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Leslie grew up always having multiple dogs around, and so when she moved out on her own, there was never any question about who her housemates would be.
Currently, Leslie has four Dobermans: Boss, Kyra, Gaia and Zeus.
All the dogs love each other very much, and are always following each other around …
… and getting into mischief together, of course.
Leslie also grew up around horses, and her horse Contino is just as much a part of the pack as the dogs – especially with Boss.
“The pack just knows how to deal and live around horses,” Leslie told The Dodo. “They’ve been around horses since they were allowed to go outside. However, the case of Boss is a different one.”
From the very first time Boss wandered around Contino’s stables, the pair were simply drawn to one another. Neither has ever been afraid of the other, and their bond is truly unlike any other.
“Boss was always fearless around him and was even curious to come close to lick or smell him,” Leslie said. “Contino accepted him amazingly since day one, so that’s about time when I realized their relationship was something special.”
Boss and Contino love spending time together, giving each other kisses and cuddles. Despite being much bigger than him, Contino is always very gentle with Boss, and seems to know exactly what he needs.
“They built this amazing trust and knowledge of each other and this has only grown over the years,” Leslie said.
Watch another horse and dog friendship here:
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.