Shayna’s first boyfriend – Dakota
I know, I can’t believe it either… but Shayna’s found 
a male dog that she really, really likes. She doesn’t feel the need to maul him if he gets up in her face, and even when he pees on her hind or fore legs, she doesn’t seem to mind (though I kinda do, as her “dad”!). It’s a special story.
Shayna is convinced she’s somewhere between a dog and a human, and for the most part, I think she’s right. Wait til you see some of our upcoming videos, as to her brainpower, it’s some impressive stuff. Dogs, she can take ’em or leave ’em. But when they get up in her face, when they play fight with her…. she goes ballistic. She hasn’t been able to play off leash with a dog since November 2002.
A few summers ago, we met David and his amazing Border Collies, Tahoe and his little brother, Dakota.
In late October, Tahoe was tragically killed after he got out and was hit by a car – and because the different dog-related services in the area completely dropped the ball. Learn more about Tahoe here; he was like a Border Collie of Border Collies. According to David he had a 900 word vocabulary. He was an incredibly hard-working, focused dog, who could be a bit stand-offish until he got to know you.
Dakota, now alone and learning to become the alpha dog, is about the sweetest canine I’ve ever met. He gets along with everyone, and has what I describe to David as a “halo of pure happiness” about him. And I think Shayna picked up on this. She lets him romp all over her and as I said, even pee on her just a little bit, which I’ve come to understand means that he’s marking her as his territory. If I were to be able to communicate in Shayna-ese, I’d imagine she’s both flattered and amused.
I realize these pictures are not good, but they’ll be getting better as time goes by and I learn to work my new cellphone camera.
