Lola won't stick up for herself!

[Krysta Smith]

Well, I haven't been on in quite a while because I'm back in school. Lola is now almost a year old and Jazzy is 4 months. They're getting along really well except for one thing. Jazzy's always nipping at Lola's back legs and she grabs on to the loose skin around her neck and won't let go. It would be fine except Lola doesn't say anything when Jazzy's got a good grip and I've noticed more than a few scratches because of it. I try to help Lola out by getting Jazzy to let go but most of the time I'm not at home while they're playing (my mom watches them during the day). I would think that if Lola was being hurt she'd do something, yelp or nip her back, but she just stands there or tries to move away with Jazzy still hanging on. I don't know what to do to get Lola to let Jazzy knows she's hurting her. Should I be stepping in or should I let Lola deal with it herself and hope she will eventually do something? Thank you in advance for any advice!

[Lesly Stevens]

While Lola may be able to deal with Jazzy's typical puppy behavior, it's not really fair to subject her to having to put up with obnoxious puppy behavior all day long. (Oh those wild puppies! lol) Jazzy is old enough to learn manners and house rules, and now would be a good time to implement NILIF.

When Bo joined the family, he and Maddy would play wild and rough - Maddy could take care of herself, but I didn't feel it was fair that she HAD to put up with it constantly, so I intervened by letting Maddy outside by herself at times, teaching Bo "leave it" and to lay on his mat quietly AWAY from Miss Maddy whenever I told him to! He wasn't being mean, but he was playing too rough, and Maddy ended up with encapsulated infections where his big teeth had nicked the skin (they play by biting legs and necks, too). Even now - two and a half years later, they get rowdy with each other, so I have to tell them "enough!" And, I still give Maddy the opportunity to be by herself at times. I mean, gee, a girl needs some space and her privacy! LOL

Lesly, Maddy, & Bo