‘O’ WORDS - AN ODYSSEY! #BLOGCHATTERA2ZCHALLENGE

 

When we leave home for the mall, it is like an oasis, calm and serene, with everything worth chewing or destroyed placed high above where the dogs can reach. When we get back, there is often an ominous silence within. Archie, especially, the little beagle, has proved that he is a trifle obtuse, but obstreperous. He is at sea about what he wants to destroy but particularly stubborn that something, or very many things, should be (destroyed)!

                                                                                             Dreamstime.com

Bronn, on the other hand, is king Solomon, the calm overseer who stares into the distance, disowning his pesky companion, preferring not to be involved in his outrageous activities. Not long ago, he was the lone ranger, destroying everything he could sink his teeth into. Till Archie ousted him from his Superman post by outdoing him in every overwhelming way!

 Zo loves Bronn to distraction. He is her ally, her obsession, her big live stuffed toy, her sibling, a relationship much like P had with her childhood pals, Leo and Sterling.

                                                                                                          Etsy

Sam is over-zealous, treating both the dogs like punching bags, rolling over them, aware that they will not hurt him, which may not be the right thing to do with Archie, who is only a boisterous pup himself. Of course, when asked to pose for a photo, both behave as if butter wouldn’t melt in their mouths.

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P and V have their own favourites. For P, Bronn is the big gentle Labrador who looks at one with his melting eyes and captures hearts. He is obedient, not obdurate; he is stately, maybe because he is well-padded; I prefer not to body shame the poor creature.

Archie is the very opposite. He is V's baby all the way. Neither stately, nor obedient, P has dubbed him 'devil spawn', for nothing is safe from him - he bites everything he sees - cushions, couches, Bronn's bed, socks, paper, plastic! Food is his main target, as is Bronn's. Both sit, tongues hanging out, the moment any morsel of food appears, obsequious to the hilt.

For the two of us - Mooma and Nana - we try to tread softly, top toeing our way across four grandchildren - two human and two canines. Zo and Sam are, of course, our rays of sunshine. For the other two, there is a blue plastic stick that we brandish, much akin to Red Indian chiefs, to overcome their onslaught.

V is the eternal optimist. He goes to work every day with the hope that Archie will somehow grow up and turn over a new leaf. Every day, Archie scotches those hopes by putting his tooth mark on yet another expensive possession in the house.

We suggest reformative punishments. Archie has a cage in the lounge and the longer he stays in it, the less chances that he will be able to wreak havoc. The other option is a muzzle that will allow him to roam free, but act as a guard when he wants to sink his fangs into anything he finds biteable!

                                                                                             Colourbox

V's heart turns to mush when he heard these gentle suggestions. He has read up that if dogs are locked away or punished, they tend to act up and turn even more obsessive when let free. “You cannot ostracize a dog. You just need to be consistent with disciplining him,” is his comment. He then turns to Archie and says, “Good dog!” An oxymoron for sure, as Archie leaps and tries to take a nip out of his hand. He then continues the protest by letting out a series of mournful howls that ricochet off our eardrums. Archie is nothing if not outspoken!

Thus, the odyssey continues – and in the words of Scarlett O’Hara, “After all, tomorrow is another day.”

 

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I am participating in the #BlogchatterA2ZChallenge2025.

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