Anyone who has been around Xander lately knows that he is SUPER bossy. He likes to tell everyone what to do including our dogs, Copper and Peanut. Occasionally, the dogs listen to him, but most of the time they only respond to Dolphin or me.
Most of Xander's bossiness is focused on Copper. I think this may be because Copper is a fairly well-trained dog so we are always telling her what to do. Peanut, on the other hand, is half-kitty and often ignores us. Bossing Peanut around is somewhat futile. At dinner time, Xander usually yells at Copper "out, out, out" at least once during the team to get her out of the kitchen.
I noticed that Xander is pretty good about making sure the dogs don't get accidentally shut into any rooms. He really likes to close doors, but he always makes sure to get the dogs out first. He yells at them "let's go" or "come on" and waits for them to exit.
He often plays with the dogs, but only on his terms. He loves to chase them when they have a toy or bone. However, the opposite is not allowed. He absolutely hates it when they chase him when he is running or carrying a treat. He loves to give them hugs, but they are not allowed to enter into his personal space with a head on the lap or snuggle up next to him.
I wonder if some of this is a preview of how Xander will interact with his sister. Will he be the bossy older brother? Will we be able to teach him to be gentle with her?
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