When Pearl came home with us from the hospital, Jake's world changed utterly. Jake has always seen himself as a dog with a job. True to his breed, he shepherds his flock and provides safety, security, and togetherness. Jake is a social being, and when a member of our family strays away from the group, he sounds an alarm. His bark is very alarming! He lets us know when strangers approach. He keeps us from drifting off. We are a family, after all.
With baby Pearl joining our flock, Jake's job description had to change, but nobody really explained that to him. He has struggled to reassess his situation, and we have struggled with how to help him understand how this will all work out. We know it will work out. After consulting our dear friends, the Monks of New Skete, not in person but through their book How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend, now the details are becoming clearer to everyone.
Obviously Pearl is the ALPHA dog now. We all do what she wants us to do. So what if she has only three or four utterances in her repertoire! She is the boss. The rest of us do her bidding and take care of ourselves in the off-hours. Our cat Moriah retreated from our circle for the first two weeks, but now makes special cameo appearances, depending on her availability. Jake has been very involved with Pearl from her first moment home. He has his own special chair in the nursery, and he gets up for every feeding, day or night. The minute Pearl makes a peep--before Marcia or I hear her, often--he barks or whines. He brings helpers to her. Sometimes he even sleeps in the nursery underneath her crib. He's a brother.
Ishmael’s Complaint
No new world order
Don’t be a fool
Jake’s still the boss
He’s always ruled
And maybe you thought you were the boss of you
Till a wee-hour kid showed YOU who is who
But don’t feel blue
It’s all cool
If you could choose bosses
Wouldn't you pick Jake,
and Pearl too?
Posted by: Big Uncle | 06 April 2004 at 11:13 PM