277: An Intruder

This week, my human beans’ other pup - Karen, the one that doesn’t live with us  - turned up, unexpectedly (at least unexpected by me).   

Not a problem - except she had a dog in tow.  

 That’s bad enough.  (Our house only has room for one dog - not physical room but the ‘mental space’ needed to fill the gap between human beans and dogs.).

What was worse, however, is that Karen did not bring the chicken skin she normally saves for me.  Presumably this interloper had eaten it.

I stared at the intruder.  She stood her ground and ‘smiled’.  I stared harder, making sure I didn’t blink.  She was not intimidated.   On my third stare, I reccognised this dog.

It was ‘Poppers’ - or Popcorn to give her her rather stupid, real name - a dog that Karen looks after once each year when its owners go on holiday…. a dog that has been to our house on a few previous occasions.

She (Popcorn) came in and acted as if she were at home.  No reserve, no shyness, no decorum.

Karen’s attention was focused on her (Popcorn), not me.  I would have hidden all my toys (if I had any).  

But I know how to behave to a guest.  I sniffed her disdainfully. All the usual orifices. Then I walked off 3 yards, turned, crouched and went back into ‘stare mode’. 

This finally worked after 2 hours when Karen took her home. 

I just muttered sotto voce “Good riddance”.

Back to chicken skin, please, Karen.