Dog Updates

It is quite clear that between love and understanding there is a very close link...He who loves understands, and he who understands loves. One who feels understood feels loved, and one who feels loved feels sure of being understood. ― Paul Tournier, To Understand Each Other

Week one of dog-sitting Skipper has come to its end. How did it go? Well... up and down.

In one week, Skipper has had three baths. This is partially because he has a skin condition which flared up while he's been here and also because he's had a few poopy days which required some deep cleaning. He's been pretty stoic about it all, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't grateful to have a muzzle to put on him while I bathed him.

The other day, I noticed he had a couple of scabs on his back which seemed to be falling off. I plucked them off him, but I think that must have been the wrong thing to do because the skin underneath seems to be taking a long time to dry out. He started licking them and I got worried that they'd get infected, so I went digging through my closet and found a cheap t-shirt that doesn't fit me and slipped it on him while he chewed away some treats. The floral print gives him a somewhat Hawaiian look:

He doesn't seem to mind the shirt. I think he finds it quite comfortable:

He is happiest when he's out walking with us. As the days have passed, he's become slightly more open to us. He even ran to the door with Seymour to greet me when I got home one day:

Yesterday, I noticed him following me around, which was a big change from him laying quietly in his bed all the time. Turned out he wanted a few cuddles:

But you can see that Seymour is quite jealous of another doggy stealing his Mommy's cuddles. They got into a bit of a shouting and snarling match earlier today after Seymour tried to butt in during another cuddle session. I tried petting them both, but neither of them were having it. They're both taking a break from each other at the moment, but I'm hoping it's true when they say that dogs don't hold grudges. Meanwhile, Seymour's been getting his own cuddle time on his own:

Meanwhile, the garden is growing and the tomatoes are ripening and I am wondering if it's worth waging a war with the ants which are slowly chewing away at the cucumber leaves:

We haven't been going out for any car rides together since I don't want to figure out two dogs who are already wary of each other in a small moving vehicle. There have been plenty of couch days with me and my knitting with two dogs snoozing away in their respective beds. I may even have a finished project to share at the end of this dog sitting stint.

Skipper goes home on Tuesday, and I'm hoping the visit ends with everyone feeling like we can do this again. Seymour's supposed to go stay with him and his dad when we go away, and I want to feel sure that everything is going to go well. I guess time will tell. One thing is for sure: they share the same mooching style:

It's almost dinner time and then it'll be time for walkies, and then we'll all settle down for more knitting and snoozing time by the couch. I suppose that's a fair definition of peace. 

Have a good week!