My Other Dogs - Alaska and Bo

Alaska is smooth-coated, a mix, and bound to live up to his namesake in size.

Alaska

I know Alaska is his owner's work with animals and her love for Sassy. She sees Sassy and begins her happy, cuddly talk with our girl, who sits and grins and talks back. Alaska reciprocates by being friendly, running away from her family, and stopping at our place for fun and praise. Sassy is intimidated by large dogs, and this Great Pyrenees puppy is more like a small pony. Still, Sassy is called Alaska's rescue dog for helping to lead the puppy home.

Several times I have met Alaska in our front yard and ordered him back home. Sassy and I take him back and "secure" him behind the fence. The last two times he was out again in five minutes. I had to knock on the front door to let the couple know he was temporarily back. I said the last time, "I could wind a chain around the opening." Her husband said wearily, "Do it." After that, his wife talked using a system to keep him ink, because the chain was a waste of time.

The daughter says, "He obeys everyone but us." That made me laugh, but I can order him back home and he goes, bouncing and running and circling us all the way. Alaska even sat down at their front door, ready to go inside and face the music, once I gave him sharp commands.

Bo

Next door, two dogs live with their owner and his mother. Chuckee is a female Australian Cattle Dog who is true to her breed - very shy. We have been pals for a long time, but Sassy drives her rival away with sharp barks, regardless of the fence. 

Bo is completely quiet and always waiting for petting over the fence. He sits there, waving his tail back and forth, eager for his next session. I tell him, "Good Bo. Quiet Bo. Gentle Bo." 

When I went out to check for mail yesterday, the neighborhood was buzzing with trucks and people outside in the warm weather. Bo ran up to me and sat down. The yard people working next door tried to corral him. His owners begged him to come back. He sat and grinned at me, waiting for the script. "Good Bo. Quiet Bo. Gentle Bo." He can run as fast as any other breed and is definitely a mix. No one was going to catch him, but he finally went to his main owner. Bo seemed quite happy that he got his escape and some time with me. We all had a laugh about his antics.