Mismatched or complimentary?

I was recently reminiscing to my First Born daughter about a couple of the dogs from my childhood. At first sight, they were as a mismatched pair of male dogs that you had ever seen, four years apart in age. The oldest and smallest of the two was Bluey, who was a Queensland Blue Healer. (Now called, Australian Cattle Dogs.) The other was called Wimpy and was a brindle coloured Greyhound.

Now Wimpy was acquired because dad had always wanted a Whippet and thought that a Whippet would be better than Bluey in catching the abundant rabbits that abounded then. Unfortunately, when one of our Aunties purchased a Whippet pup for Dad at the Melbourne market, she was sold a pup! A greyhound pup that is!

Anyway we got Wimpy and when he grew up he was dynamite on rabbits! If the paddock was big enough for him that is! In an open paddock he was able to quickly run them down, far outpacing Bluey, who vainly followed far behind. In smaller areas however, Wimpy’s weakness was soon displayed to all. In confined spaces, the rabbits had a habit of turning back when he was nearly on them and he was unable to turn sharp enough to follow them. However that was where Bluey came in. He could never keep up with Wimpy but always followed along well behind and when the rabbits turned to escape from Wimpy, they often ran back into the open Jaws of Bluey.

Although mismatched in size, height, weight, colour, age and speed, they were a very coinordinated team, when it came to working a paddock.

What about you? Forget what your workmate, friends, or partner looks like, how well do you work together? As a team of two, complimenting each others weakness, working together for the common Good of all? Or as two individuals competing against each other?

Also don’t be discoursed by first appearances. Wimpy may not have been the dog dad wanted but he did the job dad wanted. And he did it well! Well, as well as his size would allow. So even though dad knew with one glance that this so called “3 month old Whippet”, was more likely a “3 week old Greyhound”, He stuck with him and never once regretted it. Although at first he was a big sook and whimpered all night, hence his name!

What about you? Are you prepared to give new-comers ago, even if they initially fall short of your previous expectations? Over to you: Walter