The Queen of the Castle
Monday, October 19, 2009 at 8:39AM The pup has doubled in size since we got brought him home from the shelter at the end of May. He stands a hand taller and half again as long the eight-year-old golden retriever. He’s much stronger and more athletic, too. But as the latest arrival and most foolish member of the pack, he still finds himself at the very bottom of the pecking order, right below the three cats.
The pup is not, however, completely content with his lowly status. He’s trying to move up, but so far, it’s not worked for him, and he’s had a few scratched noses and some hurt feelings to show for it.
Both dogs acknowledge youngest son as the supreme leader. He is, after all, the one who rides his bike on the bush trails everyday so they can race after him. What’s more, he lets them both sleep at the bottom of his bed. Where ever he goes in the house, he has two dogs trailing, and when he uses the bathroom, there are two dogs curled up on the floor outside the door.
When youngest son sits on the couch, he often sits in the middle with one dog on each side. Last night, as he sat between them, the young one put his puppy face on son’s lap and then squirmed until his shoulders were there, too. That seems innocent enough, doesn’t it?
Not to the official enforcer of the household pecking order. Nope, according to the golden retriever, that sort of behaviour is downright come-uppity. She got down from her side of the couch, walked over to the other, pulled herself up and sat down squarely on top of the bumptious one.
He let out a few low growls, which she ignored, so he gave it up. There they sat, double decker on one corner of the sofa for half an hour or so, she with a big smile and he without.
I could have photographed it but some things are better left undisturbed.
Reader Comments (4)
Animals do have their pecking order, don't they?
Our older cat has had his nose seriously out of joint since little kitty arrived last December. He still isn't over it. In fact, it's been a bit of a peeing contest... literally on the part of the older cat, who peed on my husband's backpack because little kitty likes to play on it. Last night, little kitty was skulking in a neighbour's bushes and the big cat saw him go there. He proceeded to go over and spray all over the neighbour's bushes.
Aw. I love hearing stories about how the old dogs relate to the new dogs. I wish I could have seen that!
Yes, cats maintain the pecking order in more offensive ways than dogs.
I wish I could have seen that!
It was pretty comical. :)
Goldens rule.