Pack Mixing

Disney being pursued by Della

We've kept the four foster Danes over in Daneland since they arrived. After Disney was spayed she moved inside, met the household dogs and has been fine. She goes in a crate at night and when we are gone. After Cinderella got spayed this week she also moved inside and she's been fine as well, although she carries on in the crate downstairs when we go to bed at night, probably because she's alone. That has left just Diamond and Karma out in Daneland, and they are fine there but I think they are getting a little bored.

Today we took most of our pack out to the pasture: Theo, Max, Della, Serena, and Zeus (he's back with us until Monday and then he's getting adopted). And Disney came out as well since she's been with our dogs, although she had not yet been to the pasture. (Cinderella is still confined to the house and the AC yard because she just had surgery last Thursday.)

Disney and Theo

After giving those six dogs a little time to run off their initial burst of stupid energy, Clay brought out Karma and introduced her to the dog yard. The other dogs ran in to greet her and then they all came out to the pasture. No one seemed to have a problem with her. Della greeted her with a classic Great Dane body slam, and I could hear the contact from about 50 feet away, just a big solid "thud." Karma is no pushover. She's big and solid and didn't budge an inch. Della just sort of bounced off her and it seemed that they instantly came to an understanding.

After Karma had run with the shepherds for a bit, Clay brought Diamond into the mix. Everyone greeted her and they all took off running. Diamond loved being out there, but it was immediately obvious that her back legs were very stiff. I had not yet started her on the Rimadyl but she got one before dinner this evening.

I rode around the pasture on the mower and most of the dogs followed along, more or less. Serena hates the mower and hung around the dog yard. Max did his own thing as always, but the other six ran and followed along. Once Diamond came out I didn't go as fast on the mower and didn't go down the hill, although I don't think anything would have stopped her from following. She wasn't at all afraid of the mower (blades were not engaged), and seemed to enjoy barking at it.

We removed dogs one at a time and eventually got the remainder back into the dog yard, and then extracted Karma and Diamond and returned them to Daneland. Everyone had a good time and I think they will sleep well tonight. It's nice to know that we can mix them all together when we want to, at least for runs in the pasture.

It's been a long time since we had eight dogs this size that we could mix together for pasture play. It was a good time.

Karma in front, Della on the right, Serena on the left,
and that's Zeus in the back headed another direction.

Della and Disney

Della and Karma

That's a lot of spots. Della in front, Karma on right,
and Disney with the brown spots on the left.

Della, Disney, Karma, and Theo

Zeus, Theo, Della, Karma, and Disney on the far right.

Diamond joins the pack.

Diamond followed by Zeus and Karma.

Diamond with Zeus and Theo on her left, and Disney and Karma on her right.

Running towards Clay, Karma in the lead.

Bella Della

Diamond in center, Karma on left, Della on right.

That's Max on the far left. Facing forward are Della, Diamond, and Karma.
Behind them after Disney being chased by Theo.

Diamond and Zeus

Max showed up in this picture, rear left.