopiness and grumpiness wore off, Stinky spent about six hours cleaning the smell of the vet's office off Buddy's fur. It was pretty damned adorable.

[neutronjockey.livejournal.com]

I was hissy and growly after my vasectomy too.

[lagringa.livejournal.com]

HA HA HA HA HA!!!

[equesgal.livejournal.com]

That happens when any of my cats stay overnight at the vet. They come home with "vet smell." LOL And Gaby may also just want to be left alone. I'm sure it will be ok in a dya or two.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

It's weird, because it never happened between King and Mickey.

[mizkit.livejournal.com]

Yeah, our cats did the same kind of thing for the first time when Lucy went in to have her teeth out earlier this year. They were back to normal within a day or so. Poor fussed animals.

Rimadyl

[(Anonymous)]

I kind of feel a little sorry for King. He's probably thinking, what's going on with Gaby :-)

I think Gaby just needs her space right now.

Make sure you keep a close eye on her because of Rimadyl.

http://www.dog-arthritis-resource.com/side-effects-of-rimadyl/

Geng