Dogs being dogs.

We didn't have class tonight. The instructor cancelled it late Sunday because of the threat of storms. It turns out the storms were  more of a threat than a promise and we didn't get even a drop.  Rocket spent the day at daycare and learned a new skill.

Bagman . There is a new alpha at Monday daycare and her name is Annabella. There has been a large male pit-bull with an attitude problem in the group on Mondays and Annabella and her three henchdogs offered him an attitude adjustment  - by kicking his ass.

Rocket wasn't the instigator, "He's not like that" the daycare guy assured me, but as it turns out he is one hell of a team player. Annabella  led the charge,  and then Rocket joined in. He didn't really know what they were doing but he thought that it looked like fun . The pit wasn't that badly hurt, a nice cut over his eye and the knowledge that Annabelle kicked his doggy butt.

I didn't even get a call about this! They just sprung the news as I was heading out the door with him. They handled the fight with sirens and water hoses and it was over quickly. It must have been a beautiful moment.  Rocket is fine, his ear is a little bruised looking and  they kindly pointed out that he now has blood that is not his, on his collar. The whole thing makes me uncomfortable because I have very clear memories of Daisy getting her alpha on and how awful it made me feel. Is this going to be a pattern with him? Can I let him sniff sniff other dogs? Daisy went from baby bunny to angry weasel in  a heart beat.

 In Rockets defense, Daisy was seven when she was diagnosed with Addison's and part of that was that her adrenal glands stopped working and with them her fight or flight  instinct. She lost the flight instinct and was left with fight. I spent years terrified of running into other dogs. It was lonely for both of us but she never tried to hurt anyone either ( because she had no opportunities to do so). I hated living like that and I really, really hope that this was just about instinctively following his pack and not a new hobby.

The daycare guy did say the pit was behaving aggressively and was not an innocent in the whole affair, but now I have to worry about daycare and I had not done that before. I hadn't had to spend time worrying about if Rocket was being mean to other dogs or behaving in a unfriendly manner. I always ask about how he behaved and they always say he "Loves to play and has so much energy! He's just jumping around all the time. He just plays the whole time!" So, is he a pain in the ass to the other dogs? Does he get on their nerves? Does he get the other dogs agitated?

I didn't even have to send him today, we didn't have class but I wanted to run errands. The next time I might have to weigh how much I am bothered by the dog peeing on the floor. It makes me anxious but not as anxious as worrying about my dog getting in touch with his inner bagman.