"No - that's MY antler"

Our dogs are cracking me up these days! They are SO much like two little kids, it is hysterical.

1. Getting up at the crack of dawn (and usually before). Lilly starts pestering me around 5 to start her day. Some days, she is kind and just hops up in bed with us and lays nicely - unless of course it is too hot ... in which case, she hops up and pants, thereby shaking the whole bed. (the obvious question here is "why do we leave them inside at night?" well ... I do actually like the dogs and there are coyotes about)

2. Routine - routine - routine. Needs to be done the same every day. Unfortunately, they each have their very own routine.
Mercy's routine: Go out in the morning for a whole 2 seconds (or just long enough for me to get cozy back into bed). Immediately come back in and eat (read: inhale) breakfast and then want to go back outside.

Meanwhile, Lilly wants to go out and stay out until walk time. However, she persists that walk time is NOW by pouncing on the steps every couple of minutes. If that doesn't rouse our attention, she starts whining and howling. IF we can get her to eat any breakfast first, she always has to leave just a little bit for later. It's just her way.

3. Must take walk every day. Must. No excuses. However, walk to them means "start out all together and then dogs run off and chase whatever rustle sound they hear anywhere in the woods. Return as convenient for dogs. Bark occasionally while off in the woods - just enough to concern walkee to send hubby to look for dogs". I have not figured out why they feel the need to wait for me to go with them...

4. And, I think my personal favorite - bickering and fighting like kids ...
The other day, Lilly shows up with a half-rack of horns from a deer (I have no idea where she found them). She was very proud of them, prancing them around showing everyone - absolutely NOT sharing them with Mercy. She found an ideal hiding place for them and would bring them out as she desired.

However, yesterday, Mercy discovered her hiding place, had the antlers and was not about the give them up.


Here, Mercy has the antlers and Lilly is circling around trying to figure out how to get them back.


"Where did she go? I've gotta keep an eye on her - she's a sneaky one"


"Please - can I have it for just a little bit?"


"Nope. Not gonna share."


"Hmmm ..."


"Hmmm..."


"MOM - she took my antlers!!! Will you tell her to give it back to me, please?"


"Tattletale"


They play hard together, wrestling and tackling each other all the time. So much so, that they also crash hard :)



Then, this morning the saga continues ... guess who has the antlers?




Lilly didn't learn a thing - she was prancing around parading them in front of Mercy (who, incidentally, was just exhausted from taking a "walk") and didn't seem the least interested in chasing after them. She just wanted to catch her breath.

Any funny animals stories that you want to share?

Blessings!
Shirley
ps - Please pray for us tomorrow, for tomorrow, we POUR (concrete for 1/2 the basement walls)!!! I will hopefully update at the end of the day ...