Yobbycob
New User
I have 2 Norwegian Fjord half brothers, bought at 6 months (along with one of their mothers), now a year and a half old (I'll refer to them as F and K). It's been fascinating to watch these two youngsters develop their personalities, they are visually like twins and have had the same handling and management throughout. Both were gelded last spring. While both are very sweet boys, they are quite different in their attitude and behaviour and one difference in particular is concerning me. F is super affectionate and less food orientated than K, and his attitude in general very like his mother who we also have. K came to us without his mother, so was weaned much sooner, obviously, and his aunt was never maternal to him, but he always was the one who stayed closer to her, while F was more adventurous and confident of mooching off by himself. K is a bit of a piglet food wise, and will try to dominate at feed times, however I have maintained a feeding order (they have bucket feed simultaneously, lined up at the gate twice daily) of F first, K second and mum last, to press the point to K that he isn't the herd leader. (Mum is actually but she is also more polite with food) My issue with K is that he has, since the start, been very "communicative" with his front right leg. I am reluctant to say aggressive, because this behaviour is present whenever her feels impatient either for food or cuddles. (The Fjords prioritise scratch time a very close second to food and in fact Mum and F often place it higher!) K has always had a tendency to stick that right leg up in the air to paw the gate (yes, it is risky and I do worry about injury) or to "nudge" me if I am scratching the other two and he feels left out. Mostly it really is a nudge, done quite gently. He has struck out more vigorously while coping with farrier visits. Whatever the level, I have always given a slap on the shoulder and firmly scolded. This has done approximently nothing to alter the behaviour. I am expecting to be told to step up my aggression dealing with it, but my reluctance stems from finding little positive results from increasing this when a firm slap and scolding do not work. I feel there is another way and I am appealing for advice in that direction. I would like to add that titbits or scratching reward will not work for reinforcing positive behaviour of keeping his from leg on the floor, I CANNOT give these Fjords titbits as they WILL learn to mug me in triplicate from the first instance if I do.
