• About
  • Bowdu the Shiba Inu
    • Bowdu’s health journal
  • Bowpi the Basenji
    • Bowpi’s health journal
  • Index of Dog Movies
    • List of Dog Movie Lists
  • On the same page
  • Reviews
  • Contact

The House of Two Bows 雙寶之屋

~ a basenji, a shiba, and their human companions

The House of Two Bows 雙寶之屋

Daily Archives: 3 February 2012

Roll of 28+1, day three: Dogs this way

03 Friday Feb 2012

Posted by M.C. in Bowdu the shiba inu, Bowpi the basenji

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

roll of 28, vet

20120203 Dogs This Way
3 February 2012

Dog park behavior: the referee

03 Friday Feb 2012

Posted by M.C. in Bowdu the shiba inu, Bowpi the basenji, Videos

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

canine body language, dog parks, dog play

When other dogs are playing exuberantly in close vicinity, Bowdu has a tendency to interfere. This is what I mean when I say he’s a referee, or sometimes a killjoy.

Referee
1 February 2012

He’ll circle the group, barking or rooing. Sometimes he will dive in to make physical contact — a muzzle-jab to the side or a nip. Sometimes he looks pretty scary when he nips, but this is not aggression.

IMG_4145

Sometimes he’ll leap right into the path of oncoming traffic as if to say STOP ALL THIS RUNNING!!

Foolish intervention
24 November 2011

He has a pretty wide soup can and is quick to grouch when others intrude upon his space with all their funnin’.

But I think as the video above shows, his grumping seldom amounts to much. As long as the other dog gets out of his space (or we get out of theirs), he’s fine a moment later. The vast majority of dogs we meet are well socialized and understand him clearly, though they might look at him askance for barking orders. I do not apologize when he makes such noises. Usually, I tell Bowdu, “It’s okay,” or “Let them play,” (especially if Bowpi’s involved) by which I mean you have no need to take this any further, and we keep walking. All he wants is his own space anyway, so I try to redirect his focus towards the path. Bowdu is the main reason I keep moving at the dog park; it’s not that I’m being cagey or uninterested in conversation, I’m just trying to keep my Shiba from getting bored enough to boss around other dogs.

A couple months ago at one of our parks, I lingered at the top of a hill while another couple of dogs were playing. Bad move on my part — Bowdu stepped in to referee, but in this case, one of the dogs was really pissed about the uninvited interloper and retaliated severely enough that my dog was hurt. While Bowdu was being a pushy brat, I think the other dog owner and I both agreed that the punishment was rather disproportionate to the offense. It was a little bit like ramming a car for honking their horn at you.

Personal information was exchanged on the spot — one of the very few times in hundreds of dog park visits that this was necessary. Ultimately, we didn’t need to see a vet, but I took the incident as a very real reminder that not everyone, especially not every dog, is going to be so forgiving of Bowdu’s intensity. And he’s not exactly shy about calling out dogs who far outweigh him.

Tolerance
29 January 2012

I think constantly about how to deal with Bowdu’s refereeing. Maybe we (dog and human) are responding appropriately, which is why that seemed like such an anomalous experience. The only surefire way to get him to stop doing this thing that comes so normally to him — and to many other dogs, as I’ve observed! — is to not go to dog parks. We did quit going to the little, fenced-in parks where Bowdu has nothing to do except mind other dogs. His tolerance for rambunctiousness seems directly correlated to acreage which, yanow, makes a lot of sense in human terms as well.

Bowdu wouldn’t be a Shiba if he wasn’t a bit incorrigible about some things… Since I’m never going to be able to train away his conviction in his own importance, I’ll just have to give his ego plenty of room to disperse.

Marin Headlands - Coastal Trail
3 January 2012: scruffy fur during coat blow

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on Facebook

My say (recent posts)

  • Bowdu 寶肚, the Precious Tummy 25 August 2020
  • Bowpi 寶媲, the Precious Companion 2 August 2020
  • Roll of 28, Day 28: Yesterday’s clouds were dramatic — today is ok 1 March 2015
  • Roll of 28, Day 27: She wore red shoes 27 February 2015
  • Roll of 28, Day 26: First dibs 26 February 2015
  • Roll of 28, Day 25: My first fish taco 25 February 2015
  • Roll of 28, Day 24: MGMT 24 February 2015
  • Roll of 28, Day 23: Illuminated perspective 23 February 2015
  • Roll of 28, Day 22: Desirous duo 22 February 2015
  • Roll of 28, Day 21: The View from the DJ corner 21 February 2015

Your say

Down the Rabbit Hole… on Top 5 Dogs in Tim Burton movie…
Leslie on Bowdu 寶肚, the Precious Tu…
M.C. on Bowdu 寶肚, the Precious Tu…
NY Earthling on Bowdu 寶肚, the Precious Tu…
M.C. on Bowdu 寶肚, the Precious Tu…

Day by day

February 2012
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
272829  
« Jan   Mar »

Where we’ve been

What we talk about when we talk about dogs

  • Bowdu the shiba inu (432)
  • Bowpi the basenji (427)
  • Digging in the Libraries (49)
  • Film (81)
  • Finances (54)
  • Food, drugs & other ingestibles (120)
  • Health (79)
  • Human escapades (91)
  • Links (69)
  • Observations & opinions (38)
  • Polls (1)
  • Reviews (31)
  • Sightings (183)
  • Signs of the Beast Bay (17)
  • Sound and music (19)
  • Stuff you can buy (29)
  • Taiwan reminiscences (43)
  • Trinkets, toys, and memorabilia (13)
  • Videos (29)

★ Basenji Peeps

  • 2 becomes 1
  • Basenji blogs on Blog Mura
  • Basenji Forums
  • Basenji Shaun
  • Basenji Troublemakers
  • Basenji University
  • BRAT – Basenji Rescue and Transport
  • BRAT Blog
  • Crazy Basenji
  • Curly-tailed Brigade
  • Follow the Piper
  • Hero, Yosal, Iivari & Aapo
  • Johnny Pez
  • Junk Thief
  • Performance Puppy
  • Sneak a Peek
  • Super Eggplant
  • Super Senjis
  • Suzuki and strawberries you are Basenji
  • Whiskered Paintings

★ Shiba Links

  • 3 Shiba Super Heroes
  • A Winnie Day
  • Adventures of Conker
  • Adventures of Olli
  • Demon Dog
  • Dog Newbie
  • Eat Play Love
  • F'Yeah Shiba Inu
  • From the House of the Fox Dogs
  • Hibiki Tree
  • Hinoki the Shiba
  • I Am Shiba
  • I'm Ichigo
  • I.Am.Kaiju
  • Jenna and Snickers
  • Jonathan Fleming
  • Kenzo the Shiba
  • Kyota the Shiba
  • Life as an Art Form
  • Life With Kai
  • Loki the Shiba
  • Mac the Shiba Inu
  • Maggie the Mini Shiba
  • Maru in Michigan
  • Masakado Shiba Inu
  • Misadventures of a Shiba Inu
  • Misanthropic Shiba
  • Mulder – My life as a dog
  • My Shiba is a Diva
  • Obey Zim!
  • Oh Henley!
  • Our Shibal Inu
  • Saya's Adventure
  • Shiba Inu blogs on Blog Mura
  • Shiba Inu Forum
  • Shiba Inu Hawaii
  • Shiba Shake
  • Shio the Shiba
  • Sophelia's Adventures in Japan
  • Taro the Shiba
  • Volunteers 4 Paws (formerly Inu Baka)
  • Yuki the Shiba Inu

Rescue

  • Americas Basenji Rescue
  • Animals Taiwan
  • BACS Dog Volunteer Blog
  • Basenji Club of SE Wisconsin
  • BRAT – Basenji Rescue and Transport
  • Camp Basenji Rescue
  • Colorado Basenji Rescue
  • MASR – Mid Atlantic Shiba Rescue
  • Medfly Basenji Rescue of Southern California
  • MSIR – Midwest Shiba Inu Rescue
  • Muttville
  • National Shiba Inu Rescue
  • Northern California Shiba Inu Rescue
  • Northern Nevada Shiba Rescue
  • Northwest Shibas4Life
  • NYC Shiba Rescue
  • Safe Harbor
  • Saving Shibas, Inc.
  • Shiba Inu Rescue of Florida
  • Shiba Inu Rescue of Texas
  • Shiba Scout Rescue
  • SIRA – Shiba Inu Rescue Association
  • Tri-State Shiba Inu Rescue
  • TUAPA – Taichung Universal Animal Protection Association
  • Walkin' the Bark

We're not just Shibasenji-centric (it's just what we're used to)

  • Animal Emotions
  • Animals Being Dicks
  • Anything for a Cookie
  • Ask Dr. Yin
  • Bark Blog
  • Brad Anderson
  • Canine Corner
  • Cats and Squirrels
  • Cats on Film
  • Companion Animal Psychology Blog
  • Countersurfer
  • Cute Overload
  • Daily Coyote
  • Desert Wind Hounds
  • Do You Believe in Dog?
  • Dobermann Daze
  • Doctor Barkman Speaks
  • Dog Art Today
  • Dog Food Advisor
  • Dog Milk
  • Dog Snobs
  • Dog Spies
  • Dog Star Daily
  • Dog's Best Friend
  • Doggerel
  • Dogs Make Everything Better
  • Dogs of San Francisco
  • Dogster: For the Love of Dog
  • Forumosa Pet Forum
  • Gardens for Goldens
  • Girl with the Gae
  • Happy Bark Days
  • Hound from Africa
  • Hound in Hanoi
  • KC Dog Blog
  • Life By Pets
  • Modern Mechanix – Animals
  • Mongrels of the World
  • Musings of a Biologist and Dog Lover
  • My Imperfect Dog
  • My Rotten Dogs
  • Nihon Ken
  • Other End of the Leash
  • Pedigree Dogs Exposed
  • Pet Museum
  • Poodle (and Dog) Blog
  • Prick-Eared
  • Querencia
  • Raised By Wolves
  • Rubicon Days
  • Ruffly Speaking
  • Science of Dogs
  • Shutterhounds
  • Sniffing the Past
  • Tinkerwolf
  • Ulatulat
  • VIN News
  • We Live in a Flat
  • Wolf Dog Blog
  • YesBiscuit!

african dogs aggression akita allergies art basenji basenji mixes basenji rescue and transport breeders budgeting canine body language canine dental canine hypothyroidism canine play chinese dogs collies comfortis cone of pride and triumph cone of shame corgis dehydrated dog food dog food dog movies dog parks dog play dog songs dog toys dog treats drugs finances foot licking formosan mountain dog german shepherds giveaways grooming hair loss health tests hemopet honest kitchen jack russell terrier japanese art japanese dogs japanese film labrador retrievers meetups off leash orthopedic foundation for animals pet finances pet store a pit bulls primal raw puppies quirks raw diet raw fish raw turkey rescue roll of 28 shiba inu shiba mixes sighthounds skin care sleep soloxine sponsored reviews stray dogs supplements taipei taiwan taiwan dogs terriers thyroids training tugou vet

Freshly sniffed (featured links, regularly rotated)

SPARCS 2014 topics

Fox colors

Why are some breeds of dogs more popular than others?

Owner Profile: The Rare Breed Braggart

10 great books on dogs

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Spending on Pets

Links to articles on village dogs

Badges

DogTime Blog Network Badge Dog Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory Photobucket

Pets Blogs
Pets
Dog Topsite

We've greeted...

  • 542,996 guests

Honors

Online Colleges Top Blogs

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 171 other followers

Get in touch

scroll up to drop us a line via the comment form!

Blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • The House of Two Bows 雙寶之屋
    • Join 171 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • The House of Two Bows 雙寶之屋
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar