Old Dog was getting old, so Pixie got a new dog who could learn the family rules and boundaries from Old Dog. Old Dog immediately established herself as the alpha, and the new dog let herself be the beta. Angel Doll also got a new dog, who was also willing to submit to Old Dog's alpha status. Neither new dog, however, was willing to play second beta.
The new dogs established a fight club that even I was afraid of, until finally Angel Doll's new dog packed up and left home, which was heartbreaking for all of us but better than someone getting dead or maimed in a dog fight.
Subsequent research taught us that a male and a female are less likely to fight for dominance than two males or two females, and we didn't want the remaining new dog to be all alone when Old Dog went to the happy hunting grounds, so we picked out a male dog from the animal shelter.
Lefty and The Precious, getting acquainted and approving of Shelter Dog, said, "I thought you said this was a boy."
Shelter Dog was no Jeremy Renner. He was a girl.
Fortunately, Shelter Dog learned fast that Old Dog was the boss, and wasn't in a hurry to challenge Pixie's pet for dominance either. But then...
Old Dog went to dog heaven. Pixie's Pet became alpha. The Precious was followed home by a stray ("Can we keep it?"), and would you believe, it's another girl. And while the new girl acknowledges that Pixie's Pet is number one, she's not sure that Shelter Dog outranks her. Here we go again.
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