My pack spreads out like tentacles one minute and then the next moment pulls back together like long lost magnets. They take their space, request their peace, look for their Zen spot but then in an instant they are drawn right back together like flies on honey. If you squint your eyes it's almost as if you are watching a video game of sorts.
Tonka definitely has taken over the calm silent quiet leader of the pack. Not leading with purpose or drive, power or strength but with an unspoken pull of silent calmness, direction and a soothing soul. He brings peace and serenity to everyone. Let me try to explain my days..
He'll be sitting off by himself in the yard observing or/and sunbathing and the others will gravitate towards him and sit right next to him making sure some part of their bodies are touching his, or at least as close as possible. For Anya, who is just learning boundaries, she sits right on top of him. "But I love him so much" so says. Tonka doesn't bat an eye or twitch a muscle. It's mind blowing to watch the whole dance really. The individual relationships between them and how they morph over time are one thing that fascinate me but this new role that Tonka has taken on is astonishing. He'll blink a slow telling blink and he'll have one of the dogs laying next to him in an instant. He'll walk past another and pull them into his energy bubble and they will miraculously just follow him. He comes over and leans on my leg as if very clearly saying "you need me right now, I've got you" everything stops and I lean back. There's no other way to explain this .. it's magically magnetic.
Don't let me forgot to rave about our other dogs as well of course...
Our baby of the family has captured my heart as well. Since I got the opportunity to raise this pup, I saw a quiet nature in her almost from the very beginning. First to nap, last to wake up, first to remove from play, first to make eye contact, first to give kisses. She's confident, inquisitive, brave but not pushy, happy but not crazy, very content with her world and just a collected sweet little creature with dark eyes that melts you. She makes my head spin about the idea of, Nature vs. Nurture. There's so much research out there on this subject that I could go on for days about this topic but the answer is simply always, It's both. Both genetics and environmental influences play an important role in the behavioral development of dogs. Through both responsible breeding and hands on loving puppy raising, together make these pups into extraordinary dogs.
Neema loves Anya to bits and plays with her constantly. I've been putting the 2 of them in the side baby yard to play on their own so they don't get caught up in a moosh of dogs all the time, even though Anya doesn't really mind. The morning mob of the whir of white is a bit much and at times she gets bowled over. Apparently my older sister used to look up at my mom as a wee toddler with outstretched arms and say "uppie uppie uppie" when she wanted to get picked up. This memory comes to mind as I look down at Anya and see her dark eyes look back up at me when when she wants me to rescue her from the whir. Quiet, still and patient she waits. Of course into my lap she goes. We have a beloved hard plastic waffle ball that gets boundless attention in the chill of the mornings. Each one of them adore the game of chase after this one lone waffle ball. With Anya either tucked under my arm or sitting off to the side I throw the ball and all 5 of the others swarm off in a video game like appearance after this ball. Meiko likes the game but isn't super driven to compete for sole custody. Leia is small and quick, loves the game but often gets beat. Neema is still building muscle and strength but isn't quite there yet. It's usually Isla and Tonka who go head to head for the win. Unless I throw the ball in a direction that Tonka isn't expecting, it's usually his strength that gets the win. When Isla does get it, her whole butt is wagging with pride and she's smiling as she tries to keep possession of the ball. "Give to mommy" is my cue for them to drop it and every time their drive to keep the ball abruptly ends and into my hand it goes. My mornings are the perfect start to my day everyday. The happiness in their antics are priceless. Simply without thought, drama, or reservation.. they are unapologetically happy.
So many great moments this week...Anya sweet as pie even when she's upside down! Mama Leia coming in for a baby snuggle. "Yup I made that wonderful thing"
Our days here start with dark foggy surroundings that add to the chill of the mornings. Over an hour+ of play in the mornings doesn't phase the dogs at all but my toes definitely are feeling this chill recently! Such happiness happening all around me though I don't seem to notice my toes until I go back inside. The sunshine later in the day subdues everyone and they all find a sun spot very quickly and melt right into it. Leia and Isla blink up into the sky, Neema noticing really quick what the older dogs are doing and goes to join. Meiko is always queen of the land up on the spools showing off her good looks even though it's never at all intentionally.
Meiko is still on watch as she gets close to her shifting time into her next heat cycle. Tonka very much does his sniff assessment often just like he's supposed to. Good boy. He will indeed be paired with her soon to bring us new spring SPICE babies to oh so many oh so soon! Coriander, Caraway, Thyme, Cayenne, Basil and more. So exciting!
So many photos to share of these magnificent love bugs! Neema is getting thick, Anya is getting big, Tonka is getting bigger, Isla is just as sweet, Leia matches her like a mirror and Meiko is my still my shadow girl...except when she's queen of the landing of course.
and so we keep up our magnetic relationship dance here, always bonding tighter, morphing connections, creating new roles and always making sand fly in every direction. We 'wait' for Meiko to shift without waiting but simply living...and loving living we certainly are, every. single. minute. We all send out our very best to you all. To the Plant Families, the Toy Families and the Luxury Families as they settle into their routines and have now found a comfortable rhythm to their days with their latest additions. Love to the Mountain Familes and the BIRD Families as their one year birthday just past and is oh so close. and of course all our best to the rest as we all look forward to a great year ahead.