[nagdu] Chris: Reserved dog

[Lyn Gwizdak]

Landon will wag his tail in his sleep also. I wonder if he's dreaming about 
playing with his guide dog friend, Bernie! LOL!

Lyn and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jenny Keller" <jlperdue3 at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 05, 2012 5:25 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Chris: Reserved dog


> Hi all,
>
> I had to say that Brooks, my former guide, was very much like that.  He 
> required a certain kind of bed.  Which he had to pick out at the store, 
> and once he had that, he was pretty much a lump on it.
>
> he would come and sit in front of the rocking chair I sat in, and not make 
> a sound or move.  sometimes, I could feel his hot breath on my hand, but 
> luckily, I had some sight, so I could figure out that he was just sitting 
> there.
>
> I never knew if he wanted out, or if he just wanted to be stroked.
>
> If he was comfortable in a place we were living.  He would get on his back 
> and writhe around snorting and moaning.  It was the funniest thing I had 
> ever seen.
>
> He was very particular about his boys too.  If he found one he liked, he'd 
> have it destroyed quickly, as he would either kill the squeaker, or just 
> get it out of the toy itself.  The Kong was nothing to him without stuff 
> in it.  I tried everything inside there, and once he got whatever I put in 
> there out, he was done.
>
> the funniest thing about Brooks, was that he would wag his tail in his 
> sleep.  I've been around a lot of dogs, but never in my life, have I seen 
> a dog wag his tail fully in his sleep.  That too was the only time I ever 
> heard him growl too.
>
> Brooks was mostly a lump in his bed or beside our bed.  He was never one 
> to run around too much or lick.  Unless, of course, he had just gotten a 
> drink, and had to come directly to me, and lick both hands, front and 
> back, and then he was satisfied and left to go to his throne.
>
> I liked having a mellow dog for my first dog.  I hope I get one that is 
> more active this time.
>
> Jenny
> On Sep 5, 2012, at 11:06 AM, Tracy Carcione wrote:
>
>> This is for Chris, and anyone else who might be interested. I'm not 
>> asking
>> for advice; I'm just saying how it is.
>> My Ben is a very reserved dog.  I think of it as one of his shepherd, or
>> cat, traits.  He will give someone the big hello for maybe a minute, then
>> he's over you and not interested.  In the morning, he will dance around a
>> bit and rub up against me, and he wags his tail when I throw him a little
>> party when we reach the bus terminal after work, but otherwise he doesn't
>> show much emotion.  Quite often, I give him a pat and he just stands
>> there.  If he's lying down, he stays in stuffed animal mode and doesn't
>> twitch a muscle.
>> Sometimes he lies upside down and snorts, and I come over and give him a
>> belly rub.
>> I pat him, anyway, but I also respect his space and don't make a pest of
>> myself.
>> I've had him for 6 years now, and, in the last couple years, he's started
>> coming into whatever room I'm in and hanging with me a while.  He doesn't
>> usually come up to me when he comes in; he goes quietly to his corner and
>> lies down, and I give him a little pat.  This is very affectionate
>> behavior for my Ben.
>> When I first got him, I thought he hated me, but over time I realized 
>> it's
>> just his way, and I've come to enjoy his calm, quiet presence.  I think 
>> he
>> was a Zen monk or something in another life.
>> I also think he's a dog who doesn't give his heart lightly, and that the
>> big separations required of guide dog puppies were hard on him.  First 
>> his
>> family left him, then his trainer, and then this new person came into his
>> life--me.  I don't know if dogs think like this, but maybe he thought I
>> was just another temporary master, so why get too excited about me.
>>
>> So some dogs are just reserved by nature.  He has moments when he wants 
>> to
>> play or be petted, but otherwise he'd rather sleep or do his own thing.
>> He's not like other dogs I've known, but we love each other and are happy
>> together.
>> Tracy
>>
>>
>>
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>
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