Life with the dogs. Always interesting.

Dog sitting certainly has its benefits.   Lots of walks in the woods, up and down hills, raises the level of one's fitness.   There is also the entertainment value too, watching three dogs and their antics, and their power play.

In the woods, the three dogs are on equal territory, although Bobbi and Jezzie tend to follow Poppy, in and out of trees, and to the foot of every tree that contains a squirrel.   Bobbi and Jezzie like to play fight, and Poppy will join in, and bowl them over because she is so much larger.   Mostly they run around, madly.   There is one activity they do not share. Poppy loves mud and water, and Bobbi and Jezzie hate getting their feet wet or muddy, so they do not follow Poppy when she bounces into lovely muddy puddles.  Well lovely for her anyway.

They are all interested in other dogs, and a fair bit of sniffing goes on, but I notice  they stick up for each other, if another dog tries to dominate them.   Sometimes one or other of the dogs embarrasses me, usually when they growl or snarl at another dog.   It is always better to believe that your dogs are the best behaved dogs.   The most embarrassing moment was when they bailed up a man, who was brandishing a stick at them.   It was a bit incongruous; a friendly labrador, and two small dogs who are minus  most of their teeth, surrounding a very large man holding a very large stick.   He was not impressed.

Back home, Bobbi dominates, and will happily play with Poppy when the mood takes her, but she can also curl her lip, revealing one tooth, should Poppy enter any space that Bobbi feels is her own.   And at the moment it especially applies to the spots of sunshine in the conservatory.

On this beautiful sunny day, Poppy took refuge in the comfort of Walter's chair.  No sunshine.

Bobbi relaxing in the sunshine on the footstool, and Jezzie, unseen in the photograph, relaxing on the chair behind Bobbi.    Total dominance of the conservatory.  I might add that Bobbi was not entirely relaxing as she was watching out, in case Poppy tried to take her chance, and lie on the mat.

And when Bobbi and Jezzie went back to their home, Poppy breathed a sigh of relief and took control of the sunshine in the conservatory again.   Bliss.

I must add that we also lizard sat too.   Jeff has grown somewhat during the past two years, and his old vivarium, now only used when visiting other houses, is a little too small.   But he had a good view of all that was going on, in the house, and did not appear bored.   I am sure he breathed a sigh of relief at being out of harms way, when it came to the three dogs.

Life is certainly not boring, when dog sitting.   Or lizard sitting.   I must not forget Jeff, the most placid of all pets.