What would you do to move things forward?

[P3LH]

Intervene or ignore?

Around two weeks ago eldest rough collie and youngest corgi had a scrap. To this point they’ve gotten on famously and have been inseparable. I can’t really work out what sparked the above incident as there didn’t seem to be a cause etc one minute they were fine then someone has grumbled and they squabbled. Once stopped, they moved on with life as boys do.

Ever since there are random instances where youngest seems to be spooked by the eldest’s mere presence - often nothing is happening and they’re just all lying down and suddenly youngest looks spooky, glances over at eldest and then goes and hides under the sofa but will growl and watch wherever eldest has gone, so clearly isn’t happy or will run off and loiter in the garden visibly quite anxious. At these times he won’t come when he’s called back in for example, which is totally unlike him. He will then approach me after very submissively/in an appeasement or pacifying way in terms of his body language - even though I have done nothing but whistle him in.

I am genuinely stumped. On walks they get on well. Most of the time in life they get on well. They play together. They take treats together. There isn’t anything happening which seems to spook youngest and he will often chose to spend time with elderly rough still, obsessively face washing etc but then at other times appears terrified to be in close proximity to him and will growl or snap if he gets too close?

The bitch In between isn’t due in season or recently out of season, and her politics with everyone is still fine as she is still boss and gets along with everyone as long as they do what she says. I did wonder if it was just a case of young male (1 in about a fortnight) feeling his feet with elder male who is now quite elderly and doddery, but I’m not so convinced as he seems genuinely really spooked to him but not consistently/clearly over anything. I’m not sure if he feels very anxious around him now as a result of what happened? Or feels anxious around him in situations he perceives as tense/risky? Or if he is just being an ass?

Just wondered if anyone else has encountered something similar/ would others intervene and do anything or ignore the weirdness and praise up when they’re good together? Its not something I’ve encountered before, but corgi brains aren’t like normal dogs so who knows.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Is the older dog ill? That can make others wary, sometimes. I assume it makes them feel vulnerable.
If that doesn't fit, or even if it does, it might be worth trying a Feliway plug in or similar.

 

[P3LH]

He does have some general age related health issues, low level stuff, but does appear increasingly senile/doddery in how he is at home - which others have commented on as wondering if Gus then finds this ‘very different’ to the norm and struggles to read. Which I guess could be logical. They’re currently lying together dosing on the patio as I type. Odd

 

[CorvusCorax]

I'd query illness or general ageing in the older dog. Some can react very strongly to anything 'different' or strange. Same way as dogs can detect an illness in a human long before the human does, or why they sometimes turn on a human who is having a fit etc.

 

[P3LH]

I was miles off with my initial observations I think, as it doesn’t appear as black and white as still being pissy after their scrap. From being at home for summer it became apparent very quickly why he has been a bit funny with dear old H, spending more time under the sofa and in the kitchen, wary of other dogs on walks and a bit quieter etc - The tank.

I thought it might happen in the end because it’s how she is and his quiet disposition is as such that he just takes it. I have observed she is is slyly bullying him over things, being her usual pushy and controlling self and it appears making him quite stressy in general. E.g pushing in if he’s having a drink, hassling him when he’s up on the sofa with us having fun, barging him in the garden if he’s sniffing things etc.

Lots of time outs for her and some reminding of the boundaries for madam and trying to make the young chap feel more a bit more secure and less hen pecked. We shall see. I think he’s just feeling very unsettled with her antics, the scrap with H and the issues arising with his age and health.