Introducing New Friends

A constant nagging worry is the thorny issue of how a new dog will fit into the messy but functioning equilibrium of our home life.

The first time we tried this was with Nell. She had started to fight with one of the other sheepdogs on the farm which was taking some managing, and so came to stay with us while her family were on holiday. After a life on the farm she found work in the tourist industry much to her liking and, having taken her home when her folks returned, Nell re-appeared at our back door the next morning in time for first-walks. We took her back, but this was repeated the next morning and the next and the next. Bearing in mind the fighting problem, it suited everyone if she stayed with us, and being Tess’ mum there was open acceptance on the dog front too. Perfect.

When Kip came along shortly after Nell’s death, things did not go so well.

Tess was very much a creature of habit and did not embrace change in any shape or form. She liked patterns and routines, and being able to predict what would happen next; all very useful when herding sheep, but less so in a busy household. If you threw a tennis ball she would run to where you last threw it rather than watch where it went, and suitcases being packed was her worst nightmare. Nell was much the same (if a little less sulky about it) so there might be something in those breed-traits after all.

"I am really not interested in that thing!" The start of a 10-year sulk.

Tess began what turned out to be a 10 year sulk for making things different and I’m not sure she ever forgave us for bringing that bundle of speed, happiness and mischief into the house.

Other than a very complex tag-team operation during games of fetch, where Kip would (always) get the ball, but then after a few moments of carrying around would leave it for Tess to bring back, the dogs did not seem to interact. With the limitations imposed by Tess’ final illness they were living more and more separate lives, and in the day’s following her death it was unclear if Kip even noticed that one of the gang was missing. However after about a week and out of the blue it seemed to hit her hard and she became very downbeat (for her) and clingy and unsure of herself and it took her a while to get her mojo back. Perhaps there was more going on between them than met the eye.

Tess started her life as an “only-dog” so could be forgiven for objecting to the intrusion in her well-ordered life. Kip on the other hand has always had other dogs around, so we are hoping for a warmer welcome this time around.