My Dog Circus. (Patricia Potter).

I'm sorry to be so late in blogging today. I'm wrestling with revisions, and I'm keeping my brother's frenetic young toy poodle. Her visit is making things interesting, especially in interacting with my three dogs.

They had never met before. The initial meeeting yesterday was chaotic, to say the least. I thought they were going to kill each other for five minutes, then the tiny new guest established herself as resident bully over the Wild Indians (Autralian Shepherds), and a kind of temporary peace was established. Still, the poodle rejoices in deviling the others. They also have to go outside separately. The wild Indians -- Allie and Katie -- go out to the fenced backyard while I give personalized attention to the much put upon and elderly Shih Tzu, Ting Ting. She won't go in the back yard. She's the princess and will only do her business after about ten minutes of being told she's a lovely dog and being taken for a long walk. Okay, all this is routine.

But now Candy, the poodle, is added to the mix. She's a superactive little dog that nips at the Wild Indians and wants to chase them. Endlessly. She's a pint-sized bully. She is also an escape artist so I can't leave her alone in the back yard or with the Wild Indians. She might find one of their holes. Thus, another walk was in order while Ting and the Wild Indians looked on with umbrage. Only dried chicken strips soothed them.

Then it was a problem of each trying to grab that belonging to the others. Katie is a fast eater. So is Allie. They gobbled theirs down and started toward poor Ting's. Candy decided she wanted it, too, and all four started barking and vying for an advantage.

More chicken treats all around.

Okay, up to the computer to write the blog. The cleaning lady comes and is attacked by four dogs. Fortunately she and her husband house sits for me when I'm out of town. Or unfortunately. She's just had back surgery and can hardly withstand the enthusiastic welcome.

I bring all four dogs up to my office. There all three dog beds there. They all want the other's dog bed, and there are four canines for three beds. It's musical dog beds.

I start the blog and my brother calls and wants to know if his "baby" is okay. Now my brother has never called about a dog before, and I've often kept his dogs on many occasions. He's a retired doc and rather reserved, but Candy sleeps on his shoulder, and Bill's not absolutely sure I can care for his baby properly.

Another blog delay.

Now they are playing again in my office. (They have to be here while the house is being cleaned -- temporarily). Candy takes a giant leap onto my lap, then on the desk and spills my coffee all over my newly revised pages. Thank the good Lord, that it missed my keyboard.

So now I'm late blogging, and already I must go. Candy is finding all sorts of interesting stuff on the floor of my office.

So please forgive my short blog and send good wishes that I survive my canine circus.