At least in the case of our two. Cinnamon on her own, equals about 3 dogs, in terms of energy level. Do you see where I'm going with this?
3 dogs (Cinnamon) + 1 puppy (Ophelia) = not 2 dogs.
Ophelia is nearly as perfect as they come. Behaviorally, she doesn't act out. When I tell her "no" she understands that it means to quit that behavior. If she wants something from me, she knows to sit for it. When we're working on commands, her eyes are ALWAYS on me, without me having had to train that into her. Her energy level is extremely low. If she's out back playing with the kids, after five minutes of running around she's at the door, ready to come back in. On occasion she will bark, but I've not once heard her whine.
You have to know that she is the complete opposite of Cinnamon. This is why she's pure joy to raise, and why I willingly endure the work of two dogs. It's just one simple aspect of grace in my life.
The two of them get along, although big sister has her moments of snarkiness. I have learned what can set her off and do my best to avoid those situations. Still, Ophelia is young and isn't always socially attuned to when it's best to stay clear of her. Thankfully, I have several friends who have given me pointers on how best to deal with her when it happens. My wrestling skills are being honed these days...
At nearly five months Ophelia is proving to be a delightful addition. The Seeing Eye isn't breeding as many Golden Retrievers so the fact that we have one is a rarity. She's my companion on errands most days (except for the grocery store- that's the one place she's not allowed). At Target every week, she's become well known to one employee. The first time Ophelia met her, she brought the lady to tears, as she recalled her own Golden. The ease with which she travels along side of me is proof that she will make a great Seeing Eye dog.
There's plenty of work yet to be done. In another few months, she'll take the test to be vested. In the meantime, we're working diligently at home on basic commands to ensure that she passes. Sit, down, rest, come are all practiced daily in an effort to see her succeed.
The trio loves a fire on a cold day.
