How dogs behave

Everyone who has a dog has some kind of funny story to tell about their behavior, because each dog has a personality all its own - just like humans. If you'd like to see a story about your dog on this site, send it to me at: rescuethem@getresponse.com



Ralph on bath day

Yesterday my husband announced that one of our three dogs didn't smell very good. That meant it was time for baths. I figured if I was going to wash one dog, they might as well all smell good.

Our big Newfie Cross, Ralph, was laying in his favorite spot in the mud room when I went in to get the shower ready. That entails getting a long shower hose attached and making sure the water is turned to the correct temperature.

As soon as Ralph saw what I was doing he got up and left. I expected to find him in "his" chair in the living room (his other favorite spot), but I was wrong. He had tried to hide! He went in the living room and stuck his head and shoulders as far as he could get them in between the couch and the end table... guess he didn't realize that his rear end was still showing. I sure laughed when I saw him!

I had a horse try that once - only she hid behind a power pole. Anyway, her face was hidden. I guess she thought if she couldn't see us, we couldn't see her.

Unfortunately, all Ralph did was delay the inevitable. The other two got their baths first, but he still had to get clean. Usually I wash him first to get the biggest job out of the way. Suzie and Pepper have short hair, so washing them is easy. Ralph has longer hair, so washing is easy, but rinsing and drying is a pretty big job. Also, he's a much bigger dog than Suzie, a Border Collie, and Pepper, a Blue Heeler.

By the way, I use special shampoo, formulated for dogs. I don't know if it's true, but the experts say that "human" shampoo is too harsh for dogs. It dries their coat and skin too much.




Who says dogs don't remember?

Pepper seems to remember what it was like to be hungry. The first time I saw him he was tied to a tree behind a house with no food or water. We don't know how long he and the other three dogs had been there, but he looked like he hadn't eaten well for quite a while. He and the others were all pretty skinny.

Now that he lives with us, he gets more than he needs. In fact, I've put him on a diet! But he's still hungry, especially for treats.

A few times during the evening all three dogs ask to go outside. I'm not about to face the consequences of saying "no" if they really do need out, so I let them. But I want them to do what they need to do and get back inside, not wander down to the meadow or the creek to snoop around.

Usually Pepper and Suzie come when they're called, while Ralph plays the "Pokey little puppy" routine and slowly wanders back to the house. But last week Pepper decided that he could stay out longer if Ralph did.

I put up with that for a couple of evenings and then put my foot down. I went outside and hollered that they needed to come right now or there would be no treats when they got in. Of course they ignored that, but when they came in I told them to go to bed - no treats for dogs who don't come when they're called.

And guess what? It only took once, and now Pepper is the first one to the door - racing as fast as he can the first time I call!

Ralph, on the other hand, still lolly-gags up the hill and walks on past without asking for his treat when he's been too pokey.



Suzie is a darling, but slightly sneaky

Suzie may be a Border Collie, but she seems closely related to a cat - or perhaps a coyote. She loves to catch mice.

She knows from experience that I won't let her in the house with a mouse, so one night she decided to be sneaky. She put the whole mouse in her mouth and marched on past me. It was one of those nights when I'd gotten a little cranky because they didn't come right away when they were called, so when she didn't stop for a treat, I figured she knew she was in hot water.

Well, of course that wasn't the reason.

About a half hour later I was working at my desk when I heard her behind me, crunching on something. I was busy, so without turning around to look, I reached my hand back and said "Suzie, I don't know what you have, but I'll bet it is something you shouldn't have. Give it here."

She's a good girl, and usually obedient, so she did. She put a chewed up mouse right in my hand!

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