September 7, 2012

White Dog is still in her "I Vant to Be Alone" Funk and a rainstorm is building. It is grey and windy and the air seems charged. YoYoMa is my desk companion and he rests against the scanner on my left.

Yet Another White Dog is deceptive. with his goofy smile and college boy attitude it is easy to underestimate his ability to adapt, learn and change. He and I have been working for many months on different strategies to deal with Quinn, who alternately is afraid and challenging to YAWD. There is no doubt that YoYoMa at his prime and very fit would best the physically impaired and mentally challenged The Other White Dog. And the reality is that no one can monitor every second of their possible interaction.

From the start I have believed that YoYoMa is capable of "understanding" his inherent superiority and that he is smart enough to avoid confrontation to prove it. He has learned that "Gentle around Quinn" means that his brother is lying across the door or is partially blocking his path. He responds by stopping and sensing with his nose and ears and choosing a path that goes around; if it is a tight fit he listens to guide words to "go left" or "tight against the wall."

YAWD has become sensitive to TOWD's grunts of disapproval or moans of being threatened. When he hears them, YoYoMa backs away or changes direction. In cases of Quinn's full blown fearful barking Yo knows to come to my side and sit. He truly makes every effort to make Quinn less stressed.

Quinn while walking better has been quite manic the past couple of days. It may be Puff's heat or the change in seasons or his own demons but for whatever reason he has been pushing to test YoYoMa's limits. As he has learned, YAWD has avoided confrontation every time.

As I said, YoYoMa is lying at my side, blocked in position by my office furniture and a large dog crate. He is sleeping peacefully as the wind throws raindrops against the window. Quinn is pacing manically around the room. He circles to my right side and I stop to pet and reassure him but he twists out of my hand and heads behind me to come up on my left side (where Yo is sleeping).  My heart stops the instant I see Quinn lose his footing on my chair mat and slide slowly into YoYoMa's side coming to rest in a 69 position with his foot just missing Yo's ribcage.

I shoot my hand down to block the expected shocked to awakeness instincts and say at the same time, "it is ok, you are safe, momma's here. Quinn didn't mean anything." I alternate petting the two heads of the panting boys still convinced that I AM going to be bitten by one of them. But YoYoMa, my perceptive scholar sits still as a stone until Quinn's breathing levels out and then he moves his head to rest on my foot. I expect that Quinn will now rise and continue his pacing but he doesn't. Instead he turns his head away from YoYoMa and closes his eyes.

Gently I stretch down to the white fluffy head resting on my foot. "VERY good YoYoMa! I am so proud of you! You make me very happy!" He licks my toes in response.