Isabel and the Demon Dog

From the very first time that Isabel experienced the sharpness of Prince's bite, she was convinced that it was her duty to protect everyone from him.  Each time he tried to sniff Nikki or Charla, she would literally place herself as a barrier between them, raise the hair on her hackles and snarl as if she meant to tear him to pieces.  Even when he grew to be 20 times her size, she continued to stand up to him, valiantly defending whomever she suspected he wanted to accost.

Her protectiveness did not just extend to Nikki and Charla...it also included myself and my boyfriend. Prince's attempts to approach us when one of us was holding her resulted in her launching herself off of our laps and attempting to attach herself to the nearest part of his anatomy in a fit of rage.  Sometimes it was his body, sometimes his chin (whereupon he would shake his hand and send her flying).  This never deterred her, however.  She would simply race back for more, barking ferociously and hurling herself at the nearest part of him.

Sometimes Prince would tire of her attacks (especially when they involved food) and would simply pick her up in his mouth and move her.  Other times, however, he almost appeared to enjoy it, racing past her with his ears down and leaping over the gate separating the kitchen from the living room so she couldn't pursue him.

"She's so mean to him," I marveled to my boyfriend, who was Isabel's most special person...and the one she defended from Prince most ferociously.

"That's because she's scared," he said.  "Of you and your demon dog."

I had hoped that the two of them would be friends someday...but it appeared that was not to be.  At least not in my presence.  My boyfriend claims sometimes when Prince is asleep, Isabel will lie on top of him...but I have yet to see it with my own eyes.