Birthday and Breedism

Well first, Bogie turned 3 years old and I think he had a great birthday. His greyhound buddy (and owner, who used to watch Bogie all the time) came over for dinner and they both got some homemade peanut butter and carrot cupcakes with string bean candles, a few lasagna table scraps, and of course new toys. My mother went out and bought an expensive, very real looking squirrel squeak toy, and hid it in a bush to see if Bogie found it (and he did..). So here are a few pics from his birthday. Sorry about the quality, but I had just gotten a new cell phone that day, and was testing it out.


That is one of the cupcakes.

That is Bogie not sure of how to approach this thing that he has never seen before.

Once he decided the frosting tasted good, he picked it up, took it off the plate, and turned it over so he could make a mess.

After his delicious treat, Bogie went to lay on the other man in my life. I think he was rubbing it in that he is the one that got homemade cupcakes....

And onto the issue of "breedism..."

Over the past couple of years I've noticed that Bogie seems to hold a rather permanent grudge against a breed of dogs if one or two of the breed have angered him in some way. First, it was the husky. A group of friends stayed at my apartment and brought their husky with them. Supposedly, their husky was friendly, but the instant he walked into the apartment, he flipped out and went after Bogie. This, Bogie did not like, and it was a very hard weekend for everyone, mostly spent keeping the dogs in separate rooms. The husky got away a few times and went straight for Bogie. From then on, whenever we'd see a husky on a walk, i'd hear him make a low growl or the hair on his back would stand up. Next, it seemed to be the same flavor of dog. I think it was a Malamute or a Samoyed...very large and arctic looking. At a dog park, as soon as this dog saw Bogie, he went right for him, started on the humping. Bogie let him know he didn't like that, but the dog was huge and Bogie is not. The dog put his mouth around Bog's neck and held him down so he could continue his business. Bogie eventually got out of the grasp and we left. Another time, at the same dog park, there was a lady with two Boxers, and Bogie was happily smelling them both. When Bogie decided to play with the puppy boxer, the older one was not happy about that and went after Bogie. Now, whenever he sees a husky or any other arctic type dog, and boxers, he its extremely hard to control. When I see one coming on a walk, I usually sit him down off to the side on the grass and wait till the dog has passed, and this works fine on a walk. At a dog park it is a completely different story. The other day I took him to the dog park, and there were two boxers (different ones, same park). When Bogie was getting a drink of water, one came up and tried to shove his face in the bowl too, so Bogie snapped a bit. A few minutes later, the other one came over and sniffed Bogie, which he did not like. The boxer's owner made it sound like the Boxer initiated, but I didn't see that happen. Later on, the two boxers were playing, and Bogie kept trying to egg them on to come after him, I think. He just kept walking over to where they were in their own little world, and I had to keep him out of it. A little bit later, when a friend of mine showed up (who Bogie knows very well) came and was petting Bogie. A big arctic type dog came up and sort of nudged his head in the way so he could get pet, and Bogie snapped. I left the dog park after that one.

Anyway, long story short, I was wondering if anyone else has gone through anything like this and has any suggestions on what to do. I don't personally know anyone in my area with either Boxers or huskies, so I can't introduce him to these dogs in a controlled environment and let him see that they aren't all worth hating. I obviously don't want to stop taking him to the dog park, just because one of these dogs may be there when I show up. They really are the only dogs he has a short temper with.

There was another basset at the park, and his owner said her dog didn't like Boxers either.