12.31.22

Willie is small and cute but mean and mighty. He bites and growls, and because he barks so much, he doesn’t go on walks anymore -- the deer are drawn to his noise and we’ve been followed for several blocks (like rats drawn to the tunes of the Pied Piper). He’s like this because we spoiled him. Since he’s so small, it’s been “easier” to give in to his demands rather go thru the process of training him. I realize now just how selfish we’ve been because he’s taken on the role of pack leader... and a fierce one at that! He bites when I try to tuck him in at night, he doesn’t like to be touched, he growls when my alarm goes off in the morning. Doug was always Willie’s favorite and after Doug passed away, his attitude has grown severe.

Willie’s been sleeping on our bed since he was a puppy. He used to be quite affectionate, but has become a surly bed mate of late. Last week, he growled when I got up to pee in the middle of the night, and that’s when I lost my temper. I spent the next minute yelling profanities and he matched my anger with more hissing and growling. After recovering consciousness, I realized how stupid I was behaving, and I just picked him up from his side of the bed and put him in his crate. He sneezed a couple of times and then... silence. With sweet potato bribes, he runs into his crate at bed time now, and he’s been sleeping in there ever since.

P.S. Willie earned bed-sleeping privileges with his awesome good looks.