Having some life experiences.

Walk One.....



Waiting for the "Off you go."



Dashing ahead.

 ......was great.

AF and The Dog (TG) went for a pleasant stroll down a leafy lane. TG did what dogs do. Sniffing here and there. Marking his territory. Running ahead - hanging back. We had a lovely time and came back nice and clean!!!! 

A bit boring if you're a dog. 





Trying out his 'scent' nose. 



Hanging back.





During the last few days we have visitors so TG has had to be on his best behaviour. The 'squirty water on the muzzle' approach has stopped him jumping up at people so that is good news and has stopped him being a nuisance. Result!!

Walk Two.

AF and the visitors took TG for a long walk over the fields. TG was having a lovely time - running ahead - coming back to the whistle - not jumping up!! Up ahead I saw a man with his dog standing very still, looking horrified, watching something????

It was TG that he was giving a VERY WIDE BERTH as he (TG) was wallowing in a very muddy puddle. He lay in it; he threw grimy water over his head using his muzzle and ears as tools; he ran through it repeatedly; he had a super, wonderful doggy time getting very, very wet and filthy. He looked like the monster from the deep - green, slimy and dripping.

AF put TG on the lead. The man continued on his walk with his clean dog.

After a while AF let TG off the lead again. This was probably a BIG mistake as TG discovered the soft, slushy, green stuff that is at the heart of a hard, crusty cowpat. Wowww!! 

TG rolled in it, snuffled it, ate it, stuck it to his side. He treasured that cowpat to bits.

AF had a four way coloured GBGV to walk home through the town, to the joy and delight of other dog owners and some sympathetic smiles.

Here he is having a good wash in the garden, paying for his pleasures.

Walk Three.....

....has brought the dog trouble of a different kind and with it a learning experience that he will not forget.

AF and TG were having a pleasant walk, minding our own business, as usual, when TG spotted another dog coming the other way. His experience of 'other dogs' has been brilliant to date. They have recognised him as a 'Playful Puppy' and either ignored his advances or played riotously with him. This dog, however, decided to grab a mouthful of TG's doggy backside in his mouth leaving two, bleeding, puncture marks.

Naturally TG squealed loudly and when released from the biting jaws took off like a rocket the way he and AF had come, chased by the offending other dog.

AF and the other dog owner set of in hot pursuit as both dogs were heading for a main road. Fortunately a gate was barring the way so AF put TG back on his lead and carried on back towards the other dog owner. Her response to events was to tell TG that he was "Quite a rascal" for enticing her dog into bad ways (running away). AF was a bit amazed but as it's all in a dog's life chose not to argue with this assertion.

Not sure yet whether I'll still be as sanguine when we get the vet's bill.

The vet discovered an inch long tear close to his testicles that needed stitches so the poor dog has really been in the wars today. Still waiting for the bill.

He's into adolescent mode.

The pretty flower in better times.

Maybe 9am on a Monday is when all the grumpy old men are walking their dogs at my favourite iron age fort. There were certainly lots of them about the last time AF took the dog for a walk there. AF came away feeling quite dispirited after all the adverse comments about him. He came a very poor second at discipline when compared to an 8 month old whippet and AF was severely criticized for running after the dog instead of waiting for him to come back to her. There was more.

So sorry there has not been a blog since that disastrous walk but AF and PL have been busy trying to make the dog a better, gooder dog.

Has it worked?

Well he is getting better at coming back to the whistle but jumping up at people is still a bit of a problem. He also continues to:-

• dig great big holes in the garden
• roll in horse, cow, fox or badger poo when the opportunity arises.
• eat his own poo even though we wash his mouth out when we smell his breath.
• race through swampy ground until he has transferred the mud to his tummy and legs.

He is also having a great time destroying all his toys.

The sad remains of the dog's toys.

The cockerel went first, then the red pulley, followed by the pink ring, three tennis balls, the pretty flower and last of all his pheasant. There is nothing left of the green pulley with the hot dog in the middle. Absolute slaughter. He won't get any more until Christmas.

The dog got lost the other day. PL had him out for his afternoon walk when the dog saw, (but PL didn't), his doggy friend. The dog took off and disappeared from sight. PL rang AF to go round one way whilst PL set off looking for him the other, hoping to cut him off at the pass. Not too long after a sad, repentant (?) dog was brought back by a friendly dog owner so all was well. We are walking him much more on the lead now until this phase is out of his system. It could be a long time!!

He had his first successful experience of going into kennells. Only for a day, but he won over the hearts of the people who looked after him. We have always been cautious of putting our rescue dogs into kennels fearing that they would feel abandoned all over again. No such problems with our super confident dog. He bounced in and bounced out again after a lovely day.

PL likes to pick fresh raspberries from the garden for his breakfast. He has learnt to be quick or the dog gets there first. The dog likes to pick and eat, without washing, both raspberries and strawberries. The mulberries are ripening at the moment so he will be fighting off the blackbirds (and me) to get his share.

That's all for now folks!

Back home with post-holiday blues!!

One thing that the dog did learn on holiday was to climb, albeit reluctantly, into the car boot on his own. So no more embarrassing views of elderly PL and AF lifting this floppy, reluctant animal into the car. He makes the point by getting in verrrry slowly but he seems to have accepted the incontrovertible fact that car travel is here to stay!!

Oh, unhappy dog.

The training took a bit of a back seat last week so this week it's 'back to basics'. No new regime just making sure that we enforce the old rules???

1. Walking to heel without pulling as an absolute must. The dog sees this requirement as a  bit of a challenge so plays with his lead when we're out walking, picks up sticks, rubs his head along the ground, pulls on his lead to talk to every passing dog or person - children a particular favourite. (A work in progress.)
2. Come back to PL or AF straight away when we whistle. This happens most of the time the exception being when a temptingingly alluring smell has appeared in front of the dog's nose that he just has to 'see to'. (Have something more tempting than the smell in the treat bag. A tall order. Keep working on this one.)
3. No running up and down the front fence on my vegetable patch. Another real challenge as it would be very rude of him to ignore all those friendly dogs, horses, celebrities and/or people walking by when he's available to make them feel loved and welcome. (NB. AF to fence off the vegetable plot.)
4. No playing in the house with PL and AF after 8pm. He waits until our daily business is over, when we sit down with a G&T, then pounces on us with a pulling toy, ball or squeaky ready to PLAY! PLAY! PLAY! (Need to establish a 'Playtime cut off'??)
5. No more wet, muddy dogs to be brought back from a walk. Not easy, but do-able if we walk the dog only on the road avoiding all the delicious, worthwhile, beautiful fields and country walks that abound around the house. (This one quite unrealistic.)
6. Sit and wait for food on command. He is quite good at this one so there must be a lesson in there for us somewhere.

I'm sure that there are lots more rules that we could establish but the fewer the better in my book.



Looking cute at the door of the caravan.



This is a good pose!!!



Photo diary of the dog on holiday.

The dog, PL, AF and our eldest Grandson (EGs.) have just had a week in the caravan in Yorkshire.

The dog got more culture than he could manage but enjoyed the walks and adoration from a new group of acolytes.

  It was a bit tight in the caravan

when the dog spread himself out.



The dog saying goodbye to our eldest Granddaughter (EGd).







Dog, AF and EGs. exhausted, at the bottom of the White Horse of Kilburn steps, N.Yorks..

 

The dog really wanted to be 'King of the Castle' but.......





......he found a very dirty pond instead!!! Bottom of Sutton Bank, N.Yorks.



A bit of culture the dog enjoyed. 'Taking the Waters' at Castle Howard,Yorks.

The dog greeting his public - waiting for EGs in the Adventure Playground, Castle Howard, Yorks.

 

All this 'sycophantic stuff' makes a dog thirsty!!! Castle Howard, Yorks.

EGs still not letting the dog be 'King of the Castle'. Fountains Abbey, N.Yorks.



The dog just wants to play now.
Preferably out of the caravan.
Caravan Club Site, Thirsk Racecourse, N.Yorks.





 







This has to be the way out.

The dog decided not to escape after all!!!! End of story.



Six month report.

The dog is now 6 months old. Still growing and really testing us out. Not yet a teenager but certainly a terrible toddler. Won't do what we want: Still eating horrible things in the fields and garden: Sits in the house and ignores us: Destroying the garden.

This is his 6 month report.

1. Has he met the required standard?  10/10.
2. General behaviour. 10/10.
3. Quick to learn. 10/10
4. Taking part in group activities. 10/10.
5. Enjoys playing with others. 10/10.
6. Exceeding our expectations. 10/10
7. Fun to have around. 10/10

An exemplary dog exhibiting the right qualities and attributes that will take him to the top of his class. PL and AF.

 Sherlock Dog.

The dog and I, AF, were having a great walk in the fields. As we approached the next stile the dog spotted a lady in white who disappeared from our sight as we watched. She saw us coming but hurried away from us through the next field not acknowledging our presence.

At the next turn in the path she was still there but had quickened her pace and made for the woods. We continued to follow.

The dog was following her scent with his nose close to the ground. He stopped frequently to look for her, head, body, nose and ears alert. All his doggy hunting instincts in evidence.

Who was she, where was she going and why didn't she have a dog with her?

We caught fleeting glimpses of the lady in white between the trees and hedges as she continued down the hill. She frequently glanced back as if checking out where we were.

Through the ponies field and the next gate we went, the gap between us and the mysterious lady in white widening as we followed her down the hill. 

Eventually we came out from the wooded fields to see her still ahead of us on the country lane.

The dog was still alert to her movements and we continued to walk behind her into the town.

But as suddenly as we had come upon her high up in the hills she vanished and we never saw the lady in white again...... Sherlock Dog had lost the scent.

Why is it that.......?

Why is it that....

• There's a permanent smell of wet dog in the house?

• Dogs won't go into the garden to pee in the rain but will insist that you take them for a 'walk' in the very same rain?

• The dog only drinks from the fishpond despite all efforts to persuade him that the tap or rainbut water is really nice?

• Poo appears as if by magic in the garden just after I have done a 'poo patrol'?

• The dog finds the important mail delicious yet leaves the junk mail untasted?

 

Actions and consequences for the dog.

The dog enjoys rolling in 'stuff' in the fields but doesn't like the cleaning off acticity back home.

He is getting cleverer though and after a good roll and wallow in mud or manure he jumps into the stream to clean himself off.

This is not good enough for PL, however, who still hoses him down, then applies the dreaded hairdryer.





The dog with his new squeaky.

The dog loves this new squeaky so much I couldn't get the lable off before he started to walk it round and round the garden.

It 's a rooster so says 'cock-a-doodle-doo' every time he squeaks it.

I'm not regretting the purchase yet!!










Actions and consequences for dog owners.

The new larger crate arrived and is brilliant. The dog has plenty of room to stretch and scratch. Problem solved we thought. Not quite.

The crate is too big to move into the kitchen at night so we are leaving him in the hallway with the door fastened. The dog is OK with this but he now keeps us awake fiddling with his bedding that is too hot. (He liked to lay on the ceramic floor tiles in the kitchen.)

We are going to try to position the crate so that the door opens into the kitchen so he can get onto the tiles. Problem solved???  Watch this space.

Hiding in the bamboo ready to jump on the squirrel.

He now treats the garden as his own fiefdom; Chasing the squirrel and blackbirds out; Barking at the neighbours when he hears them over the fence.

I've ordered the bigger crate!!



He thinks it's funny.

 The dog is getting too big for his crate so I have ordered the next size up - large. I am just hoping that we don't need the one called Giant.

We had guests in for a BBQ. All was going well until I went into the kitchen to retrieve the pudding, Dorset Apple Cake, only to discover that most of it had disappeared into the dog. We learnt the hard way that he can reach quite a long way onto the kitchen worksurfaces with his tongue.


He is digging three escape tunnels in the garden. (Probably called Tom, Dick and Harry.)

I know where they are because of all the spoil spread round the entrance.

He doesn't know about getting rid of it down his trouser legs.

Looking innocent working out his next move.



He's a very patient dog and will sit for a long time sizing up a situation before taking any action. This can be in the middle of a field, walking on a footpath or crossing the road.

Can be a bit of a nuisance if there is a need for speed.

Is he the thinking dog's dog or just slow on the uptake?

He jumped onto my lap last night with such enthusiasm that my Gin and Tonic went flying all over the settee and my trousers. No more cuddles for him. No more Gin and Tonic for me??

Two wannabe comedians told me  'He's too big for you to handle.' I just gritted my teeth and made sure the dog sat until they'd gone.

A kinder and more intelligent man said that he's a 'love sponge'.

Another called him a 'lunatic on a rope'.

Ready for a walk with the PL.