You Can't Keep a Good Dog Down

So...we have established that Puppy Jack really, really likes his food. As much as Sally Field's 1984 Academy Awards audience liked her.

I was worried while we were away on our four-day trip to Oklahoma. Hick's oldest son, HOS, was stopping by to feed Jack, and Juno, and Billy the goat, and Barry the mini pony, and Survivor the rooster, and his assorted unnamed chicken friends, and the turkey, and the guineas. Worried that Puppy Jack would eat too much. We gave HOS strict instructions on the portions size of the dry puppy food, and a measuring cup. Hick set up a contraption to keep Puppy Jack out of Juno's food dish. He has a penchant for feeding until he's ready to burst, while Juno eats until she feels full, and leaves the rest of her meal for later.

Yes. That's a Hicktraption. Hick found a wire crate in his BARn hoard, and wedged it between the metal trash can that houses Juno's dry food, and a student desk that he got from my mom that was being given away at one of her old elementary schools. A piece of plywood for the top, and voila, a table for one for our esteemed Miss Juno. You might also note that in this photo, Hick's penchant for overfeeding the animals is evident.

When we got home from our trip, Puppy Jack was pretty thick. No way could he gave gotten into his puppy food, which was in a fake Tupperware container on top of that decrepit student desk. And Juno's pan was put up out of reach. I surmised that perhaps HOS filled the measuring cup so it was almost overflowing, rather than going by the 1-cup markings on the side. It doesn't take much extra food to enable Puppy Jack to put on weight. He's a tiny little critter. He doesn't wear it well.

We got home really late/very early on Saturday, and slept in. Around noon, I told The Pony to go feed Jack. He usually gets food morning and evening, rather than once a day. Puppy Jack, that is. Not The Pony. The Pony went out through the laundry room door to the dog-feeding area on the back porch. He was back almost instantly.

"I found Jack on Juno's food platform. IN THE PAN! He was standing in there eating her food! I don't think he needs a feeding right now."

The Pony tried to recreate the scene for photographic evidence, but Jack was just too darn happy to see him.

Of course that picture makes Jack look gargantuan. Like I said, he was a bit full around the middle. He is gradually shaping up again.

Here's the problem. When that Juno-table was constructed, we forgot about Puppy Jack's climbing ability. He has shown that he can get out of a Rubbermaid tub. Even when he was puppier than he is now. The Pony put him in it (shh...the one we let him sleep in when we let him in the house the first week while Hick was away in France) for a photo opp.

And this is what happened after a few seconds.

He looks really big there, but that rim is still below his chest. AND he was climbing out of here when he was half this size. Puppy Jack has REALLY strong arms. He gets a grip, gives a little hop, scrabbles with his back feet, and HE'S OUT!

Just this morning, Puppy Jack tried to jump INTO the Rubbermaid tub. I don't know what he was thinking, but he gave me the side-eye, then took a leap. Unfortunately, it was right after I fed him his half cup of dry puppy food, and he scammed a half slice of Nutty Oat bread from Juno's pan. He could not get purchase with his back feet, because the side of the Rubbermaid tub is concave when trying to go IN. Jack fell backwards onto the porch, and had the sense to look a little embarrassed. To his defense, my sweet, sweet Juno was standing there watching the whole time, and might have distracted him.

I'm surprised he's not out climbing the trees, trying to get to the roosting chickens. He loves chasing them. He's an active little imp.