Big Boy

Ollie is going through his second fear period. There is nothing really exaggerated about Oliver in any way, so his fear period is fairly mild.

Last night we went for a long walk without a warm up walk with one of the older dogs first. He was a little apprehensive at first, making lots eye contact as if to say "are you sure about this?"

As he relaxed into the walk he became very proud of himself. I picked a loop that had no scary things at first then we walked by the herd of chihuahuas (another one, not my pack) and lo and behold, their cousin the pit bull was visiting. Oliver was a little unnerved, but we kept on keeping on. Then we paused at some construction going on across the street. Finally we walked over to Mom's front porch for treats and a visit. He was a fine little citizen, accepting his treats solemnly and then stretching out on the front porch while we chatted.

I give all my dogs one on one time, because if something were to happen to me it is unlikely someone would take the entire pack. Therefore, as a responsible dog owner, it is up to me to make sure each member is well behaved and social with people and other animals.

I love all the drama and chaos and upheaval that comes along with living with a group. But I also cherish the solitary walks and the road trips with a single good friend.

Whenever a member leaves and returns, there is always good and excited energy throughout the entire pack. They roll around with extra joy and no jealousy, glad to be together again.