[Dailydrool] United they stand

[Val lbrewerzwick via Dailydrool]

An elderly friend suffered a fall yesterday which ended in a hospitalization for her for observation for a possible concussion and it turns out, an electrolyte imbalance post a viral infection.    My husband and I picked up our friend's  little dog, Mo (chihuahua-shihtzu mix?) to be our houseguest until our friend is discharged from the hospital.  My crew has met "Mo" before on at least a half dozen occasions either at the dog park or when Mo has come to our house with his mom to visit.  the dogs all get along fine.

So, I've been observing this combined crew with interest.  All four dogs were pleased to see one another upon MO's arrival.  But when bedtime arrived, my pack co-alesced. Usually the two bassets sleep on my bed, and Ipo the pit-mix sleeps on either the sofa in the living room or the futon in the sewing room.  Starting about 9PM, the three of them were escorting me everywhere I walked like the Secret Service.  ANd when turn-in came, all three of mine were on the bed, followed by Mariah taking a post next to the bed.  When Mo arrived at the bedroom door, there was a united front to bar his entrance.  I put MO's bed jar the doorway to the bedroom but just outside the threshold and everyone seemed satisfied with the solution.

Today the four are all buddy buddy again. (No one is sleeping in the bedroom).  I find all this pack dynamics fascinating.  I am intrigued that alpha Mila and beta Mariah were happy to include third dog, Ipo, on the bed, faced with the possibility of a fourth dog.  I have been equally impressed that alpha Mila has been allowing beta Mariah to sleep on the bed in recent weeks, so long as Mila is on one side of me and Mariah is on the other.  Last night all three of my dogs were sleeping.  Ext to one another on one side of the bed with me on the other.

I guess the political scientists might be correct that what it takes to unite a group is a "common enemy"' or in this case just an outside guest who is not part of the "in group".

Val