Replaced -- Monty's new love

Monty is a friendly dog.  Sort of.  He loves to meet new people, he just likes me better.  When someone comes to the door, Monty is more likely to run to greet me.  Even if I've been there the whole time and the someone at the door is The Guy after a day at work.

He has a pattern, our dog.  He greets the person at the door with a few sharp barks.  Then, when we admit the person to the home, he decides if he likes that person.  If he likes the person, he immediately runs to get a toy.  He does not want anyone to touch the toy -- he just wants to show you he has it.  Do not be confused.  He is not sharing.  He is bragging.

Monty is definitely my dog.  If I am in the house, no matter what else is going on, he must be near me.  The Guy will go to bed early and Monty really wants to go, but if I'm up so is he.  If The Guy is eating in the basement, but I'm asleep Monty is firmly planted in the bed.  He won't so much as sit on The Guy's side of the couch unless he can reach me.

Lounging in the sun.

This is why the following story is so confusing for me.

I brought Monty with me during my stay at Grandma's.  He has travelled with me all over and comes to visit Grandma's on a regular basis.  It's his home away from home -- and it has his sister, Vicki, there!

On Wednesday, my Auntie Ruth arrived to help us get Grandma ready for the move.  Monty has never met Auntie before, so he greeted her with his regular barking bonanza and then ran off to get her a toy.  He immediately brought Auntie a toy and followed her around the apartment.

The next day, Monty left my room where I was in bed to go visit Auntie Ruth.  He let her scratch his back and turned around so she wouldn't miss his favourite spots.  He sat by her chair at lunch even though he knows that Grandma is the one who sneaks him food when she thinks I'm not looking.

The final straw was when I was sitting on the couch working on the computer.  Monty was sitting with me as he always does.  His back was pressed up against my thigh and he was snoring softly.  As much as I hate to disturb him, I had to get up to grab something from the other room.

When I got back, he was sitting on the other couch next to Auntie Ruth.  He looked at me with what can only be described as disdain, sighed deeply, and settled deeper into the cushions.

I'm pretty sure, if Monty could have figured out how to get into her suitcase, I would have been down one dog.