Old Fashion Stand Off

Whoever said Dogs are NOT like children, have never been around my two dogs. This is how it just went down:

Nubs is laying in front of the heater chewing on a nylabone and Peanut is walking around, bored as always. Across the room she spots Nubs chewing on the bone and thinks to herself "Man, I want that bone!". She bounds across the room and stands over Nubs and stares at him making Nubs uncomfortable.

Nubs: WOOF! MINE!

Peanut: I want that bone

Nubs: -grumbles and hides bone-

Peanut: Nope, still going to get it!

Nubs: WOOF! MINE!

Peanut then steals Nubs bone.

I step in and give Nubs his bone back and hand Peanut another bone. This pleases Nubs but not Peanut, so once I turn my back I hear a low growl/grumble again. I turn around and see Peanut standing over Nubs's head. Just standing there, challenging Nubs to a dual. Nubs stands up and stares Peanut down, and we are at an old fashion stand off. Who will blink first? Who will make the first move???

Nubs is the first with a soft "Go away" WOOF. Peanut responds by turning her head ever so slightly, her back gets stiff, ears go back and her back paws can't stay still from the excitement growing deep inside of her.

Now Nubs is getting serious! "WOOOF" he says, this time a bit louder and with more force, still holding his bone in his mouth. His body is stiff, ears forward, wrinkles are just taking over his face. He means business this time!

Peanut counter moves by taking the bone in her mouth. Nubs is getting really fed up with this, and lets out a low growl and takes a set back but is blocked by the table behind him which startles him enough to drop the bone from his mouth! Peanut WINS and does a victory play bow for her dance!

"WOOF! NOT FAIR" says Nubs "Woof WOOF WOOOOF" and he runs across the room. "MOOOOOOOOM!" He whimpers as he jumps in my lap. "PEANUT STOLE MY BONE" he grumbles.

"Well, go get it!" I tell him.

"Wait... Really? I can just go get it back?" Nubs tilts his head listening and analyzing my words. Then off in a flash in red lightening, Nubs is after Peanut who is still in a play bow, happily chewing on Nubs bone.

After a few mins of Peanut zooming around Nubs and Nubs standing in one spot waiting for the right time to move, I hear a SLAP followed by a "YIP". Nubs has knocked Peanut to the floor, taken the bone away from her and proudly marches up to me with his silly grin on his face.

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Normally I would not suggest allowing dogs to do this to each other but I know Nubs. I can read his backwards body lingo better then anyone. With Nubs you have to watch his mouth. A growl means nothing, but once I see that lip twitch then he's not playing. That dog is a Saint. I've seen Peanut do some horrible things to him over the past 6 months, and he doesn't even react to it. Peanut gets corrected much more now that her Puppy License has worn off but Nubs still takes a lot of Puppyness and I can't help but love him even more for that.