"Sprite, stop cornering Harry!"
I stepped behind her, her own back never turning, as she stared down at the snarling terrier. This would not end well.
Sprite has been Harry's nemesis for years now, taking on the title of foe right around the time she began crawling and he realized she was coming after HIM. Blue, our beagle, could care less about how heavy handed her love is, as long as she gets love, she'll take it in whatever form. Harry though? He's smart. And has a Napoleon complex, so his ego is pretty big too.
His eyes locked on her, Harry continued growling as I grabbed Sprite's arm and pulled the laughing child out of his personal space and turned her to face me. "Sprite, you know he doesn't like that."
Sprite's eyes danced with mirth, her plan of attack still not aborted. "Harry needs a hug!" She then pulled away from me to face her opponent once more.
Harry showed his teeth now, not happy with her refusal to back down.
I needed to do something or he would have a coronary with the stress of it all. But what? Strong-arm her out of the kitchen?
"Harry, bad boy!"
Sprite whirled around to look at me. I didn't meet her eyes as I put on my best mean face and berated the dog for basically sitting there. "Harry, that was very naughty! Go to time out!"
Harry hung his head and moved out of the kitchen, heading for the entry rug where Sprite usually spends her solitary confinement. He then sat gingerly, looking back up at me.
The damn dog had gone to time out!
At a loss for what to do next, I just pointed at him. "Three minutes."
Sprite, not wanting to associate with the canine criminal since that would mean getting intimate with the time out mat, moved on to wrangling Blue as Harry stayed within the "prison walls" and yawned, finally safe.
"You're welcome," I remarked, walking back into the kitchen to start dinner, pausing quickly by my purse to grab the camera and document the moment for prosperity's sake, and the fact that John would surely not believe it when I told him.
Good boy, Harry.
Good boy and SMART boy!
Posted by: Rachel | January 25, 2010 at 05:49 AM
LOL... That is awesome! I guess you will have to use that one more often!
Posted by: WickedStepMom | January 25, 2010 at 07:54 AM
Too funny, that is a smart dog. Sprite must have to go to time out often enough for him to learn where it is.
Our dog always thinks I'm yelling at him when I yell at the kids. When I yell go to bed to the kids, so does he.
Posted by: Laufa | January 25, 2010 at 08:26 AM
OMG. hilarious. dogs are so smart! he knew he was in trouble! not only from the little attacker but for also probably growling at her! love it!
Posted by: ~The South Dakota Cowgirl~ | January 25, 2010 at 08:29 AM
Awwww - he's got that "poor me" puppy look.
Scooter is put in time out all the time - basically when he runs off while he's outside (usually to chase someone on a bicycle or follow someone walking their dog). His dog bed - which he only uses when he's in time out - is in the laundry room and we have a baby gate to keep him there (it comes in handy when repair men are in the house, too). He KNOWS when he's been bad, and all we have to do is point in the direction of the laundry room and tell him, "Go to your room!" He'll hang his head and go lay down in his doggie bed, looking a lot like poor Harry there.
Posted by: Jan | January 25, 2010 at 08:33 AM
OMG that is beyond hysterical!! I was laughing so hard while reading this I had to read it out loud to the hubby. He loved the part of you 'documenting' the event. :)
Posted by: Stacy (the Random Cool Chick) | January 25, 2010 at 08:42 AM
Is everyone that lives in your house adorable? He looks so cute sitting on the mat wondering what the hell he did wrong. Makes me happy that the cats are much faster than LG, though. I had a darn hard time teaching my nieces that if the kitty runs away, you can't chase him. He's telling you he doesn't want to play, and if you follow him, you'll get yelled at not the cat.
Posted by: Mama Badger | January 25, 2010 at 08:55 AM
Aw, what a smart (and grateful) little cutie!
Posted by: Maureen@IslandRoar | January 25, 2010 at 09:02 AM
Poor Harry. He knew it was in his best interest.
Posted by: mrsbear | January 25, 2010 at 09:36 AM
Poor Harry. The dog is pretty smart.
Posted by: Michele | January 25, 2010 at 09:51 AM
If we could only train our kids as easily as the pets, wouldn't life be less stressful?!
Posted by: Suzicate | January 25, 2010 at 11:55 AM
clever dog! clever mommy!
Posted by: Jenni | January 25, 2010 at 12:14 PM
How cute!
Posted by: Corinne | January 25, 2010 at 04:15 PM
That? Is AWESOME. I adore the picture, Harry looks suitably chastised. :)
Posted by: The Stiletto Mom | January 25, 2010 at 05:33 PM
Heh. I can't even get the toddler into Time Out most of the time.
Posted by: Amy | January 25, 2010 at 06:42 PM
He is so cute I'm almost regretting my decision not to get a dog! (I'm not getting a dog. Really, I'm not!)
Posted by: Ginny Marie | January 25, 2010 at 10:19 PM
That was awesome! Punishment with benifits!
Posted by: Heather | January 26, 2010 at 02:26 AM
omg, this is hilarious!!!
What a genuis dog---he must know how much that darling child of yours does not want to be in the time-out location, so really, it's like a sanctuary for him!!!
Posted by: kaylen | January 26, 2010 at 02:36 AM
My dog never goes to time-out when he's told. He hides under the bed and looks all pathetic and put upon. Geesh.
That is a very funny dog and a very funny move on your part.
Posted by: Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings | January 26, 2010 at 03:01 PM
I can't believe he actually went to time out! What a smart (and cute) boy he is.
Elliot loves to torment our dogs and it's a neverending thing, pulling her away from them. Poor dogs.
Posted by: Casey | January 27, 2010 at 02:53 PM