New Pest on the Block

Rocky has been for the main part the pest of the house. He's like the little brother that gets on everyone's nerves. He gets underfoot, gets in the way and barks at nothing. We love him anyways.

He's also the one that usually instigates play time with the other animals. He runs into them, he bites their legs, he tries to wrestle. He makes himself a pest until they get fed up and fight back.

Well this weekend Rocky met his match. Corbin came to visit. Corbin is a little minature dachshund who is only about 3 months old, a quarter of the size of Rocky, and he wants to play with everyone. Rocky was a little uneasy when first introduced. In gaining years, Rocky has also gained some restraint. He doesn't just run up to strange people or dogs anymore. He's a little more hesitant. So when Corbin who does not have such wisdom ran up to him Rocky jumped back repeatedly like he'd been touched with a hot poker.
It was hilarious.

And then they started to actually play. And you would think that Rocky actually being the larger dog in this scenario would be the one in charge, but no, he got his butt kicked. Ears were pulled, chasing and wrestling were common and biting mandatory. If you're wondering what Mandi did in this situation. She supervised. She is a very good supervisor. She barks when she feels the play is getting too rough. She is for lack of a better word a tattle tale.

The first night after an hour or so of playing Rocky actually got upset. He literally started to bark in a high pitch when Corbin would come looking for him to play. I'd never seen Rocky get so mean to another dog. I realized that he was extremely tired. Despite the fact that I think he is still a puppy with a real puppy around it was evident that he did not have that type of stamina.

The next day all rested he was up for playing with Corbin again, but he looked like a kid with asthma next to Corbin's undiminished energy. They would run around, wrestle and bite for a while and then Rocky would stop, lay down, take a huge breath and then pant for a while. Corbin would come up to him with no strain whatsoever as if to say, "What's up buddy? Why'd you stop?" And then they would be off again. I have never seen Rocky pant so much if it was not extremely hot outside.

Corbin has gone back home to Ventura again, but hopefully he will come back to play with his pal Rocky before to long. Rocky seemed sad that his playmate was gone last night but relieved to be able to lay on the couch without the small bundle of energy chasing after him. After all now he is the one again with all the energy and Mandi is the one that has to put up with him. I think that he is glad to be the only pest in the house again.