On my days off I try to take Holly our dog with me whenever I leave the house. This has less to do with the special bond between man’s best friend and its owner as it does my not trusting her not to piss all over the kitchen floor while I’m out.
I was driving along with both Amy and Holly in the backseat when, for a reason known only to herself, Amy decided that Holly needed to move.
“Get in the boot Holly†she demanded. “Holly naughty dog, get in the boot. GET IN THE BOOT HOLLY!â€
The dog took absolutely no notice of her whatsoever.
Holly has always her place in the family pack pretty much figured out. Kerry is at the head, I am the rank and file, and she brings up the rear. I’m not sure where Holly places Amy in all of this. To be honest she rarely even acknowledges her existence. As far as Amy is concerned Holly adopts the policy of don’t ask, don’t tell. Oh yes, she’ll move out of the way if a over excited two year old comes thundering towards her, and will shoot us a pained look if she suddenly finds a woolly hat being inexpertly jammed on her head. But should the attention becomes too sustained she will generally skulk upstairs and hide under a bed until she has been forgotten about.
But things are changing. Amy is becoming increasingly interested in Holly as a being who I can boss around. On walks Amy insists on holding the lead, she gains great pleasure in helping us give her dog food, and she’s constantly getting out Holly’s toys and demanding that she plays with them.
Amy’s a loving and gentle soul at heart, and all this unwanted attention is lavished with as much tenderness as a galumphing two year old can muster (which, frankly, isn’t much). I am also confident in the temperament of our dog, and am secure in the belief that Holly would never turn on her. But it can’t go on like this for ever. There is going to be a time when Holly makes a decision that Amy is no longer a puppy and has graduated to be a part of the pack hierarchy. She will decide that Amy has to be acknowledged and her directions have to be obeyed.
I think this time is coming soon.
And just as I got a lump in my throat when Amy started walking, or when she began using cutlery, or when she graduated to the big room in nursery; there will be a bittersweet tear in my eye when Amy tells Holly to go and have a poo in the garden. And she does.
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I bet there would be more than a bittersweet tear in your eye if Holly turned to Amy and told her to go and pooh in the garden and she did *grin*
You say it like it’s something that hasn’t been mentioned. Obviously, not by Holly, but Amy has tried to convince Dan and I that she’s allowed to go to the toilet in the garden because Holly does.
Her finest moment was when my parents took her to a BBQ and she decided to wee in Audrey’s garden in front of all the guests. She was then joined by one of the other little girls, so I don’t know if that makes it more ok or not!
what a great face! that look of “it’s merely a coincidence this shoe is sitting next to me.”
Usually she prefers socks to shoes. The more pungent the better.
Ah bless her – weeing at a get together in front of all the guests – you must have been so proud *grin*.
Could be worse though – if you had a cat Amy could be clamouring to use the litter tray…..a friend of mine had to the other week,she was having her bathroom ripped out and refitted so I offered her the use of my bathroom til hers was finished. No problems except I didn’t get her text on Sunday morning asking if I was up and could she use the loo til a good couple of hours after she had sent it. I called her and said ‘come on over’ but she said she hadn’t been able to wait and so had used the litter tray.