My concerns about my relationship with Riley changing were unfounded.

Here’s pretty much the communication he has had with me since the bigger dogs came:

“Mommy, pick me up! I don’t want to be down there with those other dogs.”

“Let’s you and me go lounge on the bed and shut the door.”

“Can you carry me around? I like being higher than those big dogs.”

He won’t challenge Puddin–he knows her from before and is just a tiny bit intimidated. Not hugely, but a bit. She just looks at him. I mean, that’s pretty much all she does, anyway. That, and lie down. She defines the term ennui.

He’s realized he can intimidate Lil He and Tinker, and does so regularly. He chases them out of rooms he wants to be in. He barks in an outrage if they try to eat his food.

Bossy. And very mean.

But so cute!

And the there’s the situation with the cat. That IS a problem.