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Two males who have very high energy yet so different in personality living in one space? It’s a rough house all day, everyday!
Meet “King” Kong (left), a 14 month old doberman and “Dino”saur (right), a 6 month old mali x dobe mix.
We got King less than a year ago, with the reason of having a protection dog and as a companion for our senior dog. Sadly, our senior dog passed away and King was left on his own. As King grew, his energy was just as high and we were of no match! I specifically dedicated most of my time playing with him, and just under 5 minutes I’m all drained out of energy.
Photo from Clarita Baran
King had no problem being the only dog because that means most of our attention was on him, however on times when we’re not playing with him. He sits outside, all by himself and spends most of the day sleeping. Sometimes, he loves spying and scaring cats and birds for entertainment. Thus, made us decide to get another dog.
Getting a female to be King’s companion and also a possible partner is a smart move, but we never pushed through with it. We specifically wanted to get another male just because it’s what works for us.
Dino was given to us by a relative. He was just 2 months old when got him and he was so full of personality!
Right off the bat, just what we expected, it was going to be difficult for King. But what we did not expect was Dino—he was so brave but also VERY mischievous, that little one. Normally, puppies who are placed in a different environment tend to be very shy or curious as their nose helps them navigate through the new place. Dino? No. He just wanted to get into King’s nerves.
Surprisingly, it only took less than a week 'til they got comfortable with each other. King took the older brother's duty seriously. He was very gentle with Dino (at first) and he was very generous and would share his meal and toys with him.
Photo from Clarita Baran
However, all of that lovey-dovey didn't really last long. You mostly hear air snapping, growling, a never ending chase (literally sounds like horses running around the house), and King crying. And because of that, I have learned the difference between play and aggression.
These two have become partners in crime. Dino takes the lead in everything. Given that he is a Belgian Mali mix, you cannot question his behavior. It’s not because of bad or lack of training it’s all in the breed. King on the other hand, he follows what his little brother is doing, but careful with his decisions.
Living with these two breeds is never easy. Both are active and intelligent dog, that is why training should be taken seriously. Consistency is the key!
Photo from Clarita Baran
Having these two around make me and my family feel a lot safer. I honestly would not want it any other way, even though they both have given us sleepless nights, headaches, missing laundry, and recently, a couple of dead mice to show off.
These two made me realize that my knowledge on dog ownership was insufficient. This experience reshaped my initial thought of “responsibility”—there’s more than just giving them a bath when they start to smell weird, or feeding them at the right time so they won’t go hangry! Before King and Dino came into my life, I treated dog ownership as a chore and less of an actual responsibility. I was pretty young when I was forced to take such a role, but overtime I have accepted it and eventually found a new side of me.
Both King and Dino taught me that I am a confident and capable human being. King is not a confident dog and there are a lot of things that scare him. He chooses to show his vulnerable side rather than disguising it through aggression because he knows there’s someone he can confide in and seek comfort. Dino, on the other hand, is the opposite. He knows what he wants and demands it and when he gets rejected…”all is well.” At the end of the day he knows I still love him! It’s these gestures and attitude that they constantly show me - that I’m being valued, that in return helped me with my self esteem and self-worth.
It hasn’t been that long since we had them, but in this short period of time I was able to create this special bond with them. King, a doberman, a breed known to be very “aggressive” is so affectionate and in tune with my emotions. Dino, a dobi mali mix, known to be very dangerous and hardheaded, and yet he quickly learned his obedience commands and is so sweet and loves children. This goes to show that patience and courage, and whatever you teach your furry babies, they reciprocate those to you, twice more even.
There’s more to their breed than what we see.
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