I haven’t posted much lately because all of my mental energies have been focused on the well-being of my little Bruno. He’s having such a hard time adjusting to life with Fritz, and it’s wearing on all of us. We had him examined and his blood screened to be sure his change in mood isn’t anything physical (it isn’t), so now we’re working together to let him know that he’s still the top dog, and that we’re still here to take care of him. He’s slowly, slowly getting better (and Fritz is learning his boundaries, too), but it’s difficult.
I love Bruno so, so much. He really is the most special dog in the world—infinitely sensitive, infinitely loving. My heart hurts knowing that he’s not feeling happy right now, but I know that things will eventually improve. (In the mean time, I don’t mind hand-feeding him boiled chicken.)
23 Comments
oh poor bruno…
🙁
i am sure things will improve soon. do they get along & bruno is just depressed or does bruno just not involve himself with fritz at all?.
oh, this post made me teary. i hope bruno feels 100 percent better soon!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endorphin
Put the dog in “endogenous opioid polypeptide compounds.”
Take Bruno for walks… just the two of you.
Sing this song to him while you walk.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_the_Two_of_Us_(song)
love your blog, yard, house, taste, hair, words.
lisa
Love your blog for the cool stuff AND the dog drama. You are good people. Thanks for sharing.
I am so sorry Bruno is having a hard time. He will get better but is hard in the mean time. I remember the guilt I felt when my little guy had issues adjusting. It all worked out. A previous poster mentioned one on one time and that is what worked with my situation. Poor little Bruno 🙁
wise words from lisa… poor bruno, he will get better as long as he knows how much you love him! x
oh, how tough! introducing new animals into the home has nearly killed me on more than one occasion. it’s wonderful that bruno has caring parents who want to make him happy. 🙂
aww, poor little bruno. dont worry, soon enough he will have a grand time with his little brother fritz, doing what big brothers do best: bossing around, stealing snacks, nabbing the best napping place, and all that jazz. =D
I had similar problems with Thurston after I got Chloe. Winnie, my previous dog, was so mild mannered and quiet, she never bothered Thurston. But Chloe consistently chased and tackled Thurston. Thurston pretty much hid for a year and I felt terrible. Now they have an uneasy truce. I bet it will be easier for Bruno and Fritz to adjust because they are both dogs, and Bruno will learn to assert himself.
Last night I apologized to Original dog when she stood back to allow dog #2 to climb the stairs ahead of her. We only had original dog for 6 months before we got the second one and it took a while to establish the pack order but they love each other completely now. Boiled chicken definitely helps.
Hi,
My 2 pups, Lily and Bella, didn’t get along well at first. Lily had been an only dog here for about a year, when we brought Bella home. Lily was SO not happy, and showed it by “playing” rough with Bella – which the vet assured us was normal, but was very stressful to be around. Things only got more pronounced as Bella grew older – I think because Lily was fixed and Bella wasn’t. Bella is now fixed, and the fighting has subdued. I think it’s hard when you bring in new animals, because they try to figure out the dominance issue…hang in there!
oh that bruno is so sweet! hang in there :).
‘In the mean time, I don’t mind hand-feeding him boiled chicken.’
Now that’s what being a good pet owner is all about.
Poor Bruno. He’ll adjust, it’s just so hard in the mean time. I imagine it’ll get easier when Fritz gets older and gets over the maddening puppy stage.
these pictures are so touching and truly encapsulate your description of this little guy!
bruno is the og!
This too shall pass. Our top dog Armani had similar issues when we welcomed Max into our little family. But, now they’re the best of friends. It sounds like you’re doing right by Bruno. Give him some time. He and Fritz will come around.
This breaks my heart!
Good luck to all of you.
I normally loathe reality type shows, especially “help” shows. But after we bought our boxer we DL a few seasons of the show the Dog Whisperer. While the narrative is rather predictable and annoying we have learned some valuable lessons about dogs. The most important being: They are NOT HUMANS (i.e.a baby, friend etc.) and should never be treated as such.
I highly recommend the show for any true dog lover.
Awe, I can only imagine how sad that makes you. Have things gotten any better?
Sweet, sweet Bruno. He certainly wears his emotions on his sweet little face. I love hearing about your dogs! Please write more about them. Wishing you all the best.
Oh poor Bruno. Our dog was pretty mortified when we added three cats to the mix and then B came along…and now? they are best buddies! Maybe a pet psychic…I am completely serious.
Hallo!
My boyfriend’s parents have two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Their older dog was with the family for years before the younger dog was added on, and when the younger one joined in… well, the older dog retreated, deeply depressed, and wouldn’t even PLAY with the human people. He went into a big sulk and it lasted for months.
…and then he came out of it, when he learned to play/beat up the younger dog.
It’s all worked out, but there was a lot of worrying and constant watching going on. Now they’re happy together!!
There’s hope!