Jasper has a 'moment'

[JudyN]

Jasper has been banned from sharing the sofas in the front room for probably around a year or more now as he'd sprawl all over your lap and then get very grumpy if you wanted to move. We've been more relaxed about the sofa in the conservatory, though I've always been careful about not letting him get comfily sprawled all over me.

Today, though, as I'm keen to keep him reasonably inactive so his pad can heal, I spent an hour or so on the conservatory sofa with him. He was extremely relaxed and happy to roach with his bad paw almost stuck up my nose while I read my book and occasionally tickled his tummy. When I finally got up he just had his head resting lightly against my leg, but he still had a growly moment. I'm not sure if he just moved his mouth towards me as if about to bite or actually mouthed my sleeve, but either way there was no feeling of contact. I confess I told him off, but not in a shouty scary way, more of an 'Oi, that's not the sort of behaviour I expect' sort of way, and he looked slightly abashed.

It's certainly manageable - I can avoid sharing the sofa, I can ask him to get off first, or I can make sure I've got a treat I can chuck on the floor to shift him when I want to move. What concerns me though is what it says about his personality in general, and for the chances of him ever becoming as safe as one can expect any dog to be. As there have been no conflicts over sofas for so long, this suggests that it's so ingrained in him he's unlikely ever to change.

It's possible recent lack of exercise is a factor, but he's still getting more than the majority of dogs get in a day, and he certainly looked relaxed.