As you know Mom and Dad put me on the disabled list to rest my sore leg.  Little did they realize though how hard I work keeping an eye on Asa and disciplining him.  By telling me I had to take it easy, Asa saw this as his opportunity to ascend to the throne of Alpha.  I must admit at first it was entertaining watching Asa test boundaries and enjoy his new found privileges.  For example one of Asa’s first act as Alpha was to insert himself between Mom and me, and insist he get petted first.  But it didn’t take long for Asa to abuse his power.

Case in point, Asa declared everything in the house was now a toy at his disposal.  At first he would innocently carry a shoe from one room to another, or nibble a bit on the old bath mat.  But then Asa decided to chew the TV remote control!  No one in this house ever dared to do that before.  Not even when we were teething puppies.  But there he was chewing on one of our Kingdom’s most cherished possessions!  Luckily Dad intervened and rescued the TV remote from certain death.  There was peace in our Kingdom once more.

But that peace didn’t last long.  Unwittingly Mom and Dad further encouraged Asa’s inevitable rise to power, by only taking him on neighborhood patrol this week.  Without me to guide him, Asa took this as an opportunity to set the pace.  If you thought Nyquist ran fast when he won the Kentucky Derby last weekend, you should have seen Asa take off on his walk dragging Dad down the driveway!  It was impressive how quickly they managed to do our usual walk, but I could tell by Dad’s huffing and puffing that he was not pleased with Asa’s insistence on running a 5K race these past few days.

By the time they returned from competing against Asa’s imaginary runners, most mornings I had already enjoyed my breakfast.  Now Asa is of the mindset if he doesn’t see it happen, it didn’t happen.  So when he was served breakfast alone, he immediately assumed that they were no longer feeding me.  It was rather comical how he savored his meal fit for a King, and would triumphantly strut around the kitchen afterwards.  All the while taunting me about my lowered status.  I just sighed and went back to napping.  No sense explaining the truth to him, that it was me who got scrambled eggs in my bowl each morning as a special treat, while he was on patrol.  He wouldn’t listen.

At first it was entertaining watching Asa test his boundaries, while Mom and Dad were baffled by his sudden outbursts.  However after enduring his tyrannical acts for days I needed a break.  So yesterday afternoon I retreated to my quiet spot under the backstairs in the yard.  Normally Asa knows not to bother me when I’m there.  Yet once again the old rules did not apply, and Asa took this as an opportunity to pontificate about his new status.  It was at this moment, as I sat under the stairs, that I realized he had turned my happy place into a dungeon.

That’s when I revolted and burst out, leg well-rested, barking and wrestling him to the ground.  Thus regaining my role as Alpha and ending Asa’s reign of terror.  At first Mom gasped in horror at my behavior, but quickly realized all was well.  Not to mention she and Dad gained a new appreciation for the hard work I do disciplining my little brother.  I’m happy to announce I’m officially off the disabled list, Asa has returned to being a happy-go-lucky puppy, and there is peace in my Kingdom once more.  Sic Semper Tyrannis!