Well, I knew he did - he's just about the only one on the place that could probably sustain himself with predation if he needed to. But when it came to aggression within his own kind, he was good at play-fighting but otherwise just a compliant, happy-go-lucky floppy puppy. Yesterday's the first time I ever saw him get more aggressive than a momentary snap over a bone.
He was tussling with Beauty, his usual sparring partner. She's pretty used to putting him in his place, though he's more than twice her size and weight and of course male. He got rough, she got rougher in response ... and suddenly she's half an inch from 80 pounds of hell-black killer with a mouthful of pearly fangs on full display. It only lasted a moment - she's not a brain surgeon, but defusing this situation didn't take Steven Hawking. She backed right off, and they were friends again. I don't know if he'd really have hurt her, but I don't know he wouldn't, either. He's gotten rough with Ghost, who for some reason won't put him in his place. Never in a mean way, but a bite is a bite whether it's done in a "didn't know my own strength" moment or really trying to hurt. When he's playing, he's a master of the body-slam, but usually turns and pulls the blow. Yesterday he blindsided Ghost while we were walking, and he didn't turn or slow in the least. He just raised his head and blasted Ghost right in the breadbasket at probably better than twenty MPH. Practically knocked Ghost down and it must have hurt, but again Ghost made no complaint.
I guess it's an adolescent thing every big pup goes through, but right now it doesn't seem real good that he's by far the biggest dog on the place. I miss Grampy Magnus: He'd just kick LB's ass until he learned his place. I wish Ghost would do it while he can, if he still can. I'm not around every minute.
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