Carbón's Big Adventure (aka Labratour Part IV)

Oh it's been a long day already I'm rubbish some days. It's always perfectly clear to me but I forget I'm in my head so I get it. Good job no one can get in here though

 

Me, too... I just wasn't getting it. Yes, that's definitely a 'danger danger' term when going between UK/US English!

For us (US) it means someone who has a lot of sass and courage and usually is used to describe young girls or even animals ("that's a sp**ky little terrier"). So that would be even weirder if heard by an English person!

 

Yep, I read something very like that on here only last week I think it was!

 

Carbon had another wonderful day with Harley and @Naya , first 40 acre walk with lots of off leash ball fun, then @Naya was nice enough to puppy sit while I went shopping for a friend at M&S. Carbon didn't notice I was gone, but he sure as heck noticed when it came time to peel him away from his new best friend. @Rosie , Carbon may feel the need to challenge Pongo as champion of Harley's affections!

Now he's snoozing away on the sofa, but I think he's getting a little exasperated with me constantly introducing him to new friends and then taking them away: Benson, Casper, Bramble, Harley, Monty, Nellie, Molly. Poor pup to have such a mean foster mum!

 

How’s he coping without Paul? Do you think it matters to him?

 

Yes, I do think it matters to him. The day I took Paul to his new home and came back to Kate's without him, Carbon didn't even seem to notice. However, I noticed some odd behaviours in the next couple of days. The next day we had lunch with @Boogie and he was perfectly behaved, but then we visited @Rosie and Pongo and he was a bit of a grump with Pongo.* Then that evening he became fixated on a little stuffed rabbit that he'd 'borrowed' from Beanwood. Every other stuffy I'd tried with him he had just chewed up, but this one he carried around with him - even in and out of the hotel we stayed at that evening - and licked and groomed it like he did with Paul. The next day we went to Tintagel in Cornwall and he was very grumpy with several dogs, which again is very unlike him. He also threw up in the public WC at Tintagel (which I frantically cleaned up with poo bags and toilet paper). I just think it was all too much for him.

His obsession with the plush rabbit continued over the next couple days, but got better. I think it really helped him to meet up with @leejane 's Monty for a good play as well as Molly and Nellie the next day. He is learning that he can have fun and companionship with other dogs that are not Paul. Since Tintagel he's had no problematic interactions with other dogs...in fact he seems to be back to his universally adaptable self.

The real test will be once we set off for Germany and he loses all his wonderful Forum-supplied dog buddies. Hopefully I can find some friendly dogs to play with him in addition to my friend's chihuahua, Fine.


*This is a story in and of itself for another post. Suffice it to say (for now) that Carbon got his counter-surfing habit reinforced big time.

 

Remy the Cat of Unusual Size has stolen my bacon for dinner off the counter. Stepped out for two minutes to check on the chickens and ducks and came back to find him smacking his (large) kitty lips. Really, Rem? And Carbon was looking pretty cheerful, too, like they planned it together. Do you ever get the feeling that animals are scheming against you?

Oh well, they needed the calories more than I did, that's for sure.

 

Oh no I hope there’s something else you can have!

 

Remy probably didn't even have to reach from the floor. Just waved a paw above his head and he'd easily have swiped it

 

Cat food? Cats are like that

 

Oh don't!

 

Sorry about Carbon missing Paul. It would break my heart to see him carrying around the toy and grooming it. Poor boy. Thankfully you’ve had the forum dogs at hand. And Remy. Even if he did steal your dinner.

 

Reach from the floor? When I got back in the kitchen he was just standing on the counter and enjoying his snack at his leisure. Carbon was already thinking Remy was pretty cool (he's been licking his face in greeting lately) but now he thinks Remy is a GOD.

No worries, Jen - I was just going to put a bit of bacon in my pasta, so no harm done.

Yes, we both had a rough few days as I was already missing Paul and then seeing Carbon with his bunny just made me cry harder. We BOTH benefited from the Forum dog (and human) visits.

 

It has been a fantastic few days and Harley has already looked in every room tonight - I think she’s missing Carbon already. He was so well behaved for us.
I will put photos up when I get around to re sizing them. Great to catch up with you Emily xx

 

Awww....well, he's definitely missing her and you both because he seems a bit put out with me tonight. And he has already taken himself off to bed! Thank goodness there is a good walk planned and the @Beanwood crew is back tomorrow or he might disown me.

Thanks again for today - great to see you, OH and Harley!

 

Once again had to turn to google ''what does pants mean in the UK'...as it only has one meaning down here - trousers! Ahha....it means what we call 'knickers' or 'undies' IE the item of clothing that you put on under your trousers - right?

And I knew about not using spunky cos I used it once to describe a particularly good looking boy I met in front of my mum who knew it's 'other' meaning and told me not to use it again. I didn't listen of course, being a teenager

 

Of course! Remy’s in charge! It’s good to hear that Carbon’s meeting lots of friends to distract him.

Years ago, we had a cairn terrier who was too small to reach the kitchen worktops, so he and our cat Suki devised a plan. Suki would patrol the worktop (in our then tiny kitchen which was so small that the door had been removed) and knock off anything edible, then they would share it. I once found them both in the garden with the remains of a leg of lamb.

Then on another occasion they were sharing some steak left out to defrost. Thinking I would stop their antics, I put some sausagemeat wrapped in a thick plastic tube out of their way in the oven to defrost - but then forgot and turned the oven on. Needless to say, neither we nor the animals ate the horrible mess of melted plastic and sausagemeat!

 

Pongo feels the same about Carbon. For the same reasons.

 

Do share.....