Victory!

Three canines currently take up residence at our house. One is Rako, one of my brothers the black Labrador-shepherd mix I feature often on this blog. Another is Ludwig, the German shepherd mix whose stunted social skills are the result of being weaned too early from his mother. The third is Jamfong, a German shepherd-dacshund mix who ingested rat poison and survived. He is also Ludwig's pup.

Rako is large compared to the two other dogs, but he is still a puppy. His youth and relatively mild manner have made him the object of bullying. Father and son take turns snapping at his hind legs and marking their territory. Rako stays within the front of the house while the other two lord it over in the backyard. Fights often end with Ludwig standing over an acquiescent lab. The bullying is exhausting to Rako and stressful to my family. Sometimes, late at night, I hear growling evolve into a full-out brawl. It's difficult having to watch my dog subjected to that kind of misery.

Tonight, when I went out to feed Rako, I found him worrying a woolly, grey doormat. It looked suspiciously like the one on the stoop to my Lola's house, the very same one Ludwig usually sleeps on. Somehow, Rako had managed to infiltrate enemy territory and swipe the goods off the top step. He had captured his oppressor's property, and was mangling the life out of it. Brave soul. Pa and I were beaming: our puppy had made us proud. Amidst the tyranny, Rako had committed a brazen act of rebellion.

FREEEEDOOOOM!!!