The dogs get along great, and spend hours playing in the backyard. This is good for Diz and good for me (time off from don’t-pee-on-the-carpet patrol), but Jake, manly as he is, is out of shape, and feeling the pain today. I can tell his muscles are killing him, but he’s keeping up a good front — he continues to play with Diz and be the dominant male until she finally takes a nap — as soon as she’s asleep, though, he hits the floor and stays there, trying not to move.

He was out in the yard this morning. When I called him to the house, he walked up to the edge of the deck (on the short side, where it’s only a half-foot off the ground) and just looked at me.

Him: “Dude, I don’t know if I can make it up on there, it’s so HIGH.”

Me: “You’re getting old, Jake. The baby girl is wearing you out. Wuss.”

Shamed into action, he finally put first one, then the other of his front feet up on the deck, and managed to (painfully) haul his butt up as well. He then looked around to see if Diz had noticed and limped into the house.

He’s feeling his (1.5) years today.