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WINSTON Cheetah, dog are fast friends The pair is expected to become an attraction at Wildlife Safari Comment By Kate Stringer Roseburg News-Review MailTribune.com By Kate Stringer Roseburg News-Review Posted Apr. 23, 2015 at 5:28 PM Updated Apr 23, 2015 at 5:29 PM By Kate Stringer Roseburg News-Review Posted Apr. 23, 2015 at 5:28 PM Updated Apr 23, 2015 at 5:29 PM » Social News WINSTON — Monday morning was not happening for Wildlife Safari's puppy Dayo. The 7-week-old Rhodesian ridgeback buried his nose inside Lead Cheetah Keeper Danielle Berthold's jacket. Berthold cradled him in her lap, petting his rolls of puppy fur. When she set him down, Dayo scrambled over to the next lap he could find: Carnivore Supervisor Sarah Roy's. That lap was already taken by cheetah cub Pancake, but that didn't bother Dayo. He climbed up the rocks and nudged his way into Roy's arms. Pancake protested with a hiss. Dayo whined in response, then nuzzled his way between Pancake and Roy. Monday was the first day that Dayo and Pancake were on public display in the Wildlife Safari Village. While they may be dog and cat, their mannerisms are starting to resemble siblings as they play, fight and vie for their parents' attention. Becoming honorary siblings is Wildlife Safari's plan for the two animals. Dayo was donated to the Safari last week as a companion animal for Pancake. Born on the same day, Feb. 28, the pair will be trained as ambassador animals, which travel to schools, businesses and events to educate the public on conservation. In order to be ambassadors, the animals need to develop trusting relationships both with each other and the staff. This requires being with each other and the staff 24 hours a day. The puppy and cheetah sleep together in Roy's bed, or with other Safari staff members who sleep at Roy's house to supervise the animals. "It's interesting," Roy said of sharing a bed with the animals. Neither Pancake nor Dayo has much respect for the litter box, preferring Roy's mattress. "Dayo will try to snuggle with Pancake, and she'll be like, 'No, Dayo, this is my space.'" Right now, Dayo is more excited about Pancake than she is about him. On Monday, he followed Pancake into her kennel to try to snuggle. At first she hissed at him, but then gave up after realizing he wasn't leaving. Later, Dayo pounced on her and received a squealing paw-swat to the face. "Dayo tries to roughhouse with her and she squeals like she's being killed, but she's not at all," Roy said. "We stand back and try to let them work it out." Roy guesses that when Pancake gets larger, she'll be more eager to play with Dayo. Rhodesian ridgebacks and cheetah's have a similar lifespan, 13 to 15 years, and both weigh about 100 pounds when full grown. "Dayo is a baby. He has no boundaries," Roy said. "(Pancake) is a diva — she thinks she's queen of the world. She'll sit and look at everyone like she's judging them, but she's really affectionate once she knows you." Becoming companion animals also involves overcoming communication barriers between the two species. When dogs are in a playful mood, they'll spread their paws, lower their heads and wag their tails. However, this same behavior is a sign of aggression in cheetahs. This can only be solved by spending time together, Roy said. While Pancake and Dayo are on the path to friendship, dogs Dayo's size are used in Africa to chase cheetahs away from livestock. This method has been successful in saving cheetah's lives, as farmers are less likely to shoot cheetahs if they have dogs to protect their herds. Once before, Wildlife Safari successfully raised a companion dog and cheetah that are now 9 years old. Berthold said when the two are separated even for a few days, they miss each other. By Kate Stringer Roseburg News-Review MailTribune.com By Kate Stringer Roseburg News-Review Posted Apr. 23, 2015 at 5:28 PM Updated Apr 23, 2015 at 5:29 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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