A doggie psychic we once visited at a fundraiser summed it up well. On meeting Mercedes she said "This isn't 'your' dog. You are part of 'her' pack. She'll never go off with anyone else. She knows where she belongs." Then she met Bentley and immediately said "Now He's Your Dog!"
Mercedes is fond of all of us. One special ritual with my husband involves going out for the paper in the morning. She's positively frantic about showing him the door if he seems to be putting it off. He also does the bathing. (You may have read Pat's post about assembly line dog washing - - one washes, one towels them off etc. We do this too.) Things like this helped them to bond. Then, as with kids, the dogs get so excited when Dad comes home at the end of the day. Alan even went to a handling class and showed Mercedes once. It was a disaster. Her nose was glued to the ground the entire time and she was a complete idiot on the leash too, but she got blue ribbons both days for being the only Berner girl in her age range at the shows that weekend! Bentley is absolutely glued to me. He loves everybody, but really makes a spectacle of himself making sure he always knows where I am and being between me and anyone and anything else. I have to admit I find this flattering and delightful. He also plays with all the kids who come over. Whether or not there are kids in the house I'll bet people on the Berner-l have lots of variations on this theme and I'd be interested in hearing them. Susan Kowitz, Mercedes, and Bentley Sequim, WA >>>Do you find, being that you were home with the kids and puppies, that your bonds with Mercedes and Bentley are stronger than your husbands? Do the dogs favor you?<<<
