This morning, I found myself trying to be quiet while pouring Cheerios into a bowl, trying to open the fridge door quietly, trying not to clank the spoon against the bowl. And then I remembered I didn’t have to do that any more. Uma was such a food hound that the least rustle of a grocery bag would bring her running from half a house away. The sound of a spoon scraping yogurt out of a tub was a signal to sit and beg. And we did indulge her with treats all the time, letting her lick out the inside of those single serving yogurts. With Rocky, he is not allowed to have ANY treats and no food except in his bowl at prescribed meal times. We have started to give him a kibble or two on whistle recall but it is still only kibble. And what a difference it makes. He has never begged for food. When we are eating our dinner, he comes over to keep us company but does not beg. He must know that it smells good but he doesn’t know he can ask for treats. I didn’t really mind Uma begging but I will not miss those two lines of drool that accompanied the begging.

We’re still up in the night for a poop but Rocky is now pooping more during the day. Sheila was concerned that he was holding it in for so long and he isn’t doing that, so it’s just me and sleep deprivation. I am sure his internal schedule will even out eventually and then we will all get to sleep through the night. He was chewing a lot of bark and sticks yesterday and the evidence was in the poop. And it was mushy this morning. So today we will have a less boisterous play day, more walkies and less chewing of wood. At least, that’s the plan.