Nick

Today is probably the last and only post with Nick in it. Our miniature schnauzer was gotten three years ago and had been very loved. Today I made the hard decision that it's time for him to find a new home. He has a problem with barking at people at has never threatened to bite a stranger but unfortunately this is not something I've been able to train out of him. He is extremely sweet and cuddly with me and even Tim, my mom and most other adults. After I allow them into the house he relaxes and loves up on them. The nephews (14,10,6) have all ran around and played with him and had few problems. The youngest of the nephews was running with a stick and he was trying to grab it (a few years ago) and ended up biting him but we think that was an accident. He has however, been acting odd ever since Lilly came home. He has been growly with anyone who wants to touch her but since she learned to crawl he has also been growly with her. We thought initially that he was just protecting her, but wonder now if he's jealous. He has been with Tim and I since he was 6 weeks old. When we went to grandma's really made me start thinking about giving him up. Lilly adore's "her" puppy and will leave the other dogs alone to go to him. Nick, however, will growl at her when she gets within a foot of him and has even snapped at her when she has tapped him. She has never hurt him and I have always watched closely whenever she is near any of the dogs. I thought I could modify the behavior and that as long as she was nice to him she wouldn't actually get bit.

Today, I went outside and Sarah was in the yard sleeping, but the other two were no where to be seen. I noticed that I had accidently left the kennel door open and thought I would go check the kennel because normally when the pups run away it's Sarah and Nick, he doesn't ever run off by himself. So I went into the kennel and looked in the doghouses and Nick was lying in one and Kady in the other. I bent over to call to them and Kady came right out with a freindly wiggle and went to the yard to join Sarah. Nick jumped up barking and growling and stood there hackles raised staring at me while barking his head off. I stood there for a minute waiting for him to calm down. He didn't calm down until I asked him "who do you think you're barking at??!" Then his whole demeanor changed and he went all sorry and mushy. I do realize the he was probably dreaming but it got me thinking though that if he is willing to bark and growl at me, how long before he does bite Lilly?

I posted him on craigslist and he will be searching for a new home.