HOUSING WARS

I don’t know if Mike’s messing with Nell and Bess or they’re messing with him.

Nell and Bess have two “dogloos” in their kennel now, and when Mike puts them to bed of an evening, he tries to see which house they choose. Then he gives me a report:

“Tonight Nellie went in the house with the door on it, and I didn’t see Bess go in any house, but I kinda think she went in the same one.”

 

Or -- “Tonight Nellie went right in the house with the door on it, and Bess went in the other one.”

Or -- “Bess went in the house with no door, but Nellie just stood there. She wasn’t going to go in any house while I watched.”

“Aha!” I think to myself, “Nellie is getting wise to him.” In my mind’s eye I can see her looking back at him with her big brown eyes, her ears in that characteristic question mark pose. “Why do you need to know?” she queries.

Similarly in the morning, he tries to get to the kennel before the dogs come out so that he can see who slept where. It’s pretty hard to catch the scenario. Bess is enthusiastic about getting up.

Most recently, though, it appears that Nellie sleeps in the house with the door – the one positioned where her barrel was – and Bess sleeps in the one without a door. It would have a door if she hadn’t ripped it off – three times -- but I think it’s positioned so that it’s sheltered. But – who knows. It’s entirely possible that they switch houses several times a night, and they’re rather determined that these are details Mike doesn’t need to know.

If Bess is going to get bigger, she’s going to have to hurry. At 8 months, she’s quite small, really – only about 40 pounds. Contrast Pepper (Ken’s dog), who at 11 months weighs a lean 65 pounds. She inherited her father’s size.

Oh – and if it bothers you to see little Bess leaning on Nellie, it didn’t go on for long. She fussed a little at nap time and crept close to Nellie for comfort, but they're snoozing on separate pillows now after a long hunt today. KW