Doppler and Roxie Together

image

Two puppies, no waiting!

Stef came down to the 949 last night. She brought Roxie.

It’s funny to see how different dogs can be. Doppler and Roxie are perfect examples.  There is little they share in common.

Roxie likes to play. Give her a toy, she will chew it until it ceases to exist.  Doppler, on the other hand, has no clue what toys are for.  She is ambivalent toward all those things Roxie has fun with.

The same goes for affection. Roxie craves attention and approval. In bed she’s a cuddler.  Doppler is content laying down and being nearby, but left alone

Doppler is not a lapdog by nature. Roxie, who’s a little on the weighty side and was sold as a miniature, loves crawling into laps.

If Roxie was our 24/7 dog we’d be exhausted!  She needs to be engaged.

image

Helaine and I took both on our nightly walk yesterday. As a courtesy to Roxie we cut back to a mile and a half from our usual two plus.  Her stubby legs were working overtime. Next to Roxie, Doppler looked like a sprinter.

I’ve been asked how they get along. It’s not a simple answer. They both go out to do their business at the same time, often pulling their leashes in opposite directions. They walked last night without incident. They’re both outside in the California room right now and there is zero conflict.

However, there are times Doppler feels her space is being invaded by Roxie.  She will growl and even bare her teeth. We have never seen aggressive action from her before, even when little kids poke in a less than gentle way.  It’s not Roxie that bothers her as much as where Roxie is.

image

It’s short lived. A stern word from Helaine, Stef, or me is enough to put her back on track. We are careful she doesn’t move beyond the growl.

We love them both. They both make us happy. But, as with people, dogs have individual personalities.  We try and respect that.

7 thoughts on “Doppler and Roxie Together”

  1. Doppler is the dog of “older parents” and behaves accordingly. My parents’ dogs are exactly the same. They know how much their humans can handle. 🙂

  2. We have a chihuahua and we think terrier mix. Our friends have a chihuahua and something mix. They are the most different kinds of dogs ever!
    Our Wally will go somewhere and just chill. Other dogs come by and he could just care less. Has no interest in going in the water. Their dog is ALL OVER THE PLACE. In, out, up, down (literally up one side of you and down the other). Runs up to other dogs, sniffing and jumping around. My friend has to throw a ball to her dog while she’s reading! And he loves the water, fetching the ball or stick or whatever to keep him occupied.
    I’ll take my dog over theirs any day!

  3. Your pic reminds me of Sunday evening when my dog & I were both invited to a picnic at a friend’s home. Kniles & Simba (their dog) don’t so much get along as do an excellent job of pretending the other is not there.

  4. Hey Geoff,

    I just wanted to wish you and your family a very happy and healthy New Year. And may you all be written in the Book of Life.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *