My partner

     Let me tell you the story of Jasmine. She came to me at the same time as her brother Sergeant. They were Christmas gifts after I lost my last riding partner, Sigmund (a German mix) who came to me after I lost my first german, Precious to cancer. My husband and I rescue a lot of animals, so these are not our only pets.
     Bred for police/security work, they came from a kennel that was closing, and this brother and sister were the last pups from the last litter. They lived in their kennels, separated for the first year of their lives. The female had not been handled, the male, if handled, was not handled right. Though bought, I will always consider them rescues. They were so terrified for the first week with us, they would hide in our house. If I went to pet one, they would both flee. I allowed them their week, so they would learn we weren’t going to hurt them. Having them to support one another, it became extra difficult because unlike every other dog, they did not come to seek me out for companionship. I separated them occasionally, to try to win them over, but I was getting nowhere because every time we moved, they ran.
     So, one day when I was cleaning the dishes, I tied Serg to my waist. He had no choice but to be with me as I moved and by default, Jasmine because she wouldn’t leave his side. After this, we were able to move around the house without them running to hide in the farthest corner. It took almost a year for them to start showing their personalities.
     Serg is a huge baby. I see why he was culled from police work. I thought this would be my partner, but Jasmine would not have it. Serg will throw himself down in front of me, give me his belly, rub himself against me like a cat. He’s goofy and he grins. Though he doesn’t ride with me often, we are buddies. Serg looks at me with all the love and trust he possesses, which is a lot now.
     Jasmine is the aggressive one. She holds herself back from everyone. Thunderstorms and guns terrify her. I think she would make a great police k9 if not for this fear. Her favorite thing to do is to bark at anything moving. The only thing she likes more than that is to be in my car and barking. She also likes to chase things. I have had a number of police officers just thrilled by her and how she puts her heart into her barking. I have been pulled over and they just stand in a position that they could watch her try to intimidate them through the glass. It is who she is. If she had had good handling and training as a pup, she would be unstoppable. She is the epitome of what she was bred for.
     As I began training them, I met another roadblock, they couldn’t be bribed. It took two years before they started to take treats, and of course, they won’t play with humans. But I learned quickly they would obey simply to be called a “good boy” or “good girl.” If I tried to give them a treat, they would politely take it and go lay it down. Serg has come around and will eat almost any treat. Jasmine still thinks someone wants to poison her. Though she loves McNuggets and bacon.
     From those two dogs, I thought I would choose my partner. But my partner chose me, and it seemed she talked it over with her brother. He is comfortable in cars but makes it clear he is more comfortable staying home. Jasmine, despite her hard-headedness, will joyfully choose to jump into my car over anything else that is going on. Serg is also developing hip issues, so our outdoor activities can become taxing for him. Jas, however, never stops. Last year, we learned she loves playing in water and chasing jet skis from shore.
     She is the kind of dog that has to have a purpose. Serg is happy just being a dog, not my Jas. In my car, Jas has become my buddy and my protector. At home, she is my guardian, following me in and out. She would rather follow me than be with her brother most days. She has learned to open our front door, so I really have no choice. At the lake she will perch on the jet ski in front of me. Or she will chase jet skis from the shore.
     I wanted to share that story of my Jasmine because in my videos you may hear her barking or me in the middle of a weird conversation with her. She is always the one you hear me question as to what is happening on the road ahead. I’m not sure why I ask. Mainly because she won’t answer. But secondly, because she is usually asleep. I sometimes ask her if we should turn around to find a better route if the road is blocked. Again, I don’t expect her to answer, but even if she did, I don’t think she would care because she has no schedule to keep. I will share videos of her chasing a jet ski or romping with her brother. I could go on all day about my germans and all our other pets. But Jasmine, I think you will get to know well here, because she insists I take her wherever I go.