[Mtn Dog]

Karen: I'm no Pet Psychologist but I suspect that the other cats picked on Murff as part of an instinctual pack mentality (survival of the fittest). I can only relate to dogs currently but we have two terriers and our neighbors have two Shi Tzus. Whenever the dogs are together our Westie, the alpha male, will bark and wrangle with the other dogs when they are just playing with each other. He howls at sirens going by too. He's a marshmallow the rest of the time, in fact he's a total wuss when challenged on just about anything. But as part of his instinct he still tries in vain at times to assert his prowess, especially when there are other dogs present. Our Westie is our daughter's dog. She's known him since he was a puppy and she was three. We expect he'll likely pass on when she is in high school; and even now we occasionally look to that day with some regret and dismay, knowing how sad it will be for her and our family (and our other dog, a female Scotty).