So how are Jon and Photon geting along? Well, the two are starting to figure each other out. Photon can see that he’s not the same as the other kids she comes into contact with. Jon really appreciates her welcomes after school, and let me tell you, life has become so much easier since we’ve had Photon waking him up. Pre-puppy, generally 6:50 AM wakeups were grumpfests, but now, who could get snarky at puppy kisses? Not Jon.
We don’t leave them together alone of course, but I did observe them interacting from just outside the living room, to watch how their relationship is going. Occasionally she would get into little biting sessions, especially on his left hand, which is far more spastic from the CP. As I moved in to correct her, I realized that Jon was giggling, and his hand was twitching with the little bites. She was stimulating his hand as no one else could, and he was enjoying it. She does occasionally go overboard with him—as she does with us—but she does take a lot more care with Jon. She loves the brief sleeps she gets with him on his bed at reading time before lights out. The hardest part for her to understand is the rough love; Jon tend to be a little brusque when he wants her closer (for a cuddle) or the back off (after lots of kisses). Such pushy movements can only be interpreted one way by a puppy: time to play! So we’re still working on that…