The "Forementioned 4"

Hi, hello. I've taken on a new role "house sitter". I'm very much looking forward to this opportunity however challenging it's going to be. I know what you're thinking.... "challenging!? what's so difficult about house sitting?" Along with house sitting I'll be taking care of 2 new pups and for those of you who aren't keeping score, that puts my dog total to 4.

This is the "Forementioned 4" I know, real original on the nickname.

Houdini-(bottom left) German Shepherd mix, Female, standing around 3 feet high and weighing in at roughly 100lbs. Houdini is slow and clumsy, but gentle as can be.  She's the bleeding heart type. If she's not getting enough attention you're going to know about it via some howling. She ends up getting picked on a lot because she doesn't know how to.... not be huge. She can't keep pace with the others and ends up feeling left out. I know she's done when I hear the howling, as if tshe is telling on the others.

Mimi-(top left) Husky mix, female, about 2 1/2 feet tall and weighing in at 70 lbs. She's the alpha dog. She tends to oversee the playing rather than get involved. Whenever growling or barking begins she sticks her nose in to regulate. All 3 dogs fully respect her and let her keep to herself when she wants. She has the only food dish the others won't attempt to eat out of.... it's pretty neat.

Leah-(top right) Puggle/Boxer mix, female and just under 2ft she's 34 lbs of athlete. She runs circles around everybody, but is very passive and lacks some social skills. She is the 1 dog that is actually mine and it shows. Whenever barking or growling starts she runs and hides between my legs. As passive as she is, she's 2nd in the pecking order in the household having established dominance over Jake long ago and clearly Houdini isn't going to argue with her.

Jake-(bottom right) Man of the house (the only male), Jake is the shortest, the lightest, 27 lbs, and is missing a leg, but he's my little hell raiser. He has 2 speeds- full speed or asleep. Jake runs everywhere and constantly picks on Houdini. He wants so bad to be the dominate alpha, but really he just has LMS or Little Man Syndrome. I think Jake has become my favorite of the 4 because if he's not picking a fight, making strange noises, or trying to hump dogs 3 times his size,  he's sleeping as close to me as he can possbily get. It's so great to see that he doesn't let any of his disabilities get in the way. It's also refreshing to see how high spirited he manages to be since he just can't compete physically.

It's taken me longer than I'd have liked to profile the dogs and write this blog. I'd better go because there's no doubt one of them is doing something they aren't supposed to.