Protective Instinct

[anns4boys]

Ok, so this isn't necessarily a problem, I just found the behavior quite interesting. My little T is quite the spoiled princess and gets to go to work with my Hubby everyday. He takes both our dogs and they love it. Unlike my Maltipoo who has a definite preference to my husband and will stick to him like Velcro, Tallulah spreads her love to everyone and has not shown any preference to anyone in particular - who ever is available to snuggle and love is fine with her. But she does love my husband and spends the most time with him. Last night T was snuggling on my lap while I was watching TV and my Hubby started rough housing with one of my 16 year old sons. She jumped off my lap, ran to the couch where they were, and started barking and nipping at my husband! She meant business and actually nipped his hand! She did not like what he was doing to my son, lol. It amazed me that although she adores my husband and he spends them most time with her out of everyone in my family, she so quickly jumped to my son's defense. I guess she was defending a member of pack. I am the one who takes her to training and I have definitely established myself as the pack leader. I wonder if she would have done the same to me, or would she have let it be since she views me at the leader. Hmmmmm..... She continues to give me so much joy. As her signature says " Though she be but little, she is fierce".

 

[2bullymama]

could she have been wanting to be part of the play session

 

[MaplesMommy]

When I was growing up our labrador Bootsman, was the same. Whenever I rough housed with my brother or was tickeled and 'screamed' he'd come running over barking and jumping at my brother. He never nipped but definitely did not like that my brother was 'hurting me' (in his eyes thats what it looked like).
We then always stoped and assured him that we were just playing.

 

[davidh]

They do have a protective instinct and will use it. If someone is fighting or playing too rough, they will get in the mix. Sometimes BeBe our English will come over and bark at me try to get my attention or want to play, Hazel will come over and try to jump on her to get her away from me, or if BeBe wanted to play with Hilary's pups, JLO would come over and try to get BeBe away from them, even though they are not her pups.

 

[blushy]

Isabelle always wants part of the action. If there is even tickling going on? She's there, talking away. Never nipped, but definitely seems to be monitoring the situation so to speak. She's actually pretty quiet, so if she's loud? It's mean. And she's put on her side and has to take a break away from everyone. Luckily she always emerges calm again and goes back to playing alone haha.

 

[shortstuff]

We have a family friend with a dog that does the same thing! It turned into quite a game over the years where, when Buddy isn't paying attention, one of us smacks the other and yells "OW!" and here comes Buddy, yapping away trying to get us to stop fighting. Doesn't matter who it is, even if it's two strangers, he has to attempt to break it up. Silly Buddy

Shasta is a fantastic big sister and is really defensive of Bisou. Any time we're at the dog park or the beach and Bisou, who always plays rough, gets attention from another dog, Shasta runs over to inspect the situation and will physically put herself between Bisou and the other dog until she can check the other dog out. Shasta could care less about us and will run and hide over just about anything, but Bisou? She will protect her little sister to the death!