Puppy-Love is Doggone

Our dog Jack is such a sweet little pup. He always has to be leaning against you and he loves to cuddle like a kitten. It is actually pretty enjoyable to pet him because he has the softest fur on the earth. He is pretty self-sufficient in the entertainment portion of his life. Unlike Baxter who needs his life-long addiction to the game of fetch filled, Jack will just entertain himself for hours by chewing bones. Tanner thinks that when Jack's breeders dropped him on his head it knocked something loose that put him in a state of continuous puppyhood. When people meet him they instantly love him because they are blinded by all of these characteristics. But little do they know its all a facade. Baxter knows better. He is tormented by this little ball of fur everyday from the moment Jack leaps off of the bed until he crashes on the couch at night.
Jack finds Bax's favorite things in life and tries to make it impossible for him to enjoy them. I witnessed this first-hand today while sitting in our sunny kitchen studying. Jack had stolen Baxter's favorite toy and was laying on it growling at him everytime he inched closer. This was a huge fight that was not easily, but eventually won by Baxter. Jack wasn't upset by this lost battle he had already started strategizing what he should do next.

Baxter loves to lounge in the morning so Jack will try to antagonize him so he will play with him. He will do this by either running 100 mph circles around our living room clipping Baxter each time he passes or by jumping to the highest point in the living room in order to leap right on Baxter's back with his mouth wide open to catch a corner of Baxter's ear, ankle, whatever. Or maybe he will just climb on Tanner's lap (Baxter's favorite place on earth) for a little scratchin'. Tanner tells me this is his and Jack's daily bonding session, but I don't think Tanner notices that Jack is looking at Baxter out of the corner of his eye to make sure Baxter can see everything that's happening. He's got him right where he wants him.

And tell me that this isn't purely for the sake of jealousy. We will give each of the pups a treat after Baxter has begged us non-stop for them. Simple Jack will lay down with the treat in front of him until Baxter has scarfed every last crumb and until he has noticed that Jack still has his full bone-shaped delicacy waiting for him to devour. After he has gotten his reaction he slowly eats it while Baxter wishes for another one.

It hasn't been easy for Baxter but he is learning to deal with Jack's crazy toy, bone, treat and Tanner hogging. Oh, the life of a dog!