Went to walk Oscar this morning, and that asshole was hiding under the bed.

I called him, I said the word “breakfast” which he knows, I even brought some salami with me to the edge of the bed (which made his nose twitch), but he didn’t budge. (Dachshunds are notoriously stubborn.)

I have only a finite amount of time because my wife leaves for her outdoor exercise class near my daughter’s school and takes all of them at 8:10, and now it’s 7:55, so it’s running short. In fact, she said, “just feed him, and he can pee in the park during the class.”

But zero chance I’m letting that little fuck get the W and dictate how things are run in this house. As our French authoritarian health coach friend likes to say, “You have to earn your carbs” (read in a heavy French accent.) (His diet is also very low in carbs, but you get my point.)

So I have no choice but to go nuclear — I get his prepared food bowl, which is what he’s trying to run out the clock to get without a walk, and put it on the floor near the edge of the bed. He came out, and just before he could eat it, I swooped him up, put on his collar and walked him down the two flights of stairs to the street while he whined.

I love the guy, he’s a great friend, but if you aren’t willing to train him, he will surely train you.

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Discussion

On the doggie dynamic: well played. Today's concession becomes tomorrow's expectation and next week's routine. We have a poodle cross who always holds out for a better option. As if mind games with the teenagers wasn't enough 🙄

On the wife dynamic: took me a couple of years to understand that when my wife comments like that (don't be so hard on the poor soul etc) it was more about her staying in role as the nurturing home maker who has the privilege of delegating discipline to me... and not a challenge to my authority or direction in that moment. The right response for me was to acknowledge that and then remain consistent, (your mother cares about your feelings and wants to show you grace, that's good and we'll get to that after you acknowledge what was wrong and carry some responsibility for it). Or in the case of the puppy eye poodle, making similar acknowledgement for the sake of our little daughter who would otherwise see me as a monster for not giving in to the doggie's every whim (mind you she dresses him up, carries him around everywhere, and pets him long after he's throwing out those 'please save me' eyes to anyone else in the room.

So it's all good fun 😁