268: Who’s The Boss?

Regular readers will know that TOWTSH (John) has been away in Praagh leaving me at the  mercy of TOWTLH (Jacky).   (I’m ignoring pup because he is still away - somewhere - and has no relevance to this story.)

Of course, I knew what I had to do.  Establish my position as leader of the, now, 2 member household.  I had to show TOWTLH who is the boss  (or ‘Who da boss’ as I believe young people would say.)

So on day 1, I woke her up at 4:40 am.  Though it was not easy for me to climb out of bed and go upstairs to make enough noise to suggest I was in need of assistance,  I knew that establishing the pecking order was a top priority. 

She fell for it (she’s so naive) and immediately (almost) came downstairs into the trap I had laid.   She had put down ‘puppy mats’ in case of such a middle-of-the night- emergency and I had managed to coat each one with my waste  products.  The poor old thing had to clean up the mess probably feeling guilty because she hadn’t woken earlier.

I managed to wake her early each day.  This was my tactic because I know that sleep is one of her essentials.  Luckily, John came back after 4 days … I’m not sure I could have kept an early rise regime going much longer.

My secondary tactic was to refuse to go for a walk with her.  John walks me! - or occasionally Phil.  (I’m a man’s dog.). She knew, of course, if I didn’t walk (and empty myself along the way) I would be more likely to wake her in the  night.  So, she was in a vicious spiral of anxiety and interrupted sleep. 

Anyway, 4 days of this and she was a shadow of her former self.  

When John came back, she was almost as pleased to see him as I was.  The relief on her face was clear to see.  All was becoming well with the world.  I was back in my place as number 2 but I don’t mind that.