Question #2

[Meghan]

How did the dog’s relationship/experience with other animals help shape his development?

[Carol]

I'm going to think on this once and respond more later. Immediately I think of his mother and litter mates. He learned from each brother and sister and mother about how life works. Will be back on this one.

[Cheryl]

I THINK WE ALL LEARN FROM EACH OTHER WHETHER WE ARE MAN OR ANIMAL. SOMETIMES WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WE ARE LEARNING SOMETHING UNTIL WE USE THAT KNOWLEDGE TO SOLVE A PROBLEM. I WATCHED RILEY IN ACTION WHEN 9-YEAR-OLD BRANDY (A HALF CHOW/HALF AKITA MIX) CAME TO LIVE WITH US. SHE HAD NEVER BEEN HOUSEBROKEN OR BEEN TO THE GROOMER OR HAD HER OWN TOYS. RILEY EXPLAINED THE POTTY PROCEDURE TO HER IN DOG, AND SHE WAS HOUSE TRAINED IN 2 DAYS. THEY BOTH WENT TO THE GROOMER TOGETHER, AND BRANDY WAS ONLY FEARFUL ONCE. SHE LIKES BATHS ALMOST AS MUCH AS RILEY. RILEY TRIED IN VAIN TO TEACH HER GAMES AND ABOUT THE TOY BASKET FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS. SHE NOW GOES TO THE BASKET AND DRAGS OUT SOCKS AND NYLABONES AND PLAYS EVEN THOUGH SHE STILL WON'T PLAY "CHASE".

THIS, WE LEARN, HELPS US ALL TO DETERMENE WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE AND WHAT IS NOT, AND THAT THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR OR MISTAKES WE MAKE. WE ALSO LEARN THAT BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE, BUT WE LEARN TO COPE AND PERSERVERE IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY IN HOPE THAT BETTER TIMES LIE AHEAD.

[Carol]

CHERYL - Do you have your October book picked yet. I put a question to you somewhere else, but I'll be done with Pettigrew before too long, and want to be able to order or put on hold your pick. If it would be easier, you and I could trade for a month...just want us to have plenty of time. Thanks Carol

[Meghan]

back to the question...I love Cheryl's response to this! And agree with everything she said...I couldn't say it better. I have two dogs , both of which are rescues. When I brought the second one home he was only 5 mos old, had been living with a homeless person and eating tuna fish and wheat thins..he was in bad shape...within 10 days our other dog had schooled him on housetraining, begging, who the "boss" dog of the house was, and how to manipulate the poeple of the house to get whatever they desired. Today I have two dogs that are 5 years apart in age, and have a 30 lb weight difference but when you watch them together you would think they were born from the same litter..it is frightening.

Relationships of any type, dogs, cats, humans, horses, you name it are all impacted by interactions and socialization-both negatively and postivly. It all depends on the quality of the interaction and what is taken away as important.

[Carol]

Thanks Cheryl & Meghan. You both said what I was pondering and putting into words. Our four-legged friends are a true gift. They have a pure intelligence that if we are in-tuned enough to realize what gifts they have and regularly share with us. We've all "saved" an animal in one form or another, and I was thinking about the difference to an animal that was rescued versus one who was bred and went to a "buyers" home. Maybe there isn't that much of a difference, except the initial care they receive as pups/kittens. They still leave home, they still have to adapt to a new living situation. The differences could be in the abuse category. From your posts, I can tell we are all marshmallows when it comes to this, and like you said, have to turn the commercials off or you'd have a house full. I hope our critters know in their hearts that we genuinely do love them. I also feel that this unconditional love for our guys is a different love than we have for our spouses/significant others. People have reasoning abilities (different from animals), but I find animals have pretty good problem solving skills. Since I have only one cat, I haven't seen him relate to other animals. He is quite a bully with other cats, and would rather fight than get along. He is quite wild (loves the outdoors), but spoiled too. He doesn't want to get too far away from where the food dish is, and the people who love him. :-}