Rex

Dec 30, 2001

Rex is a splendid dog. I would assist if I could for any article about him. He is miraculous. Shelby is still very stern with him; she has not yet allowed him to come up to the 2nd floor of the house! When I go to bed at night, she lays across the bottom of the stair and he doesn't attempt to pass. That's just as well I guess. She's pretty cool now but she's thawing. Our pup Chewie loves rough-housing with Rex and Rex seems to enjoy it too. I took Rex to the store (The Garrett Store) with me on the day before Christmas and he behaved nicely. He has good manners. He greeted people quite affably. No barking; no intimidation. He has been very adaptable at home too; surprising because Christmas is always confusing and tense. He has a wondrous bark and howl - which he has been using a lot at home. We have foxes that pass through here every evening – and there are a hundred things that go bump in the night. His bark is deep and loud but muffled or mellow - really pretty. It's a bark that's deep enough to scare off any intruder, but it doesn't have that sharp "could cut through concrete" quality which some barks have.I notice that Shelby and Rex have started to work out a reaction to sounds just as she had with her former mate Buddy: if she thinks that going outside to investigate is warranted, she goes to the door and stands aside to let him go out first. Nice, eh?! "You go out and get your head bit off! I'll just wait here."

Chewie (18 month old) has been a catalyst to get Rex and Shelby together. He'll often run from one to the other, teasing and prodding them, biting them and pulling their fur. Generally just being annoying. They both indulge him. He will be going back to Whitehorse next week with Michael when he returns to school. I look forward to seeing what kind of dependence Shelby and Rex develop when they are on their own.

I must tell you, the first day Rex was here, Shelby was quite protective. She "shepherded" him through the house; she stood between me and him; At the end of the night, he went into the living room and Shelby lay across the door so he couldn't get out. Not to be outdone, he simply crawled up onto the sofa, put his head on the pillow and fell asleep. I was stifling my laughter. I left him there. (Our dogs aren't allowed up!) He's a grand dog; a beautiful mellow guy; I love his long legs and his blue eyes. What a fellow! He's more than I dreamed of. Michael adores him and my husband thinks he's the bees knees.

Carolyn Moore