Maggie's Amazing Behaviors, Part 2

Princess Maggie signals "you may rub my tummy now" 

Y'all remember Maggie, my Australian kelpie.  To recap, she was the first dog i ever walked at the shelter; she and her litter of 8 were my first fosters.  Long before the pups were adopted, i knew Maggie had to stay.  i couldn't let her go.  She's a one in a million kind of girl.

The kelpie is a good sized herding dog, 60-65 lbs, known for its intelligence and for a high level of self-determination, which translates, behaviorally, into a certain resistance at being told what to do.  Maggie makes it clear that she's insulted by "commands".  And, while she might voluntarily do a back flip, walk on her hind legs or juggle flaming chain saws, Lord, don't ask her to learn a trick... she will turn her back and saunter off like some 40's dame in a Bogart movie and you'll be coaxing her back with caviar if you ever want to see her asleep at the foot of your bed again.

The only real challenge we've had was that once Her Highness learned to jump the fence, she was like a gazelle, sailing up and over, being gone for hours and coming home when she damn well pleased.  There's an interstate half a mile from here and she'd been spotted at least that far from home on one of her walkabouts, so ignoring the problem wasn't an option.   I finally had to wire several acres of fence line.  Sadly, there's no way to learn about an electric fence without getting stung and that part was painful for both of us.

Maggie loves other dogs.  I mean, really, really loves them; works hard to charm and disarm so they can join the pack for its endless adventures.  She's made fast friends with every dog that's followed her in foster care, till now.  Strangely, she's been unable to connect with Molly, the foster mama in residence who's very defensive of her pups, her yard and even of me, when we're all outside together.  With familiarity and some persistent correction, she's relaxed her guard a bit and will join the other dogs on a walk through the woods or share a roll in some irresistible fragrance with Max and Cora, but she won't get close to Maggie.

Molly's first encounter with the electric fence a couple of weeks ago sent her charging like a bull across the field to her little house.  By the time I caught up, she was cowered under the tractor, refusing to come out.  She's only gradually regained confidence; feeling safe enough to run a few yards ahead with the others.  Then, on this evening's walk, dogs somewhere behind me, I heard a shriek.  Molly thundered past, still yelping, racing flat-out in absolute terror.  Hot on her heels, Maggie came streaking, full tilt after her.  She flew through the air, hit with her full weight, sent Molly rolling and then landed right on top of her holy shit i'm not kidding!!

Here's the part where human reason gets trumped by animal smarts.  I was expecting a blood bath.  I figured I'd be taking one or the other to be sewn back together when it was all over.  But after impact, Maggie simply used her weight to hold Molly down.  I don't know what the signal was...maybe Molly stopped struggling...but when the time was right, Maggie stood up, keeping her body above the other dog who lay quiet on the ground.  After several seconds of just standing there, head up, as if searching the horizon for a sign, Maggie stepped to the side.  Molly stood up slowly; walked calmly the rest of the way back to her house.  She wasn't cowered.  She didn't hide.   She went home and sat by the gate; ate her dinner, glorped down about a gallon of water and after a little check-in with the pups, made it clear she was ready to go back outside.   We joined the pack for another walk before bed.

Molly recovered quickly.  Apparently the incident was explained to her in terms she understood.  But I'm still reeling from the experience.  I'm still in awe.  How does that happen? You can't teach a dog that kind of protective behavior.  Clearly, some Lifeguard DNA triggered when Maggie perceived a panicked flight and what she did was automatic.  But how does that happen??  Know what I mean?  I can't wrap my head around the fact that this dog, for whom a wool sweater is the closest she's ever been to a sheep and who has, to my knowledge, had zero experience with herds of anything except maybe fleas and who i know for sure has spent practically her entire life being a housepet...this dog...upon seeing Molly running wildly and blindly away, gets a chemical message that shoots through her entire body like lightening and that says something like "STOP FREAKED SHEEP" and boom, she does it and then strolls off to pee.

I understand the science.  I just don't understand the beauty.

it appears

clockwise from top, vera, mike mulligan, moline, roxy

that the pups might be a bull mastiff mix!  i was looking for some refresher info on starting their potty training.  found a very helpful site where i was reading along and whoa!  all those puppies that the writer, a breeder of american bull mastiffs, was using to illustrate her technique looked just like little vera.  you haven't seen a good picture of vera yet cause she's usually at the bottom of the pile, asleep.   a google search of the breed turned up look-alikes for each of molly's litter.  square headed, wrinkle faced tubbies, just like these, though mike mulligan's coloring and silky coat are not typical.

see how silky Mike Mulligan is?

so i'm excited.  after the delicate little dolls in the last foster group, these will be very different.  clumpy, galumphy, muscular slobber machines.  yay!  

not to say i prefer big wrinkled, slobbery, square headed dogs over dainty, bouncy, perky ones...though there's some evidence to suggest that people are drawn to the dogs most like them.  it's just that i'm a fan, in general, of nature's infinite variety.  i like that these chunky babies are going to teach me to appreciate puppies in a newer, less petite way.  i won't be comparing them to the elfin little Watson or his sibs.  i'll be watching their particular mysteries unfold.

seriously, how lucky am i.  (imagine a smiley face here.)

then again, check back with me in a few days, after i've started feeding them solid foods and cleaning up gallons of big dog puppy poo.  i might be asking you to imagine a very different kind of face.

the pups

Molly, Mike Mulligan and Moline

have opened their eyes!  i needed this sign, this reassurance that we're making progress and thriving, despite some challenges.  Molly had a difficult time after her surgery, running a fever and being lethargic, but she's on the mend.  the poor puppies, however, traveling back and forth to the vet with their mama, picked up something they didn't need and have been congested, making nursing difficult and exhausting for them.  they sound like pitiful baby snuffelufegus.  snuffelufegai?  (if you don't watch Sesame Street, you'll have to use your imagination on that one.)

Moline, exhausted from all that growin'

despite the stuffy noses, they're growing fast, so at 10 days, they weighed in at 2.4 ( Moline, white ) and 2.2 lbs. ( Mike Mulligan, y-chromosome ) with Vera and Roxy ( blue and brown, respectively ) at 2.0 lbs each.  oh my gosh, they're adorable little piggies.  they struggle against the meds and nose drops, thrashing like fish to get away, flinging their tiny heads from side to side, so it hasn't felt like i've been building some kind of relationship with them.  they just want to get the hell away from me.  so, we were having the usual gagging and writhing last evening when Mike Mulligan suddenly went still and i realized that he had opened his eyes and was trying to see me...actually reaching toward my face with his, adjusting distance for clarity, the way i do when i've lost my readers.   it's a heart melting moment, being present for the dawning of awareness.  i recall having seen it on my own babies' faces, long ago but it took me off guard.  there was a shock of recognition, to see the experience occurring in a puppy's smeary little eyes.

Mike Mulligan Can't Sit Still

it interrupted my busyness.  it upset my schedule.  it hauled me up short and brought me back to center.  that glimmer of wonder and confusion, that leaning forward into perception, did something to my heart.   awakened it, maybe, from numbing routine and jaded old age.  i felt a swelling in my chest, heard a whisper in my head that said, namaste, little one.  the light in me says hello to the light in you.