Hobbs and Zuni: True Opposites

While Zuni is pretty outgoing and can be pushy with the other dogs (showing her puppy lack of manners), Hobbs is a quiet, laid back, unassuming guy who really just wants to curl up on a lap somewhere. He is one of the easiest dogs I've ever fostered. When I'm in the room he's my little shadow and follows me everywhere. In fact, it makes it tough to get any photos of him since he's either right next to my leg looking up at me or curled up under a blanket on my lap. Here's a video that shows the true Hobbs - "oh, you're looking at me? Will you hold me? Can I sit in your lap? Whatcha doing?"

Because he never wants to upset or anger the other dogs, poor Hobbsie always seems to end up without. He doesn't try to play with toys and is almost worried about them and he will rarely tell off Zuni when she's being a real ass and bugging him. She'll jump on him and muzzle punch him and pretty much be the stereotype of the irritating little sister, pick, pick, picking at an older sibling and trying to get a reaction. Any reaction will do so long as they pay attention to her.

I always worry about dogs like Hobbs because so often what people think looks like two dogs playing, is really one dog pushing and even sometimes bullying another who is not enjoying themselves. They let this go on and the soft tempered dog can become very anxious and shut down emotionally.

Hobbs, a bit worried about Zuni laying on my legs so close to him. He knows her puppy attack ways.

 

Oh-oh. Zuni has spotted her prey.

 

Poor Hobbs. Can't a guy get a little peaceful lap time around here?

To make sure this doesn't happen at our house, Hobbs hangs out with old Tilly in the kitchen when Langley and Zuni are getting their turn to whoop it up. I don't want him getting run over by those two wild things. Then Hobbs and Frodo get to have their time together with me in the evenings when I do a lot of my rescue correspondence on the laptop. They curl up on my lap and enjoy a lap-time snooze which is their favorite thing to do.