In a couple of weeks we will be traveling to Nevada to visit my hubbies parents for Thanksgiving. His parents have two EXTREMELY neurotic terrier mutts of which they have allowed to completely dominate their home, especially the female

Since Levi is so young we are going to be taking him with. We have already established that Levi is very dog aggressive. I don't really know what he would do in a real face off, since he has only had one (with the boxers that attacked us when he was six months old and in that case he held his own). He really doesn't seem to care whether another dog is large or small, he doesn't like any of them. Still, I wonder sometimes if it is just bravado in aticapatory fear that causes him to act this way. So, his dad said he would partition the yard for the dogs to give Levi his own space in the back yard which is fine for taking care of business but what about when we are in the house? Neither of their dogs can function w/o his parents under their control. When their dogs came here last Thanksgiving both my Bandit and Jazzman (pre Levi days) did fine w/their dogs but their dogs were so scared they wouldn't get out from under his parents legs and heaven forbid if one of my dogs walked by too close, the female would snap at them. Jazzman put up with it a long time and respected me telling her no fighting but on one occasion the little female copped an attitude with her when his mom was petting Jazzman. She came out and snapped at Jazzman and well behaved though she was, snapped right on back and quite frankly I couldn't blame her. I know its not the dogs fault but there were several times that I wanted to make that little dog into a mop. His mom also allowed her dogs on my couches and beds even though I asked her not to. She said they were so used to it at home that I couldnt possibly expect her not to maintain that at my house. I didn't want a huge family fight so I gave in. Now we will be on their turf with a different dog that does not like other dogs in the first place. I know I'm in for a tough one here but are there any ideas on how to deal with this. I know I can keep Levi leashed in the house by my side and I'm not really concerned about those dogs hurting Levi although common sense says I should worry about Levi possibly hurting one of them. If I had any other option for Levi I would take them but I haven't anyone to care for him while we are gone. I can't say I am looking forward to this experience. Still, any adive would be helpful. I figure if I have as much advice as possible BEFORE the event I can hopefully anticipate things prior to their happening and have an idea on how to handle them before they actually occur. Thanks for any help.

Another fun holiday with family..

could you partion the house, just like the yard will be partioned, so that the dogs will never be together?

if you approach it to your inlaws that this is also for their dogs safety, they might be more receptive to this.

Hi Robbin, I had a similar (not exactly the same) situation last year at Christmas (ahhh, the holidays...). My dog is 95lbs, dominant and possessive/territorial (not in an extreme way, but it's there for sure). My family had a 17 year old Pomeranian who Oscar had grown up spending some time with, but pretty much we just taught him to ignore the little guy (who was VERY meek, and obviously geriatric - he wasn't picking any fights, that's for sure!). As soon as Oscar hit adolescence he decided that my parents house (the Pom's house) was actually HIS house and that he needed to assert his authority over the little dog. We didn't quite see this coming (and since Oscar was in the middle of serious mental growth stages - it seemed to happen very quickly) but Oscar just went for the Pom one day and he could have easily been toast. Thankfully, his copious fur kept him from puncture wounds, but from that day on we just separated them whenever we came over for dinner or whatnot - NO interaction, not even glancing, there was a door between them at all times.

Well, last Christmas I went home for a WEEK, with Oscar. I was right in your shoes - how on earth was I supposed to create a comfortable environment for 2 dogs that couldn't be near each other, 24 hours a day, for 5 days?? I asked the board. Their collective wisdom: bring a crate, crate Oscar when in the house and just make sure he got lots of exercise OUTside every chance I could. And that's just what I did.

It wasn't what I wanted (obviously, in a perfect world Oscar would love Eddie (the Pom) and snuggle with him at the bottom of the Christmas tree, and they could share gingerbread cookies while opening their presents...) but the perfect world was already out of the question, so the next best thing - in interest of keeping everyone SAFE and the humans SANE - was to crate the big boy and let the little old man have freedom in his own house (Oscar really had no right to be free in the house if he couldn't respect it's inhabitants, because it WASN'T his house...). My mom was thoroughly disgruntled at having a gorilla cage in her living room, but if Oscar couldn't be loose, he would at least be in the same room as the people. Eddie stayed at the other end of the room on his own but seemed to know he was safe.

All in all Robbin, there's no cheery solution here, the circumstances just don't permit it. Fine. We're grown ups, we can handle that. What I would suggest (in my humble opinion) is that you think about this FIRST from the standpoint of the SAFETY of ALL the dogs (no matter how obnoxious they are, the terriers DO deserve not to be terrorized in their own home - and Levi doesn't deserve to be pestered by THEM). Your own convenience should come second to this. While it is easy to imagine tethering Levi to you, he may actually feel more relaxed if he is in his crate - a safe place (assuming he has one and likes it already... and assuming the terriers aren't allowed to bait him from outside it...). Plus, there is no room for error on your part if Levi decides to lunge, no catching you off guard and pulling you off your chair in the middle of Thanksgiving dinner... in a room full of festive people, it's very hard to maintain the same kind of composure you would in a training scenario when your dog acts out. Levi's also at a place in his development now where you still don't even know what he's capable of, or how he's likely to react in all situations... please don't underestimate him...

The holidays are stressful for EVERYONE, including pets. Hubbub and commotion - and LOTS of distraction - can make it tought to concentrate and focus on even the best laid plans. Since the worst case scenario in this case - with one BIG dog-aggessive dog and 2 LITTLE baiting dogs - is EASILY physical harm or even death for the terriers (you said it yourself), I just wouldn't risk even a moment of opportunity - listen to that common sense!! If you only have to be there for an evening, maybe room separation could work - with vigilence - but if the stay is days long, I really suggest bringing Levi's crate... we have a crate that even collapses (huge as it is) into a neat, flat item that lies on the floor of the trunk of our car. Nevermind whatever poor behavior is exhibited by your in-laws dogs, nevermind that there are no rules for them - it isn't your house, or Levi's, you two just have to make it safely through a short stay there. Crating will let Levi have his own space, under your control, and you can make every trip outside an opportunity for continued training and structure.

Just my two cents.

Good luck with your trip!
~Natalya

What an awesome response, Natalya! You put everthing into terrific perspective! Thanks, you are right, I have no idea what he is capable of. My mother in law would never forgive me. You are also right about me and the dog having no rights in their house. (wish they had the same courtesy for me, imagine me putting my 70lb puppy on her couch) and having said that puts it all into better perspective. We will be staying three days so hopefully it wont be too bad. Levi will be in the bedroom with me at night so guess I'll go to bed early, get up and exercise Levi all over town (be gone half the day) and kennel him when they make me sit down to eat, LOL!! That should make time go by fast, hehehe. Thanks again

Not to mention how responsible and respectful of others' property YOU will look (and be)..... heh-heh-heh.

A nice contrast.

You think it might catch on and they will give me the same courtesy the next time they bring their dogs to my house? Wait...what am I saying? Well I can dream can't I? How disturbing it must be for my poor dogs to have to put up with the crap of the little dogs and then have to watch them sit up on a couch and get up on a bed, in THEIR own home. Turns my stomach, grrrr!