A Step Back

So we have left all the doors of the house open today, letting our two pups run around to their hearts content. Olive is investigating all of the rooms, and when she is done she goes and investigates them again like she has never seen them before and like all the smells they bring are new and exciting.
The pitter patter of tiny feet everywhere is wonderful as Olive trots around and Alvin hops.

The poor pooch goes upstairs though - mega speed - but when it is time to come back down again, she peers over the top step and just can't bring herself to jump. She stands at the top and starts crying. We go up to her and pat the next step and she sniffs for a bit and then barks at us. Usually we give in and carry her down, but when we have got the time to spend 10 minutes on the stairs, we insist she learns.
She will bark and whimper and then lean over the step, putting her paws on the next one, and then very very carefully, let her back paws join them. Then she barks again, clinging on to the carpet.
She's roughly the same size as each step.


Today, I was busy taking washing out of the washing machine and carrying it upstairs. The dog was chasing me everywhere trying to get in on the action. I would carry her back downstairs each time and then she would run back up behind me.

Just as I was coming to the last of the washing, I heard the usual little rumble behind me coming up the stairs. And just as the pup got to the top, Alvin pounced for her from his perch on the landing.
Being quite afraid of our rabbit, the pup leapt in the air backwards, and disappeared down the stairs, paws, tail, ears, tumbling heavily. She got up dazed but ok, and looked at me with her cocked head like 'see, that's why you carry me.'

Alvin is being very territorial and since he saw the dog's fear, he actually follows her round, knowing that she will cower from him. If he is the hallyway, Olive will not pass him without us. She will sit several feet away just watching him, but will refuse to move an inch closer.

Alvin will actually pounce on her nose if she does walk by unsupervised and as she draws away backwards, he will continue smacking her on the nose until we come and intercept.

I'm sure it won't last forever and I feel that if we shower Alvin with affection when the dog's around, he will only grow to see her as a good thing - I hope.

I pray they can be friends!!