In my years of dog ownership, dog sitting, associating with other dog owners, I've yet to see what appears to be happening with the Zs -- It's like they are getting a divorce. Zora and Zeke are half siblings...same dam, different sires, coming from consecutive litters. Zora was born August 2001, Zeke born in May 2002. I know when Yamisi owned them Zora took a rather dim view of Zeke when he first arrived, but one Zeke was able to "stand his ground" physically with her, the pack order settled.
The Zs are crate trained and always retreat to their crate at night. Recently, Zeke has become overly aggressive to Zora when inside the crate, particularly if he is under the blanket. It's to the point where Zora is reluctant to enter the crate if Zeke has already holed up for the night. I finally brought up a second crate. While neither will use the crate voluntarily, I will separate the two of them every time Zeke gets aggressive. Once separated, both settle down for the evening. No whines, no mucking noises. If I had separated Rudy & Max like this, both would have gone utterly bonkers.
Even around the house, neither one seems to want to spend time with the other. Rarely, I will see the two of them up on the couch together. More often than not, one is one the couch while the other retreats to the crate. If I try to hold both in my lap simultaneously, one will leave (usually Zora, but not always). We do have some peaceful evenings where both share the crate.
About the only thing they come together consistently on is food, especially when Jessica is "gifting" them. They both will also defend the house from those pesky people who ring the doorbells. Both are still very sweet to all the hoomans in the house. Zeke still tends to interact with Jessica more, but both of them have decent relationships with her.
I'm scratching my head on this one. Usually when dogs "pair off", they are buds for life. For whatever reason, these two don't seem to want to be together...almost like a couple getting a divorce.
Since both are seniors....I am just thinking the "older age grumpiness" is setting in....... With Zeke - "I am settled, don't bug me!"
When I got Holly and Mary together - they were always together....it is going on 3 years, and more and more I see them NOT together !!!! When Holly is buried in the blankies she will hrump at Mary, if Mary comes anywhere close. Holly is 8. If Holly is in my lap, and Mary comes up...Holly goes away..... like your Zora.
It is interesting how they evolve in their relationships as they grow older....... good for you getting another crate - they can each be grumpy on their own !!!!
Oh dear! I don't know what to say except to let them each have their space. Maybe like a lot of older couples, they've now opted for separate bedrooms. Hopefully just old fart grumpiness and no fighting.
Well they have not been together this long 115 years getting a divorce too.
Turtle couple seeks separation after 115 years of ‘marriage’
June 11, 2012 12:27 AM
The Daily Star
A+ A-
BEIRUT: The world’s oldest marriage has come to an end. A pair of turtles that have been together for 115 years are now refusing to share their cage, the Austrian Times reported Friday.
Management at the Austrian zoo in Klagenfurt tried everything " from couples’ counseling to feeding them romantic mood food to getting them to play games together, but to no avail.
Zoo director Helga Happ said, “We get the feeling they can’t stand the sight of each other anymore.”
Bibi and Poldi have been a couple since before anyone alive can remember. They have been together in Klagenfurt for 36 years and before that they lived at Basel zoo in Switzerland.
Happ added: “They are both 115 years old. They have been together since they were young and grew up together, eventually becoming a pair. But for no reason that anyone can discover they seem to have fallen out, they just can’t stand each other.”
Zookeepers knew they had fallen out when Bibi attacked her partner, biting off a chunk of his shell, then attacking him several more times until he was moved to another space.
They say that aside from their separation, nothing has changed in the turtles’ routine, except that Bibi wanted to have the cage to herself and be single.
Still, some members of the staff at zoo are hoping to see the once-devoted couple reconcile.
“We have staff talking to and trying to engage the two in interacting, and we hope that they might find their harmony again,” Happ said. “We were told that it’s very rare that after so many years animals who are a pair will fall apart, but that’s where we are. We hope though we can bring round a reconciliation.”
I would just let them be or have a forced separation if necessary as you know the old saying absent makes the heart grow fonder ? Good Luck hope the fur kids do not start fighting also.
One aspect that is interesting is that they don't fight during the day. When they retreat to their crate before I leave for work, they do so willingly without any aggression towards each other.