Our Dogs Speak To Us If We Listen
Posted: Friday, January 23, 2009
by Rus Morgan
Web Builder Inc
All mammals have a language. Listen carefully to your four legged pet and over time you will begin to understand it.
If you've seen some of my previous articles you know we have littermate Miniature Schnauzers. A sister, Steffi who started out black but is now morphing into black and silver and her brother, Stanley who is a breed definitive Salt & Pepper.
Stanley was originally Alpha up till they were about eight months old. Steffi originally went along with his dominance but as she developed she beat him a couple of times and assumed the Alpha position. The second time she beat him he got the message. He's a surfer dude who cares nothing for the state of the nation so she didn't have much trouble establishing the new hierarchy.
We've gone through it all between the two pups and they each sent a different message. Like humans, even canine litter mates speak a different language.
When he was a pup he whined, whimpered and whistled. When he wanted something for himself he whined. When he thought the world was dumping on him he whimpered and made us feel sorry for him. Although we caught onto that very shortly and let them both know the guilt trip wouldn't fly.
Whistling was Stanley's most interesting phenomenon. Stanley used his whistle to tell us he was frightened or that something was happening. As a puppy when he was really confused and frightened he would whistle in panic and console himself and notify us at the same time.
As an adult he does not whistle, rarely whines and doesn't whimper. Occasionally he barks, but he is Omega Dog so he generally concedes that noise is Steffi's prerogative.
I don't know if this holds true for all female dogs but I have never heard Steffi whistle; at least Steffi hasn't. Steffi was quiet before she assumed the Alpha position. Now she does the barking, and when she thinks they need a change of scenery, she whines...which is a mixture of a screech and a whine.
Steffi's voice became quite different, much lower and more commanding when she took over the Alpha position. Steffi has developed a peculiar command tone and when she hits those notes Stanley backs rapidly away.
When Steffi is at our front louvers which open up onto the front communal space she is protecting us from the squirrels. I have verbally chastised her about her frenetic barking, so she has authored this special (for better word) 'utterance'. She sounds a little like a small raptor with a bone caught in her throat; or maybe a rooster who is trying to crow and swallow water at the same time.
We have never allowed uncontrolled barking but it is a continual battle to curb it. The presence of two squirrels on the front lawn is overpowering and so both have to be cautioned in that event.
Steffi, being Alpha always sounds the signal requesting reentry into the house when they have been outside in the patio. Stanley, as befits his status in the hierarchy sits patiently in waiting.
I am still trying to figure out if he has us all fooled and is just letting her do all the doggy work or if he really is subject to her. He grooms her; she rarely him. He drops whatever he has in his mouth when she approaches; never her...so we'll just have to wait...and watch.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Hi Rus, Enjoyed hearing about your dogs. I have a Frenchie who is very vocal and communicates to us very clearly when he wants, or should I say is demanding something. Val
Sickness in the family for the past two months has completely disrupted my routines and left much of my personal life in disarray. If it were not for the two mutts I seriously think I might have jumped into the bottle.
Wouldn't it be scary if we were born into a world where all the folk in control looked totally different than us and spoke an unintelligible language. That is our dog's problem.The fact that they make friends with us at all is a staggering stretch in faith since we can, and sometimes do, contribute to their discomfort and early demise.
Steffi and Stanley are unreserved in their gift of companionship, love, trust, faith and adoration. All they ask of us is the chance to lay beside us on the couch close enough to touch and preferable full length. As I write this Stan is stretched out backside to me so that he touches me from hip to where his head drops over the edge of the couch. Steffi jumped up on the couch but could not intimidate him sufficiently to make him move so she is curled up next to him. If he shifts at all she will go up in the air and come down next to me.
They occupy each other all day, thank God! because at our ages (81 and 70) we do not have the energy to drain off theirs. They romp, wrestle, play-fight and otherwise aggravate each other all day and that works out to our advantage because when they are put to bed with a chicken treat 29 out of 30 times they drop down and go immediately to sleep.
I hope Frenchie gives you back as much our Minis do.
We're working feverishly on the website trying to tweak it so it makes some sense and works right. Shortly we are making "Dogsx2" available online as a download. It will not be as important to you as others who have not yet purchased a dog. In the first part of it I outline the three questions we must ask ourselves (and answer) before we buy a pedigreed dog. Beyond that I have jotted down 90 some odd pages of 'keeper' moments between the pups and us which you might enjoy reading. Keep in touch.
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