I'm so ashamed.
While up in Michigan this past week-end, I got to meet Jett, the new dog at The Shekel residence. Now this little Airedoodle pup is cuter than all get-out. But alas, I forgot that he is just a pup and not a full-grown mental case like Murphy. When little Jett walked up to me the other night, I gave him a stare and growled at him, trying to bait him into playing.
With Murphy, and the other Shepherds that came before him), a stare and a growl is the equivalent of shouting "Let's get ready to rummbbllee!" Muprhy'll drop into a play crouch, return the growl with his tail wagging, then pounce on you the moment you give him an opening and run off through the house waiting to be chased. It's great fun and frankly, it's how I've become used to playing with dogs.
Poor Jett, on the other hand, had apparently not read the script. When I growled at him, he did not crouch or growl back and his tail did not wag. No, he just peed on the kitchen floor.
So to Jett, and to Jett's Mama, the ever-suffering Mrs. Shekel who had to clean up the mess, I wish to apologize.
And to Aaron...when he gets a bit older, you might want to look into this to butch him up a bit. Just a thought.
Unfortunately, an "airedoodle" starts off with a deficit in the Alpha dog department.
ReplyDeletePoor puppy!
ReplyDeleteYou're just lucky that Tash didn't rub your nose in it to correct you.
ReplyDeletePicking on an 11 week old pup, for shame.
Yes, yes you are.
ReplyDeleteBreed specific... :-)
ReplyDeleteNow you've touched on a subject near and dear. While not an aviator ( although the disease does run in the family, both son and brother fly tail draggers). I have been training and competing in Schutzhund since '95. Bob is right, the doodle part of the Airedoodle would keep that sweet pup off the field. We do see the occasional Airedale come and try the sport, but being a terrier they have very strong opinions about 100% obedience to the handler. Since we like to refer to our dogs as a "bullet you can call back", the Airdales in general rarely make it through all three phases. I nearly always have a bullet I can call back and a couple of mags of the kind you can't with me always. :)
ReplyDelete