Hi Myra,

Sorry to hear you're all having issues at the moment. If you have any rhymidal you got try giving it to her for a few days, along with using a gate, and she if she brightens up at all. Some dogs are very good at hiding pain, especially when they have a younger fitter contender in the house.

It might be worth a shot because some injuries don't have any outward appearances, a jarred back or neck. It's easily done with a teenager and an older dog. Remus is like Nigredo, learning to be very respectful and cautious with dogs he's doesn't know but tending towards hooliganism with Tonks...., if he can get away with it.

Hi, everyone. I've been with them all day. I let them interact together and though Jade is still trying to hide from him, I won't allow him to go after her. She warmed up a little bit and came and got a treat, but then took it and ran and hid with it.

Nigredo only wants to play and doesn't understand why she won't. She's like 10 years old and she's never been an active or playful dog at all. I've thought that maybe it's better for them not to be here together, sometimes. But I love her and him and can't bear to be without either

Mattie, I thank you for your long, thoughtful responses. I grew up with several outdoor dogs and I live in a place where dogs are "just dogs". Took me a long time to get rid of that mentality myself. I'll take all advice straight to heart since I'm not personally familiar with scary-ish dogs.

I know that we can do it. I never thought we'd even have gotten this far knowing snuggles (Jade's) nature. I've made a lot of progress with her. Children can even come up to us without her growling at them. No petting, but it's a huge difference. I'm confident this time. Thanks everyone.

BTW, Nigredo is a Lab mix mattie. Some kind of ultra mutt. He's 8 months now, as you know and he's fairly larger than Jade now, although I have't been able to upload any new pics or photos because of technical difficulties.

Here is an old video of them...



Also, I'll give her a bit of medicine, even though she doesn't seem to be in any pain and is a wimp at hiding it...

A worrying time for you. I'm sure it is hard to adjust when you've grown up with dogs being viewed as much simpler being who are often kept in yards rather than house pets so much. I'm confident you'll try your hardest and jade seems to have come so far with your help. That's your doing, nobody else's, so give yourself a pat on the back for that. Xx

You can learn a lot watching dogs interact and enjoy them, well done.

You just need to learn how to read and understand them, you are going in the right direction.

It takes a lot to go against what we grew up with, in those days dogs had a different roll in a family to what they have now, it does take us a long time to change our thinking but we do get there eventually.

Of course you will get there, you have done the hardest part, accepting you need to change to help your dogs.

Your dogs are lovely, a credit t.o you

You can get used to pain as I know, painkillers should really be given regularly and not when we think we need them, for us and our dogs. I would speak to my vet about her and pain medication.