Routine

My life has become quite routine lately. Work days have a certain rhythm to them, as do my days off. Each day is fairly predictable. This past week, this could not have been more clear.
Apparently puppies, like children, thrive on routine. This last week I had a bit of a rotating door with visitors. On Sunday Mom and Grandma came down from Kirksville.  They both spent the night and Mom headed off about midday on Monday. Late Monday afternoon, Lorene and Glenna arrived. They had traveled to Ohio for a meet for the shooting club that Lorene is secretary and treasurer of. They spent the night and the two of them, as well as Grandma, headed off to Utah the next morning. About 30-45 minutes after they took off, Margo and Newell arrived on my doorstep to visit for a couple of days. Tom had headed to Boundary Waters with Caleb, Gina, Am, Nathan, Kate and Sam for a week of canoeing, hiking and wilderness camping.
While I was having a great week, loving seeing so much family and getting out and about, the pups were getting more and more stressed. The beginning of the week was fine. Mom and Grandma were familiar figures, worth getting somewhat excited over, but not a huge deal. Lorene and Glenna were fun. Lorene played a ton with them and they got really worked up. By the time Margo and Newell arrived, they were wild, crazy, and had a hard time calming down. I had to gate them into 'their' room, which only made them upset. They would bark and bark whenever they saw Newell, especially when he was crawling around. They were really jumpy, even barking at Margo when she got up in the middle of the night to make a bottle for Newell. They would NOT listen or obey, were snippy and snappy and kept jumping...a TON...on me. As a result, they ended outside most of the time.
The past few days, I've been getting back into routine. I have worked and slept and they have spent a great deal of time in their crate as a result. And yet, they seem somewhat relieved. They are listening and obeying better. Not well, but better. They are less ornery. Apparently routine is good. 
PS I had a great week despite the ornery dogs!!!