Peanut's Little Foe

Image Courtesy: www.dogchannel.com



While my job continues to keep me from watching my first son grow into a fine young adult, we have taken to babysitting the neighbour's one-month-old boxer pup, as there's always someone at home, anyway (thanks to the thankless shift system of modern corporates).


When Peanut was first introduced to Foe (the boxer pup), he went berserk. But that's normal for Peanut when introduced to anybody new. Foe experimentally went up to Peanut's bowl of (uneaten) food (he gets fussy sometimes) on the first day, and immediately was met with a growl and snapping of jaws by Peanut. Talk about putting someone in their place. On the next day when we brought Foe's bowl from his place, Peanut lost no time in licking it clean as soon as our backs were turned. Since then, Peanut is forced to share his food with Foe as we leave him no other choice.

Over the days, they've taken to playing with each other, with Foe doing the biting, scratching and (tiny voiced) barking and immediately running under a bit of furniture only he can fit under, when Peanut bites back. What surprises me the most is the gentleness in Peanut's attitude towards Foe, despite them both being male. When in a quiet mood, Peanut licks Foe's ears clean and we even saw them curled up next to each other on one occasion.

Foe on the other hand, has much to learn about being loving. He firmly objects to being cuddled. Now, that's the first time I've seen a puppy that hates being cuddled. Everytime we pick him up he struggles and yips and bites us until we let him down again. Quite the independent young thing. He boldly goes wherever he likes despite our warnings and then barks miserably when he is hurt by his latest exploits. Fortunately, he's picking up Peanut's toilet manners.

The one thing we're glad of is that Peanut finally does not destroy anything in the house when left alone, if Foe's around. Which is why we plan to get him a brother or sister soon enough.