Is this 'normal' behavior for 2 dogs...

OK...by now we all realize I've NEVER had more than 1 dog before..so I'm usually pretty clueless. Since Hammie has been neutered, he has stopped fighting for the 'alpha' position........that is Addies all the way. So..play is play, and all has been quite calm. EXCEPT for a routine that occurs every morning. If they are together in the pen......Addie will decide, usually around 9 A.M....to just start yakking at Ham. I've watched them.......she stands in the middle of the pen, and Heaven forbid IF he steps across some invisible line she has declared...all h*ll breaks loose. He isn't allowed to come across that line without her really breaking out in a major snit. This goes on every day...sometimes for a couple hours. I end up thinking 'oh, just shut up already, Addie'.....or 'just stay on your side, Ham!' Even with the house closed up, she can get on the nerves. I have to have them out for awhile so 'momma dog' can get some work done around here. lol I guess it stops when Ham finally just goes into his doghouse. PEACE and QUIET!!!!! Addie never does this any other time of day. Is this Addie's way of once again declaring she rules? Do they HAVE to do this everyday????? LOL You'd think once the 'rules' were established it wouldn't have to be an everyday thing to listen to her totally 'b*tch' at him. It's not as if he is trying to go into HER house...or eat HER food........what's up with that????? My hubby says she is being such a 'girl'..............THAT statement could certainly get him into the doghouse! LOL LOL

Poor Hammie! I'm sitting here chuckling to myself, picturing Addie giving him what-for.

First lesson, Debi - we really should have let you in on this earlier; it would've saved you a lot of worry. There is no such thing as a normal dog. As you add dogs the craziness increases in a geometric progression, not a mathematical progression.

Addie will probably get tired of this after awhile and find a new (and hopefully quieter) method of torturing Hammie. As he gets older, he'll pay less and less attention to it, which will drive her to reach new creative heights. You will effectively lose your mind and start barking back at them, then you will start to think up tricks to pull on them.

Once the dogs realize they've driven you completely around the bend they will start feeling guilty and become the well mannered little beasts you wanted them to be in the first place.

Sooooo . . . the object of the game is to convince them that you've lost it before you actually do, thereby accomplishing YOUR agenda of living with some civility.

The cat will be sitting back watching the entire scenario with feigned disinterest. This is because the cat already knows how everything turns out . . .