I never knew dogs were so jealous

It's only natural for humans to be jealous -- of others' jobs, wealth, success and relationships.

But dogs?

I know dogs are loyal. My two -- Disney, a black labrador, and Tinkerbell, a yellow lab -- follow me everywhere. But I've found out they are also the jealous type.

My wife and I can't sit on the couch to watch television without our labradors getting offended. Disney, who will be 7 years old in June, will just look at us until we slide closer to make room for her on the couch. Tinkerbell, a 2-year-old puppy, takes the less subtle approach: she'll just climb on us and lay her 70-pound body on our laps.

And the dogs are just like kids: you can't treat one any different than the other. If one gets a belly rubbed, they both do.

This morning I had to take Tinkerbell to the veteranarian to get treated for an ear infection and I knew this would make Disney .. well, jealous. So before I left, I tried to distract Disney by giving her some food. I thought that if she was eating, she wouldn't notice that Tink and I were heading out the door.

I should have known better. As soon as I put the leash on Tinkerbell, Disney pulled her body away from the bowl and looked at me as if to say, "Why aren't you taking me along, daddy?"

Disney loves car rides, and several times she's run out of the house to the car when we're walking out the door to go away. She had that same look in her eye when Tink and I were ready to leave today, so I quickly opened the front door, left little space for Disney to race out, and closed the door behind me.

I expected to hear a bark or two in protest as I walked to the car, but Disney must have just gone back to eating. She needn't worry, though. The next time she has to go to the vet, Tinkerbell will be the one being jealous at home.