I, Rufus

You may be wondering why there has been very little news from Awkward Hill recently. That's because Victoria has been very busy looking after ME. My name is Rufus, I am a Tibetan Terrier, and I'm 10 weeks old today.
I joined the family at Awkward Hill just over a week ago, and Victoria says I'm getting bigger and hairier by the day. I also like gardening, as you can see. (Just as well...)

We Tibetan Terriers are an honourable and ancient breed. We're not really terriers at all (that's just what ignorant Westerners called us when they first came across us in our homeland). We are working dogs, and for hundreds of years we have herded livestock and even guided travellers along mountain paths.
Victoria says that having a new puppy is like having a new baby in the house (except that you don't have to run round the lawn at 6am with a new baby). I'm training her to feed me on demand, take me outside to play ball every five minutes (yes, I can already retrieve a ball) and generally cater to my every whim. She's slowly getting the idea.
I know some of you will want to know how the cats reacted to my arrival. I'd like to say that they greeted me with open paws, but Luigi swore at me and Mario vanished upstairs. I ran after him to say hello, but he just ran even faster.

Luigi really scared me - he fluffed up all over! He will now agree to come within a yard of me, but he still gives me The Look when he thinks Victoria isn't looking. Mario is still upstairs.