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February 9, 2017

Love is War

Valentine's Day has many wondering the best way to a girl's heart. Flowers? Chocolate? Well, for one particular lady, the answer is a knock-down-drag-out full on brawl. I don't expect Penny and Zero to have the same relationship Penny and Eko had, but my hope is to help them cultivate their own brand of companionship and camaraderie. And I know the best way to do that is by encouraging my little David to battle against Goliath.
Rhodesian Ridgeback, Chicago, puppy, marking our territory, penny, zeo Valentine’s Day has many wondering the best way to a girl’s heart. Flowers? Chocolate? Well, for one particular lady, the answer is a knock-down-drag-out full on brawl. I don’t expect Penny and Zero to have the same relationship Penny and Eko had, but my hope is to help them cultivate their own brand of companionship and camaraderie. And I know the best way to do that is by encouraging my little David to battle against Goliath.
Rhodesian Ridgeback, Chicago, puppy, marking our territory, penny, zeo

The roles will be reversed in short order, but for now Zero is severely overmatched.

Penny is not the doting older sibling that Eko was. She makes little accommodation for  Zero when they’re wrestling across the carpet of their Coliseum.
Rhodesian Ridgeback, Chicago, puppy, marking our territory, penny, zeo

Zero can’t match Penny’s size or strength yet, but the wily puppy is proving his mettle

Rhodesian Ridgeback, Chicago, puppy, marking our territory, penny, zeo

Most dogs would object to a puppy hanging off their cheek, but to Penny there’s nothing more endearing than a vigorous game of bitey-face

For some, love is a gentle song with soft words. Around here, the music of love is played with crashing dog-cymbals and tails eagerly beating the floor like war drums.  It’s a wild and joyful tune I’m delighted to hear again.
Rhodesian Ridgeback, Chicago, puppy, marking our territory, penny, zeo

“What? You didn’t think I was going to go easy on him just because he’s cute, did you?”

Rhodesian Ridgeback, Chicago, puppy, marking our territory, penny, zeo

“She has no idea how big I’m going to get, does she?”

It’s only the beginning for these two, but it’s exactly the raucous beginning I hoped for. Here’s to all the battles, romps, and love to come!

Comments for Love is War

  1. TheRidgebackLife says:

    I don’t think Penny will ever be able to fit his head in her mouth again. He’s growing way too fast. She needs to take advantage while she can. And there’s nothing like rounds of bitey-face, especially when they’re playing on the bed while and you’re trying to read. That’s my weekend mornings☺

  2. Oh that bitey-face pic even made me wince. Ms. Mayhem is in for some serious payback I suspect, and soon. 🙂

  3. Looks like the little guy is fitting right in.

  4. Piglove says:

    Oh Penny – chuckles. Your time is coming. Snorts with piggy laughter. XOXO – Bacon

  5. Jesse says:

    Nothing like a good wrestling session!

  6. my dad knows how it feels when a puppy is hanging on your cheek LOL… like the 80’s star Pat Benatar once said: love is a battle field… but we need no MASH, all wounds will heal with a puppy kiss :o)

  7. Emmadog says:

    If they are anything like my sisters, you better nail down the furniture as it will get pretty wild in the living room! I’m sure Penny is delighted to be the “big cheese” for at least a while!

  8. OMG I LOVE that Zero is SMILING in that last photo!! Love it!!! Oh he will give Penny a run for her money, I am sure!!!

  9. Oh I love it! The photos are grand…..Zero’s got Penny figured out already I think (!!)…….and know what? I think I can imagine Eko with a great big smile on his face watching the action between his little sister and the new boy on the block – and maybe even whispering a little in Zero’s ear with some “tips” of his own!

    Pam

  10. Kims S. (nerdgrl) says:

    Puppy growth hormones are amazing! I can already see that Zero’s gotten bigger since your first pictures. And those paws! Holy schmoly, he’s going to be big!

  11. Zero’s paws look more like human hands. If he had an opposable thumb or two you’d be in big trouble!

  12. Michael Bondor says:

    So is this accompanied by a lot of barking? Does it disturb the neighbors?

  13. KarenS says:

    This brings back such sweet memories of when we first brought Ty home 10 years ago. Undersized and overmatched? Only for a brief time. Like Zero there is that strength of character and a Ridgie tenacity that Ty exhibited with his older brother. And they only stay little for a brief time.

    These two will settle into their respective roles. It’ll be so much fun to sit back and watch as they grow up and take their places in the pack.

  14. Lynn Wolford says:

    Oh my goodness! Zero’s puppy paws are about twice the size of Penny’s grown paws! But then, Penny IS a petite and dainty young lady. LOL! I’m sure Penny is still just trying to figure out who this new little winkle monster is running around the house. How cute they are together.

  15. Aud says:

    OMG, I think Zero’s paws and ears are the same size as Penny right now already at his young age, is this possible?

  16. It’s crazy what adding a little food and water does for a pup. Zero seems twice as big

  17. I hear the karma train coming round the track!

  18. Woooooooooo…chug-a-chug-chug.

  19. As a runt, she’s loving her temporary big dog status. But yeah, it ain’t gonna last

  20. Right!? How does he convert a little kibble and some water into that kind of growth??

  21. Haha we may be in trouble either way!

  22. Well said. We’re enjoying every second of this short puppy sized period, but eager to see how Zero develops

  23. They’re bigger! It’s crazy. He may be the size of a brontasaurus

  24. coastingnz says:

    haha – I was thinking the same thing as most everyone else – Zero is huge already – where has that little puppy gone. Great to see Penny having such fun and the “little one” – well right at home and ready to rumble. Bring it on. lol

  25. Gayleen Marmarelis says:

    Penny’s a very smart dog. She knows Zero will out weigh her very soon and she’s establishing her dominance now. My Frankie did that with my daughter’s Tucker, and to this day he still cowers a bit before they start their play. It’s very cute to see him try to hide behind a tree like he did as a pup! He’s much bigger physically, but not mentally! I love to watch ridgebacks play, they are unique!

  26. Gayleen Marmarelis says:

    Frankie is a girl, by the way 🙂

  27. Bitey face is true love… I love you kids! xoxo

    Love and licks,
    Cupcake

  28. It’s amazing what a pup can do with just a bit of food and water. I have to imagine Penny’s wrestling also motivates him to bulk up!

  29. Penny happily faces down Bernese Mountain Dogs and plenty of large breeds when playing, so I do wonder how Zero will respond when he grows into himself. Should be interesting to watch.

  30. He needs all the help he can get!

  31. Connie Taylor says:

    I want to know where Zero hides his wrinkles? Some photos his face looks as smooth as satin and in others, he looks older than Father Time . Maybe he’s trying to fool Ms Mayhem into thinking that there’s “two” of him she’ll have to wrangle

  32. He grows so fast I’m not even sure the same pup I put to bed is the one I wake up with each morning. I think the wrinkles are clearest at rest, and like the rest of him, stretched during battle

  33. Laurie says:

    Being the female side of this dynamic duo, I imagine she will run the show even when she is on the smaller size of the coin toss!

  34. fredrieka says:

    The process is fun to watch. Wilma and Fred are a riot together

  35. Agreed. Penny keeps dogs of all size in line!

  36. dogdaz says:

    They look perfect together. Penny will be the big sis, no matter how big Zero gets.

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