My latest guest star: Toby the Bodeguero

I had a Skype audio call today for work. I had to apologise for the noise, as Squidge had jumped up to sit on my lap, slurping ridiculously loudly on a kong I'd given her to keep her quiet.

The shame.

 

And how is young Toby today? Or are you resting after another 3 hour hike?

 

He had an hour jog (jog for me, walk for him), then another hour on the beach for my "Walk & Talk" Spanish/English conversation group, then 30 minutes having to sit still in a beach bar (which consisted of him trying to climb on top of my head) and now we're back home for 4-5 hours of work. Right now he's actually playing with his Kong in the garden, which is really good progress as he wasn't playing before yesterday.

I think my squishy parts MAY be safe for 1-2 hours. After that, all bets are off.

 

They always get the nip don't they?

 

We had one more hour of walks on the beach and (finally) Toby is now snoozing away. My legs feel like they are going to fall off! But I got him some really good liver and chicken and tomorrow we start clicker training. I don't think it is physically possible to tire him out, so I'm going to see if I can do it through his brain instead of his legs.

The invasion of the northerners (people from Madrid) will be upon us tomorrow for Easter Week, so the plan for the weekend is my favorite obscure nudist beach (nudist beaches here are always dog friendly). On Sunday we have an invite to go see Tiger and the six dogs he lives with (see the earlier photo - he's the big black Labrador/Mastiff cross). Toby will be in heaven as he LOVES other dogs.

I'm off to bed, which means waking Toby up for a last wee, after which he will wiz around the house like he DIDN'T walk three hours today. But I've now learned that if I take him into my bed and hold him on his back like a baby for a half an hour or so, he goes into his crate easy peasy and is quiet the whole night. I hate to bother with the crate (I'm one of those "dogs belong on the bed" sorts), but I think there is large chance I'd wake up to a rain of feathers from him chewing the pillows, so sleepy time in the crate it is!

 

This thread is very entertaining

 

Crikey, he needs a lot of exercise, he looks like a slight young pup who could get by on an awful lot less.
Hats off to you Emily for putting in the hours with him. Hope the clicker training can ease up onthe hours spent walkingand running.
He must already have so much trust in you to lie back in bed and fall asleep next to you, much different from nodding off standing up!
Warms my heart that there are people like you happy to take a chance on helping a dog no matter what and give them so much love and affection

 

It's just the breed - he's meant to be going-going-going from dawn to dusk and beyond so even three hours of walking is just kind of "meh" for him. It's actually really good for me, though, as a month ago I'd started on what I call my "PPP" or Puppy Preparation Project. I gained 30 kilos after Brogan died and now it's time it comes OFF so that I can have the energy needed for my yet-to-be-found Lab puppy. Or for Toby as it happens.

I've actually been doing really well with my daily exercise, but with Toby I'm getting even more (a LOT more) and now know that I can't skip any lest he turn my squishy parts into chew toys. So we'll just call Mr. Tobes my very own Bodeguero personal trainer!

 

Dogs make the best personal trainers


Nnn

 

Good grief he makes Charlie sound comatosed! x

 

I am knackered. 1.5 hours jogging on the beach this morning. 1 hour walking around a touristy hill town. 1.5 hours evening walk on the beach. And I still had to crate him just to eat my dinner in peace. We're now sitting on the couch together and I'm working on "All done", which essentially means "You only get attention when you're calm and not trying to claw or bite me." He's currently writhing on the other end of the sofa with his Kong, but I totally count that as a win as it means he is not chomping down on my laptop or any body parts that I value. Serious progress.

Toby is SO sweet and just wants attention, but boy oh boy does he have some bad habits to get attention. This is EXCELLENT training for my future crocopup! And I think I lost a kilo just today.

 

What a sweet boy He looks quite smitten with you!

 

He looks very happy

 

He's smitten with EVERY human. But at least for now, I get the benefits of his smitten-ness!

 

A Jack Russell on speed !!!!!!!!! Oh Emily that did make me chuckle ! As a life long owner of JRT`s , I can associate with your description , terriers are on the whole , a very busy class of dogs as you`re obviously finding out , but he is terribly handsome

 

Hola guapas! Soy Toby el Bodeguero! Wait...you do not understand my Spanish? Que lastima!

Vale, I continue in English. A dog who can type can also use Google Translate. No hay problema! By the way, just imagine me with an Antonio Banderas accent. Que malasuerte that he played a cat in those movies because he would be magnificent playing me in my life story. We are both adorable Spaniards from the south!

So, the last week has been pretty good. I'm having lots of adventures and teaching my current human a lot about terriers. For example, that we are very smart and can use Google Translate. This lady is pretty nice even though she makes me stay in a box when she sleeps or in the car. Oye, just because I like to hump her pillows and eat the duvet! Come on, who doesn't do that?

Today, however, was no bueno. Seriously, what did I do to deserve today? First, no morning jog. She is "tired", she says. What is tired? Can I hunt it? No? Then I do not care about it. Instead, we go in the car and go out into the campo. I came from a farm, so I know all about this - lot of juicy rats and dirt roads and horses and goats. Campo!

We get to a finca (that's a Spanish ranch) and my lady lets me out without a leash. Ojala! Finally! I am doing my freedom dance, running around, hunting rats, smelling the scents and leaving my mark everywhere. Toby was here, and here and HEEEEEEEERE!!!

It was all so nice and then my lady and another lady had to RUIN IT by letting a horrible, terrible, ugly monstrous BEAST into my land. Of course it was mine, I had marked it hadn't I? And what's worse, this beast came running after me, all bouncy and black and...madre de dios, I can't even tell you. I screamed...wouldn't you? And I jumped on my lady and bared my teeth to protect her...wouldn't you? Oh, he was so hideous. I'm sure I saw the blood and bones of the other Bodeguero's who came before me dripping from his gaping jaws!!!!

Once it knew that I was going to protect my lady, the beast lay down and put his head on the ground. He even looked a bit contrite (nice word, thank you Google Translate). But I was not fooled and continued to bark. Soy muy bravo that way. The ladies took us for a walk together and I pretended to get along with the beast, but I was reeeeeally keeping an eye on him. Those beasts are sneaky.

Then back to the finca and the two ladies sat talking. And more horrors, my lady was petting the beast and calling him "Sweet boy" and "Good boy". Joder! Madre de dios! I am the sweet boy, ME, ME ME MEEEEEEE!!! Doesn't she notice the Bodeguero bones stuck between the beast's teeth? La verdad - she's a nice lady, but I think she has a hammer loose. Or is it a screw?

Vale, she also told me I was a sweet boy and petted me - but I should be the ONLY sweet boy, no?

FINALLY we got in the car and drove out of the campo and back to civilisation. Away from the horrible, terrible hijo de diablo dog from hell. My lady says we are going back next week for more "soceelizeetion". No, nada, jamas, no way. She is not very smart, this lady. But she has delicious liiiiiver and she's a pretty good cuddler, so what am I to do?

Vale, I return this post to her tomorrow. For tonight, I leave you with a terrifying photo of the beast. Can't you see the juicy Bodeguero bits still in this horrifying maw? "Maw" - thanks again, Google Translate.

Buenas noches a todos!

 

Love this post! Toby, you are a star.

 

Oh heck Toby,you're such a character. You have made the tears roll down my cheeks with laughter..and you know what Toby? Laughter is the very best thing for us humans. Your Black Beast? He's not so bad is he?

 

Ohh hysterical! I read the whole post a la Puss in Boots - Antonio Banderas...