Wednesday 17 November 2010

Don't leave me!

I know I done wrong. But so did you! You left me alone and I don't like that. OK first time I was lying on the doormat waiting for you to come home when the postman delivered the post. But that parcel smelled of dog and I wanted to investigate - it's what we dogs do - don't blame me please?

Then you decided to keep me from the door by putting me in the kitchen where I couldn't see you when you got back. I got stressed and tried to get out. Sorry I damaged the floor covering but I was stressed - I wanted to watch for you!

Third time you should have known better! And anyway the floor covering was damaged but I had said I don't like being shut in the kitchen so I can't watch for you!

The answer has to be "No nice smelling packages please."


Thursday 22 July 2010

something I brought home from the field


just what is wrong with wanting to bring a souvenir home? even if it is grass seed?

Monday 5 April 2010

April - Easter and a second birthday


Yesterday was Her birthday and so it was mine too! (Again).  He took Her tea in bed and then it was pressie time! She sat opening boring present after boring present UNTIL this was going to be the good one! I ran round the bed and sat - nicely - with my ears pricked up waiting. She didn't know what it was - I did! Of course I hadn't seen it packed and I hadn't smelled it but I am a dog and I knew what it was! Why were they all baffled? It was dog biscuits - for ME!

They haven't given me any of these before, but they are my favourites. There, in the bedroom, I had 3 and each was lovely. happy days.

The las parcel to be opened was another treat for me - a special Easter treat parcel. Biscuits as bunnies and eggs. These are nice too but 'take a lot of crunching' as she says.

Another good birthday for me! Yay!

Friday 26 March 2010

Waiting

I was recently interviewed by a friend and said that my next blog was to about the trauma that I suffer.

Lately He has gone out for a couple of days - without ME!

These days are much less fun and I wait for him all day until he gets back. Here you can see me waiting. By the front door. The door he went out through. She will take me a walk maybe and will do my lunch for me but I will return, straight away, to my vigil by the door.

It is not fair and proper that he does this to me, he should take me with him. I ride in the car nicely. OK I bark like a demon possessed if he leaves the car when I am still in it, but I am sure I could go with him! He took Granddad to the hospital and had to sit in the waiting room while they saw Granddad. Waiting Room - get it! I am waiting on the door mat so I could wait with him in the WAITING room and we could both be happy. So he went to Sainsbury's! It was to get dog food. I could have come and chosen for myself what I have. He went to Derby to install some software. Well they don't come softer than me - I could have come. He went to Nottingham to sort out Macs. Well he often wears one when we go walking so I could have come along then.

It's not fair - He must stop leaving me behind. I can do all the things he does!

TAKE ME WITH YOU! please???

Saturday 20 March 2010

Birthdays

I am a stray...  Well I was a stray. How sad. Not really because I have fallen on my feet and am really happy now.

Being an ex-stray means they don't know my birthday and I was too young to remember even if I could tell them! My 'paperwork' says 1st January but paperwork has to say something!

Well He just had a birthday and so I had one too! I was given some nice new toys and some chews.

I have a nice blue toy with a bell in it and a red rubber ring.

The blue one with a bell is quite nice and I can toss this in the house and catch it again. I can also gnawg it between my paws and it makes it's lovely noise in my mouth which goes right up to my ears and is a lovely sound.

The red ring is nice too though and this I can hold in my mouth and pull with my feet which is fun. I can also toss and catch this one but pulling this one is most fun.

They seem surprised by the way I use my feet to play, but they use their hands so why shouldn't I use my feet?

May I say that while these two toys are fun I still like to play with my yellow squeaky ball when out of the garden because it bounces and I can leap in the air to catch it.

Well, back to birthdays. I have just shared His birthday and I plan on sharing one in April and another in June. I wonder what the chances are of 1 in July? There's another in September and another in November but I wonder if that's getting a little greedy?



NEARLY APRIL!

Sunday 28 February 2010

Shhhh! Sleeping...

Since arriving at this my new home with He, She and Little She I have slept in the bedroom with He and She. They tried to make me sleep downstairs, but I can open doors and I have been  abandoned before. I have to wait while they change, but I lurk outside the door and at the first opportunity I am in, onto my 'rug' beside She and where I can keep an eye on the door. When He starts to settle down to sleep I wander round the bed and stick my nose into bed to say goodnight to him. He rubs my ears and I wander back to my rug. During the night I patrol around the room occasionally to make sure all is well and if I need to go out, which is unusual, I will wake He up. Normally though, it's he disturbing me with his wanderings, when he will send me in the garden for a short while, but when I come back in I will race him back upstairs! During the day I have my 'bed' in a spot by the table at which they eat and this is a lovely spot. Why? Well, in the picture above you should see why... I don't get food at the table but there is a shelf where I can put my head!  After baths and when the weather's cold I get the opportunity to sleep by the fire, but the hearth is nothing like so high meaning it's not as comfortable as my shelf.

They believe my head is the shape of an Alsation's and that's a lot of head for a small dog, so I need somewhere to leave it occasionally and I have been known to rest it on a dining room chair to get the weight off my feet!

I don't sleep as much as many other dogs, but when I do then things have to be as I like them!  Life is good!

Saturday 13 February 2010

Playing fetch

I could not believe this guy! He had had dogs before, Tinker, Bonnie, Sheba, Rebel, Prince, Lady, Poppet to name a few and he had never had one that played fetch! I had to teach him how, but he seems a quick learner.

We started by using a ball he had lying about. It was actually a cat toy that was a red ball with a bell in trapped inside a yellow skeleton ball. When he threw this it tinkled as it bounced and when I carried it it 'squished' as I clamped my jaws together. It was nice.

We started playing chase on a piece of ground that no-one takes their dogs to so I could teach him without distraction but, as I said, he is a quick learner, so we very soon started playing on the way to the wood. Sometimes I would put it down to do some serious nasal investigations but as soon as he asked me to fetch it I would go back and get it - no problem.

He has made a rule of no fetch it the wood though! It's a nature reserve and other people play fetch with their dogs there but he won't let me!

I met Dolly playing fetch on the field and she was lot's of fun. She was a small poodle and much slower than me so I always won the ball! But she took it a few times when I handed it over but she gave it back after a little chase and she was lots of fun. I do like other dogs and get on well with them all.

We did meet another dog who stole it and wouldn't give it back to anyone for a long time until some border collies distracted it. It really should learn some manners.

A few days ago the ball fell to pieces and he gave me a tennis ball. This was a bit big and boring. I tried to leave it lying around but he kept finding it again, so he gave up on that one and bought this nice new one. It's yellow and squeaks when you squash it. So when it's in your mouth and you squish it it makes a lovely sound! Sometimes I just want to carry this one and squish rather than give it back and play fetch!

Life is Good!


Thursday 4 February 2010

Rubbish Bags

This guy is gonna take some training! I know how to survive on the streets, I have been there and got that badge. Now he expects me to walk past rubbish without investigating what is edible! OK, I have 3 meals a day - sometimes 4 and maybe more (he he) but you cannot ignore rubbish bags! He has started setting up diversions to avoid them even!

I do think this is unfair! Just 'cos I am putting on weight and getting a healthy diet.

Did I mention the treats?

Well maybe, just maybe, I will give up on the rubbish bags if they keep this up - but I reserve the right to have a little sniff now and again. Please?

Monday 25 January 2010

The Grandparents

They took me to see the Grandparents. She's mother and father that is.  They have a nice big garden that I can run and play fetch in and that was nice. They seem a nice pair of people. A little old perhaps with him being 90 but he seems plenty of fun. When He, She and Little She go away they would like me to stay there as they think I will be happier than in kennels so I was trying them out and they were trying me out. They used to have dogs, about 14 at once at one time, but now don't have any.

Well, I settled down pretty well with the house being nice with lovely warm rugs. But I needed to check them out properly. Old She was OK I suppose, but a bit boring. She doesn't move too well and doesn't do exciting things. Not sure about Old He though....  I tried to stand on his lap and lick his nose, but he laughed and turned away so I chased his nose and he turned away and laughed some more. He seemed to think this was a game and was enjoying it. I pushed him back in his seat and put my paws on his chest and he still laughed and turned away so I am not sure about him at all.

I think they must miss their dogs which now would be too much for them and to have me stay a while would be enjoyable for us all, so I think it will work.  Maybe I can go and get that nose of his every time He and She go visiting? That would be fun......

for all of us.

Bath Time



They complained that I smelled of kennels. Was that to be surprised at? I had spent a week in a..... duh..... kennel after being picked up off the street!

I thought I could make this fun and planned my strategy..... They closed all the doors, put me on a lead and took me on the yard! But that's CHEATING. Still there was scope.... Hang on why did he put on a big waterproof coat?

Then it occurred to me, they've done this before! Out came a bucket of warm water and yoghurt carton and one ladled water on while one shampooed. Quick shake - so they've not finished who cares - and they weren't expecting that! I must do that again. Right I'll go in now..  Door's still shut! They are even going to towel me down out here! But it's cold they must let me in..  Not dry yet but they let me in and now the kitchen isn't dry either!!  That'll learn 'em as they say round 'ere. 'Nother shake  - hang He's carrying me onto a towel in front of the fire...  Ok that's not so bad.

Just wait though, after we've walked round the damp and dirty wood a few times He may be doing this again.

And again.

And again.

Friday 22 January 2010

Second day and walks

I have now settled to being prepared to sleep on the landing with all the doors open to my bed. Problem is against the dark carpet I am invisible and when people have to cross the landing in the dark they have to be very careful of me!

We start the day with the most important thing - FOOD -and then go walking. They have now got me an extending lead, which I prefer, so that I can trot on ahead and take my time sniffing all the important sniffs I might otherwise miss. So yesterday morning, our first early morning walk, we started to run a bit late (He he he) and as a result I had him jogging for quite a way round the wood. All togged up for the cold! That made him sweat and I enjoyed that bit especially! But we got back in time so that I could meet the girlie friends as they came to meet Little She as they walk to school together.

Later I decided to go to the library after a walk. On this walk I had a serious lesson to teach them. He decided to go off the path to take a bag to a bin and leave me behind! She is too strong and I couldn't pull her with me to catch him. I waited ages and ages and still he didn't return. She was laughing at me! ME!  When finally he agreed to return I bounced up at him, all feet clear of the ground, to try to bite his nose but he kept laughing and dodging me. Finally he grabbed me pulled me in and tickled my ears and I forgave him, a bit. He can't get away with that kind of behaviour.

We went off to the library and I chose a book by Gillian Philip and 2 by Mary Hoffman. Should be good reading. Little She has read some Mary Hoffman and recommends it and at first glance the Gillian Philip looks fun.

Later I bathed and met Second Little She - I suppose technically she's First Little She but she doesn't live with me so I shall call her Second.

More about the bath with clean pictures of me later.

Thursday 21 January 2010

First Night

I have a lot to teach these people. They expected me to sleep in the kitchen! On my own! Quietly! Lesson One:- I make the rules not them!

First they try to go to bed at 11:30 and leave me in the dark, on my own, in the kitchen. First I keep calling to them that I don't want to be alone - not too loud understand but loud enough. I have adopted a spot in dining room near the table where they play on Facebook all day. It's dark, quiet and near to them. So I let myself out of the kitchen and went to my spot.

I was amazed! They WEREN'T on Facebook! They weren't there. I set off in search leaving a trail of open doors behind me. I went upstairs. They had told me I wasn't to go up them but they didn't tell me they slept up there! I found their room and let myself in. Ah! Found Mrs and stuck my cold wet nose in her face!

She still thought she was dominant and brought me down stairs again and tried to get me to sleep and while she did this she went on Facebook again!

She sneaked off when she thought I was asleep and I sneaked after her. She couldn't make up her mind what to do but He said that I was sleeping quietly so leave me alone, so they did and I did and we are all happy. Or are we?

I have brought it upon myself early. They were going to tolerate my smell while I settled down and not stress me too much but now they understand the terms they are talking about bathing me today. YIPES!

Wednesday 20 January 2010

Hi



I'm Dylan. I am about 12 months old and was picked up by the City Dog Wardens as I was a stray. I plan on blogging here some of my exploits as I adopt this new family. I have already taught them to use some commands like 'sit' and 'lie' and 'stay' and they seem to learn quick enough.  Enough for now, just wanted to introduce myself to you.