Quicker Picker Upper

 Everyone knows the kitchen is the heart of the home, and where families gather, so I've worked hard to make my kitchen a place where my kids and dogs like to hang out. The floor is done in a beautiful hardwood. The afternoon sun pours in through the glass door and produces warm puddles of light in which the three dogs bask. I was making a snack for the kids, watching the sun dogs nap, and thinking that my life was pretty amazing when all hell broke loose.

"Oh God! Ewww!" shrieked one kid.

"Get it!" yelled another.

"I can't! You do it! Oh god, gross! I'm going to hurl!" came the response.

I hurried around the kitchen island to see what was going on. There was a mole, a dead mole, mostly eviscerated, still with a face, yet quite slobbered on, being warmed in a sunny patch on the floor. Irie (our half grown Min-Pin) was pacing near her prize. She sensed that we were somewhat displeased with the discovery of the delicious rodent, yet seemed hesitant to leave it. 

"Just pick it up and pitch it outside." I said in my Calm Mom voice.

"I can't! How? Ewww, NO. I can't!"

The room bordered on pure panic as it seemed this dead mole would stay inside forever, because no one had the guts to pick it up. Not with gloves, or a paper towel, or a plastic bag- the kids were just too squeamish.

Suddenly my son grabbed Irie and carried her over to the dead mole, and held her near it. Irie reached down and picked up the mole with her mouth. My son carried Irie (and thus the mole) over to the front door and pitched her out. Silence, as we appreciated the brilliance of his solution. The entire room filled with relief, then laughter and gratitude. A few minutes later, we let Irie (sans mole) back into the house. I do not know if she ate it, buried it, or simply abandoned it for the warmth of being inside. 

I'd gone back to snack making, the dogs were back to napping in the sunny spots, and I realized for all the chaos, it was true- my life is pretty amazing.

UnderDog

Oy is a chihuahua. He is tiny and bossy, with personal space issues when it comes to other dogs.
Irie is a min-pin, less than a year old, and plays the role of goofy little sister.
Oy was enjoying laptime, and Irie wanted to jump up too, but Oy kept growling and snarling at her to stay down. I grabbed his face and said in a stern voice, "No! You don't get to act like that!"
He stopped growling and Irie jumped up. She started to sit too close to him, and he growled again. I grabbed his face again and said, "No!". He stopped growling and sat very still, while Irie got comfortable.
They sat calmly for a few minutes, and then Irie decided to push her luck:

She scooted up until she was actually sitting on Oy...

I figured Oy would complain and growl for her to get off, but Oy didn't make a sound.

I'd told Oy to be still, and he was obeying. Silently. With deep sighs. He could have hopped down at any time, but laptime is far too important to abandon over a little squishing.

Even when she turned around three times and plopped down on him, he didn't utter a single complaint. 

This type of self control is unheard of in our little dog. I figured he'd really let her have it any second now.

Not a peep! He suffered in silence as this annoying little sister of a dog tried harder and harder to get a rise out of him. He just would not give her the satisfaction.

I felt bad, because Irie was clearly a little brat, and Oy had just resigned himself to being a cushion for her nap. Either one could have jumped down at any time. Eventually, they both just fell asleep.