Backwards Brut

Being an amateur with an aggressive dog I have had to work backwards from an attack to understand the signs and body language that lead to Brut strike.

First it started with stopping or breaking up a fight.

Then stopping when he was in attack stance.

Then stopping him when his head was low and ear were back.

Then stopping him when he snarled.

Now we're at the point of stopping him when he even thinks about going after another dog.  And yesterday was a great example.

I was bringing the treat bag out to play in the pool with the four Back dogs.  I was barely out of the door with Brut right in front of me and Zappa to my left.  Having the treat bag is an adrenaline rush for Brut, who originally thought he was going for a walk, which made it a double whammy for Brut.  I was prepared for it and as soon as Brut turned his head (still even at this point) towards Zappa I gave a quick, "uh-eh."  Brut turned to me, turned back to Zappa, I said it again, and this time he gave me eye contact and any thoughts blew over.

It was really quite awesome!  I actually couldn't believe Brut responded so quickly.  Usually I am too late and his head will be low and next thing I know he's in the attack zone.  Or I would call his name in a sharp voice and that would lead to an attack as well.  Instead I was very cool and calm and very unafraid.  I have made many, many mistakes being in fear.  We have both come so very far in a relatively short time for doing it by ourselves.

And the reward?

None of the dogs would come by the pool with Brut even though he was lying down and listening.  They probably sensed what he was going to do long before I caught on.  So Brut had the pool all to himself and got to bob for treats.  And you know what?  That was OK by me, because he deserved it!

Breaking Our Wills

Brut is aggressive.  It as simple as that.  And while he we have less and less incidences with him lashing out on the other dogs, he will always be aggressive.  It is his nature.

As painful and scary this demeanor is, I also love it about him.  When he uses his dominance in a way that is productive, it is an awesome sight, that only takes the power of his death glare to make the room his own.  

I love that fight.  I love that spirit in him.  And I wouldn't break him of it if I was paid to.  

It is what makes Brut, Brut.

In my life I've been pressed to the ultimate limits of my will being broken and it is that last scream of innocence that has kept me alive another day.  And I could never force that onto Brut to contend to my will or anyone elses.  I have live too long that way, I could never put those screws to his head.

In fact it is his aggression that I understand the most.  The feeling of being boxed in corners you can never get out of, but you fight because you have to.  Somehow, someway you must fight.  That is what I see in Brut.  That's what I see in myself.  And that is what has caused me to think way outside of the box, especially with Brut.  Brut's uniqueness is just that.  He forced me to make that tiny crack and peek outside the box.  Then we worked constantly on breaking it down, even the ones I built back up because it was scary and awkward, we broke those down too.  And we are still cracking and crashing through walls due to our very nature of fighting for what is right.

 When I harness his energy, I harness mine as well.  

They wanted to break our wills, but they couldn't.

This time around I've got a partner and so does Brut.   

  

Monday Memories-Food Fight?

Monday Memories-our little trip down memory lane.

Can your dogs eat out of the same bowl?

And to think Chance and Blaze's previous owners used to throw them a scrap of food and watch them fight over it.

Now look at them!!

Brut Honesty

I have often discussed my difficulties with Brut and all his transgression.  Name a bad behavior and he has it.  It has been a difficult struggle for me, but it has also been so for Brut.  For as much as I have had to put up with him, he has had to put with me as well.  I'm not talking about my lack of knowledge and ignorance about his aggressive nature, but with my disdain that has come from it.  There are more ways than I can count that I've had the thought of wanting to get rid of him.  I haven't always been so forgiving and kind to him.  A vicious dog fight I witnessed as a child triggered what I thought was a killer in Brut.  Every time Brut attacked one of the other dogs, I was gripped in fear that his actions were malicious and I learned to hate that part of him.  I could not separate what I saw between those fighting dogs who happened to both be Chow Chows and Brut whom I discovered was also part Chow.   What would be the odds?

Yet as much as that hatred and fear hardened my heart, my love for Brut ran a deep parallel to it and I found myself always teetering on that fine line.  I struggled to love this portrayed monster and the Jekyll and Hyde he displayed between the two entities where I found myself constantly flipping with obvious division between the 'killer' Chow in him and the loving Husky.  I've done my share of emotional damage to him as these two dimensions split my love for him.  So while it hasn't been easy on me, it hasn't been easy for Brut either.

So many times I didn't know what to do when he would go after another dog and felt like I was drowning in a sea of hopelessness. If it wasn't for the bond we form the first day I chose him, I don't know what would have happened.  Spurred along with words from the breeder who said he gave us Brut because he knew we would keep him forever.  Never mind that this breeder was part of the cause for the damage done to Brut as a very young pup, they were words I couldn't ignore.  Words I clung to at those moments when I was ready to give in.  Words that made a difference and kept my thoughts about getting rid of Brut, just that, thoughts.

And Brut knew it.  He knew how I felt because I couldn't hide it from him.  Thoughts or not, they were real.  My frustration, anger and disappointed flowed through me like a river and gushed all over Brut.  But then so did my love for him.  Eventually time and understanding began a healing for both us and brought us closer than ever. The love kept winning as our frayed ends began to mend.  Respect replaced the hate and I began to understand the nature of the beast within both Brut and myself.  Two very damaged souls that found the power to heal one another with a bond that will never die.  Call him my heart dog, my canine soul mate, or my spiritual twin, no other dog could have done what he did for me.  And no other human could have done what I did for him.  A true measure of love that has only grown and matured as the years pass.  How to stick it out through the best and worse of a relationship and the honesty of those ugly feelings that kept bringing us back to each other. 

         Who would have thought the most troublesome dog could save this traumatized heart and teach me the Brut honesty of true love?

Brut Hugs

 Back off!!

I’ve been using touch more so than any other form of communication with Brut when he gets in his testy moods.  It is by far his most sensitive receptor and one that that he responds to the quickest.  Whether it is a calming touch or one that over stimulates him. 

Today, while Brut was being protective of me the protective barrier line around him suddenly flared out to include Fiona was on the couch, which meant she became an instant threat.  Fiona became trapped as Brut’s large body was blocking any escape for her.  Brut immediately translated that she was not adhering to his warning and got low to the ground, ears back, emitting a warning growl. 

I gently got him by the scruff of the neck, pulled him towards me and held him in a large bear hug.  He continued his warning to Fiona, but did not fight me.  I held him tight and let him continue to voice himself, allowing Fiona to exit and for Brut to know he is safe with me. 

I have done this several times since the beginning of the year when I realized how overly sensitive and responsive Brut is to touch.  One time he had Zappa backed into a corner when I got a hold of him and let him bark his warnings at Zappa while I held him tight to myself.  Zappa who once again ignored and pushed past Brut’s protective line and the warnings had it coming.  But instead Brut was safe to express himself while feeling protected in my arms. 

I don’t correct him, soothe him, or try to stop him.  I just held him.  Interesting concept, don’t you think?  I also do something of the same nature when I am petting Brut and an intruder comes along; when he turns to snarl, I stop petting him, but I leave my hand on his body or head and just hold it there.  When he turns back to me I will continue to pet him.  There is something about the constant contact that gives him a security I believe he didn’t have as a young pup and dealing with his abandonment issues.  The protection and safety he was suppose to get from his mother was taken away at such an early age where he was left to defend himself.  And so I’ve become his surrogate mother. 

It has helped in his overall demeanor and his comfort level.  Brut is feeling less and less threatened and any instances with the other dogs has decreased ten fold.  He will always be a moody dog with all his character defects, but if I can show him that he is safe with me without being reprimanded, then I’ve cut the battle in half.  And that’s worth more than having the perfect dog.  Every day Brut teaches me there is more to dogs than I could have ever thought.  He has taught me to think way outside of the box for exactly what he needs to help himself.

Amazing, isn't it?

Has blogging changed your viewpoint on dogs?

I'd like to take a minute to thank everyone for being part of our Question Week.  The big dogs ruled on Friday's post:  What size dog fits you?  And according to our readers, we were right there in the majority of answers with you.   

We have one last question for the week:  Has blogging changed your mind or view of dogs in a way you never thought would?  

I think one of the biggest changes that has come out of blogging for me, is my point of view on Pitbulls.  When I started blogging I had a very strong and real fear for a dog that was portrayed to me as a fighting attack dog.  Having witnessed a vicious dog fight as a child, my fear for dogs that were bred to fight and the status they gained for it was frightening.  Yes, I have always been terrified of Pitbulls.

When I was growing up, Dobermans and Sheperd's were all the rage.  They were alleged killing machines that would turn on their owners in a heartbeat.  I was quite young at the time these accusations were being made and believed it to the truth.  I have never met either of these breeds in person in order to know any different.

It wasn't long after high school that Rottweilers became the savage dog of era.  There was a stigma with these type of guard dog breeds that were not only getting a bad rap, but shaping my very thinking that these kinds of dogs were not to be trusted under any circumstances.

While I developed a dislike for the behaviors that I had been taught these dogs could display, I bore no animosity for the breeds themselves.   

And then the Pitbull came along.  And suddenly there was a dog that was feared among the feared.  The vicious malice these dogs created only added fuel to a fire that I never started but that burned within.  For a very long time I could never see past the dog on TV attacking the child, and there in me grew a strong hatred for these dogs that I hadn't felt before with the previous ousted dogs.  Pitbulls had evolved into something far beyond what a Doberman, Sheperd or Rottweiler could ever be and I blamed the breed. Without a doubt.  This was also about the time I began to remember the dog fight I witnessed as a child and the memories surrounding it began to surface.  ANY dog that was aggressive or attacked was pure evil to me.  There was no getting around that belief.  You could not tell me any different.

Then I got Brut, my dog aggressive dog whom brought many things to light about aggression.  I struggle with this powerful dog who was shaped this way by someone before me and I began to understand something I didn't before.

THEN WE BEGAN TO BLOG  
Corbin was the first Pitbull who found our blog way back when we started and I instantly fell in love with the big guy.  I always thought Pitbulls were beautiful looking dogs, I just didn't like what I THOUGHT was underneath.  As I found more and more Pittie blogs and the fight to save the breed, I began to realize the false info I'd been fed all my life.  .

I watched a documentary on the history of Pitties on a Pit blog that unfortunately I can’t remember, that changed everything I thought I knew and understood about these awesome dogs.  I was simply in awe that Pitbulls WERE the dog to have because they were the most loyal, dependable family dog to own.  Until someone saw a potential and used it to exploit them for their own gain.  And this is where we find ourselves now, trying to turn back a clock that keeps on ticking.  Well, you can add one more to that fight.

I can not thank all the many bloggers who have taken the time and effort for people like me who have been subjected to such a narrow minded view with no honest hopes of taking the time to change that.  It was all of you Pit lovers who took each post and did it anyways.  That is some powerful stuff.  And for all of you out there, I can not begin to tell you what that means to me.  All I can say is...Thank you.

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Progress, not Perfection

Not exactly the same set up, but you get the point.

 (This is an old picture and the only one we have of Brut and Zappa on the couch together)

Daddy's on his spot-the far right of the couch.  Zappa comes in taking his spot on the couch, the far left.  Brut shortly follows to take his spot in the middle.  Any other time, Zappa would have gotten down but not without some grumbles and growls while Brut would patiently wait.  My husband and I are engrossed in a show, when Zappa decides to stand his ground, warning growls erupt and Brut is halfway on the couch.  Brut starts to slide on top of the couch, both dogs snapping and snarling until Zappa eventually retreats.

Zappa is on the far side of room standing, Brut is on couch and there is a low roar between the two of them.  Daddy ask Brut to get off couch, Brut complies, but can't get him to sit.  That's when I realize Zappa is standing and tell him to sit and lay down, he responds.  Brut immediately gives his attention to Daddy who sits and lays at my husband's feet.  (Thanks Five Sibes!!)  Brut was not about to "submit" to Zappa, Zappa had to go down first.   

The entire atmosphere even from the time this scene started was warm and calm.  Calm enough to think through and clear enough to respond quickly.

This encounter happened a couple of weeks ago and I am still reeling in the excitement.  I don't know who's response surprised me more, my husband or Brut.  This hands on method we have been practicing is doing wonders at bringing down the levels of intense energy that is usually emitted when their is a altercation.  Before a situation like that would have escalated with a emergency-panic reaction.   And my husband was phenomenal.  I can not begin to rave about how this calm, but direct method is changing everything we do AND my husband and I have found a way that we can both work with the dogs in a language that is easy for both of us to understand.  The results have far exceeded what I could have ever dreamed.

What a wonderful lesson of never giving up!!

Tomorrow I show you how we are getting to the root of Brut's aggression using this method.

How-Do-You-Stop-A-Fight Update

So if you've been wondering what has been going on since our last post when we asked for your suggestions on how to help break up fights between Brut and Zappa, here's the latest so far:

Since my husband is a trigger point, the first thing we changed was Daddy's greeting line up when he comes home. Now I greet Daddy first, then Brut, then the rest of the gang. Once I start waiting at the door, they all line up behind me, without anything being said. Instant stress reducer! Thank you Kootenai's Climb for that great suggestion!!

Thanks to Jen from The Elka Almanac who suggested that instead of calling Brut's name when he feels in a threaten position, to use another recall word. I couldn't think of anything, so right now I have been using "come," until I think of something else. It has been working.

Third was making shaker cans (empty pop can half full of pennies)...for every table. An idea many had suggested.

My first try out was on Mr. Mouth Zappa. He has a demanding and insistent bark when I am getting food bowls out that strikes up the energy at meal time something horrible. I could not get him to quit. A good shake of the can cut him right off. Next meal time, a couple light shakes and he stopped. The next meal time...blissful silence. Today when I got their bowls out, something felt amiss and then I realized Mr. Mouth's siren wasn't going off. It was heaven!!

So it worked to stop Motor Mouth Zappa, but did it work on a fight?

I am a bit unsure about sharing that we are used this method. Some of you expressed concerns with things like the shaker cans and of the like. First let me say, I do everything in my power in the way of prevention, unfortunately life isn't perfect I can't dog sit Brut every second of the day. I do my best to keep him safe and take every precaution with him. We have been in such a lull lately, his aggression caught us off guard as it tends to flow in waves. Let me also say , the shaker can or any other deterrent we are only using when an attack is imminent. This means when there is no other choice and neither of us able to reach stop Brut in time, otherwise setting off an attack. While ideally it would be great to change his behavior and eradicate it forever, arresting direct contact in the seconds before an attack becomes the priority. We have ruled nothing out at this point and we have taken everyone's suggestions into consideration. The few above changes we have made have made a difference already. We have to do everything in baby steps, one step at a time.

The two incidences we had were both at the point of no return. Brut was in what I call, locked target mode. There was no time to respond to either of them. Any movement I would have made would have sprung at attack. The shaker can worked. In the first incident Brut jumped back and ran over to me rather surprised. The second time he was a bit more challenging, but he kept direct eye contact with me the entire time I shook the can. He finally relented. Had I not had the shaker cans in these instants, their would have been contact and a jump to pull the dogs apart

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I have taken things a step further with a hands on, direct contact when Brut is just starting to show signs of feeling threatened and the need to defend himself. Before I was only using my voice, now I have been going over to him and blocking his "target" and getting him to focus on me. This has been extremely effective and I plan to implement more of this preventive measure when Brut's guard goes up.

Do I believe the shaker can is the cure all? No. But I do know it was better than tearing two dogs apart in the middle of a fight. Would I use it again? Yes, if the threat was immediate and I had no other way to stop it. Believe me, it isn't my first choice. I prefer and strive by every possible means to use prevention and the results are much better.

We can not thank each and everyone of you who commented and shared your suggestions. What a difference a few small changes have made. Brut's aggression as of right now is mild right now compared to a few weeks ago. You can never have enough tools and ideas when it comes to our dogs. I don't know how to thank this blogging community again and again for the support that showers on each day. For a person who has no dog-loving friends on the outside world, I can not express the joy of talking dog with all of you. :) 

Dog bloggers ROCK!!      

Millions of Thanks

Interesting!!  Your comments from yesterday post regarding how to stop a fight in progress were great! My husband and I love the collection of ideas and a different perspective.

To find out what we are talking about, you can check yesterday's post HERE.    

I was thinking along the lines of noise.  I'd forgotten about the pennies in the can!  Thanks Jen from My Brown Newfies and Five Sibes Mom.  Hubby was excited about that one.  Using a spray bottle was also mentioned by Houndstooth, White Dog Army and Cooking with Dogs.  I was equally impressed with those that talk about options to help with Brut guarding hubby and better ways to handle those peak times.   Thanks, Jen from The Elka Almanac and Kooetenai's Summit Post. We will be pondering them over for the next few days and give you an update.  I think for starters, we will get a the shake can ready and make sure Brut has undisturbed first dibs with Daddy when he comes home.

Thank you for giving us hope and for not having to do this alone.  I don't know if we will find the trainer we need, but just having all of you jump in and sharing has made more of a difference than we can ever write on our little blog.  Thank you taking the time and and your help.  We have never been close to giving up, but it so much more easier and fun when others are there lifting you up.  We can never thank you enough.

Love,

The 24 Paws of Love 

I would personally like to thank everyone. 
As long as no one suggested that I had to get off the couch!!
Stayed tuned for progress updates!!

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Any Ideas??

What a difference just "talking" things out can make.  Being able to sort through the last three days help to clear the air for what sparked all this trainer talk and not knowing what to do.  Your comments and thoughts have been greatly appreciated and well received.  We can't thank you enough for this great dog blogging community.

OK, so I've told you of my experience with the trainer, and the aftermath, and what lead to my phone conversation with the trainer and know that it has to do with Brut and his aggressive nature.  Here's where you come in:  How do you stop a dog fight that is already in progress?

 I need some new ideas for my husband because well, frankly, he is just too inexperienced with dogs to handle these kinds of circumstances and he doesn't understand most of the body language and such to interpret what is happening.  I read a post by Jen on My Brown Newfies about using a small fog horn and we bought a couple.  We think they are a great idea for outside, but we really need something for in the house. Brut's aggression tends to come in waves and are triggered off more when my husband is around.  Behavior changes for Brut or hubby are out.  If I haven't changed him in all these years, I don't think anyone else is going to.  BOL!  Hubby also tends to think of the dogs as big puppies and is horrible still learning about discipline.  So I'm looking for a tactic, technique, tool, something that you might teach a child, first time dog owner that is simple, but yet effective to break up a fight. 

The two trigger points of time are when my husband first comes home and while watching TV after snack time.  Brut's possessiveness of Daddy can be pretty strong.  Zappa is always the main target.  I think we have went for the last 6-8 months with only a few minor confrontations until his aggression flared up again these past few weeks.  We found the cause (something I'll explain in a later post) and for the most part things are dying down, but I'm looking to prepare for the next time.

 I have come up with a few ideas, but I would like to hear yours first.  I will say that calling Brut's name doesn't work, it is like a "attack" signal for him.  So what have you heard, read, seen, tried, didn't try, learned or just thought of that you have found or seen that works.  We are open to all suggestions, under the guise of course it isn't hurtful to the dogs.

For those of you concerned, the fights that do occur, I take serious, but they are not dangerous.  They are like an extreme case of "bitey face" or challenge or an over exaggeration of a "correction" if you will.  None of the dogs have ever had more than a scratch and those have been few and far between, like many of these kinds of fights.

 Thanks for sticking through this with us. We look forward to your ideas.     

Canine Marriage Counselors

The Doctors are in!!

I wonder how many marriages are saved by dogs?  I mean really, isn't the dog the first one you turn to after an argument with your spouse?  Maybe take off on a walk or explain to the dog what it seems your spouse obviously missed in the "conversation."  Who better to understand you than someone who agrees with everything you say and knows you are always right?  Isn't it the dog who looks at you with those compassionate eyes letting you know they get it?  Who better to vent your frustrations to than the one being who listens with an open heart and never talks back?  And isn't it your dog's unconditional love that gently reminds you to forgive and forget?  To start over with a clean slate?  Who always throws in a couple of puppy kisses to teach you to kiss and make up.  Who knew that dogs were such good marriage counselors and will only cost you a couple of bones for the services.  Aren't dogs great?

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Welcome to the Saturday Blog Hop hosted by Life with Dogs, The Two Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume.

And They Said It Couldn't Be Done!

A rare moment between Zappa and Brut



"You don't know what you are getting into."  The exact words of a trainer I spoke with over the phone about my situation of the aggression between Daddy Dog Brut and his son Zappa.  The trainer sounded as if the entire situation was hopeless and that my only real means of a solution was to get rid of one or more dogs.  Yes, things were in dire straits at that time period, Zappa was growing up and the challenges between the two boys were intensifying as Zappa refused to submit to Brut. Giving up any of the dogs was not an option.  With such few dog trainers in the area, I relied on books, tapes and a lot of observation to understand what was happening between these two dogs and the rivalry that ensued between them. 

When Brut was almost two years old and Zappa was around 8 months, for some reason Brut started to let up on Zappa.  It was if something in him began to calm and accept that this kid wasn't going anywhere.  Somehow there was an unspoken truce between them, that I had little to do with.  They were actually playing and chasing each other when they were alone through this period.  It was magical to watch.  The fights became few and far between.

They rarely play together anymore, but love chasing squirrels around the wood shed.  We go through phases when one acts up or the other, but most of the time they ignore each other.  When they pass each other, they always turn their heads away from the other.  They have worked out a system during TV time if one is on the couch, the other is on the floor or in the bedroom.  Sometimes I just watch in amazement of how they respond to each other in what can be a close quarters.  While Brut is considered the alpha dog, I have seen him back down from Zappa countless times, just as I seen Zappa surrender to Brut with a warning bark and then walk away.  It really takes you aback that two such powerful dogs each being strong willed have a respect for each other that many times makes me hold my breath with hope and fear at every encounter between them.

Fights are inevitable but only happen occasionally now.  They happen with less intensity and usually when someone oversteps their boundaries.  What if I'd heeded those words of that trainer and many others who suggested that I should get rid of my dogs?  What if I'd given up on either of them?  Isn't it amazing what love and a little hard work can do?  It took us three years to reach this point, and they said it couldn't be done.

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Brut Crossings

I don't know how to explain my unique relationship with Brut. It is complex and connected. He teaches me what no human can in my personal struggles. He is my manic dog.  It has been stated that aggressive dogs are like being bipolar.

I understand the haywire electrical currents that shock through his system and wreck havoc on those around him. The hyper insanity, the loss of control, and the misunderstanding. Yet as Brut looks to me, it is really I am the one who learns from him. In a space that is inter-dimensional, spirit to spirit. Today all it took was stopping Brut from beginning a fight he was instigating. When he is in that zone, saying "NO" means nothing. I had already said it three times. He was in target lock mode. It was then I realized, he wasn't going to stop. I used the alpha rollover, he submitted and walked away, without any intention of trying again. (My biggest fear at the time) I was stunned. It had worked. Interceding at that point and preventing the attack was one of the best moves I have ever made. I was calm. I was swift and most of all it was successful. More successful than I could have realized at the time.  It was the first time that I actually had time to respond before a fight happened.  In those seconds something in me clicked and I took action.

We connected a little later after the incident. Brut was calm, his eyes were full. I was in tears over how proud I was of him. I almost can't explain the lesson he taught me tonight. It is something along the lines of never giving up. Don't ever quit trying. When I think something can't be done or is too overwhelming to handle, I find the next key to his recovery. I am still blown away by the fact he didn't try to attack Zappa again. I just can't believe what a miracle that in itself was. I corrected in him in a language Brut understood. Each level taking us deeper into our meaning together. Just when I think the connection had been lost, we find each other again. Spirit to spirit. Heart to heart. Understanding outside of lines, that we were meant for each other.

BRUT CALMING

The art of BRUT ZEN

I never thought I could learn anything but fear and hate from Brut's aggressiveness with dogs, but somehow I have.  This anxious, neurotic Mommy has had to learn to be calm.  CALM.  What the hell is that??  You mean I have to be calm in order to handle dog fights that are scary and make me want to beat Brut over the head to make him stop because my fear just fuels his fire?  You've got to kidding me.  But that is just what I'm talking about.  Blaze has started her heat, three males in house, all ready to claim her, hormones are kicking, tension are rising and this meek fearful Mom is suppose to remain relaxed and handle an outbreak without any fear?

I will NEVER get accustomed to dog fights.  How people can get off on them is beyond my scope.  It is even worse with dogs you love and see them fight, but it happens.  They are rare now, but with Blaze's cycle starting, the chances are a little greater.  It is a terrifying experience every time and you never really seem prepared for it even when you know it is about to happen but you're not quick enough to stop it.  The fear that electrifies in your gut instantly makes you want to react out of that fear.  In that moment nothing seems rational as the teeth fly.

None of the dogs have had more than a bloody scratch on them from a fight.  From my observation they never mean to kill, just to fight.  They never go for the throat, just the face.  Like a street fight, only with teeth.  Brut is usually at the center with another dog, but all of the dogs have had a riff or two between them at some point.

We do as much preventive maintenance as possible, stopping aggression and fights before they start.  Thank goodness at this time that Chance is separated from Brut and Zappa, who have a long history of challenging and pushing each others buttons that that don't need a third party involved.

So now during what I consider a very fearful time, I must remain as calm, cool and collective as possible. Not just during a fight, but ALL day.  I need an air of confidence and stability that is not in my genetic code.  Leave it to Brut to teach me another life lesson.

Today was a good example.  Brut was noticeably calm today.  So was I.  What a difference it made under such extreme conditions.  He wasn't pacing or anxious.  Which made me aware that Zappa had calmed a bit also and wasn't egging his father on.  (Zappa is pretty protective of Blaze as she was his "first love" by accident, during Blaze's first heat, even though he is fixed.)  We have about three weeks of this and it is only going to get worse.  Brut is the only male who isn't fixed and eventually his hormones will override everything and well, if you've never witnessed a male when a female is in heat, it ain't pretty.  But for now we are only on week one, we still have time to prepare.

These special times will be putting my skills to the test.  The test of staying calm in such a delicate situation.  Of finding the strength regardless of what happens to handle and control the circumstances with every ounce of confidence I have in me, because it isn't going to be easy.  Just the added anxiety that will surround me will make me want to crawl out of my skin, yet for every one's sake I will have to centered myself and pray I have what it takes to make it through this time period.  And it will take all of that, one day at a time.