Old Blue
Blue - the BlueHeeler/Lab puts up with their antics and rambunctious behaviors so he deserves to be talked about I think. All his life he's lived with Sheepies. A little about him: First he lived with Shaggy whom bossed him around but being so docile he didn't mind it a bit. When he was younger he often initiated play with her but she really never bothered with him unless it was a game of tug a war. After 13 years together he paced himself after her. The slow walk at the end of the block in the evenings and sleeping most of the day. Everyone commented on my aged dogs. Then Blue got a new brother before Shaggy passed away - Merlin! He was so patient with the little tyke..even dropped his precious toys near him as if to give him the go ahead to play with them! After Shaggy passed away Blue, for the first time in his life became Alpha. I'm not sure what he thought of his new found role as it only lasted a short time. He tried to dominate Merlin whom by now was 6 months old and showed teeth when food was around. Merlin responded with pinning him down with both paws and his face close as if saying "No! You're not the boss of me!" Merlin never showed aggression towards Blue however, he would not respond with his teeth..but just pin him down as if it were a wrestling match. Once he held him down he immediately let him up and would walk away. I tried to initiate that Blue was Alpha, but, no go as Merlin obviously became the Alpha. Then poor Blue...I brought home another Sheepie - Panda. This new boy tried to sleep on Blue's favorite spot which did not go over too well with him. Now it's like musical chairs as soon as one gets up from the spot the other races. It's at the end of the loveseat and it's rather humorous to see both racing from opposite ends to see who arrives first. I started seeing the strangest occurance happening...Old Blue became feisty , playful, Blue. The vet had remarked if she hadn't known his age (he'll be 16 in March) she would have thought he was 2!!!! He tears around the house with Merlin, playfighting, chases balls, gets excited at the word "Kibble!" He loves "HIS CAT" Daisy and the two can often be found sleeping head to head on the love seat. In fact, all the cats run to Blue for protection if the dogs initiate a play/chase. He's become "PROTECTOR OF THE CATS", SUPER HERO!!! Daisy, is his favorite however, and should one of the dogs ever become rough with her he challenges even Merlin!! It's the only time I see him getting very agitated and appears as if he's saying "Back off, she's my cat". Another strange occurance I've noticed, Merlin will sit with him and clean him. Washing his ears with gentleness and even around his face (not to be confused with puppy submissiveness) but as if cleasing him where he can't reach. Very cat like and so adorable to view as their paws will be touching. After 1/2 hr of this, Merlin initiates the rough housing and while it was so new to Blue at first and you could see he looked a bit frantic the first couple times. He now enjoys it so much and often initiates the play himself. Yup, good ole Blue - like an energizer Bunny..I think I will nominate him for honorary Sheepie. |
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| Good for Ol' Blue! It's wonderful that he can be so active at 16 years old! That sure is a testament to the great care you've given him!
I hope he lives many more healthy years rough housing with Merlin & Panda! 
Kristen |
| Hi Kristen,
Thanks very much Kristen!!! At the moment, he's curled up with his cat, Daisy, on a nice fuzzy blanket..I know he's thinking ahhhh this is the life. |
I don't know how I missed this before... but thank you for sharing your Blue story... I love hearing about him, he sounds like a great friend.  |
| OH! I want to see pictures!! That sounds so cute! Were they like that from the very beganning? Or did you introduce them to each other and had to work on it?
I second the nomination!! |
| Ah, the face lick. How I miss watching that. We had 2 boys, a Great Pyrenees and a Newfoundland who would lay facing one another, paws touching as you said, and groom each other for about a half hour. After each was clean enough, they would start "face chew" and finally jump to their feet and chase each other. Alas, Abbott, the Newfie, died from blood cancer and soon thereafter Shane, the Pyr went from bone cancer. The third member of the trio, the Pyr bitch named Stella, was so lonely for her boys, that she passed away about 2 months later. Even tho many more dogs have now lived here, I treasure the "face cleaninging" memories. |
| thank you for sharing blue's personality with us, he reminds us very much of our fanfan with his cat lovin personality...
may the 3 boys have many more escapades ahead! |
| Blue sounds like a great companion! I, too, would love to see pictures of him with his favorite cat.
My cats, Ainsley & Einstein, are beginning to warm up to Beaureguard. I've even seen Einstein & Beau playfully "wrestle" a couple of times. Of course, that won't last long as Beau is quickly outgrowing the cats! I hope they'll be as close as Blue & Daisy. |
| Hi Again Everyone,
Thanks for your kind comments. I just recently took some pics of Blue and Daisy and will try to get them posted when I get them developed. Usually all my photos are taken with those cheapie throw a way cameras but yipii!! found my long missing digital last week. Guest - I could visualize a Great Pyranees and Newfie sitting like that it must have been incredibly touching. I'm so sorry over your loss of your furried friends. On a sidenote Blue in his younger days was not that much a fan of cats but since Shaggy (1989-2004) was such a protective girl and the alpha she "taught" Blue to do the same. Again, thanks for your comments and I will try to post the photos soon. Marianne and the boys |
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