All these stories just re-inforces my belief that losing a pet, and the grief that comes with that, is so individual, just like when losing a loved human.
Our relationship(s) with our dogs are just as individualized. I have a different relationship with each of my three dogs. Built no doubt out of the life we have lived together, their personalities - strengths n weaknesses - and how that unique being and my being blended or melded or challenged me in so many different ways.
If I look at my baby (my youngest) just over a year old, she is still so un-formed, although the picture of her is beginning to grow, to come a bit clearer. I will need to stretch in different ways to meet her needs. To help her become to be all that she can be. She is somewhere in between Zoey and Magic in terms of personality. She wants to be dominant and can be a pain in the proverbial butt, but she is also unsure of herself, not a coward, but exhibits much more fear than say Magic would, and less than Zoey.
She insists that she doesn't know things that she does know! Not unusual at that age. But frustrating for the human involved
And so as a trainer - scratch that as a responsible pet owner - I need to find the right balance of correction/reward etc. All dogs at times need correction. How stern a tone I use, when do I walk away(ignore bad behaviour), when do I use hand gestures, when do we go back to NILF? What keeps her mind engaged? What specific tasks or tricks? A real example; if I stand up quickly when let us say she has entered the kitchen when she has been told OUT and STAY, and simply stamp my foot, she cowers (a bit) then slinks out. She has never been hit by me in her life! Was it too much? Should I not stamp my foot? And btw this is when the other 2 dogs in her pack are calmly in a down stay and stay that way... lol.
If she likes you, she will jump up on you, despite the training from 8wks old not to do this!
And for those that are reading this, we are not talking about a 7lb Yorkie, but dogs that weigh or will weigh 100+ lbs.
I hope one day she will be my service dog - physical support dog - as Magic is (although he never did get accredited for this). But I would like Dara to get accredited for it. I am trying to get her to understand Stand and Hold. She must be able to support almost all of my weight if I should fall and need help up from the ground. Magic at her age, got it so naturally, like breathing. To walk calmly beside me with my hand on her harness with the upright support handle to bear some of my weight when we walk.
On a brighter note, she has finally learnt to let me go up or downstairs first, before she goes.
Razzle our Yorkie - is my little man that I protect - fiercely. He has been spoiled. He gets away with too much, but he knows his commands to a fairly good degree of distraction. And RAzzle gives so much love, and is such a big boy - he thinks he is a Blackie lol. He is a supreme alert dog. And now of course I know what he adores to do. What he was made to do.
Magic has his quirks too. But as my senior boy, we have worked a whole lot on our relationship. It is much of a partnership right now. He is always there when I need him. He quietly goes to whomsoever in the house is sick and just lays by their feet. Not needing nor wanting pets, just being there I guess in case.
If I get up in the night he walks by my side in case I need to steady myself with my hand on his back.
And maybe too much info - but in the washroom, he will stand sideways too me if I need his help up from the toilet.
He is fiercely protective of me, and yet I can stop him on a dime with my voice. Now having said that, we have never faced a threat that did not back away from his barks and stance. No guarantees on what would happen if the person or the dog still came forward in attack mode.
My husband calls him my warrior dog.
Awh well I go on and on................