"The Mouse that Roars!"
Part I By Kat Wagener
I have weekly updates about Mouse's antics that I sent to family and friends who don't have the advantage of seeing him. I'll send a portion of one and if you want more just scream PUPPIES! I really can't help writing about his antics to those that want to read about them. And of course, I've saved everything I've ever written about him in his own diary. :-) Yeah, I'm a proud mom who never wants to forget. ... Kat Wagener
First few days (13 weeks old):
I know I'm so worn out I'm seeing double and yes having to be so very careful not to trip over him as he darts in and out of my legs. He should wear a super-hero cape that reads, instead of “Mighty Mouse”, “Red Lightening”. No telling what I'm going to end up breaking this time. I'd also forgotten how puppies eat, drink, pee and poop all day long and never 'seemed' to sleep.
And he has to do everything the big kids do, so we taught him how to go UP the stairs. He just needed to be shown once how his back legs work and he was off like a rocket. Every time I *carried* him downstairs to go potty, I'd put him on the ground and he would dart right back up. I'd have to trudge back up and carry him back down again. It took me forever to set up a gate at the bottom of the stairs so he couldn't do that. I tried teaching him to go down because carrying him was killing my (still sprained) arm. But that long flight of stairs is very scary looking when you are only a foot or so tall, so he would stretch out to the second to the top step, roar at the top of his lungs and go no further.
I only worked with him that one evening. Then the next morning I heard this scrambling and there he was at the bottom of the stairs with this huge grin on his face. He was so proud of himself. He scrambles down with his front legs and kind of bounces on each step with his butt. It's hilarious. But he wants to do it himself!!!!
I remember Ash and Boz loved playing on the stairs once they learned how to use them. Seems Mouse is no different. Yay! no more carrying! But the stairs are taking a beating!
He is now officially “The Mouse that Roars”. Or will be “Darold's Mouse that Roars” for his ILP. It is perfect. He's a talker, especially when he wants to do something and can't figure it out, or worse, I won't let him. Or wants to play and the other kids (or worse - ME) are ignoring him.
7 Months later:
The turn around with the kids is amazing. He thinks Schatzi (GSD) is his "doggie-mom" and she loves the little stinker, too. She plays with him and is helping me teach him to do his potty outside. In fact, she allows him to stalk her (that perfect slo-mo doberstalk), totally ignoring him until just right before he's due to pounce on her and she pounces on him instead. He goes ballistic and has a blast running all over the place with excitement. That seems to be THE best thing in the world to him. She also plays just rough enough that he loves it and asks for more. This afternoon, she accidently hurt him and the surprise in her body language and the way she stepped back was reassuring. I know now that I can trust her with him no matter what.
Ashley (GSD) steals his toys, his bed and just runs over him every chance she gets. She constantly bosses him around. (In other words, she's the boss!) You would think, "poor pup!". Nope, no way! Mouse immediately starts sassing her. He knows she's alpha but just has to have his say. Ash, the wonderful alpha she is (she really is! - She seems to be teaching him and I'm staying out of it.), just cocks her head and stares at him and sends some silent message that either shuts him up or gets him started harder in the sass department. I know she knows he's just a pup and if he ever gets too sassy, he'll be in trouble. But, I'll never have a quiet house again!
Buck (black mouth cur) is so odd. I don't know what to think. One moment he allows Mouse to follow him everywhere and seems to be showing him all the neat places in the yard while running and exploring and the next snarling at Mouse to leave him alone. And, Mouse adores him. Absolutely ADORES him, while Buck seems to hate Mouse! Then again.... I was watching Mouse trying to figure out the doggie door. How did those big dogs get in and out of it? He kept trying and trying to get in and just didn't seem to be getting anywhere. I was getting ready to show Mouse how it worked when Buck intervened. Buck started going in and out, in and out while Mouse watched. I could see Buck look at Mouse every time he came back out and turned around to go back in. Finally Mouse copied Buck. Heh! Mouse now knows how to use the doggie door. So Buck is an enigma. Helpful one minute and wanting to be left alone the next.
There's a lot of studying to be done so we can do right by every one on this, except the one I was most worried about. Schatzie. She has totally floored me. I thought she was going to eat Mouse alive the first couple of days and Ash was going to be his playmate. So strange. Schatz is now his "mom" and playmate, Ashley is the alpha to be overcome, and Buck his mentor.. Buck has always been standoffish (must be his past of being torn to pieces by dogs and then shot and left to die), so I never know what to expect from him. I think Buck is teaching him how to be a man and enjoying it.
Okay, sorry. I'm jumping ahead to the current seven plus months of age. Sometimes it helps to see the present to appreciate the past.
As he grows, I've been seriously watching Mouse during playing and training, along with everyone else (dogs -- do you seriously think I analyze people like I do dogs?). I think he could be like Mo. I think all the dogs feel that, too. (Mo was extremely confident in himself and was the best alpa dog we've every known or had.) Mouse is showing the same traits. That sassy attitude in the face of the current alpha --which use to drive me utterly crazy when Mo did it to my Great Danes. That confidence that surrounds a true alpha -- the confidence a dog has that doesn't need to shackle, bark, whatever. He just seems to know he IS and others realize it too, without a gesture or remark that we've ever seen! the fearlessness of anything and everything, the calmness and quiet acceptance, too. I would love to run across another like Mo, but won't keep up my hopes until I watch further.
Copyright © 2003, Kat Wagener
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