Lion dutifully reminded me yesterday was punishment day and that he had one infraction. He even emailed me in case he forgot to actually tell me. We have become so used to emailing during the day, sometimes he forgets when we are together. We talk about all sorts of things, but punishment and maintenance days are not among them.
Lion had a rough weekend in terms of allergies. Having the dog in close quarters is difficult. It’s bad enough at home, but there’s really nowhere to hide in the trailer. We need to splurge on a bath for her. Washing the dander off and having someone who knows how to get the most fur off of her will do wonders for him. Needless to say, Lion was not sleeping well. By last night he was cranky. When I went to administer his punishment swats I made it to eight before he rolled over and said it was too much. I asked if he thought I was done. He said he didn’t care. He wasn’t good at anything so not being able to take more swats shouldn’t surprise me. Obviously we were talking about more than swats.
Once I realized that he wasn’t just being a toddler I decided punishment wasn’t going to work. I can always resume tonight. It’s maintenance spanking night, but I can turn that into punishment. Again, not the issue. Lack of sleep, allergies, and not hearing a word about his recent interviews had come to a head. When I stopped swatting him he was convinced I was mad at him. And that translated immediately into fear that I wouldn’t want to be with him anymore. It’s easy to spiral out of control when so many things are bothering you.
I am not giving up on my Lion. Job or no job, we will be together. His ability, or inability, to accept punishment swats will not change that. If he needs me to brush the dog and vacuum every day, I will do it. I was going to suggest leaving him wild for another day, but I thought that might give him more reason to think I was giving up on him. My motivation, of course, was to make him comfortable. Before I could suggest it, he asked if I was going to get the cage or if I wanted him to get it. Clearly he wanted to be caged. I can understand why. Despite my idea that he might be more comfortable, having the cage on is a reminder that I own him. Especially when I’m not home. Without it, I can imagine him feeling abandoned.
Now he is safely and securely locked up. The key is hidden. He is at my mercy as to when he will be released and if he will be edged. Tonight he will definitely get swats. The only question is whether they will be maintenance or punishment swats. I’ll decide later on.
