Cherokee, Dakota and I go for a walk almost every morning. Cherokee is a bit too old for our continuing jogs and I now get most of my exercise at the gym. Cherokee gets very excited when she knows we are going for a walk or to the dog park both weekend mornings. She follows me around the house when she knows her time is coming. She is mostly leash trained but can pull a bit when we get started because she is so excited. She has several special places where she sleeps, shifting based on which spot Dakota takes if he gets there first. She likes to have a hand on her while she sleeps.

Cherokee was spayed when we got her. She has obviously wanted to be a mother all of her life. We think that she was either pregnant or had a litter before we adopted her, but aren't certain what happen to the litter. She mothered Apache, whom she lived with for eight years even though he was a year older than her, and now she is taking care of Dakota, licking his wounds and making sure no dogs hurt him at the dog park. She is the protector.

However, she has been most affectionate toward the cats. Calvin loved and slept with her. Shawnee is now "Cherokee's cat," as this photo shows. They sleep together and rub each other. Cherokee cleans Shawnee just like a mother cat would. They both like to squeeze behind my rocker in the living room or share a dog pillow in the living room. Cherokee is nice to Ally and Pawnee, but their relationship is not as special as it is with Shawnee.

When Dakota entered the family at 18 months, Cherokee was enjoying being the only dog since Apache had passed six months previously, but she was also a little lost and lonely and completely welcomed him into her pack. They immediately started chasing each other and hanging together at the beach, as this photo at Avila shows. Generally, she is not an adventurous dog and can be defensive about her need for "space." She clearly needed a dog to follow around, chase and be near. When she goes to the dog park, her idea of fun is to watch the two entry gates, greet each dog that comes in, make sure no one is getting too aggressive, and then sit by Mary and I until a new dog arrives. We call her "the park greeter."