Joy and Sabbath

Joy has been a really 'joyful' gift of the new year...........there's nothing like a young creature (of course human youngsters but also animals) - to get one smiling and relaxing. Joy has been a 'good girl' - very quiet, hardly a bark, just some soft whines - very occasionally. Amazingly peaceful yet playful. And she was toilet trained in under two weeks - just with some teaching (positive and negative reinforcement) and by Sabbath's example. One thing she still enjoys doing and finds it hard to restrain is the little half bites she gives as part of her way of communicating.

The two 'gals' don't get along too well, though. I guess Sabbath is rather old to finally find out that she is a 'doggy' and to learn to socialize with another dog. She tolerates Joy, although sometimes Joy irritates her and she gives a warning bark - Joy backs off so there is no real tussle (as yet - Joy is half her size now). Both compete for attention when I get home after being out and of course when I pat or praise one I have to do the same for the other...... Mealtimes are training times - and they have to 'sit down' for a short while - before I give the command to eat. Eating habits - both are typical of their breed - greedy dogs and finish their food without any pause - until the last lick of the bowl!! I have to stay around in case one finishes first and tries to see what the other is eating!

I am grateful for the wonder and fun of bringing up a pup again. Challenging but most enlivening. Maybe a good remedy for 'mid-life' crisis?