It's more a spontaneous reaction than a deliberate action when I finally get around to collecting little Jackie and Jillie, one after the other, after assembling scissors, brush and vacuum to finally give them haircuts. It's a tedious job. One requiring patience far more than skill. But I have found the last several times that our little pups underwent the process that is certainly not a favourite of theirs, they've exercised patience, too.

I usually do Jackie first, while Jillie sits imperturbably close by, watching, but not particularly interested. Jackie was the most difficult of the two, fidgety and fearful. Now, he no longer trembles through the process, and more or less submits to the indignity, knowing from experience that no harm will come to him. And when I'm finished with him, he fairly leaps for joy, ecstatic that the misery heaped upon him has come to an end.

I then begin the very same procedure with Jillie. She's more inclined to be phlegmatic about everything than her brother. While I'm ministering to Jillie, Jackie excitedly noses around us, curious and frantic that his sister is now receiving close attention. He resorts to hijinks to get my attention, but it's focused on his sister, and he's jealous. Finally, he'll settle down and just wait, and when she too is released from the ordeal, they both rampage about until taken outdoors briefly.

We decided to take them for their usual ravine walk, and on return home to indulge in a bath for them. Jackie intuits exactly what's on the menu, and he becomes crazed with excitement; a bath is something to be anticipated with great excitement because it can be enjoyed, feeling the warm water being laved over him, the sudsing and the gentle scrubbing, and then the bliss of being softly towelled. When he's dipped into the bath, he's still and he's quiet, awaiting the details to follow.

When it's his sister's turn he's frantic with jealousy, right at my elbow while I'm ministering to Jillie, yipping and emoting and trying to pull her ears. It's far worse when she's being towelled dry. At that point he's furious, and leaping up to the bathroom counter where the towelling is being done, growling at Jillie, trying to snap at her and pull her hair.

Once they're both dry enough for release, the hallways of the house become frantic raceways, as they leap upon one another, wrestle, and romp and race about the house like a noisily thumping herd of goats.