My mornings now start with a chirrup.

No, not a dawn chorus, but a trilling from Hector-the-pup in his downstairs crate announcing that he's woken up and needs (a) attention, (b) food, but most urgently (c) a piddle.

But I kid you not that he sounds just like a bird. I jumped up at the back of 4am one morning, thinking he'd woken up. I'd heard a squawking. I hesitated at the top of the stairs listening for more sounds from below. But false alarm. Just seagulls!

And Hebe-the-dog has partially given up her insistence on him toeing-the-line. If Hector-the-pup wants something, he tries everything in his arsenal to get it.

He is quite insistent that he doesn't want to share.

And he uses unfair tactics like gripping toys with his vice-like teeth and paws, plus using his shoulders to keep Hebe-the-dog wrong-sided, and more sneakily adding a quick nip to her front paws, or her ear, or any part of her really, that happens to be within biting distance.

All this is accompanied by a sound like a miniature motorbike being revved up. Not very scary. But obviously the ear tugs & toe nips are very distracting, and his lack of respect is completely shocking!

Have you ever seen online those resin ornaments of a mother bear lying on her back, smiling, while balancing her cub on her feet? (It's so cute! I almost bought one.)

Well, I caught Hebe-the-dog doing exactly that move. But, alas, that pose was not frozen in time like the resin bear, but part of a fluid Mick McManus manoeuvre to wrestle Hector-the-pup over her head, to land on the ground in a hapless heap of sprawling legs.

Now that got him really mad!

He got up with his teeth going like a pair of overactive pinking scissors.

I had to intervene to stop an escallation of bad temper. And I have found an effective item to halt these bouts of grizzliness in their tracks.

In my armoury is a plant mister.

A quick spray of that in the main offender's direction is very effectual: instant good behaviour!

I have been consistent in its use, but never over-used it. Now, I just have to show them the bottle, or just mention, 'That's enough, or I'll get the squooshie!'

The amazing calming property of tiny droplets of water.

Below is a pic of them sleeping together on the couch. This has been the idealised picture in my head of two dogs relaxing together, asleep in total harmony. However, this pic was taken yesterday. It merely lasted 2 mins. 'Cos Hector-the-pup stretched out a bit more in his sleep, and brushed against Hebe-the-dog's front paws. She was immediately open-eyed and alert. She stared at him for a few seconds and decided, on balance, that it was safer to move. A cunning nip could be on the cards!

Ah well, early days.

To date:

Hector-the-pup: 3 months old, fast, hungry, devious, sometimes snappy, but always cute.

Hebe-the-dog: 3 years old, not as fast, always hungry, needs to up-her-game in deviousness, never snappy but sometimes displays the potential of her much bigger fangs through an open mouth, and still very cute.

Val-the-pack-leader: 3 score years+, not as fast as she once was, good appetite, needs to have eyes in the back of her head, snappy when tired, unsure of her 'cute' status.

Artwork on hold.

Dog days have come early!