The dogs are fed their meals in the barn, at the same time as we feed the other animals. There are two storage containers of food, one for each since they are on very different dog foods (Kersey being a senior and Sage being a super active youngster). The two containers are touching each other, forming a low wall of sorts. When feeding, Kersey waits on the far side where she can snag any pieces that fall and Sage waits a few steps behind me in the area where I place her food. There is a good five or six feet between them, including the food bin barrier.
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| Photos on the back porch, not in the barn |
So, I was dishing up their breakfast. The dogs were in their usual spots. And then Kersey, who is the friendliest most unaggressive lab ever, started growling. And snarling. Sage stepped backwards and dropped her tail low to the ground. And she wasn’t even close to Kersey.
As I reached into the bin of Kersey’s food to fish out her medication and add it to her bowl, I have to admit that I fumbled a bit. Kersey was still growling and snarling and looking downright mean and ugly. Sage was now laying across my feet, whimpering.
Once I gave Kersey her food, she was fine. And at dinner she was fine. She hasn’t done it again — this was four or five days ago. But it was weird. Very weird.
Maybe she was hangry?
Showing dogs I’ve learned, you never know when one dog has given another a “your Momma wears ugly boots look!” Hard as we try, we just don’t totally speak dog.
ReplyDeleteThis may have been a teaching moment, where Sage did something not acceptable in the world of dogs, and Kersey put her paw down, so to speak. And you would have had no idea what was going on. It has happened to me many times.
ReplyDeleteI think you are right. Something in how Sage looked at Kersey made Kersey think her breakfast was in danger and Kersey put her foot/paw down. I couldn’t read the transaction but Sage understood, based on how submissively she responded. You don’t mess with Kersey and her food — she’s a lab and food is sacred.
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