A Boy and His Dog

Back when Ryan was just crawling I noticed Riley showing a little bit of aggression towards him. He tried to snap at him a couple times, which really made me nervous. Since then, I have put a lot of effort into keeping my two boys separated. I use the baby gate every single day to ensure they aren't in the room together. Honestly, it kind of stresses me out to not be able to just put Ryan down anywhere in the house. I am constantly shutting doors, holding Ryan, and ignoring Riley for a good part of the day. I have even thought about what it would be like to give Riley away, and not have to worry about this issue.

But just recently, after much urging from Adam, I have been allowing Ryan and Riley to interact a bit more. It still makes me incredibly nervous, and I watch the two of them together like a hawk. But I have noticed a few things. First, Riley mostly just runs away from Ryan. As long as Ryan is throwing a toy for him, the dog is happy to keep his distance. Secondly, Ryan absolutely positively adores dogs. He really seems to come alive when he is around a dog. He squeals and shrieks with joy.....something he rarely does otherwise! Riley, or as Ryan calls him, "Daw!"