Seth's Monday Morning Mojo

Mutt and Jeff

Mutt and Jeff was the first successful daily comic strip. It marked the beginning of a great tradition that has since included everyone from Beetle Bailey to Superman. Mutt and Jeff is also a phrase used to describe two mismatched characters in a common situation, day after day. Have you ever found yourself dealing wtih two people who just don't get along?

That sometimes describes Betsy and Sita, my two canines. Sita is my 106# German Shepherd, now 18 months old. Betsy is eight now, a 20# Cairn Terrier and Bischon mix. Both have been with us since they were puppies. Betsy was bred on purpose, a desirable half-breed called a Kashon. Sita we can only guess as her litter was abandoned behind a house in rural Virginia. She looks to be a working shepherd, a police dog.

When Sita arrived in our house she was initially welcomed by Betsy and they played. Then Sita grew to be too big to roughhouse and Betsy became more standoffish. As Sita matured into adulthood, Betsy felt more threatened. They have had a few fights over food and toys and Betsy ended up in the hospital twice. Not fun. Scary. down

Sita has been in training since she was a puppy. Now Betsy is, too. Since I started training them together they enjoy it and home life has become more peaceful. We are still careful around food and toys, but they hang out together a good deal without ruffling each other's fur.

It's not always possible for everyone to see eye-to-eye on everything, but there are often things you can do to find common cause and that can make the difference between war and peace. You might still have to be careful around food and toys, but for the most part people can enjoy each other's company when they have a joint project they both care about.

Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities.
Seize common occasions and make them great.

- Orison Swett Marden

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