protecting the house

[Ursa's daddy]

It was 10:15 at night, and I was just finishing a shower when Malachi growled loudly, barked and ran to the top of the stairs. What ever it was, he knew that to get to his family, it had to come up the stairs, and it had to get past him. I got dressed and called him back to the bedroom. He came, but he would still growl and then bark at the strange noise. I could hear outside "Whooo whooo who hoot". The owl was back in the yard. My city dog has yet to learn, even after 3 years, that the owl is just a night visitor and not a danger. Now he wouldn't phase the owl, but a person would definitely have second thoughts about entering the house.

[Cocoa]

Ursa's Dad wrote:
My city dog has yet to learn, even after 3 years, that the owl is just a night visitor and not a danger.

I think that what they get used to as puppies shapes their later years, Malachi may never learn that the owl is allowed to be there. We moved from a house into a condo when Baby was around five and she never quite got used to the people noises in the building. Cocoa grew up with those noises and she mostly isn't phased by them. She sure goes on guard if there is someone that she doesn't think belongs comes too close to our apartment though.

[chowpups]

Nikki when she was a pup thought it was her JOB to keep the yard clear of critters, deer ,and birds the only ones she ever got use to and stopped chasing in the yard were our morning doves and someone told me morning doves mate for life so maybe she got use to the same ones coming around? But they could walk around the patio and she just laid there watching them..I thought for sure they would be lunch cause they were slower than most birds she chased. Nikki was a chaser but never caught..Oh, let me take that back she tried to play with a groundhog who wandered in but that didn't turn out in Nikkis favor at all..groundhogs don't play nice.

[cherriemater]

Birds!! The boys are fascinated with BIRDS!! When they're out in the snow-pen they will all of a sudden look up in the trees or sky and watch them. It's quite striking.

And, as far as guarding the house I have NEVER gotten good sleep when Joe was not home ... until now. There are two distinct types of walks the boys do. THUNDER paws and WHISPER paws. Thunder paws are what you get when there is a strange noise that the boys need to check out. First, they peel out from their sleeping position (due to hardwood floors) and then stomp, stomp, clickety, stomp, stomp to wherever they think the noise is (or usually to the sliding glass door where they can easily look out). At this point I evaluate in my mind how quick I could get my pistol out of it's hiding place by my bed or how many rolls it would take to get to Joe's. When they return, you get whisper paws. Quiet little clickety-click, whoosh, whoosh (from the fur on their pads) until you hear the THUNK! of their elbows hitting the floor where they lay. It is the MOST endearing peaceful thing I have experienced in quite a while. As soon as I hear the thunk, I can drift back to sleep.

[Ursa's daddy]

Birds and butterflies are fascinating to my two also, but only it they are within a few feet. Of course, they have not kept the birds from eating excessive quantities of blueberries or figs. Maybe this year will be different.

[chowpups]

Funny Marti, I haven't slept good knowing there is no one watching during the night. I nearly jumped out of my skin the other day getting out of the shower and heard a noise, it was the Delivery man throwing a package up on the porch Nikki would know him and she would give her usual hello bark and I knew he was there with a package..so many things she did to protect me I miss.
Nikki also loved our butterfly bush out back and was an annual treat to watch her with the butterflies..

[Cocoa]

Marti and Nancy I totally agree. Many years ago, before my first chow, I would wake up at every little noise. With the chows on guard I slept like a baby and never really thought about it until I had to put Baby down and then I was back to waking at every sound until I got Cocoa and now I'm back to sleeping soundly.

[Ursa's daddy]

The newspaper had an article on owls, and my wife and I read it. She decided that it was a barred owl. I went on the internet and found a youtube clip of a barred owl and played it. It sounded close. There was a relate clip with a great horned owl. I played it. Malachi immediately jumped up and started barking. We played a number of other clips, and only the horned owl clips would make Malachi bark. Well, I guess that means we have a horned owl living nearby.

[Cocoa]

Funny how they pick the noise that is going to get their attention, my son was over last night and one of his tones on his phone is R2D2, had Cocoa (who won't even lift her head to a ringing phone) trying to climb into his pocket.

[Judy Fox]

When our landline rings both Matilda and Maisie rush in and look up at it until it is answered. They then wait until the conversation is over then they go off to resume whatever it was they were doing. Funny Chow Chows. I just love them.

[Cocoa]

In my condo there is a different ring if it is someone buzzing from the front door and Cocoa knows the difference and run to the door for that ring. Baby did too. They are so smart our chowlings.