Word to the wise Paco, your big sister is just jealous

In all the fuss and attention given to Paco, you might be wondering what Nellie and Rascal think about all this. Rascal thinks that the interloper should be dispatched forthwith. He does not approve any attention given to him by long suffering partner and has strong (very loud) words to say on the subject. Rascal is only part of the reason we have had to make Paco comfortable in the kitchen/mudroom area of the house, but he's a major player in the decision to keep them separated. And even though the barrier can be breached by any spry dog other than Paco, being a 16 year old grumpy arthritic, Rascal is not spry and therefore does not jump over. Nellie, on the other hand, is a different story.

Nellie not only jumps over the barrier, she is so jealous of the attention given to a puppy she insists on being part of the action. Sometimes that works to get Paco zooming and playing (a good thing); sometimes it means Paco is getting too up close and personal so Nellie has to tell him to back off (which he ignores). That can escalate a bit which is used as a teachable moment, but adds to the whole exhaustion thing. However, there are moments that tug at the heart, and this is one of them: