Female wife vs. Female dog

[billsharp]

I don't THINK we have a problem, but just wanted opinions and suggestions from those of you who may shed some light for us.

Background: Liesl is 10 mth old, very sweet, spends lots of time with me and wife. I do most all training, walking, grooming, feeding, but wife does all of these occasionally, also. Wife plays with Liesl a lot, and Liesl loves her, minds her, wags her tail for wife, gives her kisses, and (more frequently than with me) Liesl gives her the occasional brief "nip" while walking by, more of a mouthing than anything else. They have a great relationship.

The other night wife and I had a "moment", she came over to where I was sitting and gave me a kiss, and Liesl, lying on the floor next to my chair, whined/groaned and forced her big hairy face up right in between ours and "broke it up". Of course, wife and I broke down laughing at this. Liesl sat there looking back and forth at us a little more seriously than I would have expected, although not "aggressive" at all.

My question: Is this a sign of some incipient jealousy? Should we be concerned, or just laugh it off? What, if anything, should we do to be sure Liesl realizes that wife is firmly #1 female of the pack?

[mssandslinger]

Im no expert. it could be jealously, but my pups do it all the time to me and my BF and i have never had a problem. I always take it as they know we are getting attention and they want some too.

[RocketDog]

My yellow lab, who was absolutely the best dog ever, ( ) did that all the time too. I agree with mssandslinger--they want in on the "Pack Love".

I ignore it till we're ready to let them in on it too.

[BowWowMeow]

Agree with the above comments and also wanted to say it has nothing to do with the dog's sex and the person's sex. I've had male and female dogs who have done this same thing. My first dog (a female) and Rafi (a male) both would go in between me when I was hugging someone.

With Rafi it's actually more of a resource guarding thing so I do redirect him to his bed or a toy.

[msvette2u]

Yep, ignore it.
Or you could have your wife pee over the dog's pee, or spit in the dog's mouth.







(sorry, couldn't resist)

[Lilie]

Your pup saw the family getting together for 'play' and couldn't understand why she wasn't invited as well. The look you saw very well could have been confusion from your pup as she might of thought she was in trouble for something, therefore not being allowed to play.

When my male is allowed on the bed, he always lays between us. That way he is sure he is going to get the attention from both of us. If we spoon together, leaving him no room, he'll simply lay on top of both of us ...in the middle.

If my husband is sitting on his lazy boy, sometimes I'll sit on his lap and our mini doxie screams and cries until she gets up there too. This is the only time she'll do that. I don't know why, but she insists on sitting up there too.

[msvette2u]

Ah Doxies are the worst. My Dachshund Tristan ("my" dog, and a boy) tries to push my husband off the bed. I always ask him how an 11lb. dog could push him off, when he's like 190lbs!!
Slow and steady, I guess LOL

[kiya]

Originally Posted by billsharp

Liesl gives her the occasional brief "nip" while walking by, more of a mouthing than anything else. ?

I have to say that I feel that is a problem, eventually down the road you don't know who else he may feel its ok to give a nip to. I only say this because I've been there. Both dogs were females, now I totally discourage any teeth on me.

[CarrieJ]

I agree that it doesn't really matter about the dog's gender. Ten months is a fun age though for any breed of dog.
My female was atrocious from the ages of seven months to about 18 months or so about accepting me in a leadership role.
I had to "toe the line" so to speak in a NILF/structure lifestyle.

Maybe have your wife do more of the walking and training and less of loving to balance things out. Positive re-enforcement to establish her in more of a leadership role.

Note, when Alice was seven months old, my mother had her third stroke so I was not as hands on as I should have been. My other half (Gar) was doing most of the walking and training and I was at the hospital or her house for a lot of the time. That was huge. Being absentee from that age of her developement really retarded our relationship for quite awhile.
She was two or so when WE both settled down into our roles. (that I wanted for us)

[billsharp]

Thanks, valuable input all around. We'll definitely up wife's involvement, and we're constantly working on getting the teeth contact down to zero.