Girl, Rottweiler x 2

Treat? Treat?

As I am well aware, but the reader may not be, there is nothing as lovable, cuddly, patient, and sweet as a Rottweiler puppy. No other breed is as well behaved, quiet, and easy going as a singular Rottweiler. Due to this jaded opinion, I have also developed an overprotective mommy streak. A mommy streak which breaks through the coffee shop window and prances around outside just to say, “Look how amazing my dog is!” Now I am under the firm impression that Moses, while being capable of much curiosity is never outright evil unless certain criteria are met. The criterion for being hell spawn includes only one variable; is his brother at the coffee shop?

Vahan 

My day at the coffee shop starts out at 6:30 am, where I open doors, clean tables, brew the house and French roasts, boil water, and do simple math equations. On a normal day, Moses looks at me with sleepy eyes, hops up on the red chair and sleeps. Or he runs over to where the treats are kept, steals one, looks up at me with sleepy eyes, races to the chair, begins to munch, then sleeps. These are regular occurrences.

Though on very special days at the coffee shop, there are two Rottweiler puppies, the hounds of hell have been unleashed. Vahan, is Moses’ litter mate and is the bigger, slinkier, thinner dog owned by the coffee shop’s owner (peer pressure is another story).  Working with them in the coffee house becomes a battle to stay aloft as puppy bodies slam into legs, chairs, couches, and whatever else they can bounce off.

This day was no exception.

It started out normal – ish, well not many customers were in that day, and it was nice not to feel hurried. Moses and I were doing what we do best; chill, while waiting for a customer. It was almost the end of my shift and I was ready to go home (my. The next shift was the owner’s and I figured, the puppies would get to play for ten minutes and I could go home and do the homework that I may have been procrastinating on.

I didn’t know a puppy marathon was about to occur.

Vahan turned the corner and Moses ran to the door, tail wagging, he looked at me, Do you see whose here? It’s bro! Can we play? Can we play?

The owner opened the door and the MMA puppy tournament had commenced. Now, when both of them weighed twenty pounds and looked like balls of fur it was fun to watch because not much damage had occurred. Seeing a puppy everyday while it grows makes one forget that they are no longer twenty pounds. Two forty to fifty pound pups slammed into each other, pushing the couch a good six to seven inches. The scrape of wood on concrete echoed painfully.

The owner grinned, “He needed this.”
 I agree that they both needed the play time together, but every time they do I get demoted from barista to puppy wrangler.

I've got your foot! 

I stood in the gap that would allow them behind the counter. When one of them was there it was ok because both of them were easy going, kind of lazy, dogs who liked to chew on toys and sleep on chairs. Now, with them both there, they had become furies.  Biting, bowing, barking, bashing, snarling, snapping, sneaking, you name it they were doing it. Rolling, racing, pause … drinking… drinking …. Drinking …. Un-pause… howling, yipping, kicking, etc. It was impressive how bossy Moses could be, while Vahan just took the complaints in stride. I could hear Moses snarl, get off! Get off! Get off! Get off! Ill bite! Get off!

And Vahan’s silent answer back was to grab Moses’ leg with his teeth.
The owner looked at them, “They’re getting too big.”

“Yep.”

I watched the spectacle. Believing that both we owners were glad there was no customers there. When they crashed into something, the owner looked at me, “I think it’s time they were done.”

“Yeah.” I nodded grabbing the leash, “Moses c’mere!”

Moses tried, I could see the visible effort, then a puppy mouth closed on his leg and the wrestling started again.

“Mo!” I called and walked out the door. Moses came, so did Vahan. Dodging one puppy while getting the other puppy out the door is a challenge. Opening the door I pushed Moses outside while using my body as a barrier to keep Vahan inside. I squished myself out the door, closing it as I did. Vahan sat on one side of the door, Moses on the other. Vahan scratched at the door, begging to go with his brother.

“No, you stay here.” I heard the owner say. Vahan went over to him tail wagging.

Moses pranced right out to the car. Wagging his tail, acting as if he hadn’t been a child of Satan a few minutes before.  I opened the door and he jumped in and scooted over to what was now his seat (it had been my ex’s). He curled up and rested his head on the divider between the two front seats and let out a sigh.

That was fun! Why’d stop? Wanna play more!

I got in turned the car key and drove.

I realized when I got home, I had forgotten my tip. 

Girl, Rottweiler, and Hygiene

Get up? No. 

 I slowly rose from bed glaring at the alarm that had gone off. I didn't work at the coffee shop today. So why was my alarm going off at-

"OOOUUUFFFA"

I cringed as the bringer of mornings landed on top of my stomach. Then following his normal proceedings, began to lick at my face. 

"Get off!" 

My futile pushing ended up with girl falling off one side of the bed and puppy falling off the other. The devious deadly puppy plan had succeeded. His tail wagged as he hit the floor, i thought you never ever were ever going to get up.

After being the care giver to a rottweiler puppy for a few months, my need to glare disappeared with the fact that it would be entirely wasted on two large chocolate eyes. I opted for a sigh instead, "Yeah. I'm up. Time to bathe." 

I walked blindly out of the bedroom, followed by the clip clip clip of little paws and tripped by the prancing bearer of said paws. 

"Mo! Stop it, I need to walk."

Obviously to no avail. 

I finally made it the few yards to the bathroom, watching grimly as the puppy went right over to the pile of worn, not worn, and partially worn clothing; strategically discarded but clearly an inviting dog nest. I grumbled  about how "his majesty" did not have to clean up said dirty clothing as I threw my pajamas. (I am under the firm belief that pile grows without my knowing.) He avoided the flying pajamas and then found them the warmest place to curl up. 

Best sleep spot ever!

I turned the shower on toward the left, knowing that I should test the temperature before I stepped in to the flaming hell of Mount Doom. I held my hand under the water for a few seconds testing it. I was correct, it did  heat up to Mordor levels. I was amused as I turned it back a few centimeters to the right. Perfect shower temperature accomplished. I stepped in,  relief swelled as the hot, but not burning water ran down my back. 

"This is the life." I was content. 

I turned around to get my face wet, and felt fur hit the back of my legs as if launched from a pupapult (the puppy version of a catapult). I barely held my balance, falling in such a small shower would have been impressive but not comfortable. My eyes landed on the little painted eyebrows of the water-puppy, who was lapping the drain in the shower. 

"MO!" I squeaked, my ability to say his name inhibited by the shower function so it came out more like "Bllmmo!" 

He looked up at me, gave the puppy version of  "Oh whoopsy" and ran back to the laundry. 

"I still saw you!" 

No reply.

"Its not like you can hide it." 

Still no reply. 

I obviously had to stop having conversations with the dog. I grabbed the towel and came out to lecture him. He again gave me the look, I didn't do anything. I was thirsty. I got water. I didn't come flying at you from nowhere.

I grumbled as I moved around the laundry pile, how dogs shouldn't feel the need to take showers because it was trouble for their owners. 

Coffee, Rottweiler, and Pepper

Patter, patter, patter, patter, CRASH. I turned around to see him sprawled across the concrete floor, a silver   piece of whatever in his mouth. Little eyes gleaming, knowing that now I would have to pay attention. I sighed.

"A sixteen ounce house coffee, two dollars and fifty cents." I passed the vanilla drink over to the older woman while smiling. She was cleaner than most the people I had seen that morning, her gray hair full of tidy curls. Her wallet organized to perfection. Her hands shook as she passed me four in crisp dollars. 

"Keep the change."

I thanked her for the tip and dreaded her reaction to the event.  

"What a smart dog," She grinned, and took a sip.  I couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed as I put the cash into the drawer and the tip into my can.  There my forty pound, five month old rottweiler sat wagging his tail happily, while crunching on the pepper packages. He sneezed.

"He is quite adorable." The woman patted him while reaching for the sugar. 

Not to contradict the customer, I smiled, "He's a good dog."

"How old is he?"

"Five months," I felt my cheeks begin to hurt, "he's still a baby."

"What is his name?"

I grimaced, blaming my mother, "Moses."

"What a great name!" The woman bent down and brushed her hand awkwardly across his gigantic head (well for his body size). "Good boy Moses."

She left grinning, the door's chime belled behind her exit. 

"You -" 

Moses skittered away, up onto the red leather chair that was his favorite perch. Laid down and wagged his tail. The look on his face conveyed, I didn't do anything! She liked me! She said I was a good boy! 

I growled, and went over to where the pepper was flung across the floor. The packages were under the counter, across the back floor, trailing to the couch. I looked up at the brown eyes, "This is your fault, you little poop."

Moses wagged his tail. Knowing as all dogs owned by good owners know, I was full of it. I didn't think he was a little shit in honesty. I was just saying it because I was angry. He wagged his tail again. A sign that he had all but forgotten the fact he had caused trouble. 

I stood up after finding the rest of the pepper packages, "We need to have a serious discussion about rules."

Moses cocked his head to the side, not knowing a word I said. Turning around once in the chair, he laid down and closed his eyes. 

"Cant you do that when I am serving customers?"

He opened one eye, the look he gave me was the one that said, no, I can do whatever I want. The lady liked me. Deal.

I shook my head. "Grow up and get a real job."
 Moses wagged his tail once, sneezed once, and fell fast asleep.