Bedtime Story
My experience with multiple dogs is that they will naturally follow a pack mentality, and there will be an Alpha. Well, if you make the broad assumption that I'm the Alpha (and that would be an assumption not always supported by facts), then a Beta. But there is one of them that leads them outside, decides on what they're playing, how rough they're playing, if they're going to be docile during the hockey game or a pain in my butt. That kind of a thing. A ring leader if you will.
They work this out naturally without any normal National Geographic head butting, teeth gnashing fighting that you might expect in a wolf pack. It's just sort of accepted. Maybe they have a meeting that I can't attend because sometimes you'll see a shift that surprises you a bit. Over time, I've seen differently personalities lead my "pack". Sometimes with a kind, maternal touch. Sometimes, as was the case with Cheyenne, with an air of Cersei Lannister without the homicidal tendencies. Meaning she still suffered no fools gladly, and she could wither with just a look.
It's not as imperative with three as it was with eight, I don't think. And therefore it's not as obvious. I think with eight someone did have to organize them and corral them besides just me. But with three, it's a bit more subtle what's going on. As Sirius was growing, Geddy assumed that role, as one might expect. But I've noticed, now that Sirius, just a month shy of his first birthday, is the largest of them he has gradually taken over that role. Not that there is much that is expected of him other, than as I mentioned, he sets their pace. Are they playful? Then that was probably at Sirius' instigation. Do they have the zoomies? Sirius is leading that charge. Occasionally my meek and mild Rooney will surprise me and stir the pot, but 95% of the time it's Sirius who decides what they're doing.
Until it comes to bedtime arrangements. Then Geddy dictates terms. And the terms are simple. He sleeps on the bed and where on the bed he likes, and everyone else needs to accept it. That occasionally will include me. He's growled at me a time or two if I tried to scoot him to make room for myself. Generally, I'll trust, because he forgets himself for a moment. I can pull off that same Cersei Lannister stare if I need to remind someone who the real Alpha is, trust me. But, I've also been known to twist myself into a pretzel to not disturb him as well.
There's room on the bed for more than one dog, even with a human. But when it's lights out and time for sleep, he's not sharing easily. He'll press up next to me tight most of the time, so all the more reason another dog could fit. But he generally will dissuade either of the other two from even trying it. If they do get the notion to test him, he'll send them packing. They rarely attempt it anymore. Once we're settling in for the night, they take their respective places automatically. That's his kingdom as long as it's dark outside, and the other two - and even Tum Tum - knows it.
He's fine to share if we're laying in bed reading, or when it's almost time for the alarm, and the dogs are trying to convince me to get up 15 minutes early (c'mon, Mom, just because it's Sunday doesn't mean you need to sleep!). And he welcomes the company if we're all in the bedroom during the day for some reason: cleaning, putting away laundry, watching hockey to avoid March Madness in the other room. So, perhaps selfishly, I conclude he's so guarded because he wants time to me all to himself more than he wants the geography. But, then again, I remind myself, he sometimes gets frustrated with me if I try and get in his space (both creatures of habit, we favor the same side of the bed). So maybe he just wants a little Me time. Maybe he just needs to feel he has his own little corner of the universe.
It does make me wonder at the complex social thinking of animals: how Tum Tum, the smallest of them all, works it to where she is universally feared in all other settings (as an update to a post from a few weeks ago - she has won the battle and now has Sirius just as intimidated as the rest), how they passed the baton peacefully between Geddy to Sirius, but how Sirius just accepts he can't sleep on the bed at night. They manage these complex social algorithms without an over abundance of muss. I mean Tum Tum had to work a bit to cow Sirius into submission: a first for her, but she managed it. Whatever the thought process, they've managed a nice social order that works for all of them.
So, happy dreams, my furry family, you've managed a happy social order a lot of your human counterparts can't quite master and deserve the sweet dreams that follow!
They work this out naturally without any normal National Geographic head butting, teeth gnashing fighting that you might expect in a wolf pack. It's just sort of accepted. Maybe they have a meeting that I can't attend because sometimes you'll see a shift that surprises you a bit. Over time, I've seen differently personalities lead my "pack". Sometimes with a kind, maternal touch. Sometimes, as was the case with Cheyenne, with an air of Cersei Lannister without the homicidal tendencies. Meaning she still suffered no fools gladly, and she could wither with just a look.
It's not as imperative with three as it was with eight, I don't think. And therefore it's not as obvious. I think with eight someone did have to organize them and corral them besides just me. But with three, it's a bit more subtle what's going on. As Sirius was growing, Geddy assumed that role, as one might expect. But I've noticed, now that Sirius, just a month shy of his first birthday, is the largest of them he has gradually taken over that role. Not that there is much that is expected of him other, than as I mentioned, he sets their pace. Are they playful? Then that was probably at Sirius' instigation. Do they have the zoomies? Sirius is leading that charge. Occasionally my meek and mild Rooney will surprise me and stir the pot, but 95% of the time it's Sirius who decides what they're doing.
Until it comes to bedtime arrangements. Then Geddy dictates terms. And the terms are simple. He sleeps on the bed and where on the bed he likes, and everyone else needs to accept it. That occasionally will include me. He's growled at me a time or two if I tried to scoot him to make room for myself. Generally, I'll trust, because he forgets himself for a moment. I can pull off that same Cersei Lannister stare if I need to remind someone who the real Alpha is, trust me. But, I've also been known to twist myself into a pretzel to not disturb him as well.
There's room on the bed for more than one dog, even with a human. But when it's lights out and time for sleep, he's not sharing easily. He'll press up next to me tight most of the time, so all the more reason another dog could fit. But he generally will dissuade either of the other two from even trying it. If they do get the notion to test him, he'll send them packing. They rarely attempt it anymore. Once we're settling in for the night, they take their respective places automatically. That's his kingdom as long as it's dark outside, and the other two - and even Tum Tum - knows it.
He's fine to share if we're laying in bed reading, or when it's almost time for the alarm, and the dogs are trying to convince me to get up 15 minutes early (c'mon, Mom, just because it's Sunday doesn't mean you need to sleep!). And he welcomes the company if we're all in the bedroom during the day for some reason: cleaning, putting away laundry, watching hockey to avoid March Madness in the other room. So, perhaps selfishly, I conclude he's so guarded because he wants time to me all to himself more than he wants the geography. But, then again, I remind myself, he sometimes gets frustrated with me if I try and get in his space (both creatures of habit, we favor the same side of the bed). So maybe he just wants a little Me time. Maybe he just needs to feel he has his own little corner of the universe.
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| See Mom? I share just fine...during the day... |
It does make me wonder at the complex social thinking of animals: how Tum Tum, the smallest of them all, works it to where she is universally feared in all other settings (as an update to a post from a few weeks ago - she has won the battle and now has Sirius just as intimidated as the rest), how they passed the baton peacefully between Geddy to Sirius, but how Sirius just accepts he can't sleep on the bed at night. They manage these complex social algorithms without an over abundance of muss. I mean Tum Tum had to work a bit to cow Sirius into submission: a first for her, but she managed it. Whatever the thought process, they've managed a nice social order that works for all of them.
So, happy dreams, my furry family, you've managed a happy social order a lot of your human counterparts can't quite master and deserve the sweet dreams that follow!
We have some bed time fighting for position too. River likes to be at the end of the bed before I go to sleep while Pocket is next to me. When I go to sleep River wants to be where Pocket is. She just stands oveer her glaring at her until she moves. Sometims that takes half the night.
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