Petey is Mad at John

It isn't unusual for Petey to get mad at one or the other of us. We've grown used to the pouting and what we call power shifts in the house. It is a way of life with Petey. Most of the time he'll shun the one that is out of favor by making a big show of being with the favored one. The term favor is used loosely in this situation. It does not necessarily mean 'liked' just not the one he's mad at currently. Once he's established that he'd made at one of us and we know it, he'll make up.

This morning when Petey wouldn't look at John. He wasn't too worried. Lori was still in the bed, since she likes to take advantage of Saturdays to sleep in. Petey had to make do with walking the long way around to avoid John and going in to the bedroom to see if Lori was awake yet. Apparently, it is important for the unfavored one to witness the attention lavished on the favored one. This time the cold shoulder continued well past that point once Lori got up. John tried to make up with Petey by giving him a bacon treat. Petey took it because he can't turn down treats, but Lori found it in the floor a bit later.

They chuckled about how Petey had kicked it up a notch, and moved on with their day, which included going to the store for flea treatments for Petey. It was time for the dreaded monthly flea treatment, but also the much anticipated heart worm treat. On the way home from the store, it was agreed that Lori would give Petey the flea treatment and John would give him the heart worm treat. Perhaps equalizing the balance of power a bit. It is difficult to be both the favored and the unfavored. It is best when both are on a more equal footing with Petey.

Unfortunately it took both to get the flea treatment on Pete, so that part of the plan didn't go so well. John still gave Petey the heart worm treatment and found it in the floor moments later.

We don't know what John did to make Petey so mad that he would not take even the beloved heart worm treatment from him, but it is serious indeed. It could be that John is secretly enjoying his new found freedom, but Lori is about ready to call the vet! She's hoping balance is restored soon. Being the favorite is sometimes hard work.