63 days ago by Kitsune | 54 views | 3 barks

A Tail of Two Shibas

Well Mom got off to an early start this morning.  We had a birthday party for my now 13 year-old two legger sister last night, but Mom still had to get up before 6:00 am.  You see, we still have a “new-shiba-puppy-in-house-training” which means the whole family is up early every day, and we are all walking Suki every few hours.  The good news is she has stopped having accidents for the most part, does fine all night in her crate, and is getting rewarded everytime she goes outside. She still has a little way to go, but progress is definitely being made.

The morning started with Mom waking up Suki and taking her for a walk.  Since she is still little and can only hold it for only so many hours, she needs to be awakened and taken out so that she does not have an accident inside of her crate.  She used to sit down and want to be picked up and carried down the stairs, as well as along the walk occassionally she would just sit right down on her little but and look up as if to say “Ahem, carry me?”  She was also somewhat skittish of loud noises and things like cars driving by.  I believe she is quite pleased now that she is becoming a big girl, and she is getting praised for going outside.  She holds her head up very high now and wags her little curled tail with pride after Mom praises her and tells her how well she is doing.  Suki is actually becoming very confident and has that little “shiba strut” going on during her walks now. Mom brought Suki back, and then took me out for my walk. You see, the first walk of the morning, until Suki is housetrained, is comprised of two separate walks, one for each of us.  Mom realized that when she first started taking us out in the morning together that we wanted to play, and Suki was dragging behind, with me wanting to go faster, getting nothing accomplished.  

Mom says I am like a camel and can hold it forever.  I didn’t even have an accident after my surgery from getting fixed, so Mom is so used to me being the easy one, perfect record.  Plus I like to sleep in like she does.  Well, I decided I wanted to take an extra long walk this morning as it was nice out.  Damp but nice.  Besides, Mom had all that birthday cake last night, so I figured it is my job to make sure that she is properly exercised.  We had a nice walk, came home, and then Suki and I proceeded to have our morning kibble. 

We did our usual playtime activity with me starting the day out by asserting the fact that I am indeed the alpha male shiba in the home.  But “Suki” (which by the way means “brat” in my book) nipped me on the nose, again, jumped all over me and took MY bone! Does she not realize that she weighs half of what I do and that I can take her down in one full swoop?  Well of course we got into an all out Shiba brawl with her crying “Mommy he is bullying me” and it was soooooo wrong!  She took my bone!  Anyhow, Mom usually lets us find our way with each other until she feels the need to get us both back in our places and calm.  The only thing that is keeping Suki’s little butt alive right now is that she is completely clueless as to how evil the cats are.  She actually goes up to them and tries to make friends!  How naive can a little shiba get?  I am constantly having to run to her defense and get in between her and the enemy felines.  Part of me feels bad for her because she has so much to learn.  Plus she is kind of cute, I have to admit, and it is fun having another shiba around the place to play with.  Mom has taught me that chivalry is a virtue.  I am going to take a mid-morning nap while I mull that one over.  Maybe I can even get Mom to nap with me in her room … I know I can, besides, she is so afraid of how Suki is “affecting me”.  Yes I will play up on that weakness of hers and put on my best puppydawg eyes and get her to cuddle and maybe give me a treat.  After a nap I will then continue to strategize how to best deal with Suki …