Zeeke’s a GSD, and he’s 100% devoted to his daddy. He and I have been in this power struggle since the day Den brought him home. I’ve learned how to deal with him, how to manage him, but I never felt like I got any respect from him. He is constantly trying to push my buttons and push his limits with me.

I am pregnant. I am 21 weeks (5 months) now.

And, I swear to you, that dog has started looking at me differently. I came home from work late yesterday, and instead of him barking and jumping all over the place and frustrating me, he… sat. And looked at me with big brown eyes. It was the eyes that really got me, because they were SOFT. I think I can count on one hand the number of times he has looked at me without some sort of spark or challenge in his eyes. He always has had this attitude of, “Yeah? You’re not my daddy. Make me.” But yesterday he looked at me with soft eyes… with RESPECT. He sat calmly for me. I rubbed his chest and scratched his ears and told him he was a good boy. And he followed me down the hall when I went to greet my husband, and repeated the sitting quietly.

I’ve been noticing this more and more lately. He has been listening to me better. Even when he has a tissue (his ultimate prize that he will throw a fit if you try to take from him) and I tell him calmly to drop it and move away, he does, without a fight. He has been letting the cat in the bedroom and NOT CHASING HIM. (He still chases the cat down the hall, but the stupid cat runs. We’re still working on that.) The cat has been sleeping curled up next to me during the daytime, without ANY harassment from the dog. If he tries it I tell him to “leave it” - and he does.

I really don’t know what caused this change. I don’t know if he’s finally growing up (he’s 4 and a half now!!), if he realizes that I’m pregnant and that somehow has changed things, or maybe I’m just acting different because I’m pregnant, more like a mother…. or maybe I’m just acting different towards him and it has nothing to do with the pregnancy. I don’t know. But boy am I glad to see it.

He still has issues… he still barks at every sound he hears (will be a problem when the baby’s here), and he still cannot be in any room unsupervised. But honestly those are annoyances, not major issues.

We found out we’re having a boy, by the way… a baby boy. I said to Den, “Oh that’ll be great, when our son grows up, Zeeke will LOVE to play with him! His very own boy!” Den got sad and said, “Honey… Zeeke will be old or gone by then.” I forgot. GSDs have a lifespan of only about 12 years, if you’re lucky. He’ll be 5 when the kiddo is born. Sigh. As much as the big lug annoys and frustrates me… that’s a sad thought.