She may be blind in one eye now, and she may have had surgery on a knee to remove a tumor just two weeks ago, but Miss Darla is determined to show those two whippersnappers -- Travis and Tanner -- that she is still the Queen and this is her Palace. Entrance by invitation only.
After Alayne and I had brought in the dogs from their mid-day romp on Friday after lunch, we realized we were missing three dogs. Alayne looked out the storm door and saw Darla in the front yard, so she opened the door and called her. Darla ignored her. That's when Alayne noticed Travis frozen in place down by the spruce tree, and she realized Darla was in guard mode again. Alayne told me I'd need to call Darla in, so I went out and called to her. She turned her head slightly as if to acknowledge she heard me, but then stood her ground. I went to get the camera, then went back outside.
Travis saw me, figured it was a good time to advance towards the house, took several steps ... and stopped. Darla was giving him the evil eye. She slowly walked a few steps towards him, head down, body language all about "don't mess with me, kid." That's what you see in the photo above. (Click on photos for larger images.)
Travis looked at me again, this time as if I was the lifeguard on the beach and he was the swimmer in trouble, but then decided I might not rescue him in time. Darla's few steps in his direction unnerved him. Just like a herding dog with sheep, Darla turned him and he reversed course:
That's when Tanner, who had been on the other side of the yard, thought he might get by the old gal. He started making his way over, as you can see above. Then the two-on-one stand-off resumed:
At that point I'd been calling Darla back to the house repeatedly, so Tanner decided to try the single-file technique and see if meekly following Darla back to the house might work. Darla reluctantly ... finally! ... turned around to walk towards the ramp, but she wasn't happy about being called off. She'd move forward a bit, then stop and turn her head in the whippersnappers' direction as if to remind them who's the boss. This would stop them in their tracks:
But having to listen to me and come inside drove her crazy -- "I had them just where I wanted them!" -- and even after she got to the ramp, she turned back around and stared them down one more time:
With one final summons from me, she turned once more and triumphantly dashed to the ramp and into the house. The boys, sheepishly (there's the word again) if happily followed.
Once inside, it's like nothing ever happened.
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A quick note on the Puppy Mill Survivors' photobook sale: As luck would have it, the website that processes orders for Melissa McDaniel's photobooks stopped accepting credit card payments just as my blog post went up last Wednesday. For some reason it defaulted to only accepting PayPal. So if you tried to purchase a book and couldn't, Melissa says the website issue has been fixed.
https://photobooks.myshopify.com
Poor boys, LOL! It's always the girl dogs who run the joint. I have a 10 pound Yorkie who rules dogs who outweigh her by 60 pounds. Too funny! :)
Posted by: Patty C | April 02, 2014 at 10:10 PM
Darla is a trip. The single file line up is like the end of yard privileges at RDF State Pen.
Posted by: Bob | April 02, 2014 at 06:30 PM
Darla is quite the bossypants. Glad she's feeling better. Maybe this little phase will pass and she'll get bored with her games. Or maybe she'll actually start rounding them up and herding them into a corner somewhere....
Posted by: Tonya Allen | April 02, 2014 at 02:50 PM
She is awesome! and sometimes youths need to be put in their place. Good to see she still has spunk!
Posted by: melanie | April 02, 2014 at 10:15 AM
She is testing out her "Stink-eye". Heeheeheeheehee.....
Posted by: Anne in FL | April 02, 2014 at 09:54 AM
Too Funny!! Darla rules!
Posted by: Linda | April 01, 2014 at 12:58 PM
Apparently your castle is getting crowded...you have Queen Widget and now Queen Darla! And as you know, every Queen has to have someone to boss around! :)
Posted by: Ann | March 31, 2014 at 11:40 PM
Maybe Darla's health issues are turning her into a "stinker" when it comes to her brothers. I'm sure, (maybe?) she'll be much sweeter again, once she doesn't have to go to the doctor so often. Going to the doctor sure turns me cranky. Smooches to Darla and hugs to Tanner and Travis as they suffer with her.
Posted by: Kathleen Rivard | March 31, 2014 at 02:00 PM
These pictures made my day! Sorry boys! And your pictures & commentary are perfect. It was needed with so much sad news coming from WA.
Posted by: KAE BAKER | March 31, 2014 at 12:49 PM
Something tells me Miss Darla is being meaner than she has to be! It's funny how she knows those two guys can see her. I don't think she would do that to any of the others who can't see. But I must admit, the photo with the three of them in a line walking towards the door is a riot! It's like follow the leader.
Posted by: Barb Ribinski | March 31, 2014 at 11:52 AM
This gave me a good chuckle this morning! Women....what can you say!?!?
Posted by: Leslie | March 31, 2014 at 11:24 AM