Doggie relationships

[K9soul]

I've always found it very interesting to see how dogs have varying relationships with different people. For example, Tommy considers my husband his ultimate playmate. He loves to play with him more than anyone else. He will play with me of course, but if we are both around he will always choose to play with my husband. He also really treasures getting affection and coos from him. But the moment he's feeling insecure or if something is making him anxious, he's stuck like glue to me. Also he doesn't like to be separated from me, so even if he's getting special attention from Dad, if I get up and go into another room he jumps up and is right there with me. If I go back into the room with Dad, he's right there again as close as he can get to Dad.

Tasha is very obviously attached to me first and foremost though. But she also tends to seek out Dad as a playmate too. It's also obvious she treasures his attentions too, but she listens and heeds me much more than she does him.

Both dogs seem to see me as a source of nurture and reassurance. I actually really love to see the way they interact with my husband, especially Tommy who particularly adores him.

I just find it fascinating to watch the way different relationships form between animals and the people in their lives.

[Samantha Puppy]

It is very interesting. Prior to our wedding, Samantha is living with me. Because I'm around more than my fiancee, she and I have a very strong bond. She sleeps in my room with me, she plays with me, she starts looking out the window every evening waiting for me to get home from work. But when Daddy comes over... well, she loves me but she adores him. The second he walks in the door, her tail goes nonstop. When he comes in to sit on the sofa, she's right up next to him, usually licking his face. She'll even get so lost on him that she'll pause in mid-lick, gaze at him, and about 30 seconds later remember what she was doing and finish up the lick. So when Daddy's around, she is where ever he is - the biggest Daddy's Girl ever.

[robinh]

Out of our five, Max and Muffin (the two dachshunds) are soooo attached to Dick. They just hang on his every word and movement. Not that they don't love me, they are just his babies.

Now Carly, Molly and Kirby are no doubt my dogs. They love Daddy, but even Dick will admit they are mine.

What I find really unusual with my furkids is when they aren't feeling well, they want Mom. Thought that was only so with skin kids, but evidently not.

[micki76]

Mine want Mom if they feel bad or get hurt, too. Chester hurt his dewclaw once and though Michael was closer, he ran to me yelping.

Chester is definitely, without a doubt my dog. Millie loves me more too, even fro playing they both prefer me. Aneko however, hates me and is the ultimate Daddy’s girl. He can’t eve n leave the rocker and go to the kitchen without her, and the kitchen and living room are totally open to each other. She MUST go ANYWHERE her Daddy goes.

[K9soul]

When David gets home from work is one of the highlights of the dogs' day. Both are excited, but for Tommy it is like he is just overwhelmed with joy and excitement. I work from home, so generally am home every day with the dogs, but if I go out and come back, Tommy is very happy and excited I'm back but he's not shaking and whimpering all over with emotion the way he is with David.

Tasha, however, cries and trembles and just goes generally berserk even when I just get up in the morning and see her for the first time that day. When I go out somewhere and return, she behaves like I have been gone for WEEKS.

Both dogs if they are feeling frightened or not well stick to me too, and like I said Tommy still prefers to settle in whatever area of the house I am in too.

I don't think David has ever known what it was like to have a dog that went berserk like that for him only and no one else. I can tell it has caused some attachment there that he hasn't felt before. It is a very special feeling and I am happy that he has that with Tommy.

[KYS]

Rock and Sheba have always been closer to me,
and Pepper has always been closer to my
husband.
Sheba is the most independent, but when she
is not feeling well, or hurting she will wimper
until I come sit in the same room as her.
Rocky is the biggest baby.
He is also the most affectionate.
I better be home on time because:
Rocky and Sheba always wait by the gate
or back door, at a certain time, waiting for the sound of my
car to come up the driveway.

[babolaypo65]

It's funny, I used to get so jealous of Owen's reactions to others! When Brian the dog sitter comes over owen screams with glee and jumps up and down. When my (then) BF came over same thing. Friends? He's like a JRT bouncing up and down. When *I* come home he wags his little tail, head down, and climbs in to my lap and sighs. I used to think he wasn't as happy to see me. Then I realized he was just comfortable and safe. I figured it out the first time I went away and Owen met me at the airport. He did the same thing. Walked up slowly, head down, climbed up, and shivered and cried in my arms.

[GoldenRetrLuver]

Daisy is my heart dog, always has been and always will be. We made and maintain a connection from the first time I saw her, until now. I swear, she's helped me deal with more things then I can ever imagine.
Molly is also my dog, but she LOVES my dad. She gets so happy when he comes home from work she covers him in kisses. Her and I also have a connection, but it will never be as strong as the one I have with Daisy. Of course, I still love her!!

[Tonya]

All three dogs and both cats look at me as their mother. They cuddle with me and rarely play rough with me. Dusty has this cute thing he does where he rubs his face all over me while making these moaning sounds. They all listen to me best except Teddy (pomeranian). He only listens to Mike.

The instant my dogs see Mike, they get rowdy. They know it's time for rough play. They instantly turn crazy. (My son does the same thing, lol.) I think that Roxy may have been abused by a man because she is a little sensitive. Playing with Mike depends on her mood. She sometimes rolls into a submissive position like she thinks he's mad at her. I prefer for him not to play rough with her.

Roxy is very aware of my son's age and size. If he's around, he gets her undivided attention. She'll listen to everything he says. She is very obediant for him. She generally crawls on her tummy towards him. She also won't jump on him like she does everyone else.

[lovemyshiba]

Great thread!!
It's interesting to read about everyone's dog's reactions to them and others in the household.

Kito is mine. Period. He comes to me for everything--playing, loving, when he doesn't feel good--but he does go to his daddy too, sometimes when he wants some petting and I am playing with the other dogs.

Abbey loves everyone. As soon as anyone comes to Abbey, she lays down and rolls over on her back, ready for a belly rub. I let her sleep in bed with me sometimes, if her daddy isn't home, but she goes to him for playtime.

Riley is mommy's boy too. If I'm home, he follows me everywhere, even to the bathroom. He just wanders around looking for me too. My husband says that Riley does not follow him around like that when I'm not home. But he does get excited to see both of us just the same. I think Riley knows I am the one who rescued him.

Jada is daddy's girl. She sleeps next to his side of the bed, and usually will sit near him everywhere. She loves me, but she knows he is the one who got her from the shelter. She gets upset when he leaves for work, just pacing back and forth until I calm her down, and she just adores him, you can see it in her eyes.

I do most of the feeding and walking though, and they know it--if I open the chest where the leashes are, they go crazy. All I have to do is walk downstairs where their food is, and they go nuts and follow me too.
And in the morning, if my husband wakes up early, he can get up and out of the bedroom without them waking up. Not me though. As soon as one toe hits the floor, or they hear me pick up my glasses from the nightstand, they are all up, and ready to follow me.

[K9soul]

I'm the one who rescued Tasha too from the shelter when she was a baby, and I remember holding her as I waited for them to get the adoption papers and she just sat cuddled in my arms, not squirming to get down or anything. I kept looking into her eyes and I know I felt a deep connection there. She was perfectly fine with resting in my arms, a stranger to her at the time.

Then bringing her home she was very quiet and laid curled up in my lap the whole way home while I drove. She didn't look too happy and I thought she was probably frightened to be away from her sister and so on.. until when I was almost home she suddenly threw up ALL OVER me. The baby was car sick. As soon as I got her out of the car she was happy again.

From that day on she has always been extremely attached to me. She's still not too big on car rides but she will leap into the car without hesitation because she knows the destination is always some place fun like the park or hiking. At least she doesn't get sick anymore

[lovemyshiba]

Riley did the same thing to me. He sat perfectly in my arms, all curled up, a few whines here and there for the drive home. As I'm pulling into my husband's office to show him my new doggie, I look down and see puke all over my sleeve and pants--I didn't care though!!!

[K9soul]

LOL, you wouldn't think that little puppy belly could hold so much either. I think they must have just fed her before I got there, she certainly had a full belly.