A 'Puddle' Like No Other

As I looked towards the spot where Sally, our 8 year old retriever had just released her bladder's 'puddle', Mr. Wiggles and Mall Cop, the males in the group, had arrived to 'wrap it up'. They marked her spot covering the scent of what she had just deposited to keep 'others' at bay. Then little Ella arrived to add to the discussion and 'punctuate' the spot. Seeing was believing!

Unusual animal behaviour had occurred. The act of bodily elimination is a multi daily occurrence in the animal kingdom. With a male dog, it was common to see him protect his female companion by covering her scent with his to keep 'others' at bay. What made today's event so unique was Ella's interpretation of her older brothers' protective behaviour. He was always doing it, moving from tree, to grass then back again, to protect his domain. Mr. Wiggles had followed suit. He was a male after all. Occasionally, a 'collision' between Mr. Wiggles and Mall Cop's head was on course. But both males managed to go their separate ways without any 'mishap'. Soon the unexpected happened. Ella began to play follow the leader, lifting her hind leg, in accordance with male house rules, masking the scent of her male counterparts. It was odd behaviour. ... A female was behaving like a male!

Ella, the female mini schnauzer had learned to behave like a male and did what males do when other females are around, marking territory, covering the scent of the female. Who's scent was she covering? Ella's actions were a remarkable feat of learning. I had never witnessed such misdirected allegiance to behaviour not ingrained in the female. Our little Ella, at 17 pounds and four years of age, was now acting like a 'interim' male, thanks to the teachings of her brother, Mall Cop, alias the professor. I recounted the event to her parents. They had seen it, too. In nearly 50 years of 'owning' male and female pairs of retrievers, I had never seen such behaviour. Ella was learning more than she needed to. I was in awe of her plastic burgeoning brain.

The adult female mini schnauzer had learned a behaviour unbeknownst to all of us. In her doggie mind,  Ella had acquired a male behavioural trait. She had been watching her older brother for years. Her 'mom' told stories of Ella performing this 'masking' act, often, with her brother, during walks in the neighbourhood where other dogs lurked. I'd noticed this behaviour only while dog sitting my two and Ella and Mall Cop.

Ella was an interesting subject, always encouraging her brother, Mall Cop, the professor, to move or else. (I think he worried about what the 'or else' would mean. So he invariably moved to the absurd). I watched in wonder at these two. But then I watch in wonder at all of them including Tiggy, our miracle cat. I was observing and learning much from our four-legged wonders.

Dogs give us so much while telling us their story. I've watched and learned. In over 40 years of pet ownership, I now know that an inert male canine trait can be taught, unknowingly, to a close female canine sibling. Learning can occur in the absence of pen, paper, conversation or textbook. Let that be a lesson to us. Ella was now a most unique canine subject.