In the first few months of the pandemic, our family lost a beloved family member, our chiweenie (mix of a chihuahua and dachshund) named Cinco. She was the perfect addition to our family in 2017 and really grew to get along well with Gus, the “black lab” we already had, who needed a friend. Their relationship was special and heart-warming. After Cinco’s death, Gus was left alone to mourn his friend's death. So we got another friend for him, who has turned out to be more of a nuisance than a friend to Gus. This new dog’s name is Spencer and he’s from Kentucky. We’re pretty sure he was a farm dog because he’s crazy and does whatever he wants. He’s been adopted and returned numerous times but we wanted to help him. This Jack Russell puppy is high energy with a high yappy bark who, like a toddler, gets grumpy at night and when he’s hungry. We’ve had a hard time with him, but he’s definitely getting better.

This piece follows the progress of the puppies learning to get along, from their first days of attacking each other to where they are now.