Our dogs in a nutshell

This video depicts our two dogs in a nutshell.

Ritter: "Aaahhh, yes, scratch the belly."

Arabelle: "Why are you scratching his belly? Whattabout my belly? Isn't my belly just as good as his? Ummm, excuse me. This is unfair treatment and I object."

Ritter: "Aaaaah, yes, scratch the belly."

RITTER has never met an enemy. He lays on his back anytime he thinks he has a chance at getting a belly rub. His whole goal every single day is to see how many people will pet him. He would be fine never leaving the house and lying around all day. If I laid by him and pet him, he would never get up. Unless I stopped petting him and someone else came into the room that offered the same pets. He is no respecter of persons. He doesn't care who you are. You can be in his family or a complete stranger. If you offer greater pets (and especially belly rubs) he will leave with you and never look back. He listens to instruction after really debating what's in it for him. When out on the farm, he would love to eat every and any animal he sees, so he will go into: "Can I please eat a chicken" mode until I say: "Leave it, Ritter," at which point he'll look at me, seem to shrug and ask: "Are you sure you don't need me to eat a chicken?" before wandering off to pee on some spot that hasn't gotten his attention recently.

ARABELLE is my dog. She is my shadow and takes care of me and stays with me non-stop. Anywhere I go on the farm, she wants to be with me and considers it her job to be with me. Rain or shine she'd not come in the house if I am outside, and if I do go outside and leave her inside, family have told me she grieves this greatly from inside. Anyone else can pet Ritter. But if I pet Ritter, she goes bonkers crazy for equal representation and blind jealousy. She is as smart as they can and truly appears to speak English. I think I could train her to do anything I wanted her to do and she'd do it perfectly on the first try. Arabelle goes outside via our request whenever any child goes outside. She is their protector (from any strangers or wild animals that might come visiting our farm.) She barks at everyone she doesn't know, and often barks at people she knows if they are dressed in anything she doesn't recognize. Baseball caps and big beards are especially confusing to her. She relies on smell as the ultimate decision on whether someone is in our pack or not. Vision is completely secondary.