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PWB Peeps; The Ballinknock Kronnikuls; On "Gettin' Above Yer Raisin' "... [1]

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Date: 2022-09-15

Bring a beverage, grab a seat, mindjer manners!

A gentle reminder of how we do things: đŸ±đŸ¶đŸŠ

Do not troll the diary. If you hate pootie diaries, leave now. No harm, no foul.

Please do share pics of your fur kids! If you have health/behavior issues with your pets, feel free to bring it to the community.

Pooties are cats; Woozles are dogs. Birds... are birds! Peeps are people.

Whatever happens in the outer blog STAYS in the outer blog. If you’re having “issues” with another Kossack, keep it “out there.” This is a place to relax and play; please treat it accordingly.

There are some pics we never post: snakes, creepy crawlies, any and all photos that depict or encourage human cruelty toward animals. These are considered “out of bounds” and will not be tolerated. If we alert you to it, please remember that we do have phobic peeps who react strongly to them. If you keep posting banned pics...well then...the Tigress will have to take matters in hand. Or, paw.

You could try calling it a barley, but I don’t know if it will catch on.

Oh, my! I guess most everyone here is aware that His Lordship, Zee, is currently on generic Prozac. For the most part it’s working as hoped (although grooming is still a negotiated engagement) and he is far better able to calm down, go settle 
 and in the stillness that has followed, I was able (i.e. tragically forced) to notice that our very own blondie, ‘Risa, the Lady Canifiwantoo, she who I was certain was a demure sort (!!), is actually quite the determined little instigator!

Ohh, child! We SO need to talk!

And getting her to control her own Last Word Syndrome is an ...interesting 
 yes! that’s it! “interesting”! I was going to type “unholy” but let’s go with “interesting” 
 challenge, wot with herself having a bit o’ Husky in her ancestry.

Peeps, I kidjoonot, there are moments in most days when I’m not sure whether to whistle or wind my watch. That ought to be funny, but, well 
 you know. Well, just the other night [9/05/2022], ‘Risa pushed envelopes — both mine and Zee’s. I was on the couch watching TV and they had just come in from their after-dinner romp in the back yard and were still wrestling around a little. ‘Risa ended up with her front legs on Zee’s back. Now, apparently, neither Zee nor I took it as a deliberate act, but then 
 dumdum dummmmmm 
 she wouldn’t let him walk out from under her and was instead attempting to afford herself >ahem< “the position”. The posture thus referenced only looks like a sexual act. It is more often an act of dominance, and is just as often, and predictably, ill-received.

(An interesting aside is that I saw the idea form in her mind! It was all over her face! “He-ey
.if I could just get step over steppitystep 
 here...”)

You can have one or the other, kiddo, but not both!

Well, I gave Zee another second to just move away, but we both came to the same conclusion at the same time, and I was putting feet on the floor as he was vocally objecting (snarling like a rabid wolf) and turning to bite. She gave it up. She was not moving up a rung on the corporate ladder that night.

Looked very similar.

Alright, so — that’s an end to the episode, yes? No! Not five minutes later, Little Miss Mule thought about evicting Zee from his cot by the front door. It’s the one out of two cots that they seem to prefer in the evenings. Yep, they’re identical cots. Yep, both dogs use either one. I think a whole bunch of all of this is because I’m in the same room on the couch.

Nuffin. Not beezin bad. Nuffin to see here.

I swear to Ceiling Cat, you two — don’t make me come over there...

Well, that night, after the King/Queen of The Hill moment, the plastic mats got put out so nobody was claiming the couch OR me! After which I instructed Zee to take that cot. Yep, THE cot, by the front door, so exactly like the one ten feet away, yet, so breathtakingly different! ‘Risa looked at the mats on the couch, looked at Zee on that cot and moved toward him. (What a BRAT!! Seriously, as I picked my jaw up off the floor, I conceded this much — you just hafta give her points for moxie). I didn’t have to stand up, I sat forward. Very forward. “ ‘RISA!” She stopped and looked at me. I pointed to the other cot, “There’s a cot right there. There’s a bed just beyond in the office.” She stared sullenly at nothing. “There are pads in the crates out there (the kitchen and beyond) if you’d rather, but Stop.That.” She swung her head back toward Zee. “Don’t even! ‘RISA! There’s another cot Right There!” She blew out an offended breath, circled herself and lay down in front of the couch. “That’ll work,” I remarked. “
 for now,” I added, ominously.

“No. ME.”

”No. ME!”

The next day she seemed less inclined to overthrow the government as she was to be a cantankerous handful to Zee when I wasn’t looking. But even that was not real vigorous. Not every dog on the sled is lead dog, but some of them are more willing to keep trying for the upgrade!!

Problem is, Zee actually lets her get away with things that I’d rather he didn’t, and if you say, “As long as they acknowledge you as alpha, you should let them sort it out”, I mostly agree with that. Mostly. This little girl is pushy, though, and if she switches places with Zee, she will be coming for my crown next!! My household is NOT a democracy, and I will crush insurrection
.raaaaarrrrrrghhhhh
..

Okay, but seriously.

“Yoo stops rite dere. Ai naow bees da bossy ob yoo.”

“???”

Why is ai gets yelled at?

The question that this inspires in me, though, is an important one; can she be happy here? Does she need to be an only dog? I am very fond of this girl, and I’d like it just fine if she can stay, but we have not yet bonded, while Zee and I most definitely are bonded, like it or don’t. So if anybody changes residence, it won’t be me or The Hairy Thunderer, even if said thunderer is a great big ol’ handful, himself.

The thing is, it’s been a year and some, and I am human. She’s heckin’ cute, she learns well enough, and she’s funny! I likes me some funny! She is trying to learn the best way to work with me — it nets her some cookies. That’s not only okay, it’s exactly why I offer them! She gives me a Very Enthusiastic Good MORning every day, which is important to me. On the other hand, she has a wide stubborn streak (for that I could’ve gotten a Bouvier, and they’re far more intimidating-looking), and she bosses Zee around when it’s inappropriate. And it’s been a year and some. sigh For what it’s worth, no blood has been shed, and I get the distinct feeling that Zee would not like her to leave...or...that at the very least he does appreciate some canine company.

That leaves us with working this out, this whole “who ranks where” thing, or figuring out if she needs rehoming. And while they are sorting the “I-don’t-enjoy-cuddling-but-you-can’t-get-up-on-the-couch-with-mom” part, I, the alpha here, the She Who Must Be Obeyed*, well, I am skating closer and closer to “fine, but I’ma get a cat who loves to cuddle and will happily, handily whup both yo butts”. I wish that cat would invade the kennel so I’d know who s/he was


*apparently “must” is a negotiable concept. They seem to be okay with “ought to...”

I needs me a pootie who can Lay Down The Law.

[update 9/6] This was, to me, a milestone 
 moment? event?: They were both outside. Zee wanted to come in, but she not only declined the offer, she objected vigorously when the invitation to abandon her pursuit (random sniffing of random spots) was put forth 
 so, Zee and I chose to go inside, she stayed outside, he got on the couch with me (it had been a good while since that happened) and stayed there when I got up to attend to something else. That’s significant — I can’t stress that enough. That he didn’t see sitting by me as something he was wrong to do because ‘Risa wouldn’t approve is actually huge. That when I got up, he didn’t think that changed everything and he had to get down immediately — that’s a great step forward.

Am I trying too hard to be accommodating to her? Am I forcing her to fit into our space? We, Zee, myself, and ‘Risa — we all deserve companions who suit.

It’s also worth remembering that both dogs are still pretty young, and I recollect quite clearly bickering with my siblings.

I’m teeelllllllin’ Mo-ommmm
.

[update, 9/8] Well, I discovered the reason she was defending a random spot in the yard — she killed herself a bitty bird, and no one was to get near it. I’m telling you, the aesthetics of living with a carnivorous predator are sketchy sometimes.

[9/9] On a happier note, it’s now been another night with Zee deciding he could get on the couch beside me for a couple hours, while she was also on the couch, and not a single gauntlet hit the floor!

Well, Peeps, it’s now Monday the 12th, and it’s looking like the three of us here at Ballinknock have more or less successfully navigated another growth spurt please goD and all the saints — and thank you, everybody, for walking with us! There is still a bit of negotiating happening, but I’m getting the message across, and we’re getting back to “three on a couch”.

Life Is Good!

And with that, I’m done! Y’all keep your beautiful selves safe and well.

[END]
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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/9/15/2121112/-PWB-Peeps-The-Ballinknock-Kronnikuls-On-Gettin-Above-Yer-Raisin

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