General Question Can someone tell me what happened here?

[MelanieNormansMom]

In the evenings, we're all over the living room. I usually sit on the floor, back to the couch on my laptop at the coffee table. Norm-3 year old resuce we've had just over a month now, he's either on the floor with toys or sleeping on the couch. My youngest daughter is 4. She came over to me and was sitting in my lap wanting to play Rock a Bye Baby. So I was singing and rocking her really loud and silly and she was laughing. Next thing I know, Norm comes busting over in between the couch and coffee table trying to muscle up over her/us. I pushed him away and said, "No, down" very firmly. But he still kept trying to muscle onto us. I am not sure what he was intending because I didn't let him get too far. I wrapped around my daughter, turned my back to Norm and told him "NO! Mine!" I've never had him do that before. And as a new to the world of everything bully, I could use some insight. Thanks in advance!

 

[cali~jenn]

Not sure. Do you think he might have been wanting to play too? Miila is all up in the kids and when they r laughing and being extra silly she liks to try and be part of them.

 

[MelanieNormansMom]

It didn't feel like that. It felt like he was being aggressive.

 

[cali~jenn]

turning your back and all sounds good. Maybe let your daughter help feed him. Even let her hand feed him at her pace, slowly. You both could together and this will help him to know you both r his pack leaders so he can't challenge for your attention. Just a thought.

 

[ChrisRN]

The hard thing about rescues is that we don't know how they were raised or the experiences they have had. Was he maybe thinking she was being hurt? He may have been trying to break it up, which could account for the aggressive attitude.

 

[MelanieNormansMom]

I think part of it is him still getting his situation sorted. And I'm working with the kids so they are seen as belonging to the alpha(me or hubs) or at least further up the pack. It's definitely a learning curve for all of us. Poor Norm especially.

 

[cali baker]

Norm saw you giving attention to your daughter and he wanted to either protect you from her or he wanted the attention to be placed back on him. I think what you did was right in letting him know that what he did wasn't acceptable. Was there any growling involved? Since he's so new to your family it's hard to say but I think what [MENTION=390]cali~jenn[/MENTION] said about having your dtr feed him is a good place to start as well. When you told him "NO", what did Norman end up doing?

 

[LariP]

He could have been trying to get to you over her because he wanted the attention she was getting.
HRH isn't aggressive, but she doesn't like it when Bruce sits in "her" spot on the loveseat beside me. She will crawl on top of us and try to wedge herself between us. We do allow it, because we allowed that to be her spot. And like I said she sin't aggressive.

 

[KMARINO]

It kind of sounds like what Vegas does, you see I am OWNED by Vegas!!! If my husband sits near me, hugs me etc...Vegas has to somehow muscle his way in between us. And hate to admit this but many times has "humped" Joe to show him I was HIS property, of course we dont allow the humping and we put him down until he submits. Norman sounds like he was trying to get your attention, after all he owns you, (or so they think) lol.

 

[2BullyMama]

Did Norman growl or show signs of aggression, hair on back standing up? it sounds to me that he wanted the attention or to be a part of the attention.

Nitschke used to do this whenever my boyfriend and I would hug... if he was not part of the hug, he would paw at us, bark or try to get between us. But, there was never indication of aggression.

 

[Vicaroo1000]

It didn't feel like that. It felt like he was being aggressive.

I think you did great. You disagreed with the behavior period. It doesn't matter why he was doing it --- you don't want him to act that way. You also "claimed" your daughter as yours -- which I think was quite good since he's new to your family and learning his place in the scheme of things. Involving the children in his care (supervised of course) was also a awesome suggestion, I think.

Bravo, I say.

And thank you for adopting Norman. He's going to find his way with patience and leadership. I love the name Norman, by the way. Such a great name for an EB.

 

[MelanieNormansMom]

He hasn't done it again or acted like that....so who knows.... Maybe just a flukey thing...But other than that, he's been a dream. Granted it's a snoring, farting dream, lol, but we all just love him to bits. Ok maybe not the cats, yet.