The barking cycle will not break

Holden's sister, Pixil, is spending a few nights with us while her owner, Gina, is out of town.  Pixil is a planner, a hound who's always playing for the main chance.  She also is supremely adept at cranking up her brother just because she can.  Combine that with a willingness to bark at a shadow of a leaf, and you have a recipe for barking beyond all reason.

Tonight, for example, Holden was working on a bone in the den while Pixil was, as usual, stretched out in her guest crate on watch for Gina.

Holden coughed a bit on the bone.

Pixil barked to sound the alert:  something must be amiss!

Holden ran to join her and began barking, too.

Pixil grew agitated--Holden has confirmed the threat!--and barked louder.

The two of them fed on each other's barks and through the power of their barking turned away whatever threat was menacing us.

And so the barking cycle begins anew.