Well that is what they always say about the breed isn't it. I wonder what other people's experiences are of the breed, and of individuals in the breed? Does your GSD, or GSD's obviously prefer one member of the house? Are there just subtle preferences? Do you maybe consider that they love you all equally?
Nico's post on Facebook was simply humor, but it did make me think. ... "Mrs S be not well, sounds like she has the kennel coughing. Mr S took me and Miss Jezi to the field to play but me was a bit worried and came home to give Mrs S cuddles. Mr S and Miss Jezi stayed out. Extra treats for me tonight!"
Though Nico was not a "Rescue" dog in the normal sense of the word, in his youth he has probably seen more hardship and cruelty than I care to imagine, but he's been here a long time now and he's a biddable happy dog. When I'm away at shows etc he is happy to go to the field with Steve but when I'm in the cottage why will he not go? It's our fields next to our cottage with a man he seems to totally love and trust. In the home he shows little preference between us, he's anybody's for a cuddle or a treat. On walks with me he's not clingy or insecure. I have said numerous times that on walks he seems to be more in the world of his own masculinity than any of the others .. scenting, marking and investigating are his priority, with just the occasional game with Jezi. He wonders far and wide following his nose, and I don't ever stress if he is a distance away, his obedience is great and I know he'd never choose to loose me. The conclusion of this for me is that therefore Nico does show slight preference for me.
A long time ago I lived with a dog and a man who obviously disliked each other. My first husband came into my life when Blade was 9 or 10 months old. It was destine not to work, his harshness towards my dog was something I could not tolerate, it caused friction and a bond never grew between them. In later years Blade would growl when the man walked into the room, I think on one occasion he would have bitten him had I not taken charge of him.
It was only 18 months after we split that I met Steve. He was told early on by a mutual friend that if our relationship was to be successful then he had to get on with and be accepted by Blade. Of course Steve didn't even have to try .. Blade knew straight away that this was a good man and there was never anything but trust and love between them. It proved to me that though Blade was always my dog he was not jealous of their being a man in my life, it just had to be the right man.
By then Seffe and Dexi were here too, oh and puppy Lia. Nikki and Pepsi who had lived with my first husband took to Steve instantly, as they would. Seffe seem to accept him too, but Dexi took a little longer to suss things out. Strangely over time Steve's bond with Dexi became the strongest and they adored each other. Seffe on the other hand back tracked, she became obviously solely my dog. When I was home she wouldn't walk with him, she would move away if he touched her and she even growled at him when he went near her young puppies. Of course when I was away she was a different dog, it was almost like she had to show her preference clearly when I was there. I guess Lia was too young to notice really ... and I never really noticed her show preference towards either of us.
With Blade, Nikki, Seffe, Dexi and Pepsi I understood that they had spent periods of time living with me alone, I can understand that maybe it was hard to accept another human getting in the way. Maybe they would show preference? But what about the others who have been born and bred here ... though they seem to love us both some of them have shown preference too.
The more I think about it the boys have certainly been more "My dogs," .. Blade, Simba, Jay, Louis, Kai, Mikey, Nico, Loki and Ross have been obviously mine, with Dexi sitting on the fence and Finlay .. well let's not go there. Captain belonged to my first husband and Robbie was his work dog so I did less with them really. . God do you remember a young Mikey wouldn't even let anyone else hold the lead without flipping? He was proper baby, but with maturity his love for Steve grew too. Now the bond between Steve and Ross is strengthening. He found him difficult as a youngster but now I think his character has charmed him, Ross is a lot like a male version of Nikki, and that is a compliment. I would say some of the bitches do show me preference, Seffe was blatant, Ziva and Sammi do but are little less obvious, .. and Kaiah? Well she shows very obvious preference in her OTT greeting for me and her disinterest in Steve in the same situation. But my bond with Kaiah was always strong, from the day she arrived as a surprise package in this world I was smitten with her and though she can be a challenge at times, honestly I'm still smitten with her. .. It was similar with Sammi really, from 3 weeks old she stood out, she shone, she was and still is my Angel!
So I asked Steve the question .. Do you think any of these dogs show you preference over me? His instant reply was "No, they all show you preferance, they are all obviously your dogs" but then a hesitation from him.. "Maybe Jezi does!" Yes Ok, I guess I'd agree there. I questioned further .. "and Asha?" "No" he replied "Asha is your dog too!" I hadn't really thought of that, I had thought that Asha doesn't really show obvious preference .. I guess maybe Asha, like her mother before her is sitting on the fence to see what is in it for her.
Though Nico was not a "Rescue" dog in the normal sense of the word, in his youth he has probably seen more hardship and cruelty than I care to imagine, but he's been here a long time now and he's a biddable happy dog. When I'm away at shows etc he is happy to go to the field with Steve but when I'm in the cottage why will he not go? It's our fields next to our cottage with a man he seems to totally love and trust. In the home he shows little preference between us, he's anybody's for a cuddle or a treat. On walks with me he's not clingy or insecure. I have said numerous times that on walks he seems to be more in the world of his own masculinity than any of the others .. scenting, marking and investigating are his priority, with just the occasional game with Jezi. He wonders far and wide following his nose, and I don't ever stress if he is a distance away, his obedience is great and I know he'd never choose to loose me. The conclusion of this for me is that therefore Nico does show slight preference for me.
