Pete and Repete

Here are Pete and Repete (Jack) dozing butt-to-butt in an afternoon sunbeam outside the back door.

Considering the somewhat prickly relationship between Pete and Ruthie, mostly because of Ruthie’s belief that Pete was actually some kind of lesser being brought into the family to make her miserable and less important, this kind of closeness after less than a week is surprising.

Pete is clearly a mentor and someone Jack looks to for cues on how to be a dog in this family. Jack follows him around the yard, running at him playfully and trying to get Pete to give chase. Pete hasn’t played with Jack yet, but we expect he will.

When a neighbor’s chocolate Lab came into the yard yesterday morning while Maria and I and Jack were out, Pete went into a low crouch and went at him like a freight train, barking his deepest, most threatening bark and chased him away. That was the first time we’ve ever seen Pete assume the role of protector, but he has clearly come into his own since Ruthie’s departure.

I think they’re going to be great pals.