Sandi'sMom
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When my Sheltie barks and make "face" ...
- Thread starter Sandi'sMom
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Olive has this 'sharp' bark she does when she needs to go out. If I don't respond right away, she gently 'walks' on my arm or back with her paws. Everything else is what I call her 'big girl' bark--deep, serious
(well, she thinks it's serious....)Shelby's mom
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Shelby clicks her teeth whenever she wants something. It is pretty funny looks like she is trying to talk but nothing comes out. She also has different barks for different things.
Sandi'sMom
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LOLOL So cute!Olive has this 'sharp' bark she does when she needs to go out. If I don't respond right away, she gently 'walks' on my arm or back with her paws. Everything else is what I call her 'big girl' bark--deep, serious
Sandi'sMom
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Amazing how we learn those things to be responsive to our Shelties.
Sandi'sMom
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I can almost visualize it.
Adorable!My Bela is a former puppy mill mama, and came to me through Sheltie Rescue when she was 5 years old. For the first seven months I had her, she never let out a peep - never wagged her tail, and never smiled. Her eyes were essentially "dead", as was most of her body language. When we got our second dog, it did the trick! One day she just started barking, and I was so happy I gave her a treat for every bark. Soon after, she quickly caught on to the whole concept of communicating and developed a very large "vocabulary" of faces, barks, whisper-barks, growls, half-growls, tail positions and motions, and a big, huge goofy grin!
It was amazing watching her learn to communicate at least one major concept a day there for a while. Even now, she's coming up with at least a couple things a week.
Her most recent is to let me know when she's lost her "road-kill baby". (This is a stuffing-free fox toy that is the same color as she is and she tucks under herself in a nursing position when she settles down for the night.) Of course, losing this toy constitutes a full-out household search and rescue deployment. She lets me know her baby is missing by rapidly stomping backwards about six paces when I tell the dogs it's bedtime. When I start looking for it, she "helps" by using her nose and hunting with me. She usually finds it, which makes me think she knew where it was all the time. But some nights she just gently picks up her "baby" and carries it into her crate, lays down, and begins to groom it before "nursing" it. It's very cute, but makes me a little sad that she was used most of her life for breeding after breeding after breeding. But she's happy, so I'm happy.
It was amazing watching her learn to communicate at least one major concept a day there for a while. Even now, she's coming up with at least a couple things a week.
Her most recent is to let me know when she's lost her "road-kill baby". (This is a stuffing-free fox toy that is the same color as she is and she tucks under herself in a nursing position when she settles down for the night.) Of course, losing this toy constitutes a full-out household search and rescue deployment. She lets me know her baby is missing by rapidly stomping backwards about six paces when I tell the dogs it's bedtime. When I start looking for it, she "helps" by using her nose and hunting with me. She usually finds it, which makes me think she knew where it was all the time. But some nights she just gently picks up her "baby" and carries it into her crate, lays down, and begins to groom it before "nursing" it. It's very cute, but makes me a little sad that she was used most of her life for breeding after breeding after breeding. But she's happy, so I'm happy.
Sandi'sMom
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OMG, Jaynie, I love your tale ...I can almost visualize your Bela hunting for her baby. This is truly amazing how she became more "conversational" and vocal. You did and continue doing a great job with Bela. A big thumb up!
Well, I won't say I didn't get extremely discouraged at times - because I did. Often.
I kind of had an advantage in rehabbing Bela because I'm home practically 24/7, and wouldn't take no for an answer. She HAD to interact with me, like it or not. And at first, she hated it.
Now, she follows me around the house constantly. She still has her little phobias and quirks (she hates high ceilings for some reason), but nothing I can't live with.
In fact, she passed a major milestone last weekend! It was her first weekend with a substitute mama! My most trusted friend came and pet sit for us while we were out of town. Bela did wonderfully, and was perfectly happy and there were no meltdowns or regression into her old habits. This, more than anything, assures me that Bela has turned the corner and is doing fine.
I kind of had an advantage in rehabbing Bela because I'm home practically 24/7, and wouldn't take no for an answer. She HAD to interact with me, like it or not. And at first, she hated it.
Now, she follows me around the house constantly. She still has her little phobias and quirks (she hates high ceilings for some reason), but nothing I can't live with.
In fact, she passed a major milestone last weekend! It was her first weekend with a substitute mama! My most trusted friend came and pet sit for us while we were out of town. Bela did wonderfully, and was perfectly happy and there were no meltdowns or regression into her old habits. This, more than anything, assures me that Bela has turned the corner and is doing fine.
Sandi'sMom
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Awww... I hear you Jaynie... well said...
When we were on our week long vacation beginning of June our downstairs neighbor sat Sandi. She sat our previous Sheltie Cassie too. Sandi did well, though she missed her family a great deal. We live in the condo complex and Sally said that dog always looked for OUR car when she walked her out.
I am glad Bela did well. Now you have a peace of mind when you go on vacation next time.