I introduced Kennedy and Jasmine previously, so please our Dog Days page of our website and the photos and anecdotes below related to of our new life with three dogs!
Samantha (aka Sammie or Samurai)
Samantha (spayed Husky-Shepherd mix) has stepped up to acting as their "big sister" (even though she is actually the youngest) and is doing her part in helping Kennedy (neutered cream-colored Lab mix) and Jasmine (spayed Husky-beagle mix) adapt to our home and way of life. It's great to see the way Sammy is adjusting to their presence, with lots of patience and sharing on her part.
Jasmine (aka Jazz or Jazzie)
Jazzie loves rawhides, which is great since they are good for her teeth and gums. But she is also a bit of a "food hound" which of course comes from living in an environment where people probably fed her table scraps. We don't make a habit of doing that because it sets the dog up to develop bad habits later related to people food. So we're working with her about how to behave when we eat (we teach our dogs to find a comfortable spot away from the table and lay down - we don't allow them to stand nearby and "beg"). In Jazzie's case, this sometimes includes moving her to another room if she doesn't follow the "house rules", but with consistent guidance on our part, she is learning rapidly and doing a great job of learning to "mind her manners.".
Jazzie loves rawhides, which is great since they are good for her teeth and gums. But she is also a bit of a "food hound" which of course comes from living in an environment where people probably fed her table scraps. We don't make a habit of doing that because it sets the dog up to develop bad habits later related to people food. So we're working with her about how to behave when we eat (we teach our dogs to find a comfortable spot away from the table and lay down - we don't allow them to stand nearby and "beg"). In Jazzie's case, this sometimes includes moving her to another room if she doesn't follow the "house rules", but with consistent guidance on our part, she is learning rapidly and doing a great job of learning to "mind her manners.".
Kennedy (aka Kenman or Big Guy)
It's fun to watch the dynamics between Kennedy and Samantha as they jockey back and forth for "lead dog" position. Samantha stepped up to this role after Sandy died, particularly when we adopted Kennedy and Jasmine. Kennedy's early attempts to dominate Samantha resulted in her firmly letting him know she wasn't about to be pushed around, which we were glad to see - he's a sweet dog, but he does have a tendency to be a bit "pushy" if other dogs let him get away with it.
It's fun to watch the dynamics between Kennedy and Samantha as they jockey back and forth for "lead dog" position. Samantha stepped up to this role after Sandy died, particularly when we adopted Kennedy and Jasmine. Kennedy's early attempts to dominate Samantha resulted in her firmly letting him know she wasn't about to be pushed around, which we were glad to see - he's a sweet dog, but he does have a tendency to be a bit "pushy" if other dogs let him get away with it.
After only two months, all three dogs seemed to have completed their adjustment period. And it seems Samantha is starting to defer to Kennedy a bit as the more "responsible" dog, so it's not clear yet who will ultimately emerge as the alpha dog. Now that Kennedy has earned Samantha's trust, it seems she is willing to relinquish the lead role to him. But time will tell, so please stay tuned....
No comments:
Post a Comment