On our walk yesterday Beano, Gill my neighbour, and I encountered an elderly gentleman with a nervous chihuahua.
As the chihuahua was on the lead I called Beano and put him on the lead too.
The gentlemen explained that his dog was very nervous as her previous owner had recently died and he had acquired the dog. The dog had not been exercised or socialised and had been a lap dog. Beano sniffed gently and stood quietly whilst the chihuahua sniffed him. We took both dogs off the lead and they had a little wander about together for a few minutes. It was so nice to see the little dog gaining confidence and to see Beano being so calm and gentle.
When we first got Beano he was totally silent, it was three weeks until the first time he barked and another three weeks until he barked again. He is still quite quiet but is barking a lot more this evening as we are moored on the service jetty so there are people going past. Just a couple of little woofs and a grumble and then he settles down again.
When we start travelling again he will bark more as there will be more people passing the boat but he will settle down after a couple of weeks. He usually only barks when he hears someone approach the boat. When it's someone he knows he stops barking as he does when we let people on to the boat.
He has however started to enlarge his vocabulary. Beano's main mode of communication is the stare he will get to his feet and stare pointedly at me. If that doesn't work he will stand on me and stare. If he needs to go out he will give a couple of little yelps.
If one of his friends is out side he will run to the door crying and yelping.
If I'm eating something that he thinks I should be sharing with me he hums, he's not growling its a sort of humming interspersed with little high pitches squeaks. I always think he's singing for his supper.
8 comments:
It's like he has his own language. I wonder if other dogs understand him?
Oh how cute Beano has his own way of communicating, my dog Sid a voracious barker, uses soft little growls to direct me to his needs, it sounds so cute, he also like Beano will stand on my stomach and stare intently at me, while giving me little scratches with his paws, you can’t ignore them lol!!
Beano sounds like a very sweet dog. My fox terrier has poor manners with other dogs. Fortunately she loves all people, especially children. Sending ear scratches to Beano. Good dog.
I love the mental picture of your little dog singing for his supper.
Ah well done Beano on being such a patient & helpful guy to this new nervous acquaintance :)
What a sweetie! Please pass on a gentle cuddle. I always think that a dog that barks when someone approaches is doing their job. I used to appreciate the dog that lived next door when bear was born because he would give a few deep woofs just to let us know that someone was around. A few years later, there was a dog next door but one who barked because it could - nonstop! Didn't appreciate that so much.
And I love that he 'sings for his supper'. What a good dog!
Beano is one of our 'blog' favourites! Love that he has a good understandable vocabulary - plus a good stare! We enjoyed reading how gentle he was with the timid dog. Give him an ear tickle and stroke from us.
Wendy (Wales)
Beano is a real character!
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