Read Our Story

This website reads like a book, illustrated with pictures, videos and little anecdotes. You can read the story from start to finish by clicking the chapters in order, or click anywhere you want to go
directly to a page.
Introduction
 
 
 
 

Chapter 6 – Gabby With People and Dogs

This chapter is about how Gabby related to people and how she related to other dogs.

With people

“Oh my God, your dog is so wonderful… I am going to steal her away from you!”

-Multiple strangers met in public or in business.

“Gabby is my favorite dog in the whole world.”

-Friends who did not have dogs of their own

“Don, if something happens to you, can I have your dog?”

-Multiple relatives

Gabby loved people! Though you will see a lot of exuberance when you see videos of her playing, when she wasn’t in play mode she was incredibly calm, friendly, loving and gentle, especially with children.

She made friends everywhere she went, though sometimes she overestimated their ability to be friends with her, as we see in the video above. This is four year-old Gabby meeting a baby for the first time, in this case, my niece Victoria at less than a year old. I was lucky enough to have my camcorder trained on the scene.

No belly rub… no joy!  This was followed shortly thereafter by some happy play.  I still have that rubber boomerang somewhere.

With dogs

The part about Gabby relating to other dogs can be summed up in two words:


She didn’t.

Gabby had no interest whatsoever in other dogs, in any way, shape, or fashion. She tolerated their presence as long as they did not bother her, but I never saw her sniff a single dog butt in her life. If we met another dog and it tried to sniff her butt she would just give the dog a look that said, “What are you doing?”

She was fine with other dogs as long as they kept to themselves, as you can see above. She kind of kept to herself on the side there.  However, play or close interaction is another story.

Above is a little video from Christmastime, years ago.  (Note Gabby’s red-and-white Christmas collar.) We were visiting my Aunt Gloria and lots of cousins were there. One of them brought their nice little dog, Chloe, who was barely out of puppyhood.  As you can see, Gabby had zero interest in playing or interacting with Chloe and retreated to my cousin Jan’s arms after Chloe chased her around.  Gabby loved Jan, and Jan watched her a few times when I went away.

It is kind of odd that a dog as exuberant as Gabby, who had no fear of people whatsoever and played so aggressively, would run from a little dog like Chloe.  Maybe it had something about her not being on her home turf.  
 
Gabby and Beni

You will read about my dog Beni later on in our story.  He unexpectedly came into our lives in October of 2010, a month before when Gabby turned 13 years old. Gabby got along fine with Beni, but as much as I would like to say so, I can’t say they were buddies.  Beni showed interest in her, especially at first, but she didn’t really reciprocate the same way.

She didn’t avoid him, and she would sleep next to him in our bed or when their doggie beds were next to each other. But, she did not seek him out either and during playtime it was me playing individually with two different dogs, not the three of us playing together.
 
The funniest interaction I ever saw between them was when both of them were next to each other, each chewing a rawhide bone.  Beni’s was chewed up and soft already, Gabby’s was fresh, and as a senior her teeth were likely not as strong.  
 
Gabby stopped chewing her rawhide, leaned her mouth over to his and as she did, Beni released his rawhide and started going for hers.  They traded simultaneously, like they were passing batons to each other.  It was very funny to watch it unfold.