By Tuesday afternoon, the butcher at Frank's Meats, the only butcher we have ever used, is giving away bones for good dogs.
And this dog is a good dog. He arrived here Friday, he was always silent. Rebecca wondered if he was able to bark. But Saturday night my friend from across the street came to the gate. There was a very low, very menacing growl followed by a deep bark. When I went to greet Mr. Ray, my friend, the dog lost interest and went to lie down.
Saturday night after midnight I glanced out the front door. There in the walkway to the gate, curled up but pointed at the gate was Enlil, very clearly in some sort of guard mode. Sunday Mr. Ruben and some of his family came to vist. They also were halted and challanged at the gate. Again, once Rebecca had opened the door, the dog became very docile and ignored them.
For the dog to identify with us so quickly is a bit of a surprise. For him to exhibit very well defined guarding behavior is a very pleasant shock. This is what we want him to do, but we had no idea how to go about training him to do it. We don't have to apparently. He is still very week. His body has simply stopped starving and is not visibly recovering in anyway. But his behavior has changed, it appears as if he is feeling better.
Curious as to how smart he was, I began to try to teach him a trick. We are feeding him very frequently, and always in the back yard where his water is. But in the evening he sits curled up in front of the front door. So, I began to put food in his bowl then go to the front. There I tell him, "Enlil, go in the back and wait for me". I put a slight melody in the way I say this, always the same intonation and pitch and melody. The first time I then had to go to the back and rattle a container of food. The second time again I had to do this. But on the third time, the dog looked at me, turned and walked fairly quickly to the back. Where he of course found food in his bowl.
He does this now. I have to get him to make eye contact, otherwise he doesn't seem to pay close enough attention, but, once I have his attention, he will immediately go to the back when I ask him to.
After gnawing for about half an hour, he hid his bone and went to get a drink. To find where he hid it I had to look in the grass for where he had walked. There next to the wall, in almost a small cave or burrow of vegetation, I saw the bone tucked away. The red ants will get it, then the possums and or cats. But there are two more of what look like beef shoulder bones in the fridge.
7 comments:
"Enlil"? I was thinking a name like "slim" was fitting... but then ....from the look on his face with that huge bone...you could also call him "lucky" or better yet "true compassion". Is there meaning in "Enlil?"
Yes, there is a meaning in the name Enlil. I am not sure you will appreciate or like it. Guard dogs are often named intimidating names?
The vet said the dog was about 1 year old. A good friend, a farmer, about 50 years old also said the dog looked 1 year old. Everyone else thinks he is at least 3 or 4.
IF he was born about one year ago, then the name is somewhat more appropriate. Otherwise it's just a very subtle "dangerous dog" name.
To the ancient Sumerians as well as the Babylonians, Enlil was "lord of the air", and "god of storms". Enlil was pretty much the top dog in the Sumerian pantheon.
The dog seemed to need some confidence.
Right now I am worried about him. He is either very exhausted or something is wrong. I do not want to disturb his sleep, but also want to be with him if something is going wrong. There is little I could do but sit with him. If I go out their he wakes up and wags his tail, but he stays lying down.
He either needs undisturbed sleep or he needs someone to be with him.
He looks like a large hound. Proud and loyal dogs, so yes, his name is fitting, and yes I appreciate it. Especially considering his fate is yet to be decided. If he bulks up and guards the family, his name is well deserved. If not, his name is a reflection of who you knew he could become....so sad.....let's talk about something more upbeat....we would love to see some updated pics of the young men that your boys have grown into.
Yes!! we would like to see updated pictures of everybody.
John, I also look at the blog... just about everyday. thanks for the updates on the weather.
take care of my cousins.
Laurie
Rebecca will soon make a post, probably with pictures. She has been helping Johnny with his homework.
The dog is well. At midnight about 15 minutes of fireworks announcing St. Georges Caye Day, woke up the household including the dog.
Today, when I told him to "go in the back and wait for me", he RAN.
The boys are becoming young men. And that brings bewildering challenges.
Both are taller than me,
Christopher gets exceptionally good grades. Girls come up to talk with him. He is not shy, but he has trouble with what he should say, especially if they are pretty.
John has just started First Form and we do not know what kind of grades he will get. Girls come up to talk with him. He is not shy either, and has no idea what to say, but, for him, this is not a problem. I was like Chris, a bit awkward. Johnny is apparently pretty smooth.
The same school has Sixth Form. This is an associate degree program. A group of Sixth Form women, sent Johnny a letter.
College Girls are sent him a letter. I'm sure they think of him much the way they would think of a puppy dog, but, wow, that is more than half the battle.
He thinks little of this, as if it's entirely natural and expected. I have insisted that he keep the letter. When he is in his thirties or forties, I think the letter will mean a lot to him.
For me, I think that the most important thing that will help them in their life is to eventually find a good wife. If they can do half as well as I have done in this, then they will be ok.
Enlil RAN to the back to eat...I must say, that is impressive. First of all, the dog is in ill health, is with a new family in a strange place. ..and yet in just a few short days has trained you to walk all the way around the house to feed him.
Iam just joking John! We too recently adopted a small dog we named "pixie" since she only weighs 10 lbs, fully grown. In days, she trained us to hop up off the couch during our favorite shows, and rush to the back door to let her out. All without a word, all she did was glance at us, in a look we did not understand, yet feared. I wish the dog th best.
Also, you were talking about the boys and girls. Since Iam ignorant of Belizean culture, I was wondering about the issues of marriage. Here of course the age is 18, most waiting till older. Carrers and financial stabilty usually come first. Is it different there?
re:"I was wondering about the issues of marriage."
We wondered about this too. Mostly it is like in the US. The differences are they can get married at 16 with parental permission, I think.
A large percentage of couples are married by common law. They never went to a church or a Justice of the Peace. I have heard that even if they go to a JP, they have to renew their marriage after a couple of years, but I am not sure I understood correctly.
A lot of young women have children early. Same as in the US. A lot don't. We know one couple very well. They are both 20 I think and met in High School. Both finished High School and the young man went and got a pretty good job here, which he has been at for two years. The young woman got her associates degree, and now they are expecting.
We know quite a few young couples, none of which are formally married. In a way, I think this is very good. Marriage can instill an idea of ownership that can cause problems.
An older man I know, was telling me about his wife. Then he said, "well we are not really married". I asked how long they had been together and he said she had come from Mexico something like 35 years ago, they met and she had stayed with him ever since. They have a number of children and grandchildren.
I said that I thought they were as much married as my wife and I.
Without the formality, both spouses may be a bit more aware that they need to treat each other with love and respect. There is nothing keeping them together except that.
Still, Rebecca and I were recently very honored to be Padrinos for our friends marriage at the Catholic Church.
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