Week Three - Our WPBs are on the window ledges.

The dog is getting more confident about his role in the household and is setting about the job of emptying waste paper bins, collecting the post and chewing the junk mail, making sure that the stuff going into the dishwasher is licked clean to save unecessary washing and tidying up after us by collecting any socks and other smalls in his bed for future reference.

He does actually run after a thrown ball and sometimes brings it back for a further throw. He enjoys being in the garden with me particularly when I am cutting back shrubs or herbaceous bits. These go in and out of the collecting bin with great speed. He takes them out to chew and/or spread around the garden, I chase him to retrieve the mess to shred and compost.

The fish pond is fast becoming the place to be. I fully expect him to fall in at some point, just hope the fish are kind to him. He likes to hide in a small bamboo thicket at the back of the pond so any missing slippers, boots, shoes or tea towels can be found there.

I think that this year I will not worry too much about the neatness or attractiveness of my garden or both the dog and I will end in tears.

He views the car with great suspicion, needing to be lifted into the boot then whining all the way to our destination. Took him to the beach today but he was unimpressed and left very quickly with me in rapid pursuit.

He refuses to go anymore near the car on the drive which gives us some difficulties in leaving the garden to walk up the road. Can't even fool him by setting off going down the road before turning round. He knows what we're up to.

He is good at being left in the car for brief spells whilst I dive into the shop and rush out again like the demented woman that I am.

I think he is beginning to understand that the sofa is off limits unless I invite him to join me AND the blue rug is there for him. I really must be delusional.

Week Two - He's going to be a big dog!

Various folk in the town who meet up with the puppy and I first of all say "Isn't he lovely." then "He's got very big paws." followed with "What is he? How big is he going to grow?" 

Well yes he has quite big paws for a 10 week old puppy but they are furry, a bit like a polar bear! 

Our puppy has longer legs than the breed standard so is classed as a long-legged GBGV (Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen) a reflection back to the original french breed. A Google search will give more information. He will probably grow to about 65 cms. we have been advised that he will be "a big strong dog and a good runner." So when anyone asks it is a long explanation only given if they are really interested. He's very cute when he is asleep though!?

He brought a large cardbox with him that he is gradually destroying but he has great fun diving into, sleeping in and chewing.

He does respond to the whistle, running back to me when I let him off the lead in secure field, especially if the reward is a snippet of cheese. He is enjoying meeting and playing with other dogs now that he is fully vacinated. Other dogs are very tolerant of his puppy ways but people with cream trousers are rather less so!

A rather more unfortunate trait is that of eating poo. Why do dogs do this? I hope he grows out of it soon!

Photo by www.simonyorkphotography.co.uk

We had a bit of a photo shoot this week.
Here he is trying to escape through the gate.

In the beginning.

When you lose a much loved dog there is inevitably a period of sadness as you have had really happy times together. This is Alfie. We had him 8 years. At one year old he was a rescue dog from the RSPCA and at first he was a great challenge. He was, however, quite a star wherever we took him. Passers-by stopped us to talk to him and ask us what kind of a dog he was.
As he was a rescue dog we didn't really know, but one person said he was a particular kind of french hound - a GBGV (Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen) probably crossed with something else. He had a friendly, kindly and good fun personality so when he died we decided to try to get a 'proper' Alfie. 


I did some research and discovered a local breeder who had some GBGV puppies for sale. She asked me "Why this breed?" I told the tale of Alfie and she identified him as the puppy from a colleague's dog that had had a 'romantic episode' with an Old English Sheepdog.  So the mystery of Alfie's breeding was resolved.

However, this time we wanted a pedigree GBGV so went along to choose a puppy from the litter. In the middle of January we brought home a tricolour, long-legged, 9 week old GBGV puppy.

Week One - He's got very big paws.

We haven't had a puppy for a long time as our most recent dogs have been older, 'rescued' from the RSPCA.It is a bit of a culture shock to have a small and needy animal in the house that needs to pee and poo regularly. Predictably it goes on the carpet if you are not quick enough to note the signs and get him in the garden to toilet. He had been taught to pee on command but walking round the garden saying "pss,pss,pss" or "busy,busy,busy" is quite an interesting occupation! I guess the neighbours think we have gone a bit bonkers. It has proved worth the effort though as we have had remarkably few wet patches on the carpet and only two number twos in the house.

Not suprisely he has very sharp teeth that like, my slippers, the hems of trousers and the hands of willing participants in his games of 'chew the nearest object'. Our smallest grandchildren run for the sofas when he appears. He manages to jump all feet off the ground at once when trying to land on a convenient lap. His legs are still not long enough to manage it yet - but watch this space!

We have purchased a dog crate that he seems to like. This gives him a safe haven when the going gets rough with us or the grandchildren and affords us some peace when the going get rough with us or the grandchildren. There are also child/dog proof gates strategically placed between rooms in the house to determine dog and/or children's play areas.

I have perfected the 'scary monster' pose and noise that keeps him out of the dining room when we are eating. Used sparingly it works a treat.

The 'clicker' is a wonderful tool to reward his behaviour when he sits and waits for the words 'go to it' before he eats. I am now working on the 'down' command. 

Tiny walks have been the order of the day this week letting him off the lead and blowing the whistle for his return.  As he doesn't like walking across the road I have to carry him, also to put him into the car. I hope he gets better at this!!

He prefers the front garden with the procession of other dogs, horses and friendly people. He managed to get through the wire once and the gate did not present a great barrier either to his attempts to join the greater outdoors.