What's your thoughts on this...
 

My hubby's Grandma died a week or two ago and I had oodles of company, with lots of people coming and going.

So, that Monday when all the company had left, I had Maddie and Libby outside in the back yard. Maddie was digging for something in the lawn...now that the snow has melted there's all kinds of crud out there and she and Libby like to eat bunny poo. So, I put my foot out to nudge her away so she wouldn't eat anything rotten. I have done that since she was little...gently nudge her with my foot if she's into something she shouldn't be. Never have I kicked or hurt her and wouldn't think of doing that. Anyway, when I went to nudge her that day, she attacked my foot. It was as if she was scared of my foot and protecting herself from me. I had shoes on so I didn't get bit or anything. I thought that was odd, and then it happened again in the house...I was on the phone and going to nudge her away from some laundry she digging in and she once again attacked my foot. This morn I got up from the computer and started to slip my feet into my slippers and Maddie leaped from her bed, ran over to my feet and went crazy again.

I'm thinking that someone that was here during that week may have kicked Maddie. Why else would she be acting this way. When she does it, I don't get mad at her or anything...I just tell her that I'd never hurt her and neither will my slippers or shoes. Something happened during that week and I wish I knew what and by whom. I have a sneak'n suspicion, but can't prove it. Believe me...if I find out someone hurt Maddie, they'll have hell to pay!

So do you think she was kicked by someone since she started this defensive behavior? I really feel bad to think she may have been kicked by one of our guests.

It is possible that she may have been kicked or she's testing her dominance to see what she could get away with. :confused:

:confused: It's possible she's just testing you. Scooter has never been kicked/hit either, but when he wants to go outside, we will stand up and walk toward the door and he tries to attack our toes. I think he thinks it's some kind of game. But, with all of the company you had, you never know. I would hope noone had hurt your baby. If so, I don't blame you for being angry about it. I would be too!

Murfee is 4 and had never done that before...but all of a sudden he does that to Richard of anyone else when he thinks they are coming anywhere near his stuff. We firmly tell him no and then he starts jumping up and trying to make friends.:confused: :confused:

It sounds likely that with all that company someone either accidently or purposely kicked her and she is scared of getting hurt. I hope no one did it on purpose. I would try nudging her with your hands to see if she reacts the same way.

I hope no one kicked her, but if she's acting like that AFTER all the company, that could be a cause unfortunatly:(

Or maybe she's trying to "protect" whatever your nudging her from, like she thinks you foot is going to take the rabbit poo?

I doubt anyone kicked her. She is just throwing a tantrum. One of my males does that if I gently nudge him away from the door and he has never been kicked. I had another female once that would really throw a tantrum when I put my shoes on because she associated that with me leaving the house. She may just be stressed out from all the company. I hope she gets over it or she may be developing a bad habit.

Or probably someone stepped on her by accident??? For sure I hope nobody hurt her on purpose, that would be sooo not nice... specially because they were in Maddie's house!!

With all the company you had, I would think that Maddie is probably just a bit stressed out an is "acting out".

It may as somthing simple. She may not like being nudged anymore. If someone kicked her she would have been hurt and you would be able to tell I would think. When she attacks your foot don't back away from her. If you do she thinks she is getting the upper hand. I would tell her NO rather sternly and maybe shake your finger at her. Let her no it isn't ok and she can't do it.

Maddie did get hurt one of the days when company was here...I was in the bathroom blow drying my hair so I didn't hear her cries and wish someone would have alerted me to it. They said she had chased a toy and ran head first into the corner of her dresser. My hubby said she screamed and cried for about 5 minutes. I felt so bad that I didn't even know she had gotten hurt.

Anyway, I don't think it's an aggression thing. She acts like she does when she is scared or on the defensive...like the time the big dog jumped our fence and tried to get her. I will start correcting her when it happens again so she doesn't keep doing it. I just felt too bad for her to try to correct her since it seems she's frightened of something.

Thanks for all the help!

Connie, Toby has a way about him that he will do something similar when he is guarding something .... and let me tell you there isn't a moment when that dog is NOT guarding something. LOL
If we put a bag of dogfood by the door to the basement he will sit there guarding it till the cows come home.... LOL

I was thinking this could be a real possibility. I know how I'd be feeling after so much company.

Hopefully, she'll calm back down soon.

I'm interested to see how this turns out - keep us posted.

One thought - if she is hurt or afraid because of something that happened on accident or on purpose - she still has to "act nice" - sounds like something we'd say to our skin babies...haha!

Connie , Rosi does this, like when we are outside and she finds something, she will try to protect it,if i put my foot there, she goes nuts, and bites my foot, not hard but... like she is saying , hey this is mine :rolleyes: Trust me we have our go arounds over this, i 've had to put cloves on before to get things away from her, 99 % its outside. I have never let her get away with it and whatever it was , it was mine:eek: she does not do it very often anymore, but i have no doubt she will do it again. She did this to my Mom when someone was at the Door and Mom put her foot by the door to prevent her from going out... other then that she is never agressive, and loves everyone...:rolleyes:

We had a female who suddenly became aggressive in funny ways. It turned out that she WAS scared because her place in the pack had been disturbed by outside influences. Contrary to my natural reaction to correct her, I was told to reassure her and give her extra attention to help relieve her anxiety.

It changed everything and she is back to acting like her old self. Just a thought since you had so much company and they took alot of your time, which she probably thought was supposed to be for her.

hmmmmmmmm

how old is your pup???

When Jaya was about four months old, she became extremely fascinated with my feet....(well i got new fuzzy slippers), and she would grab hold of my foot and growl and just NOT let go.......i would drag her along as I walked...and she would keep growling.... but i was never alarmed. This all occurred suddenly, and i just let her do it.... and in fact, it became a little bit of a 'morning ritual'.......... she would do it every single morning, and sometimes when i would come home in the evening.

She stopped when we got Jenna. Its been about three months now, and she has suddenly started it again (she's about 9 months now). I normally don't wear socks when I'm at home, but since I've been leaving to work early in the morning, I have been playing with them at that time --and she noticed my socks ---and grabbed hold! And it HURT! hahahaha... i didnt mind... but the thing is, that she does that now everytime i am wearing socks or slippers.....never when i'm bare foot (if I am bare foot she now bites onto the hem of my pants).

She growls and will not let go, but it is not threatening in the least, and is more of a game.

Do you think she suddenly realized your shoes ?? Because the thing is, our feet are at their eye level, and sometimes they think its all a game, or that our feet are not really 'us'....... I dunno if that makes sense or not...

When she 'attacks' your foot...... is she threatening? or does she just try to nip at them? Does she growl? Jaya attacks my feet and growls and doesnt let go..... it is a game....and perhaps she even wants my socks or slippers off of them, i dont know.

It sounds like she may have been kicked by someone that visited, probably accidently. Since you have been doing it ever since she was a puppy i don't see why she would start attacking your foot now. I hope you find out what happened.

Wanted to check to see if Maddie was doing any better yet?

Maggie acted like that when she found a piece of duck poop in the yard once, she growled when I tried to take it away from her. I had to raise my voice and let her know who the boss was. Bailey was out there too, so I figured Maggie was trying to make sure I wasn't gonna make her share it.
No problems since them.
I hope Maddie is O.K. now!