My days are now spent in companionship with two black wolves. Well, they are not genuinely wolves but everyone knows that dogs are descended from wolves - and German Shepherds still resemble wolves - and likely still act somewhat like wolves.
Mattie is 4 years old and her half sister Kenzie is 1 year old. They are related by having the same incredible sire. German Shepherds all share some traits - the main one being high intelligence. Their genetics dictate that they work with their human being, checking in every little bit to make sure their work is progressing and acceptable to the human. So, even when endeavoring in an action not sanctioned - such as chasing the horses - German Shepherds turn to look to their human. Of course, I am yelling and cussing like a sailor. The dogs apparently assume I am exceedingly happy with their effort.
While so alike in countless ways, the sisters are very different in personality. In the house, Mattie is ladylike, careful, obedient, meticulous in her manners. She does not make a mess when she eats or drinks. She can be sound asleep by my feet but if I so much as move a muscle, she is instantly awake and on her feet, ready to travel to the kitchen or whatever adventure I have planned in my superior human wisdom. She is beautiful. Her face and ears are more foxy and more refined than her sister.
Kenzie is big, raw boned, and as gangly as a timber wolf. Her ears are absolutely German Shepherd ears - enormous. Kenzie eats noisily, and sloppily laps up water, leaving the floor wet in an enormous area around the bowl. Everything she does is head-on, nose first, matter of fact. Though she knows I am supposed to be the boss, in her estimation I am absolutely not qualified. She does acquiesce to me but never immediately. Everything is accomplished in her time and choosing. If I am slow to get up in the morning, she has no problem sticking her cold nose on my foot or arm or whatever body part she can reach. If I am ever inattentive, she will flat-out poke me with her nose and crowd into my space because, as a human, I am quite stupid and slow - maybe one of the slowest humans she has ever encountered.
If Kenzie is lying awake on the floor and I get up from my chair, she does not move. She will not turn her head. She will not even move her eyes toward me. It is perfectly acceptable to Kenzie for me to step over her long, sleek body. She simply lies there, entirely relaxed. When Mattie is asleep, I try to move quietly, try not to disturb her. But at the first movement, Mattie is on her feet and out of my way, ready to follow.
If they were allowed their freedom, they would wander far from home. Mattie has followed the creek westward several times, being away from home longer each time. I assumed she was exploring further each time. I would actively look for her, driving for miles, calling for her. Too many dangers for a black wolf dog! Chasing cattle could get her shot on sight. There are hunters who set traps for fur-bearing animals in this county. There are bob cats, and a remote possibility of a cougar. Traffic, coyotes, old barbed wire tangles everywhere along the creek and in the timber. She could not be allowed to wander. Sadly, it meant she had to be tied up if I could not be outside with her. This was very unfortunate and made me feel bad for her. Finally, this year, I had a five-foot chain link fence erected behind the house, 40 feet by 60 feet. It is enough room for the wolf sisters to run and play safely. It also prevents the dogs from herding the horses out of the corral and into the pasture.
Kenzie seems content to stay within sight of the house. She will follow Mattie if I let both of them out at the same time, but if Kenzie is alone, she stays close by. I was watching her from the front window the other day. She was a good forty yards away, following some intriguing scent she had found in the leaves. I wondered just how sensitive her hearing was. I spoke her name in a very quiet voice. A human in another room in the house would not have heard me. Kenzie heard and immediately stopped to give me the German Shepherd stare: body absolutely still - ears and eyes hyper-focused on me. I quietly said "Come, Kenzie." She heard, all that distance, through the glass, and came running. Amazing.
Mattie is convinced the two horses are dangerous killers that must be kept far away from the house and certainly away from the human. She will race along the corral, hackles up, teeth bared, ferociously barking. If the horses ignore this horrible warning, she will dip under the fence to chase the killer equines away. She goes right to their back hooves, snapping and snarling. I practically perish each time this happens. One kick and Mattie would be terribly damaged or dead. The horses are peace- loving creatures and apparently understand that the pain-in-the-ass dogs live here, too. They tolerate the dogs with remarkable good grace, but their ancient mustang genes certainly recognize the threat of wolves at their heels. They rush away from Mattie, tails high, manes flying. I do everything in my power to prevent this from happening but sometimes Mattie gets away.
Alone, Kenzie apparently wants to be friends with the horses, not chasing or barking at them. If Mattie is barking and threatening, then Kenzie will half-heartedly join in. I saw her hanging on Wally's tail the other day, and almost passed out. Wally amazingly accepted this foolishness as play and ignored the dog. Mattie thinks she is protecting me but Kenzie would not care if the horses kill me. Poor Mattie has to watch confined in the fence when I go into the corral to tend the supreme beings. Mattie paces and whines, and makes the most remarkable noises of distress as she watches horses and human walk toward the barn, side-by-side. To Mattie it must seem as if the human will be killed right before her very eyes while she is helplessly constrained by a mesh of wire and metal poles.
People say things, like, "I'll bet no one will give you any trouble with those two Shepherds here!" I do not know what would happen if someone actually tried to cause some harm. These are two gentle, loving beings who do not know yet that humans can be mean and dangerous. They are sensible dogs, not prone to dog hysteria or senseless barking. They rarely bark in the house and never in the car. If they bark at night, it is because there is some critter - probably a host of critters - moving about under the cover of darkness. I guess if a maniac tries to come uninvited into the house, we will all find out together what the Shepherds will do.
Otherwise, if I am at the computer, or painting, or watching tv, the dogs are asleep at my feet. Their quiet satisfaction in simply being fills my home with peace and tranquility. If I could still hike the creek and the prairie, we would go happily, as a small pack - they the descendants of wolves and me the descendant of hunters. As dogs, they retain the most valuable quality of wolves, that being their love and loyalty to their family.
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