Big Brother

“It’s day 26 in the Big Brother house and Maisie Mouse and Tim have been quietly bickering over a rope toy for one hour and twenty minutes.”
Observing these three form a pack is like a fascinating social experiment. Like the inmates of a BB house, all was fluffy and over-polite to start with. Maisie & Tim were best buddies – constantly puppy-playing hard, not a cross word, whilst Billy kept himself out of the situation, politely reserved. As the days go by, though, the cracks start to show, disputes arise, allegiances change, different sides of personalities emerge, social rules are formed and challenged. After a week or so and it became obvious he was staying, Maisie started to get a bit fed-up with the way Tim was just too OTT – not respecting boundaries, biting her ears that bit too hard, barging, diving in for toys, etc. and she started to tell him off, really tell him off in that scarey bitch way!
Maisie & Billy have always had a quiet relationship – Maisie henpecking Billy, but Billy mostly quietly deferring to her, so no conflict. Tim doesn’t back down so easily – not that he answers back, rather he stands there looking goofily nonplussed and then goes right back to being an annoying youth!! I’ve noticed Maisie getting more frustrated with this lack of respect but she’s kept at it. Now, though, Billy is stepping up to the plate! When Tim’s a pain and Maisie tells him so, Billy strides into the fray and loudly enforces the telling-off. And it works! All he does is some big woofing and he marches Tim into a corner, and Tim really respects him for it, and Maisie gazes at Big Mister Woof adoringly! Tim now tip-toes around Billy and is also starting to act a little more respectfully towards Maisie. To be fair, Maisie does wind Tim up. She takes a toy and drops it on Tim’s head so he goes to grab it and she then gets cross! You can see why the word “bitch” is used in its context as a derogatory human term.
I tried to not intervene myself at first, thinking they needed to establish their own rules, but now I am getting more involved and trying to help Tim pick up the rules, sometimes telling him when he gets it wrong or right before the other dogs feel they need to. Tim is basically a very sweet, well-meaning, adorable young lad but I really wonder whether his background may explain his lack of doggy etiquette – could be that he’s grown up with his sibling(s) or parent(s)?? Or he may be just a very awkward age.
The rules and interactions all change again outdoors, but that's a whole other chapter ...
Anyway, Tim’s learning all sorts of stuff pretty quickly – apart from picking up at least a few manners, he’s also cracked house-training, he walks beautifully on lead, and he’s doing lovely basic obedience which he takes very seriously, bless him.
And who will be voted Pack Leader in the BB House? The dogs will decide!

Big Bro Billy Woof