Mad Dog

This photo captures the Jekyll & Hyde that is Cabana. She looks so sweet and serene, yet laying under her chin is a destuffed, thrashed, mutilated caterpillar toy--a hint of Cabana's dark side.


Within the walls of our home, Cabana is the nicest, most well-mannered dog in the world. After almost 2 weeks, Cabana still leaves all our Christmas ornaments and wrapped packages alone. She never bothers her spay surgery incision and has been perfect about only getting on the couch when the blanket is put out for her and she's invited.

But outside the house, on walks, Cabana can be a stinker. Cabana was much better before her surgery, when she could happily run alongside me, the leash between us forming a perfect J. But now, not only can she not run, but I also hurt my back a few days ago. I've been hobbling around like a little old lady for the past few days, unable to stand completely straight up. So my husband has been walking Cabana, but today, I thought I could manage it--IF we walked slowly and IF Cabana didn't pull too much.

Slow walks just don't cut the mustard for Cabana, although I tried to compensate by letting Cabana sniff the grass along the sidewalk almost the whole time. This kept her from pulling, and she was happy doing her doggy thing. But at the end of our 2-mile walk, after we passed a couple of neighbors who gave Cabana a short pat, Cabana got riled up and had one of her episodes. She leapt and flailed, trying to mouth my hands, running around me in circles.

All of this was rather painful on my back, but I managed to reach down, grabbed Cabana under her chin by her head collar, told her to sit, and held her in place for a minute until she calmed down.

Today's episode was probably a build-up of Cabana not being able to release enough energy during this past week since her surgery. And although her episodes aren't daily or even weekly, they do happen fairly regularly. I think they are always triggered by Cabana being frustrated. She often gets mad at me if we stop to talk to another person with a dog. If the other dog hangs back and doesn't want to sniff or play with Cabana while the other person and I are chatting, then Cabana takes out her frustration on me, by flailing and trying to bite my hand. (I know she isn't really trying to hurt me, as in removing a portion of my flesh; it's more like a toddler pounding on his dad's chest, like, "Ooooh, I'm so mad and I've just got to do something!")

Do your dogs ever get mad at you? Is this still a puppyish thing that Cabana will potentially outgrow? And is there something I should be doing that I'm not when Cabana has these episodes? :(