AppleTreePets: Day One Hundred Seventy Nine

Compliant to Complainer

I've been writing about our Rooney's transformation from a very compliant girl to one who complains - a lot. It's like she woke up one day and decided she has a voice and knows how to use it. This is such a departure from the way she's conducted herself since Day One.

When I made the decision to get another Bullmastiff - this time a female - I knew I had to choose carefully because I didn't want to get into trouble. After years of separating two French Bulldog sisters, who fought with each other from birth, I was not in the mood for trying to break up a fight between two dogs ten times their size. I wasn't too worried because the likelihood of fighting diminishes if you pair up two dogs from different litters and of the opposite sex.

Bullmastiffs are known as "gentle giants" but if you don't know what you're doing, you can be in big trouble. You see, they are sort of stubborn. This is not what you want in a dog that can easily outweigh you. Since I was still learning with Jack - the perfect temperament by the way - I didn't feel confident enough to take on an alpha type. I wanted a smart but somewhat submissive female.

So, I contacted a trusted breeder who happened to have a litter available. She posts videos online so potential clients can see them in action. This breeder feeds raw and she determines personality and pack order by tossing a bone or a cow leg down and turning the puppies loose on it.

I remember seeing one girl definitely acting like an alpha female. She was tiny but mighty - and vicious. Some of the puppies gave up and decided they weren't hungry after all. And, then I saw her. A beautiful red fawn with a very typy face - wide and more to the Bulldog side. This little girl was hungry but she didn't want to fight for it. So, she found a place to eat without having to fight her sister. That was the girl I wanted. That was also the day I fell in love with our Rooney.

Since she arrived, Rooney has been a sweetie who has never so much as growled at anybody. You could take a bone right out of her mouth. And she has been a real trooper - going along with anything. I'm afraid the days of Rooney being a silent companion are gone.

So yesterday, the Grands spent the day with us. The fur kids panic when they're here because they see the human kids as competition for our attention. It was Rooney's turn to take charge of the whole situation. Starting with breakfast.

Jack and Rooney are used to Andy making a big breakfast on the weekends and sharing some of it with them. Well, he didn't have any leftovers. Jack sort of accepted it but Rooney was appalled. She let him know in no uncertain terms how upset she was, and didn't let up until he scrambled some eggs for them. I managed to videotape the exchange and posted it to my Facebook page.

If you can't view this, it's on my
Facebook page.

Later on, when Pap made pancakes for our granddaughter, he didn't have any leftover batter to make some for Jack and Rooney. Once again, Rooney was not pleased and would not let up until he caved and made more pancakes for them. It was hilarious. Rooney is not going to take it any longer. She isn't mean or whiny - just assertive. A girl who will not be denied.

Couch space is at a premium when everybody's here. Jack will just lie on the floor or go into the living room and snooze on the couch there. Rooney wasn't in the mood to share the couch and she wanted to sit next to her Dad who was snuggling with our grandson. First, she squeezed in between the two, so E moved over. Then, she just sat on him; hoping to make him so uncomfortable he would just leave. The poor little guy was entombed under this massive dog! Pap had to get up so she would follow him.

It went on like that all day. The kids were amused at the new and improved Rooney. I'm not so sure this is an improvement, however. I may have a problem on my hands. I'll keep you posted.

Update on the feline family members:
They've been enjoying the great outdoors. So much so they don't want to come back inside. Except for Eli, who fell into the pool the other day, it's been relatively uneventful. Dash just had some excitement when a squirrel landed on top of the pool screen. Dash was convinced he could jump that high. He couldn't.