This is a scene that happens often around the house. Burrowed deep in a pile of dog bedding on the favorite 'sleeping chair' is Oscar the elderly miniature Dachshund. Looming over him is Widget, our blind Beagle/Dachshund mix. She is determined to sleep in that chair. So her chair-stealing strategy is to climb up the ramp, plant her front feet on the cushion, and stand there, looming silently and indefinitely, until Oscar finally gets nervous and abandons his perch.
We call this the 'Standoff of the Short-Legs.' Widget never physically pushes Oscar out or sits on him. No, sir. Her technique is simply to wait him out until he can no longer stand the tension and skitters off, tossing a Mini Doxie growl over his shoulder at her.
Widget always wins in the end. Until this morning, when I took the photo. For some reason she gave up, turned around and headed down the ramp. I think it was because she heard the camera clicking, and maybe thought this was not portraying her at her best. I'm not sure. But for the first time I can remember, Oscar won the standoff. I think Widget just wanted to appear magnanimous on camera.
Too funny! It really is amazing how well animals do get along. My littlest creature, Tweedy the house finch, is in charge of the water dish, and even my 100 lb hound dog will let her tell her what to do!
Posted by: Karen SA/TX | October 17, 2005 at 09:23 PM
Go Oscar ! Is the sleeping chair from Ikea ? I think I have the several of the same chair, as my dogs love them too.
Posted by: Leigh | October 15, 2005 at 02:51 PM