Life with Tyke...

Jesker had taken Tyke's rawhide bone away from him. He's wasn't doing anything with it. He was just keeping it very close to him so Tyke couldn't get it and every time he tried, Jesker growled at him, until Jesker fell asleep and Tyke managed to snatch the bone away and continued to have a wonderful time chewing on it for the rest of the evening and this morning. It seems that Jesker admitted his defeat, because he never did try to get that bone away from Tyke again. Jesker does take everything away from Tyke though. So I have to make sure I have two of everything. It's a good thing I'm going grocery shopping with my sister this morning, so I can stack up on some dog chews and make it as fair as I can for both the dogs.

Bedtime was interesting. Jesker laid down on his pillow and Tyke jumped on the bed with me, but he found it necessary for the first hour to come and lick my face every 5 minutes. He finally did settle down and I did get about four hours of sleep, which is my usual amount. The first thing I did was let the dogs out back for a piddle and then made a big deal out of it when they both went. I let Tyke out more often and praise him lavishly when he does a piddle and he is so happy when I do. Positive reinforcement!

Jesker is getting a new lease on life, because he gets to be assertive and the top dog. I think he enjoys that role. Of course, I help him be it, because he does deserve a little bit of respect. He doesn't like it when Tyke starts roughhousing with him, so I prevent that and Tyke listens well. He aims to please.

This little bundle of life is just what I needed to happen in my life. It gives me something to keep me busy and focused on and amused. I'm constantly having to deal with a dog that is really almost still a puppy and needs a lot of attention. Besides that, I also have to pay attention to Jesker, so it keeps me on my toes. It makes me livelier and more alert and less self centered. I can't have kids to bestow my love and attention on, but I can have dogs and I always do better when I have someone or something to take care of. I still have a lot of maternal feelings.

In the meantime, I'm sitting here very cozily with my cup of coffee and my cigarettes and the dogs at my feet. Gandhi is sitting on the dining table keeping an eye on things. I don't know where Toby is, but I'm sure he's not far away.

It's 5C outside and cloudy, but we are expecting no rain. All the snow and icy patches have been washed away and yesterday it was actually a nice day with some sunshine at times. I went outside in just my winter coat without my scarf or gloves and I wasn't cold. It was so nice to go for a drive in Yvonne's car through the countryside, even though everything is still very wintry looking. It's just nice to see some different scenery. Of course, we momentarily got lost driving to the kennel, but then miraculously found our way there anyway, thanks to Yvonne's great driving skills. No thanks to my reading of the directions.

Tyke was supposed to be housebroken, but he gets it wrong sometimes. Luckily, he gets it wrong on the linoleum, making for an easy clean up. I have to keep a better eye on him. An eagle's eye.

I hope you all have a nice day. I'm counting on one myself. I'm bound to with these two dogs.

Ciao.

P.S. I'll take photos of Tyke today and hope there is a good one to publish later on.