Mature female Nita and once-terribly-unsocialized Jondi have been getting used to each other's presence and even offering nice greets at the fence over the past couple of weeks, so it was time to do a few brief (2-5 minute) intros. We've had to take it slow because Nita tends to be bossy and we knew Jondi would so not appreciate that. Their get-to-know-you sessions have been very loud and exciting with some rude pushiness from Nita, some stern, dramatic corrections from Jondi, and even a flash of "let's play" moments initiated by both. So much fun for us - We love this part of dog work!
We don't expect the two girls to be BFF, but they're both learning important lessons about communicating with other dogs and following their people's cues in spicey situations. For now, we're happy to see them both agree to be around each other and even try out some clumsy attempts at a friendship. Baby steps. We'll string together video clips of the action soon so you can enjoy their progress.
Photo above: Taking a break from their awkward greets, both girls are getting what they
really want ... Rewards from their human friends for doing such a good job.
Lucky Nita and Jondi! I sure wish I could give my increasingly-mature gal the socialization skill-building sessions she deserves, but my health has never been equal to the exertion. I don't suppose you accept out-of-state campers? (Just kidding--she's providing me with some very important companionable sleeping services at this time and wouldn't dream of taking a kennel from some needy dog! I'll keep watching for tips--we're working on the "look" command right now--and you keep up the good work.)
ReplyDelete