Dog Community

Cleo 'da referee...

Posted : 10/17/2008 11:45:53 PM

warning..if stories of kids and dogs interacting with one another sans commands and such bothers ya....please don't read Wink

So my kiddos wrestle nightly. Not sure how it started but Lily and her daddy wrestle since her babyhood so I guess now it's spilled over to the 2 of them. Lily is not as strong as Elias but she is quicker and more agile so it ends up being pretty even. Basic rules, no kicking above the knee and no punching, pulling hair or pinching LOL.

So they're doing their thing and Miss Cleo is watching as always...from her spot in the hallway. Earlier the kids had been playing "Queen Dog " with her so she was taking five.

Lily LOVES to lay on her brother because he cannot easily move her off and he HATES IT...he hollers like a banshee LOL. She loves it, hah! So she was draped across her brother as they tussled in the living room...I and dh are on the respective couches safe from the fray...and dh wanders out to look at the puter and Elias is in full on bellow mode..."GET OFF...GET OFFFFFFF WAAAAAHH"...

I am about to tell Lily enough, when Cleo gets up....stretches...and wanders at her slow "when I get there" pace over to the two. She sidles somehow in between them...this kinda gentle "tsk tsk" look on her face and leans her head down to Lily and slurps her face..Lily rolls off and Elias skitters out from under her and runs to a couch...BASE!...Cleo remains with Lily (the instigator recall) and TICKLES her by putting her nose into her armpit gently LOL. Lily is cracking up and laying there on the floor...Cleo licks her one more time from her superior position...looks at me then wanders back to lay in the hall.

LOL. No drama..no forceful body posturing...so gentle yet so effective...she wanted them to cease and for Elias to get up so she made it happen lol. I swear it was the pitch in his voice...parents know it...the one where it's stopped being a game? Yeah....she was right on it...lol.

She is a wonderful dog I have to say....Nanny is really no stretch or exaggeration with her...she loves her kids so much. Smile

3girls

Posted : 10/18/2008 6:08:53 AM

awwwwwwwww!! Way to go Cleo!!

RidgebackGermansShep

Posted : 10/18/2008 6:24:52 AM

i wish you had that on video!! Gina, you have made me want a leo, but that's just not possible!!

rwbeagles

Posted : 10/18/2008 8:21:48 AM

RidgebackGermansShep
i wish you had that on video!!

This was my EXACT thought when I saw her get up..."this is gonna be good!" but sadly my camera who I'd just revived to take video clips...has died for good so I am video-less!

You hear that "affinity for children" thing a lot and I would not have believed such a thing until this dog came into our home! at a mere 6 months old she put her body in front of my son when a man walking 2 Whippets walked up while she was tied out front as the kids played. The Whippets are friendly enough but the female barks her fool head off at people...

Cleo was really wanting to play with the male, they were both quiet at first then Elias walks up and the bitch starts barking and barking and the play drive turned off...just like that...and she got still and stood lengthwise in front of my son who was closest to the bitch until he backed up and stared at the bitch. As soon as the guy moved off (we were chatting)....she reverted to wanting to play with the two dogs...

amazing really...6 mos old! People have tried to tell me she was afraid and trying to ask my son for help but unless you were there you don't know the solidness of character present in her stance and the timing of the whole thing. She was not the least bit afraid....or aggressive really...just "certain" that none of this barking nonsense directed at her boy was okay.

Cita

Posted : 10/18/2008 8:37:59 AM

That's so cool. Gina, you and Cleo have me totally sold on leonbergers now! Big Smile

My step-brother is lucky enough to have a "nanny dog," too, but his dog is a Boston Terrier. When the kids were teeny tiny, if they started to crawl towards someplace she knew they weren't allowed (like the fireplace, or the front door, or the stairs) she would grab them by the diapers so they couldn't get too close. If they started crying while their parents were in another room, the dog would run and get the parents to let them know. It really is amazing to watch a relationship like that - people can explain it away all they want, but I'm convinced that sometimes dogs just know, and they care, so they do their part to help raise/protect the "pups."

Inter-species relations are so fascinating!

kpwlee

Posted : 10/18/2008 8:46:22 AM

She is awesome Gina!! I love when dogs are so intune with their family

Our dog growing up was a great nanny dog too - lots of fantastic memories of her taking care of one or all of us Big Smile

Calinisima

Posted : 10/18/2008 11:13:05 AM

Cleo rocks!! What an amazing way to stop your kids and funny too!

CoBuHe

Posted : 10/18/2008 1:03:35 PM

Cleo is the coolest for sure! I love stories of dogs protecting their human kids.

My Codycoe (RIP) would stand in between the kids and the pool if she felt they were too close and gently lean on them pushing them away from the pool. I saw her do it many times; she would be standing from afar, get this worried look on her face, then walk over and do her job.

Kyda

Posted : 10/18/2008 1:23:23 PM

Hehe What a good girl, miss Cleo. Shes a good example of her breed.

misstrouble

Posted : 10/18/2008 1:27:52 PM

Cleo is so cool! Not to mention cute!

lorib

Posted : 10/19/2008 3:46:13 AM

Gypsy has always protected her house and kids. It's her mission in life. She also cleans them as much as she can. Nearly eveyr night, she has one of those hulking teenage boys on the floor, holding them down, fiercely cleaning their ears. She definitely has the "mothering" thing down!