Why do I never learn? Being smug and self-satisfied is always my final step before the inevitable comeuppance. I was so busy congratulating myself on the seamless integration of Shiloh into our household of mutts for her "holiday" that I took my eye off the ball. I genuinely believed that we were in charge of the dogs. As we discovered last night, the dogs really are in charge of us. Just don't tell them that...
The evening promised to be chilly, so Michael lit a fire. We are still learning how to load this new lot of wood (York gum) into our trusty tile firebox as it burns really hot. True to form, the living room rapidly heated until we started taking our clothes off. And opened the front door.
This second night of Shiloh's stay, she made it obvious she was missing her Mum, Larissa. When the door was open, she lay in our tiny entry, looking for any signs of her beloved family. She did settle again when we closed the door, but she needed comforting from us. We tried to keep her off the couch as we knew it would be open slather if we let her up. Shiloh retaliated by blocking our view of the television. And she is not a small dog. Eventually, we relented and invited her up next to me.
Sascha and Pip took their cue. Pip was up and down like a jack-in-the-box. Sascha, feeling cantankerous about the young upstart in her midst, had to be coaxed up onto the couch next to Michael. Once there, she settled down happily for the duration. Pip was on top of her, like a sentry in the crow's nest.
Ruby, eccentric as ever, decided the fruit box loaded with metal spiders and covered with bubble wrap and hessian, looked like an ideal bed for the night. She climbed in and lay, contentedly whilst we dissolved into fits of giggles.
Our position of the three seater couch was becoming untenable. Michael and I were jammed between two Weimaraners and a Jack Russell. A major reorganisation was heralded by Muddy's arrival. Ryan, off to a party in town, felt the night was too cold for Muddy and left him with us in the warmth of the House that Rocks.
Ruby retired to Shiloh's bed in the hallway. Muddy lay at my feet and when Ruby relocated to her own bed, Muddy took her place on Shiloh's bed. The scene was rather like Goldilocks trying out which bed was the most comfortable in the Three Bears' home.
Shiloh decided the grass was greener on the other couch. We heaved a huge sigh of relief. We just about had enough room with Sascha and Pip still closest to the fire. Ryan returned and left with Muddy for their beds inside their bus. Our movie finished and we prepared for sleep. The dogs hadn't quite finished with us yet. Throughout the night, we would wake to find an enormous grey dog trying to make herself as small as possible on our bed.
The cat was not impressed and departed. I woke up to find myself pinned between Shiloh and Michael like a mummy in a sarcophagus. Struggling out to go to the loo, I discovered the Beagle once more on Shiloh's bed. That was the problem, so I booted Ruby back into her own bed and repositioned Shiloh onto the bed in our cosy hallway.
This scenario occurred several more times during the night. Except Shiloh realised she'd blotted her copybook with me and would stealthily step up onto the bottom of our bed on Michael's side.
The dogs were fine this morning and thoroughly enjoyed their morning treats. Michael and I were a tad worse for wear....
The morals of this story...
Never make generalised assumptions about the Famous Five's behaviour based on one night.
Never doubt the tenacity of a house full of Fatheads.
Our big girl with Pip...
in their customary positions on the couch...
and at the other end, it's Shiloh...
who believes she's a lap dog...
whilst Ruby dreams of going to market...
as Shiloh swaps couches!
Wash up duty before bed...
and enthusiastic greeting of morning treats after an eventful night!
