Getting Back on Track

So it's been a while since I wrote on here... I know! I fell behind, and began regretting starting a blog in the first place. I'm not a person who does things like write in a journal (I did it once while out of the country, and really didn't enjoy it), I don't watch specific shows on TV (being tied to the television week after week doesn't work for me, but DVR is a beautiful thing!). So it's been difficult for me to keep up with this. BUT Joe deserves better. He is so willing and smart, I can't just stop!

We did get a little distracted due to a BIG change. There has been a new addition to the family in the form of a 4 month old Great Dane. She is now almost 6 months old, and a force to be reckoned with. It always takes time to become acclimated to a new pet. So, Joe and I have been spending a lot of time figuring out the best way to go through the day to day. It has been challenging, but probably more difficult for Joe than for me.

At the beginning, when my parents went to work, Gracie (the adorable, energetic, harlequin with different colored eyes, giant ears, and a big pink nose) was dropped off in my room in the mornings. This was interesting at first. The only way I could keep the peace (and get some shut eye) was to get everyone (the cat George, Joe who has his own bed, and Gracie) laying on my bed and comfy enough to go to sleep. It's amazing that I got this to happen at all! Call me the animal whisperer ;)

Gracie has definitely become a large source of entertainment and joy, especially when she and Joe are racing around the coffee table and playing tug of war. But this blog is about Joe (MY dog, the smaller, cuter, fluffy one in the family), and he has handled Gracie coming into our family pretty well. He puts up with Gracie constantly biting him, shoving toys in his face, and sitting on him, with growling. Luckily he is very fast, and can therefore escape Gracie fairly easily. She pretty much follows him everywhere, which can be very convenient. When we tell Joe "out" he will leave the kitchen as told, and Gracie who has no clue what that means simply follows.

Joe has definitely been frustrated, since ALL the attention isn't directed toward him. I try to take Joe to my room, to relax and play, as much as possible. I try to focus most my attention to him. He now has his own special treats down in my room. They only for when he is a "good dog" which is always (my Mom even said "Now that we have Gracie, I realize what a good dog Joe is"), and just being himself, and deserves a treat, which is almost everyday. Just to remind him how special he really is.

In the middle of this my Sister bought me a hula-hoop! This is for Joe's tricks. He can already hop through it with very little encouragement. I did jump the gun, and worked on this without consulting the trick book. Hopefully, very soon, I will get back on here with and update on Joe's latest trick. I'm going to do some checking up on what we have learned so far, and build upon them with jumping through the hoop!

Thanks for reading!