Since I moved in with the White Russian, I have been cohabiting with a very cute dog called Chiko. She may technically be a canine, but being a Shiba Inu means that she has the temperament of a cat. Chiko is aloof, independent, is generally disinterested in other dogs and people, and doesn’t reciprocate affection, finding your patting or kissy faces more annoying than a squirt in the face with the garden hose.

I was keen to have a typical loving and affectionate dog, one that would adore me the way that Chiko didn’t. The WR and I talked about getting a second dog for quite a few months before we decided to go to the pound to rescue an unwanted pup. As we shopped the aisles of baking hot, concrete kennels that housed a lot of unhappy, whining and unloved dogs, we fell in love with a Labrador cross that we ended up calling Jaime.

Jaime was affectionate, loving nothing more than snuggling up to us on the couch in front of the TV but unfortunately, she didn’t make it much past the very first night. Perhaps it was the result of former neglect but she constantly wanted attention and was incredibly jealous, to the point of attacking poor, defenceless Chiko several times. Chiko didn’t sleep a wink that night, shaking in fear of being ripped apart by a much larger and aggressive Jaime. In the morning, we sadly had to return Jaime to the pound.

Not long after, WR suggested getting a Groodle puppy from a breeder about 4 hours drive from Sydney. We took home 8 week old Jackson (named after the King of Pop for his black curly hair!) and began the adventure of toilet training, with a few unpleasant surprises along the way. Thankfully, Chiko and Jackson now seem to be firm friends, and we think that the new puppy has brought out Chiko’s playful side.

We want him to be well socialised so have been on quite a mission to ensure that he meets lots of new people and dogs. I even took Jackson to work for a few hours where everyone completely fell in love with the bouncing little fluff ball. He’s been one of the best performers at puppy school, never failing to be motivated by treats. The only downsides so far have been the occasional toilet accident and being woken up at 6am almost every morning by a hyperactive little puppy.

It’s amazing how quickly he’s now become part of our family.