Battle in the Bedroom

My bed is Daisy’s bed, and she’s overly protective of her turf. She fluffs pillows, arranges sheets, and pushes me into compliance with her sleeping patterns. All is good with the world when Daisy’s happy, but when Daisy’s not happy, no one sleeps.

I went next door and brought Brownie over after his owner called very late Friday night to tell me that she had left for a few days, shutting him in the bathroom until her return. She assured me he’d be just fine as she left food and water for 3 days, but she turned off the cooler to save money on electric costs while she was gone. It was very late, so I did not go over and get Brownie right then, but he barked all night, perhaps in an effort to let my dogs (who share a fence with him) know how completely unhappy he is with his owner’s decision. I went over at first light yesterday morning and brought him back to my place for the duration of his owner’s absence.

Believe me, no good deed goes unpunished!

Yesterday, I visited a friend out-of-town, and when I returned home, all three dogs greeted me with enthusiasm and slurpy dog kisses. Brownie jumped into my lap when I sat down to extend my greetings to the dogs, and he didn’t move for about an hour. He had not pooped or peed in the house, figuring out the doggie door in about a New York minute, for which I was totally thankful! Daisy, of course, gave him the stank eye, but Mia accepted his visit with calm resignation as she knows I’m a pushover for a dog.

Last night, however, I rued my kindness when Brownie decided that he would share a pillow with me, which is just a touch too up-close and personal for me, but he wasn’t budging an inch. Daisy, protecting her turf, meandered up from the foot of the bed, gave a couple of disdainful sniffs, then did the really low, menacing growl deep in her throat that warned me she was not happy. Brownie, totally threatened by her aggressiveness, licked my face, cuddled closer, and went back to sleep. This went on throughout the night, so this morning I am feeling the aftermath of the battle in the bedroom for Alpha dominance.

Brownie will go back home today, when his owner returns, but Daisy may make me pay for allowing his presence. Daisy loves Brownie on the other side of the fence, in his own yard, but she was not thrilled that I shared her territory with him. She does hold a grudge, and she does have her ways to pay back for what she considers the wrongs in her life.

We’ll see who wins the war, but I definitely lost last night’s battle!