My Story Continues - May

So I think I’ve got up until May – I was 8 months old in May. Mum and Dad keep telling me I’m a big dog now. Although I have to admit I don’t feel like it – I’m still really a puppy at heart. After all, who wants to grow up too soon?

In April I started on my second training course: Intermediate level. There were only 4 of us on the course but I really enjoyed going nonetheless. It was great to meet up with other dogs, including Lizzie from my Beginners class. We always get really excited whenever we see each other. But I was always so excited I forgot what I was supposed to be doing – after all, aren’t these training classes so that we can meet up and play with other dogs? After a while Mum got upset cos I wouldn’t do what I was told, so after that Dad used to come along as well. It was nice having both of them there as it was somewhere we could all go together each week. I did get better towards the end of the course though, but I think Mum’s going to make me go again when I’m a bit older. But I got a very nice certificate and rosette at the end of it.

Oh no! I’ve just remembered, there was something back in April that I missed. I had a bath!!!!!!! Mum took me to the groomer, and they washed me. I wasn’t very impressed with that at all, although the two ladies at the groomers were very nice. But who needs a bath? Mum said I was a different colour afterwards, and kept telling me that I smelt nice. But I still don’t like anyone brushing me. I’m not having any of that. They keep trying to sneak up on me with my Zoom Groom, but its pink so its easy for me to spot it and I dash away. And if I don’t spot it in time to run away, I struggle so much they have to give up. Anyway, I have got a very short coat, so it doesn’t really need grooming, does it?

One nice day early in May we all had a day out. I wrote about it in Mum’s blog at the time…


“Yesterday was my BIG DAY OUT. I knew it was my BIG DAY OUT cos Mum kept telling me it was. I thought something was odd when Mum came downstairs all washed and dressed in the morning, before I’d even bothered to get up. Then she fed me straight away. And bags appeared, and there was lots of ‘goings on’. And then we got in the big car and off we went.

I thought I knew where we were going when we got there, cos I’d been before. We’d arrived at Mum’s Dad’s flat. So they took me in and I got all excited cos I like them. And then after a little while we all went out again, and got in a different car. I was squashed up in the back with my Dad and Pat, which I didn’t think too much of. I’d have liked a bit more room, and it was very hot. So off we went again, and next thing I knew we got out somewhere where there were lots of cars and a big boat. Then we got on the boat!!! Mum says it was the Isle of Wight ferry from Lymington. There were lots of people on there anyway, so I got quite a fuss made of me. I think I might have given one bloke a bit of a shock though: he was gazing out to sea, and I licked his bare leg – just to see what it tasted like – which wasn’t of anything much.

So we went across the water, then got back in the car and drove off again, and there I was cramped up in the back again with Dad and Pat. We had to stop at one point cos I’d got myself stuck in the footwell between the seat and Pat’s legs! Then we finally arrived at some hotel in a place called Sandown, which didn’t allow dogs in, and met two other people. It turns out these were my Dad’s Mum and Dad. Mum says they were on holiday.

Anyway, we all said hello, and then went for a walk into town, where all the humans got some lunch. Mum says I was very good, as I didn’t bother people while they ate, and sat quietly most of the time. It was worth it though as I kept getting bits of tuna sandwich, prawns, ham, cheese and baked potato.

After that we went down by the beach, but I didn’t think much of it. Dogs can’t go on any of the beach there at all, and it was so hot, and I so wanted to go for a paddle. We all had an ice cream though, although I didn’t eat all of mine. And then we went back to the hotel again where I stayed near the car with my Mum most of the time while the others went inside and had some tea. There was one odd moment, where I was asleep on the steps minding my own business and some weird bloke came and started moaning about me, and called me a ‘vicious beast’ (whatever one of those is). No-one seemed very happy about it, but Mum kept laughing and asking me if I was her Vicious Beast.

Then we got in the car and came home again. I sat with Dad and Eric on the way home, but was really tired. Then it was back on the boat, only there weren’t so many people on there as going, and eventually we all got home. I was worn out.

Today I’ve been recovering and have spent most of the day in the garden, where it’s really hot and sunny. Every now and then I have to go inside and cool down though. Mum took me over the Heath this afternoon, but I wasn’t allowed to go and see the horses, or to really play with the other dogs.

Anyway, this evening is training, although Dad’s told me I can’t go as I pulled the sheets off the line and dragged them round the garden earlier. I’m not sure whether he’s serious or not. I hope not!”


So, this is us on the ferry…





And me and Mum by the beach (not on it!).



Then no sooner had we been on my Big Day Out than we had visitors come to stay. I thought that was great. I had lots of people to play with me. And the weather was really nice, so we went down the beach, where I practiced my digging in the sand.



Then the week-end after that there was even more excitement, as Mum and Dad took me back to a Fun Dog Show at the RSPCA centre. It was great. There were loads of other dogs there, and I got to meet some of the nice people who looked after me while I was there. Mum entered me for a couple of events, so here are some photos of me in the show ring.







I didn’t win anything though. But this is me and the dog who did win – as you can see we got on very well.





Dad also took me round a small agility course they had there. I didn’t quite see the point of having to jump over all of those fences. And I didn’t like that scary tunnel thing – no way was I going through that. But I did get to enter the last race (a sausage and spoon race) with Dad. But it was all a bit humiliating as we got beaten by all the kids.



I had another day out in May as well. Mum took me to meet Eric and Pat and we all went off to see some gardens at a place called Exbury in the New Forset. To be honest I found it a bit boring just wandering round the gardens. But we had a picnic and there were lots of new smells, and I met some very nice friendly people who made a big fuss of me. Here’s a photo of me in the gardens with Eric and Pat.



Coming home we stopped by a lake in the New Forest and I went to see one of the ponies. I wasn’t very impressed when it tried to kick me though. After all, all I’d wanted to do was to say ‘Hello’.

Before I finish with May I’ll share a few more photos with you. This is me in one of my beds (the one in my Mum’s sitting room).



And this is me in the garden, showing off my nice long tongue.



The others are of me in the pond at the Country Park. I was chasing sticks, but the water was deeper than I thought, and my head went under. I wasn’t very impressed - I could have drownded!

My story continues

I thought my Mum would never get round to using her PC for more than 5 minutes at a time again. I’ve had to wait all this time to continue. So today I’ll try and bring you pretty much up to date.

So – last day of February, and I got taken to the vets FOR AN OPERATION!!! I didn’t know that was why I was going of course. And they were very nice to me while I was there, and there were lots of other animals around, but I was all very groggy and a bit sore when I woke up. Apparently now I can never have puppies. Mum came and got me and took me home in the afternoon, and although she’d bought me a new duvet so that I could recover in the living room, I decided to stay in my bed and slept most of the day. I didn’t even have anything to eat until late at night, but Mum had made me chicken and rice, and I couldn’t resist it.

The next day Mum came home from Tesco with a new t-shirt for me, which was supposed to stop me licking my stitches. Mum had put me in an old one of hers the previous night, but it was too big for me. This was a nice pink one which said ‘Too Fabulous for Words’. I liked the sentiment, but didn’t think much of having to wear the t-shirt and kept trying to take it off. This is me wearing it.



Although my scar seemed to heal quickly at first (I had internal stitches and the outside was ‘glued’ in some way) I wasn’t very keen on the fact that I was only allowed 10 minute walks. And I kept having to go back to the vets as it started to swell. And I had an upset stomach. I wrote another entry in my Mum’s blog about it.

“I’ve been a poorly little dog – what my Mum calls ‘icky’. I didn’t feel very well when I woke up, but ate my two mueseli bars when Mum gave them to me. And then they came straight back up again. I thought that was it, but my tummy really wasn’t right, and after a little sleep I couldn’t seem to stop being sick. So Mum whisked me off to the vet. I saw my favourite vet Rachel. Well, she was my favourite vet until she stuck something she called a thermometer up my bottom while Mum held me. It wasn’t very nice, and I really don’t think I know her well enough yet for her to take those sort of liberties. So she said there didn’t seem to be a lot wrong, but that I had a slight temperature, and for Mum to keep an eye on me. Oh yes, and NOT TO FEED ME!!! And there I was thinking Rachel was a nice lady. She did say I was a beautiful little dog, though.

So we came home but I really didn’t feel too good, so I spent the rest of the morning sleeping. After that I started to feel a bit better. I wasn’t very happy when Mum started cleaning and got that horrible machine of hers out. But I did at least manage to kill and dismember her fluffy duster for her.

After lunch a man came to test the alarm system. Mum originally shut me in the living room, but I heard him say that he had 2 staffies, so she let me out to see him. He was very friendly and so I helped him test the alarms. I tried to tear up the papers on his clipboard for him, but Dad stopped me.

After that, as I seemed a lot better, Mum took me for a walk round the ponds. It was quite a good walk, and I had a bit of a paddle, and a good old sniff round in the woods. But she wouldn’t let me play with the friendly black Labrador that came over to see me.

Well we’re home now and I’m starving. I’ve tried to tell her every way I know how. She’s sort of relented and has cooked me some rice and chicken. But she’s only given me a tiny bit of it. Well, I ate that in about 5 seconds flat. I even took my bowl into the living room in the hope that she’d get the hint, but she doesn’t seem to have done. We have just had a good game of ‘Duvet monster’ though.

Well, there you are. Time to go and have a sniff round in the garden and see if I can catch any spiders. I might do a bit of pruning for Mum while I’m out there (not that she seems to appreciate it). Or perhaps I’ll just play with my plant pots.”
After another week I had to go back to the vet for my final check up. I wasn’t happy though, as I explained in my next blog entry.

“Rats! It’s just not fair. Mum and Dad said I was better and could go for proper walks (off the lead, decent length of time, playing with other dogs) from today. So Mum took me to the vet and they said I couldn’t. I’ve got to be ‘rested’ for another week. What load of old rubbish is that? Can’t they see I’m fine? Just cos that lump thing is still there and is hard when it’s not supposed to be. I heard the nurse tell Mum they thought it might be an allergic reaction to my stitches. Why don’t they just ask me how I feel?

AND the weather isn’t very nice. Its really windy and keeps raining hard. And the back lawn is flooded. Its ok for Mum & Dad – they get to go to the toilet indoors. Me, I have to squat down out in the wind and rain! See, I told you it wasn’t fair. And then there was thunder and lightening again, and then we had more hailstones. Mum did manage to walk round the ponds with me when we got a bit of sunshine. And there’s another thing – I’ve not even got any sun to curl up and go to sleep in! I suppose the only good thing was that I did find a big branch in the garden to chew.

AND Mum bought another one of those horrible vacuum machine things into the house when she came home from Tesco. This one is smaller than her other one, and she said it was cos I make so much mess. I just got on with playing with the packaging.

Then last night there were lots of dogs. I thought they were in the house at first when I heard them barking. I wondered what was going on. Of course, I had a good bark back – well I had to let them know this is my house and they should ask permission before they start barging in uninvited. But then I realised they were on TV. Mum said it was a really big dog show and kept telling me to watch so I could see how I was supposed to do my obedience. And she showed me the agility which she says I’m going to do later in the year.

I’m waiting for Dad to take me out now, but he’s working. And I’m a bit worried that he might not take me as some sort of revenge for the fact that I bit him in somewhere called ‘the bollocks’ (whatever they might be) this morning. Well, how was I to know? I was just jumping up and playing. Mum thought it was really funny.

Oh well, better go and have another snooze. Not much else to do today.”

My long walks didn’t last very long though, as a week later I was back at the vet again as my tummy had got worse. Turns out I was allergic to the stitches and it had become infected. So I had my temperature taken YET AGAIN and this time I had to have an injection, which hurt quite a bit. Mum said I was a very brave little dog about it though. And then after that I had to take antibiotics for a few days which finally cleared it all up.

I was starting to grow into quite a big dog and lost a lot of my puppy looks. This was me in the garden towards the end of March when I was 6 months old.









Life now had settled into more of a pattern. I have walks in the morning with Mum, and in the afternoon with Dad. Mum takes me over the heath, to the country park, to the local recreation ground, or sometimes down the beach. Dad takes me to the woods, to the country park or to the recreation ground. I have some photos of me along the shoreline by the country park.









And one day I found an eggshell, although something had eaten the insides.





But sometimes we do something different.

In April Mum took be back to the RSPCA rescue centre that she got me from, and I saw lots of the people who’d looked after me there. They seemed really pleased to see me, and it was really exciting.

I also saw snow for the first time in April, albeit only briefly. I didn’t think much of it – it was cold and wet. As soon as some landed on my nose I decided that going out in it was not a good idea so watched it from the warmth of the living room.

I also met cows and horses for the first time. The horses are over the heath. They don’t seem very interested in my though, although I try very hard to be friendly. I like the cows though, and they like me. They give me lots of kisses. Here’s some photos of me with some young calves that Mum took in May.









May was a really interesting month as we did lots of new things. But I think I’d best tell you about them next time. Meanwhile I’ll leave you of some photos of me at around 7 months, which were taken in our back garden.









And a couple of videos:

My Story Continues - February

So we’re up to February. Generally things went on pretty much as usual in February. I had my walks, and managed to meet lots of nice dogs and people. I particularly enjoy my beach walks, as there are normally lots of other dogs around for me to play with. I’m still not too keen on those waves though. As I’ve got older, however, I get braver and go in deeper and deeper. But not and deeper than I can easily stand in. Mum took some more video of me down the beach towards the end of the month.



As you can see, I was still allowed off the lead at times back then. Nowadays I’m hardly ever allowed off. And I hate being on the lead – I run and try and hide when it appears. Mum says that I have to stay on the lead as I won’t come back when I’m called, but if I come back they usually put my lead back on – which I hate. I don’t see why they can’t just leave it off all the time and let me go and say ‘Hello’ to whomever I want.

Mum says that during February I kept going from little angel to devil incarnate, often in the space of a few minutes. I call it having a good time. Just because I like to pull her clean washing off the line and drag it round the garden, or try and find things in the house (like the carpet, sofa and Dad’s chair) that I can chew. That’s what being a puppy’s all about, isn’t it. Personally I can’t see what’s wrong with it. But I can be really good as well, like when Pat and Eric came to dinner. I was very well behaved then.

My obedience classes also continued and I really enjoyed them. I used to look forward to them each week, and practically drag Mum there. But the classes finished at the end of the month which was a shame. I got a certificate though, and a rosette for Most Improved, as you can see. Mum was very proud of me.



Mum also took lots more photos of me. Here’s a few of them. Firstly some of me playing…









And then some of me posing…









And this is me asleep on the sofa…



There’s also another couple of bits of video of me…





The end of the month was NOT NICE. But I’ll tell you about that next time.