Nomadic Travels #1

June 30, 2008
Ready! Steady! Go!

Kenya knows something is different ... but she goes into her usual "go to sleep till it's over" mode, so she is not a problem.

I am testing the laptop on this piece to decide whether I need to take a keyboard with me. If I find I am spending more time correcting mistakes than writing, I will, because that interferes with my thinking process. This is a brag piece about Kenya.

Kenya has her faults (don't we all?) But she is generally an easy companion and she works well with the dogs I board. She establishes herself as the pack leader and then she enforces my rules ... and dogs generally respond better to admonitions from other dogs than they do from new people, so she is a real partner in my dog sitting enterprise.

There are two dogs which she takes a back seat to: Shea and Nina. She met both when she was a puppy and they established their dominance then.

I have three stories about Kenya's recent behaviour that show just how wonderful this dog is ... well maybe they don't all prove that, but they do show why I find her interesting and lovable, and all are about pack behaviour in well socialized dogs.

1. There was the story of her telling us that Remi needed help. I posted about this the other day. She behaved very strangely and was deliberately disobedient and badly behaved, and wouldn't quit until we began to look after Remi. Remi is "her" puppy and a member of her pack. She had a responsibility to look after his welfare. I learned from this experience to pay attention when she acts out of character because it probably means she is trying to tell me something important.

2. The second story is about an error in judgment she made when Shea was here. Kenya firmly believes that all sticks belong to her. One of the dogs had placed a pile of three sticks on the ground. Shea went to get them. Kenya defended "her" property with a snarl. Shea growled back. Then both dogs stood stock still for four minutes, their bodies turned away from one another, their heads averted, and only their eyes revealed that they were not sure what to do now. Kenya had done something no pack leader could accept and both of them knew the rules, but neither wanted to act on them. Finally Shea picked up the sticks and Kenya acted as if it were his right.

3. The third story occurred a few days ago. Kenya had been out playing in the light cast by the solar lights till quite late one evening. I let her stay outside because she was having such a good time chasing toads and fireflies and took the dried liver cookie upstairs with me. I read for a while., the cookie sitting on my dream journal. Later I went down and brought Kenya in, gave her a new cookie, and we went to bed. The next morning I was at the computer in another room and I heard an anguished wail. I went to see what the problem was. She was sitting with her nose on the dream journal which was somewhat damp from her drool. But the cookie had not been touched. I don't know many dogs who could have resisted that temptation.


So three stories about Kenya's awareness of pack order. In the hierarchy I stand above her. Shea stands above her. Remi stands below her. But when Remi is hurt, he comes first. I have noticed that she backs off and lets me handle things if there is a dispute between dogs she knows well ... between Shea and Remi for example. She acts as if she is upset and confused ... because she doesn't know where her loyalties lie.

Try applying all of this to human behaviour ... it is an interesting exercise.