Folks are always coming up to Cabela and Ravyn while we are out and about wanting to see them, to pet them, to ask all about them. Here are the most frequently asked questions we get:
- What kind of dogs are they? Cabela and Ravyn are both Siberian Huskies. They are both female, Cabela is 7 years old, Ravyn is 6 years old. No, they are not sisters. I have had them for only 7 months so far and the 3 of us have grown very close. I never leave home without them and we travel everywhere together. They love traveling together and have gone to some awesome places hiking, dining and just plain strolling about the town.
- Are your dogs friendly? This is a question I’m never sure how to answer when people ask me. Yes, they are friendly, but they are not gregarious. They are friendly but cautious around strangers. If a stranger came up to you on the street and wanted to run their hands all over you, how would you feel? Hopefull you would pull back and say HEY!!! This is exactly what Cabela and Ravyn do. They back up a bit when you reach out to touch them, they look you over to see if they can trust you and then if they feel they can, they will usually come up to you. One thing you should never do (with any dog) is to just reach out and put your hand on top of their head over their eyes. Cover their eyes so they can’t see and NO, they will not be friendly. Put your hand out to them and let them smell you and get a sense that you are friendly and they can trust you. This should be with any dog you come up to. If dogs could talk I have no doubt that the first question they would ask you is, “are you friendly?”
- Can I pet your dogs? Yes you can, if you approach them with kindness, respect, and slow movements. If you understand that they are more afraid of you than you are of them, and you respect this and you give them the chance to feel comfortable around you, then yes, you will be able to pet them. But most folks just passing by do not have the time to do this.
- The best example of this was one day we were on a nature trail and a young couple came up to Cabela and Ravyn and asked if they could meet them. The young lady sat on the ground, eye level with them and slowly reached out her hand to let them sniff her. She took several minutes to let them feel comfortable with her before she actually reached out to touch them. I looked at her, looked at her boyfriend and said “wow, she’s good with dogs”. He said to me, “she’s a dog trainer”.
- Cabela and Ravyn like it when folks come up to them to say hello. When Ravyn looks at you with those ice blue eyes and lets you run your fingers through her velvety soft fur, she can melt you within several seconds. They have left many a young person walking away with a huge smile on their face.
- Do your dogs bite? If you approach them in a malicious manner, then probably yes. If they feel threatened buy you, and you don’t give them any means to back away from you, then probably yes. But if you do any of the above with Cabela and Ravyn, I will bite you long before they do!! What I mean is that I am very protective of Cabela and Ravyn and I will not allow them to be put in harms way. Nor will I allow you to be put in harms way either.
- Before i got Cabela and Ravyn, I spent a great many years boiling over at dog owners who leta dogs off leash to run up to very person they come across while their dog owner yells out, “my dog is friendly.” If you own a dog and have ever said this, PLEASE!!! Stop doing that. Have some kindness and compassion for others who may not feel the same way about dogs that you do.