The Difference a Friend Can Make
My parents’ dog Quixote is a great example of that phenomenon. The Pomeranian mix is a “people dog” who merely tolerates other dogs or has loose social relationships with the bigger dogs on my parents’ ranch but seemed fairly distant from other canines. My parents considered adopting another dog, since the bigger dogs seemed bonded to one another and Quixote seemed left out. Yet adding another dog did not seem like the appropriate solution for him, as his tolerance toward the other dogs ran only so deep, especially if they appeared to infringe upon his relationship with his human family.

Whenever I went home to visit, the Pugs were treading in turbulent water around Quixote, who stiffened and prepared for a fight over seemingly small and insignificant incidents that were a big deal to Quixote. For that reason, another dog seemed like it would add more stress than good to his life.

The one small dog in the household changed completely, though, on the day shelter dog Quora found our family. Based on her charm and physical likeness to Quixote — she looked as if she could be a sibling — my parents decided to adopt her. Immediately, Quora and Quixote were a pair. The grumpiness and gruffness of Quixote, especially around the human family, disappeared with Quora. Instead, his behavior reflected the affection of an inseparable bond. Though Quixote can be short tempered with other dogs, he gives Quora priority access to all the best things in the home. Showing no propensity to guard against her, Quixote instead defers to her, even though she displays no signs of being intimidating to get the access she’s given simply out of what appears to be his own desire.definately i love paw.