Dog & depression advice

[alifess]

Hi everyone,
My boyfriend and I are breaking up, and my lovebird Haricot and I are moving to a new apartment with a roommate. My future roommate has a dog, and I am wondering if there is anything I can do to ensure that my lovie stays safe and has a good relationship with the dog. The dog seems nice and harmless, but obviously he's about 500 times bigger than my bird and I wouldn't want anything to happen to my baby!

Also, my bird is attached to both me and my boyfriend, but he clearly considers my boyfriend to be his mate. Is there any chance he could become depressed when he realizes that Nick is gone? Anything I can do to help him with the transition?
Thanks,
Alicia

[Pips mom]

First let me say that I am very sorry for what you are going through. I think alot of us here can relate! As far as your lovie missing your boyfriend, I think he'll be fine if he has you, and you might even grow a stronger bond to him now that the boyfriend is not around. He may not be too happy about the move to a new home and new surroundings, but from what I've seen with my lovies, they are pretty resiliant and strong little birds! I think lovies adapt better to changes than some other types of birds do.....they are so intent on enjoying life and having fun that I think they forget sometimes! One track mind!
As far as the dog goes......just be careful. We had a big black lab here when we first got Pip, and Pip just loved him! I still have pics of them together.....Pip would go fly to him and land on him all the time.....lovebirds don't seem to measure things in size, so size doesn't really matter to them....a dog is a dog! and a possible friend....at least my lovebird thinks so! Just be careful with the dog and keep a close eye....see how he behaves and if having a bird in his home seems to spark his curiousity. A dog that will end up being good with a bird won't show any interest at all. At first I'd make sure you leave your lovie in a separate room from the dog and take things very slowly. What kind of dog is this??? I think terriers are supposed to be one of the worst with birds, also shepards. The age of the dog too may make a difference. The older the dog, the better! Here is the pic I still have on here of Pip with Ernie.....
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l134/kim1888/woodyandboss023.jpg
Best of luck to you and Haricot!

[alifess]

Thanks so much, Pip's mom! It is indeed a very difficult moment, and adding to the emotional difficulty I am a little bit stressed about being a single mom to Haricot...

Uh oh, the dog is a German shepherd mix, 6 years old. I will be very careful. I plan to clip his wings before we leave so that it will be easier to control his movements and keep him in one room if necessary.

Adorable picture!

[Pips mom]

Thanks so much, Pip's mom! It is indeed a very difficult moment, and adding to the emotional difficulty I am a little bit stressed about being a single mom to Haricot...

Oh, I think you'll do fine! I can tell by how concerned you are! My sister went through a divorce and moved out and in with my single younger brother. She had a quaker parrot, but of course he was bonded to her to begin with! then she moved into her own place and her quaker Monk was with her through those tough times! I think having your bird will help you through the difficult times.....I'm thinking especially a lovebird! They are such happy little buggers! and they love having fun.....maybe some of that will rub off on you at times when you're not feeling so happy! I think chances are good that you and Haricot will help each other through the changes and hard times and will end up with a stronger relationship because of it!
Best of luck with the dog thing! We were lucky with Ernie....he was fine with the birds and didn't pay them a bit of attention for the most part. He would watch them sometimes and just a little curious I think, but he was a gentle giant! My neighbors have a lab mix who is also very good with their birds. If worst comes to worst you can always just try to keep the bird and dog seperated as much as possible. Please inform your new roomate about the other dangers to birds as well, besides the dog! like teflon pans, scented candles, strong smelling cleaners, paint....things like that. Alot of people work it out with birds and dogs in the same home.....even birds and cats! as much as I don't agree that cats and birds don't belong in the same house together, I can't deny that there are some cats who actually get along with birds and they do well together. I hope this dog is older and calmer personality type!

[Tango's_Mom]

It's really unfortunate that you're in this postition, with regards to the dog, up until this year I always lived in a house with a large dog with Tango. My rule was very simple, and VERY strict. The dog is never allowed in the same room as the bird cage without supervision, and the dog is NEVER allowed in the same room when the bird is out of the cage, period. That means that there is no way that the bird and dog can come into any kind of contact while the bird is out, and the dog is not allowed to touch the bird cage at all. It is far to easy for even the friendliest quietest dog to injure or kill a small bird in an instant before you could ever do anything to stop it, even by accident. So I never, ever allowed the situation to come up, EVER.

[thebubbleking]

My hen boo was a mammas girl when my ex got into cocaine and left me for two black pimps it was rough...but boo is fine everybirdie adjusted well and now i am dateing a woman who was my highschool sweetheart and i hadent seen in 20 years!
Been a month now and its beyond perfect. be patient theres a reason for everything:)

[FuzzyAga]

Gasp! Bubbleking--you high stepper, you! I'm happy for you! and to your high school sweetheart--how romantic. :)

Breaking up is hard, but I do know that a lovie will make you laugh, even if it's through your pain. I think your lovie will sense your emotion and will perk you up.

[HaleBoppPeachyluv]

I can't comment on lovies with other pets, but I think as long as your lovie gets safe out-of-cage time with you to play & bond, I think he'll be okay. Sunny looooved me when I was home for the summer (i teach, so i get those long breaks) and then transfered her affection to my hubby when he was out of work for the next 2 months when school started. Now that we're both working, she's pretty equal in affection, though i think she still likes my hubby a tad bit more.

[alifess]

Thanks so much, everyone! I will be very careful, and I am sure that you are right that Haricot will cheer me up and our relationship will grow stronger.

It has been an incredibly difficult period for me, and I started a blog as a way to write about it and reflect on it. I wrote about Haricot recently, if any of you are interested in reading it (I'm sure much of what I wrote will be familiar to you!):

www.littleheathens.blogspot.com

-Alicia

[Pips mom]

What town will you be moving to? I know you're from NY city, and mentioned Boston. We have a few memebers here who live out Boston way, and I also know someone personally who boards birds near Boston and is a wonderful, caring person.....you had mentioned moving to someplace where you may not be able to find someone to bird sit.

[alifess]

Yes, I am moving to Boston and it would be GREAT to get the contact info of the person who boards birds! That sounds like exactly what I need.

[Pips mom]

She is a wonderful, caring and experienced bird person! and she has bird sat for lovies before too! Here is her web site......
http://www.freewebs.com/seasidepetminder/seasidepetminderpage.htm