We picked Alvin up about 2 years ago this month - it seems likes we've had the little chap much longer!
We'd thought about it for ages, or rather I had, and in the end, my partner Al gave in to me and we went to the pet shop to go and pick one out.
Well, when we got to the little rabbit enclosure, there was just one little guy in there - a tiny bundle of cream and blue fluff with huge floppy ears that fell down the front of his little face. He was gorgeous.
A green-uniformed guy strode over to us. 'If you can back on Tuesday we'll have a new delivery and you'll have more choice,' he said.
I looked down at the little bunny on the floor who just sat there looking at us. He was the one.
We took Alvin home in the car, he was sat in a little cardboard box and I insisted we had him on my knee.
When we got him home, we sat in the living room and put the box in the middle of the floor and watched it, waiting for the little guy to emerge.
He didn't. That little chap sat in that box for about an hour, occassionally sniffing the air, but generally quite happy and at home in his box.
Eventually, when we could bare the suspense no longer, we tipped the box onto it's side and sat again to watch.
Alvin finally sniffed his way out and the tiny little ball sat on the floor, taking in his new surroundings.
After that there was no stopping him. He quickly settled in, deciding on where his litter trays should be, getting into bed with us on a Sunday morning, following us everywhere. He became a part of the family and enjoyed being the only pet in the house....
We picked up Olive last week. Another tiny ball of fluff, she is a nine week old labrador with short, white fur and big black eyes and nose.
She also has now made herself feel at home and mostly lives in the living room with us. She spends most of the morning playing and biting things, before we take her out into the garden for wee-wees and then she puts hereself into her bed to go to sleep. We've got a huge cage for her. We never put her in it, we wait for her to go in herself, telling her 'bed' as she climbs in.
Then we very gently close the gate so she's not bothered. She usually just watches us close it through one sleepy eye.
And then we let Alvin in to play.
He happily spends most of his time now upstairs whilst we're getting Olive used to him.
They've met through Alvin's cage and through her cage, and then whilst on the lead. They are mostly fine, sniffing each other and then getting bored of each other and walking away. But then if Alvin makes the first move in walking away, Olive gets excited and tries to jump on him and play. It's going to be a real work in progress and we are not expecting them to get on straight away at all. But we do hope that they get used to each other and become good friends.
Olive is starting puppy training this week which we can't wait for as her little needle teeth are really beginning to hurt.
She is learing the word 'no' but sometimes has selective hearing.
She is toilet trained to the point that she will wait by the back door if she needs to go. If we don't notice her, she will just wee on the rug but that hardly ever happens. And in the night we just get up once to let her out for five minutes and she is fine.
Our house is completely all about our pets now. When I am not playing with Olive, I am upstairs trying to give Alvin as much attention as possible. I think he's actually doing really well out of this, enjoying the extra treats and extra cuddles.
Al and I talk about things we've never talked about before like poo and wee! We compare notes on Olive's poo and then go on doggy forums to ask if her poos are normal!
Will keep you updated on all of Alvin and Olive's progress and their new, developing friendship. Watch this space........
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