Hello Bud, Good to hear from you. Those long walks sound fun! I'm not sure about the 'games with a bit of strictness' - do you think that could be what my mum calls 'training'? I really enjoy 'training' and try to do my vey best because I know I'll have some delicious treats if I'm good. I still find it difficult to be calm and friendly when I'm out, though, because I need to protect mum if I see something or somebody I'm not sure about. I'm also still a bit bouncy when people I love come to visit - that's because I'm so pleased to see them and I hope they want to play. Tuppy is much calmer than me, but she's not so good at the 'training'. She won't drop her toys (and grabs mine too!) and mum says it's taken nearly two years to get get her to sit at the side of the road ... We've both been a bit unwell this week. Mum took me to see the vet because I had a 'runny tummy' in the night and then I was sick when I drank some water. Worst of all, I didn't want any food - not that mum tried to give me any when she knew I wasn't well, but when she gave Tuppy hers I just walked away and felt very sad. The vet took my temperature (how undignified is that!) and it was 'normal', so I just had to wait until I felt better. Then Tuppy was ill too and was suddenly sick after eating some rice, when mum was giving her a cuddle. So we've both had to eat rice (and a little bit of chicken) to settle our tummies. Well, did you know how difficult it is to eat rice from a 'slow feeding ' dish? Tuppy and I managed to get it all over the floor and it took ages to lick it all up. I'm very good at cleaning the floor ... Enjoy your bone, Pongo - I've never had a bone ... I must talk to mum ... Time to see if I'm getting a normal breakfast this morning. I hope so, because my tummy's feeling much better and I even fell a bit like playing again ... Have a good day, everyone! Wispa
Good Afternoon everyone, PONGO - Did you manage to eat your way through that bone? Hope you are keeping yourself out of mischief. HOLLY - Still waiting to sample a flapjack, even though i have given plenty of hints to dad. Day walks are certainly a fantastic way to spend time outside. I get time to lay down and rest when i want to, play and investigate at all other times, other than when i have to earn my treats. It must be great fun to share your days with Ted, even if he is on the other side of the fence some of the time. I hope to one day make new friends i can play with, but i think i need to learn to be a lot more gentle around people and dogs. I pulled dad over the other day when he was talking with our neighbours - i was eager to go over and play with them and my strength was too much for dad. It was like i was taking him for a walk!! Wispa - Hello. I believe you are right. Training is what mum and dad are trying to do with me. I get plenty of treats so i must be doing some things right. Yet i am behaving no differently overall, and i think the shakes of the head i see mean that i may be left to be my natural self for some time to come. Dad is always attempting to introduce elements of this training into various things we do together, but at the end of the day i like being me and i hope others over time will accept me for the friendly but very excitable dog that i am. I also share a trait with Tuppy because i hate dropping my toys, and no matter how many times i hear the word 'Give' or 'Drop it', i maintain my grip and so ensues a game of tug that gets me growling yet still wagging my tail. I win more than i used to, but dad still has some strength left in him. I notice you also mention how long it took to get Tuppy to sit at the side of the road. I used to be very obedient and would sit almost without being asked. As i have got older though i am more interested in what is on the other side of a road and all around me, so sitting is something of a drag. How are you and Tuppy now Wispa? Have you both fully recovered from your illness? I like chicken and rice, but i have not yet been introduced to a 'slow feeding' bowl. I know one is going to be taking the place of my existing bowl at some point in the future because i am prone to eating very quickly indeed. I think dad is just trying to ascertain the best type for me. Well, i am off for a play. Maybe stare down a passing cat if it has the nerve to venture onto my territory. Then a snooze in the sun sounds like a plan. Maybe then dad will take a nap too. To all of my friends, have great fun and look after yourselves. Will catch up with you all whenever i can. Your friend Bud
Hi Bud, You really must get your people to make some flapjacks. Flapjacks with berries are really tasty. I drool when I smell them. I know its not ladylike but they are so delicious. Have you tried blackerries yet? They grow all over the woods at the moment. There are lots of them at my height. I love picking them as I walk along. They're so scrummy. I wonder if mum could put blackberries in flapjacks? That would be delicious. Ted and I met in the park this week. We were taking our people for a walk and saw each other. We had a lovely time just running around and pretending to chase each other. We both stopped to sniff things at the same time. I met another Labrador in the park called Rueben, and he also likes a good chase. There are lots of nice dogs around here. You have to be careful with people. They seem to fall over very easily if you pull. I hope that you didn't hurt your dad. It must be hard for them having only two legs, its much easier running around on four legs. Take care. Your friend, Holly
Hello Bud, Guess what! I'm now two years old! It was my birthday yesterday and I had some lovely games of hide-and-seek with my toys. I love playing hide-and-seek and even give my toys up so they can be hidden, instead of trying to play tuggy games with them. Wispa and I are now bouncy and well again. Mum is trying to stop me from eating things I shouldn't but I just can't resist sniffing around. Holly - you're right, blackberries are really scrummy! I don't even mind getting my nose scratched if I can grab some lovely, juicy, ripe ones! Wispa doesn't bother, so all the more for me! We haven't had flapjacks, though ... Must talk to mum ... Slow feeding bowls are good, Bud, as it just takes a little longer to gulp down my breakfast and dinner. Ours are green and have curved spiky bits sticking up, a bit like huge blades of grass or the bits of the spiky plant I like to grab as I rush down the garden. Did I say BREAKFAST? Time for a bit of action here - my tummy's feeling hungry, so I need my breakfast NOW! Take care, everyone! Tuppy
Hi Holly, My words to dad, if he understood them, were "DAD......FRUITY FLAPJACKS FOR MY TUMMY......PLEAAAAASSSSSSE." He smiled which looked promising. I know mum and dad still like to be careful when it comes to introducing me to human food, especially dad. But i don't miss out on the occasional scrummy extra treat.I haven't tried blackberries yet Holly, and dad says they had a bush growing alongside one of our fences in the garden when they first moved here. Sadly it only provided a handful of fruit, and became so unmanageable that it had to be removed to make room for new plants to establish themselves. It sounds great that you and Ted, and now even Reuben, have fun chasing games together when you are out. Most dogs i meet when out either show no interest in me, or their people pick them up or shorten their leads to prevent us from all playing. The nice thing is though that we have friendly neighbours. Yesterday i was running up and down our end of the street chasing and collecting a ball (our end of the street is quieter and safer to enjoy that little bit of extra play when the garden is too soft for me to really stretch my legs in a fast run.) The lady next door came out and joined in, two little people showed me lots of attention. Then the man, and finally another lady who i had not seen before. I had to be very gentle around her though and dad kept me close to him. There was also a very tiny , tiny person who just looked at me but was not ready to meet me close up. I spent nearly an hour i think dad said outside with them all, and dad was very pleased because it gave him a little bit of social time too which i know is not easy for him. You are right Holly, we do have to be careful with our parents, and people generally. I risk knocking people over when i charge at them in play, or jump up. And more than once now i have pulled dad over, or really yanked his arm. But it has all been when i am really, really, really excited. Dad scraped his arm a little on the ground the time i mentioned to you, and yesterday i think i caused some pain, but i didn't mean to. I have to chuckle a little though because i could not imagine my parents walking about on four legs. They would look silly, even though it is our natural way of moving around. Right, i must go and have a quick chat with Tuppy and then some ball and frisbee chasing, followed by a snooze. Look after yourself Holly. Your friend Bud
Hello Tuppy, and a big HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY for yesterday. Sounds like you had a lot of fun, and hide-and-seek games are great aren't they. I don't release my toys that easily though, not even for them to be hidden or thrown. Really pleased that you and Wispa are healthy again and back to your bouncy selves. It's not easy resisting all the smells that we think are also tasty to eat is it? Dad does his best to prevent me picking up something i shouldn't, but when i am off the lead this is not so easy for him. I do have quite a strong stomach now and i can cope with some intake that is not classed as food. However, my parents are quite protective, and i love them for that. It sounds like your slow feeding bowls are the type dad is looking at getting for me. I will be interested to see if they are really able to stop me eating so quickly. Well, i am off to play now before a mid morning nap. Keep well my friend and i will chat again with you soon. Bud
Hello Bud, Just a quick message before my breakfast ... So it will be really quick, as I'm hungry! Mum timed us eating from our green bowls and it took one and a half minutes, with another thirty seconds to lick them clean! It doesn't sound very long (she says - I don't know about that, as I'm too busy eating!). It's much better than the few seconds it took us to eat from normal bowls, though, and we don't splutter afterwards from eating too quickly. I don't even taste what I'm eating when I gobble things, as I just want to fill my tummy up quickly, but using my green bowl I have to pick up each bit of kibble instead of grabbing a mouthful. Off now to fill up my tummy! Tuppy
Morning Tuppy, Hope you enjoyed your breakfast (obviously you did.) Just a quick thank you that i am passing on, mainly from dad as i am not too bothered where i eat my kibble from as long as it fills my tummy I have been timed a few times and it ranges from 20 seconds to around 40 seconds for my breakfast, though a little longer for my lunch as this includes extra items of food. Like you, i hardly taste anything that i eat because of how fast i hoover up my food (a term dad uses because i apparently avoid chewing my kibble with exception to the occasional crunch.) I sometimes splutter afterwards also, but i am prone to drinking quickly also and this causes me to make funny throat noises afterwards. Anyway, dad is giving the nod of approval so it looks like a new food bowl is coming my way very soon. Enjoy your day my friend. Hope the sun is shining for you (it is here.) Bud
Evening everyone. A very quick update for you as i need a snooze (dad has kept me on my feet quite a bit today.) This strange new green thing appeared in my food bowl this morning, which i found out is the slow feeding dish dad had been waiting for. Because i eat my meals and drink my water from bowls that are raised off the ground, dad had to place this new item inside my bowl. Have to say that i am not currently impressed with not being able to gulp my food down as i just want to eat, eat, eat and fill my tummy. It now takes me at least double the time to eat my meals. I am crunching more kibble though than i used to, and i think i am tasting my food more. Mum and dad are happier. I suppose it is for my own benefit so will adjust accordingly. My other piece of news is that i think dad is arranging something called a play date for me at the vet place where i see Mr Simon. Dad has contact with a lady in charge at the vets, and she has 5 dogs. They were talking on his tappy box and discussing my huge excitability and how it is so hard for me to mix with other dogs. Before long she had suggested arranging a play date for me in a garden connected with the vets. One of her dogs would apparently be ideal for me as he is also strong; another loves the rough and tumble play like i do but would also put me in my place if i became overpowering; and another would, it seems, teach me some doggy manners and also correct me if i overstep the mark. I don't know when this is going to happen but i am looking forward to some fun with other dogs. I will let you know how it all goes when it takes place. Now i need to rest. Keep safe and well. Your friend Bud.x
Hello Bud, So you've got your green bowl! That's good because it really will help you not to gulp your food down too quickly. Of course, although I've got one I don't really need one (mum's looking at me a bit oddly...), but Tuppy had no idea how to eat properly until she had her green bowl. She would grab bits of her kibble and try to eat mine too - and I was far too polite to try to stop her. Mealtimes are much better now! Your play date sounds good fun. I sometimes have a chance to play with other dogs (not just Tuppy!), but not very often. I play well when I get to know my friends, but at first I can be a bit bouncy and excited. It takes time to learn manners - I'm still trying to teach Tuppy. Oh dear, mum's looking at me a bit oddly again. I suppose, if I'm really honest, Tuppy is less bouncy with new dogs than I am! Enjoy tasting your food. I'm ready for my goodnight Kong now! Wispa
Hello Bud and everyone, It's been FOREVER since my mommy has let me come in here and talk to you!!! I don't know what she was thinking...but it's been a busy few months for sure! We all went on a VERY VERY long car ride to CALORAADOH..and then I got to make friends with Maddie - she kind of looks like us, but she is black and a bit hairier. Her humans are my daddy's parents....so we had a bunch of fun playing with balls and such. Mommy left me in Maddie's house with a nice bone one day while we were there, and I was kind of sad...but mommy and daddy were dressed in such lovely outfits - they must have done something special that day. On the day after that, we got back in daddy's car for another really long ride before we finally made it home. I was soooo excited to be home and I ran in crazy circles around Crystal when we got there! I wonder what she did while we were gone? After that long car ride, there were several week-ends that mommy left me with daddy and took her good smelling trailer and left us. I don't know what she does when she takes that trailer...but she fills it with all the boxes from the good smelly room in our house...and then takes pillows and extra clothes with her. It always smells so interesting when she brings the trailer back...I do wonder where it's been and what adventures they have. I also got to take another long trip in the car with just mommy. We took daddy's car, but left daddy at home with Crystal. Mommy drove the whole way by herself...and I can now say I've been to MAHNTANUH. We visited at uncle Martin's house....and he has 2 doggies that look like Shadow!!!! They are Hauser and Seeley....and they live in MAHNTANUH. My gramma showed up too with Abbey, and Pam was there with Dozer (he looks like Shadow too...but shorter and wider), and Jasper. It was a regular party! Gramma brought along THE-NEFEEWS... so we played lots of good rowdy times. At uncle Martin's they have a creek and we all played in the water for hours and hours and hours....it was so much fun!!! things are back to a more normal routine now, with mommy working at COLLIJ and I go to work with daddy most days. I sure do love it when it's time for mommy to come get me and take me home though. Mommy plays ball with me when we get home during the week. And if it's been a particularly hot day....sometimes we stop at the lake on the way home and I can go for a swim and play ball for a bit before we get all the way home. I like those days - but mommy says it takes more planning to do that. I had my birthday about a month ago too. I'm now a whole ONE year old. Mommy baked me a cake with oats and peanut butter and bananas...it was wonderful...even if I did have to share it with Crystal. Oh my....I nearly forgot!!!!! Right after my birthday....we had daddy's humans visit OUR HOUSE!!!! It was Gramma and Grampa, plus Maddie, and even better....Cheyanne and Brenton and Travis.....Travis is a miniature human...wow does he smell good....and he always needs his face washed, and he drops crackers a lot too. It was just a short visit....but I sure like to have my house full of people!!! It was hard to keep up on whose ears were clean enough, and who needed someone to sit with them on the couch. Crystal and I split the couch sitting job...but I got all the ears I could manage. Ok...I should probably go...mommy is saying my time is up! I hope things are going well for all my friends in the YewKay! Your Americuhn friend, Bella
Morning Hello Wispa. Mum and dad have been so pleased with me during my mealtimes since the green bowl arrived. I have certainly started to eat my meals more slowly. I suppose i am fortunate that i don't have the risk of a "Tuppy" trying to steal my food too as i think i would eat much quicker again if my food was at risk. My play date is in a few days time, and i will be meeting another boy dog who is a good bit older than me. I think i am looking forward to it but the venue is at the vets and after my last trip there to see Mr Simon it has been established that i have a little mild anxiety (it think this is like what my dad suffers from, yet mine is not as strong. More caution and uncertainty, especially when i am visiting the vets.) Dad had thought i was just excited to be around more people and dogs, but now he is hearing me a lot more clearly. I will let you know how my play date turns out. I hope i am a good boy and my bouncy, crazy nature does not scare my play mate. After all, like you Wispa, all i want to do is have fun. BELLA!!!!! Lovely to hear from you again all the way from the other side of the world!!! Sounds like you have been having loads and loads of fun, and celebrated your own first birthday. All those people and dogs to keep you company, you must have hardly had time to lie down and snooze. Your birthday cake must have been a delight - i am yet to have a special cake made for me but i have FINALLY tasted FRUITY FLAPJACKS. And Holly was right, they are so delicious. Sweet and fruity and fruity and sweet and yummy, yummy, yummy. Must go now as breakfast is about to be served and my tummy is hungry. Bye for now Bella. Look after yourself and everyone with you. And Bye Wispa. Speak with you soon. Your friend Bud
Hi Bud, I'm glad you like the FRUITY FLAPJACKS. My birthday is coming up soon and I can't wait to see what Mum and dad are planning. They make my birthdays so exciting! They keep whispering about a swimming party with cakes .... I can't wait! Your pal, Holly.
Hello Bud, It's good to hear you're doing well with your green bowl! I must remind mum about FRUITY FLAPJACKS, though - she doesn't seem to be listening! Bella, your birthday cake sounds very yummy too. I love peanut butter and bananas - mum often puts some banana in our Kongs and smears them with a bit of peanut butter too, but I haven't had any cake made for me. It's my birthday late in November, so perhaps I'll be lucky then. I'd really like a swimming party like you're going to have, too, Holly, but the stream will be a bit chilly by November. Perhaps if Tuppy doesn't lead me astray and I'm really good I'll have a lovely surprise and have some FRUIY FLAPJACKS or PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA CAKE. I'm going to try very hard and keep my paws crossed. It's a few weeks until my birthday, though, so perhaps mum will need to practise making those yummy treats before then! Meanwhile, I'm going to have a nap and dream ... of CAKE! Night, night, everyone! Wispa
Hello Bud and everyone, Guess what! I was such a silly dog this morning! Somehow, after mum had given us our breakfast in our green bowls, I managed to sneak into the store room where she keeps our food when she was putting our bowls away. After a bit, I heard mum calling me out in the garden, then talking to Wispa and asking her where I'd gone. She called and called and then I heard her coming back into the house, still talking to Wispa and sounding worried. I couldn't hear her opening the door of the treat cupboard for our 'coming in from the garden' treats, though, so eventually I snuffled at the store room door and she heard me and opened it! "You silly dog! Why didn't you bark? How did you get in there?" she said. I think she was pleased to see me but I did feel a bit silly! I got my 'coming in from the garden' treat when Wispa had hers, though - but I didn't get the extra ones I usually have for coming in first. Silly me! Tuppy
Morning everyone. Just dropping in to say hi and good morning. Just got back from a long walk and run over some very damp grassland. Quite refreshing first thing in the morning, don't you think? Holly - you mention your upcoming birthday. When is that? Our parents make these special days so exciting don't they. Did you know our parents have birthdays too? Mum was treating dad with gifts and saying Happy Birthday a little while ago, and dad is now preparing to do the same for mum. I think her special day is next weekend. Tuppy - only you would trap yourself inside the storage room for your food. And yet you didn't try to sneak any extra into your tummy. I don't know if i could have been so good around so much food. I was a little bit naughty the other day. Along with my daily walks and play out in the park or on other grassland, and of course in the garden, i also get to play and stretch my legs at our end of the street. The neighbours sometimes also play with me, and i had learned to run alongside dad off lead (i say run but it is quite slow so that dad can keep up.) I would also stand and wait when dad walked off, and when he tapped his leg i would charge towards him, even with his back towards me. However, the other day i ran further past him, and stopped when he called my name, only to then look back at him and then run off and around a corner. I still haven't told him what took my attention, but i only came back when i heard mum call me. Since then dad has kept me on the lead in our street, which is harder work for him physically, unless mum is out with us so i can run between the two. Thankfully i still received some treats later in the day so i am not in the 'dog house.' Well, time for breakfast soon and then wait for mum to join us as she doesn't disappear off to work today. Bye for now everybody. Take care of yourselves and your people. Your friend Bud.
Hello Bud, I'm so glad you're not in the 'dog house'. I was worried that I would be too when I was silly a few days ago. We can't help it if there's something that catches our attention, can we? I think it's good that we're alert and observant - I would be so bored if I just plodded along. It's best not to stray too far, though, otherwise it means we have to stay on our leads. I nearly had to when we went to the woods recently. I slunk through a broken fence into an orchard ... not once, not twice, but three times! You would think mum would remember by now that in this particular wood I can smell apples! Wispa doesn't bother, but I just can't help going to check the little trees! Oh well, I suppose I might have to watch out for being put on my lead for that bit of the walk in future, although perhaps because I was a good dog and came back (three times!) when mum called she'll give me another chance! No, I couldn't help myself to extra food when I got myself shut in the store. It's kept in a bag in a big metal bin up on a little table. Mum says it's because some 'little visitors' got in and tried to chew through the plastic sack when she left a spare bag of food out of the bin ... but I think it's all a plot to stop me from helping myself! Time for my evening nap now. Enjoy your walks! Tuppy
Hello Bud, My birthday is on Sunday! I'm so excited. Cakes and a walk and a swim! My boyfreind Ted has hurt his paws. He's been to see the vet man who has given him some cream, and they're getting better. We met outside the house last night and he said that he can walk again now. I hope he is well enough to get to my birthday bash. Sometimes smells and things just MUST be investigated so we have to run off. People don't understand this, though I know that they have our best interests at heart. It is hard sometimes to come back to mum or dad when a smell calls me, but I feel so guilty afterwards. Dad has been away a lot recently. I miss him lots, and keep wandering around the house to see if he's just hiding from me. It's lovely when he comes home - we always have a good play together. He crawls around on the floor and pretends to be a dog while we play tuggy. He's not very good at it, but he does try. Last night when he came home I slept on the bed so close to him that he had to get up and move me over. I was so happy to have home back that I just wanted to snuggle up close to him. There's a bag in the hall tonight, so I know he's going away again tomorrow. I hope he's back soon or he will miss my birthday! Take care. Your pal, Holly
Morning everyone. Holly - Happy Birthday for yesterday. Sorry i couldn't get here earlier. Did you have a great day, with walking and swimming and a cake? And how is Ted? You are so right Holly when you say that those things that distract us make it difficult to remember not to stray too far from our parents. And i normally hate not being able to see mine when i turn around. But on the day i ran off my focus was completely elsewhere. Other people, other dogs, and cats, all cause me to forget my good manners and good behaviour. Even a treat is not always enough to hold my attention! I remember when my dad was away for a long time Holly, and i missed him terribly too. Mum was here for cuddles and play and walks and food, but there was something missing when i could not find dad anywhere. Thankfully now he is here every day and if he does go away it is not for very long at all. Tuppy - i love being around trees so those orchards you mention sound superb. Do you ever get to taste the apples that you can smell? My food is in secure storage too, and there is no chance of me venturing inside. I poke my nose in now and again when the door is opened but i am generally well mannered around feeding time. I still sit and offer my paw before i tuck into my meals. Guess what friends, i surprised mum and dad yesterday and made them very proud all at the same time. When i was very young i was introduced to this huge structure called a "crate" which i am sure most of you know about. I think i have mentioned before that i never liked this crate and used to charge at the sides and create so much noise that after a very short time it was removed and i never saw it again. Until yesterday. I have started to become very restless at times when mum and dad are trying to rest, and after i have played and eaten. I normally would go to my personal space upstairs and catch my snoozes but recently i have been craving more attention. Mum decided to reintroduce my crate to see if it would settle me down, despite the fact my only memories of it were very negative. Dad was shaking his head a lot but he placed in this really cosy bedding material, and a couple of toys, and my toy BONE which i do not usually get to chew in the living room. To everyone's amazement i strolled inside, lay down and began chewing heartily on my toy without any care in the world. I curled up and had little naps now and again then played some more. The door was left open so i could come and go whenever i wanted but i was so comfortable inside that i would return after giving mum and dad some love. I don't know why this crate is no longer threatening to me, but my acceptance of it has really impressed mum and dad. Right, time for breakfast and then a short snooze before the rest of my day unfolds. Keep safe my friends. Chat with you all soon. Bud
Hi Bud, I had a LOVELY birthday, thank you. I met with Pongo and Harley and Harvey and Ted and we went for a walk in the forest. There was lots of mud so we had a "who-can-get-dirtiest" competition. I think we all won! Dad took us by the dig dip, so we all played swimmy-fetch for a while. Then mum got out some lovely honey and peanut butter cakes, topped with bacon. It was a wonderful day. Dad helped me to prepare for my birthday. On Saturday he took me on a long walk in the Wye Valley, and we finished by sharing a fruity flapjack. Apple and blackberry - yummy! Dad is back now and has promised not to go away this week. When he came home I snuggled up to him so hard that I nearly pushed him out of bed! You're very brave having a crate. Mum and dad tried me with a crate but I didn't like it. It stopped me from being with them. I like my bed. Its nearly tea time so I have to go and look pathetic and starving in front of mum and dad. Take care. Your pal, Holly
