Every morning I try to interact with the pups so I give myself some extra time to do so. Yesterday morning I went over to the fence per usual and Cocomo is running along it and I tell him that he needs to let his brother eat. I have to say this because he has the habit of trying to keep all the food to himself. He has always been food aggressive since he was a puppy so this isn’t unusual, but it does make us have to stand outside and watch Oreo eat because if not he does not get to eat. I noticed this morning that he was eating upon seeing me. This provides me with two pieces of information.
One is that he’s hungry and was probably thinking, ‘OH THANK GOD MAMA IS HERE. MAMA WILL LET ME EAT. YAY MAMA. I’M GONNA EAT NOW. YOU JUST WATCH THIS.’ NOM NOM NOM. And the second piece of information I gain from this is Cocomo probably quit letting him eat once we walked away last night.
So of course this meant I had to have a conversation with my eighty pound furbaby who thinks he’s really two pounds.
Me: Cocomo, it’s not nice not to let your brother eat. He needs meat on his bones. Remember when you guys went to the vet? The doctor said he lost weight and you gained weight. You know why you gained? You eat his food. It’s not nice to eat all the food Cocomo. There is plenty for you both! So you can’t eat his food. You gonna be nice to your brother for me today?
Cocomo: He rubs his head and nose all along my arm as I pet him, his tail wagging like there is no tomorrow. Of course mama! You’re the bestest mama. I will do what you say. He glances back at Oreo and then rubs his head against my palm again. I love my brother. I really do. I wouldn’t dream of ever attacking him again over food. Nope. Oreo is the greatest dog companion I could have ever asked for and dreamed up. I’ll be SUPER nice to him today and not intimidate him to leave the food dish. Nope, not me. Never me.
Me: Okay boy. You be the good dog that mama knows you can be. I have faith in you Cocomo. She pets him one last time. I have to go to work now. I’ll see you guys this afternoon. Be good. Mama loves you both!
Cocomo: He paces along the fence again. I love you mama! Don’t go to work mama! Why you leaving the fence mama? Mama! I said you didn’t have to go to work.
Me: I know, I know. I’m sorry baby boy. I will see you this afternoon. Be good to your brother.
Now at this point I proceeded to pretend to leave. What I mean by this is that I went around the front of the house where my car was under the carport and then I waited about thirty seconds before popping back around and seeing him shoo Oreo from the food bowl.
Me: Seriously Cocomo?!? She sighs. It hasn’t even been a minute and you already ran him away. We are talking tonight mister! She actually gets in her car to leave for work this time.
Cocomo: Aw, man. He paces up and down along the fence once more. Look what you made me do Oreo! Now she has to talk to me.
Oreo: I’M HUNGRY HEFFER!
Cocomo: Don’t call me a heffer!!!
Now at that point I am assumed he ushered Oreo off again. Thus I had to let Oreo eat while giving Cocomo attention to distract him from the food before feeding him yesterday when I got home. Though now that I think about it, I feel this was ultimately a win for Cocomo. Plus it turned into him telling me that Oreo called him a heffer and now he has a complex about whether he’s fat or not. If only I could charge my dog for therapy sessions.
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