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Question I have a male Bichon that just turned 2 years old. He has always whined and until recently I have always thought it was cute usually when he whines it means he wants to go outside normal stuff to us. But more recently it’s like a 24 hour thing. I have always taken him with me when i visit my parents accost town. he knows where we are going and whines right before i put him in the car and when we get about 3 blocks from my parents house like he knows we are close, he also whines...quite loudly almost a cry or scream until i open the door and let him in the house. my parents have 3 dogs themselves and he loves going over to play. my parents own his older sister a bichon, a older female sheltie, and a 16 lb yorkie...yes it’s really a yorkie, my dogs older sister doesn’t much like him and growls when he is around yet sniffs him when he isn’t paying attention and has been like that for the past 2 years, the sheltie ignores him, but the yorkie is his best friend. He just loves him wherever the yorkie goes my dog follows they are always side by side my dog even falls asleep with his head resting on the yorkies back. since the day i got my dog I have taken him over to my parents regularly sometimes even twice a week we go over, recently we spent a 8 days on vacation and my dog spent that 8 days with my parents and their dogs. when we got back home my dog barked at me which he has never done before and I thought was odd but i picked him up and loved on him and he seemed fine fallowing me around the house until we left. he seemed fine the next 2 days mostly slept. we went back to my parents 2 more times that week then things seemed to go back to normal and we hadn’t been over for a week when my dog started whining seemingly for no reason all the time, 2 nights in a row he woke me up he was whining so loudly I got out of bed thinking he wanted to go outside but he just stood there I finally got fed up and locked him out of the bedroom the rest of the night and the next night I wasn’t woken up. The next day I decided he missed my parent’s dogs and I would take him over for a visit. he was a pain in the butt the whole time he lifted his leg all over the house and annoyed the other dogs I was always correcting his behavior when we left that night he seemed like he didn’t want to go but I didn’t expect him to act the way he did I put him in his harness and my mom carried him to the car...he screamed like he was hurt until my mom went and got the yorkie so he could say good bye, and he cried the entire way home about a 20 min drive he has never done that before he even continued whining after we got home until he fell asleep. He was over there twice after the vacation and didn’t act this was either time.
I’m worried about why he is acting this way all of a sudden, and getting another dog to help isn’t an option with a baby on the way. Is it something I did wrong? Should I not take him to my parents house anymore?
Thanks
Answer Im sorry for delay in answering I was at show with some of mine. Listen basically you have answered this one yourself, and it clearly shows me that you love this little man, observation and a clear history shows people like me how good you are at owning a dog.Now unless he is neutered , with females about he will have a moan, he will also increasingly lift his leg and it would help him a great deal if ALL the females were spayed, hormones in most animals play a huge part of their lives, as does procreation. Sibling rivalry exists with his sister, that is normal, but what you must do is ensure she is not bullying him , making his stay at your parents home a nightmare both emotionally because his mum (YOU) have left him in that situation and physically as she may be biting him, not uncommon for siblings placed like this.Bichons have a tendency to scream even when unhurt to attract your attention and it works we all turn and cuddle them when they do it thus reinforcing this behaviour. What I would suggest is when going to your mums try to have him calm beforehand, use some DAP in the car and home 15 mins before the journey and also when you get to moms home, try to give your boy time alone with his Yorkie friend, he has clearly bonded with her and feels relaxed in her company. After a short while then bring the other dogs in whilst you sit with them for about 10 minutes, watch how they interact with you there, if they are annoying the two bonded dogs then shoo them away, maintaining social order is paramount if all these dogs are to enjoy each others company. There will always be an alpha dog that likes to take control. I have a feeling it will be a bitch here and that dog must be allowed to mantain control, they will never do that by being aggressive , just dominant, in this case bark is more important to that dog than bite and that would be how control is maintained effectively.DO NOT get involved, you are not part of that pack, you are an outsider looking in under these circumstances. Once order has been established then YOU can take back control through maintaining discipline through good voice control. A good owner doesnt need to use physical foce with a dog or dogs, voice is quicker, and more effective.
Toys play a huge part in safe management of dogs of mixed sexes, use them to distract others when they come close. Use them to give your own dog some piece of home. Instead of dropping off your dog I really do suggest that for a few times sit and watch them using the instructions I have given you, allow your dog to become calm before you leave.Make hi stay at your moms a huge adventure, make it fun and he will enjoy the experience. Take a ball for him to use, a treat ball is excellent as it rolls little treats come out, all dogs love these and it keeps them entertained. Also try to give him a good 20 minute walk before leaving him, whether that be for a visit to moms or the shops, a tired dog will sleep, a bored dog will look to be entertained and that trust me can be a disaster waiting to happen.
