2 4 1

What's better than a tired collie?
A collie I didn't have to tire out myself :)

Jinks is "training" Levi to have polite play manners. This requires Levi (collie mix) to think, Jinks (full collie) to think more -she has to be one step ahead of her pupil-, and me to supervise. It's really a beautiful thing to watch and Jinks is the ideal dog to teach another medium-high energy pup what the ropes are. She is tireless, if she isn't teaching the proper way to wrestle, she's teaching how to mind a dog with a toy and then shares for Levi's polite behaviour. Jinks the etiquette police. She is a much more effective teacher than I am when it comes to canine social skills!

Beckett is nice daddy, Lemon is the "I will make you like people" dog who most of the time keeps to herself, and Jinks is the "Let's get on these dog skills shady lady." A good team indeed.

Levi will stay here until a few days before we move to our new home (July 29th it looks like now), and then will be on foster camp relief with Sharon in Port Alberni for a week or so. It'll give her a change of pace, an ability to meet more people (we are quite reclusive, hermit like sometimes), and besides, I'm a horrible mover in general. I'm already starting to become a huge pile of nerves. I am very careful that if I'm getting stressed I put Levi away, or I make Jinks supervise her ;). I don't want to feed nervous/unbalanced vibes to her. I'm good for now, but the closer we get to move date, the harder it will be.

I keep trying to tell myself "it's no big deal" but then in my gut the move does become a huge deal, and then the wedding stuff creeps in and soon I just want to shove my head under a cushion and come out when it's all over. Irrational, but creepy what the body/mind does under stress.

But it's all good. I'm on a steady pace packing and sorting wise, have booked my moving truck, etc. I just have to get through the next few weeks without surrendering what little sanity I have.

On the whole, 2-4-1 deal works awesome, two tired collies without too much effort from mum. And this is why young dogs just work better in this foster home too.

This blog might be quiet for a bit. Lots to do!
Emily Out