My dear old Tess ,a yellow Lab who I lost almost two years ago was such a fussy pants , always a lovely welcome in the morning . She would always greet us like long lost friends when we had only popped to the supermarket and also greeted visitors with a waggy tail . Sam, on the other hand has never been fussy , we might get a slight waggy tail in the mornings, but usually he doesnt even bother getting off his bed . We have just come back from shopping , he opened one eye, then shut it again . Out and about he is mega alert and looking to train and retrieve but indoors, he is bordering on being a misery guts : Tess would woof, not excessively, but when someone came to the door , not Sam , he rarely barks, practically silent , visitors wouldnt know we had a dog in the house . I wonder if these differences are down to the breeding, as Tess was show stock and Sam is a working bred boy ? Dont get me wrong , I`m not complaining that he doesnt bound around but a little more indoor enthusiasm wouldnt go amiss at times
Re: Such different personalities awh katie sounds like jasper is going to be the same regarding barking, , e is just a live wire yet
Re: Such different personalities Kate, how I wish for lack of enthusiasm indoors and out ;D Hattie & Charlie greet us as if they haven't seen us for weeks even if I pop to the dustbin ;D Doorbell rings - bedlam, anyone visits - bedlam, barking, butt tucking, butt wagging like crazy. I wonder if they will ever grow out of it and c a l m down!!
Re: Such different personalities Yeah, Kate - really??? You've got a lovely calm boy - and you're COMPLAINING??????? ;D ;D ;D
Re: Such different personalities ;D ;D ;D No, not complaining, just wish he would wag his tail a bit more, show some tiny sign of being happy , he only ever does that when we`re out and about , would love him to greet visitors and do a bit of bum tucking , he isnt even 2 yet , very serious and solemn for his age . My Gran used to describe some people as having an old head on young shoulders , thats Sam
Re: Such different personalities It must be your calming influence Kate - enjoy the peace ;D ;D Helen x
Re: Such different personalities Aww bless , I know I shouldnt grumble should I ? I was once described by my counselling tutor as having a calm and almost hypnotic voice , maybe I have hypnotised Sam ;D ;D Pity is doesnt work on husbands
Re: Such different personalities I think Lilly is a bit like Sam. Bordering on depressed in the house. Take her out, give her a pal, a scent of deer or hare and she is in 7th heaven. She does do a good greeting though when I come home. Just HAS to bring me a shoe or slipper jac
Re: Such different personalities [quote author=drjs@5 link=topic=1484.msg10326#msg10326 date=1368045166] She does do a good greeting though when I come home. Just HAS to bring me a shoe or slipper [/quote] Love the gift giving we always get a present when we come home. The only one who gets a completely over the top greeting though is Ben's mum who Riley absolutely adores!!!
Re: Such different personalities I wonder if we sometimes expect too much from them based on the lab stereotype, you know, the bouncy waggy all over the shop bundle of constant excitement... with the working types in particular, and especially the 'thinky' ones. maybe they are just happy being calm and chilled when they're in the house, or not much is going on, but they rev up when they are retreiving, seeing wildlife, having a game with their ball, etc. Brodick is like that. he has a brilliant on and off button for such a young male lab.... Outside its OMG I'm OUT, OMG I'm RETREIVING, OMG there's a DUCK, OMG theres my PAL....inside he still gets excited and waggy when stuff happens, but its his 'stuff', not human stuff... OMG I've just found my ball from the walk, OMG there's my ball still, OMG I'm getting DINNER, OMG you've just tickled my stomach, OMG you're HOMMMME ( effusive welcome and a present of something) - however when nothing much is going on his face goes all long and he can look quite depressed. Only I know he isn't....a friend with a lovely Golden Retreiver commented how lucky I was one afternoon, as the dogs just sat on the sofa looking serious while we chatted, she told me her dog would be leaping everywhere and being hyper...her take on it was that they must be well exercised and stimulated, and secure, to be so chilled around the house...made me not worry about them looking 'serious' anymore, I think its just 'content'!
Re: Such different personalities You are right , we should appreciate what we have ! I visit a friend from time to time , she has a rescue spaniel called Alfie who is almost three years old . Visits are a nightmare and frankly conversation which isnt punctuated with cries of " Get down Alfie " are very rare, he is quite manic and compltely hyper when I visit ,leaping all over me when I sit down and shrieking all the time , then I come home to Master Serious and my goodness, its bliss
Re: Such different personalities As soon as Goldie the project pooch arrived home the rules were made clear on how she should behave in the house. When inside she is calm and i pretty much ignore her at the minute as any attention gets her going so i have to be careful with the tone of voice i use to praise her...calm but not too high pitched. She knows when i'm eating she goes to her bed or the rug and sleeps or has her chews. Even when i'm cooking she lies on the floor just having a snooze or supervising. My friend has a Border Collie about the same age and he is a nightmare. He bounces all over people from the floor and when you're sitting trying to have a chat which is usually interupted by her telling off in conversation style...and the he starts all over again. I want my guests to feel they can visit without being pounced on or harassed ;D But she knows when shes outside in the garden/fields she can go as bonkers as she likes and at the same time when on the lead she is calm again.
