Lost and Found

Today I have been reminded of how much those of us who love pets, really do love them.

Don't misunderstand me. I have dogs and rats and a solitary goldfish and I have affection for all of them to varying degrees but it is not a humanising affection at all. I love them for what they are and how they make me feel.

Today my 6 month old puppy Bobby had two "Firsts". He has not earned a degree in dogness - I refer more milestones of puppyhood. Bobby has reached that adolescent dog stage marked physically by cocking his leg against a tree for the first time today. He also got temporarily lost on a walk. One of these milestones made me think "Aww he's growing up", the other brought me to the verge of tears.

Whilst on a walk with 2 adult human friends, one human in a pushchair and one extra hound, Bobby took it upon himself to get lost. I suspect he chased off after Monty couldn't catch up and at the same time realised he had no idea where he was. Monty re-appeared without Bobby. Then a panic ensued. Whilst I stood frozen to the spot with every worse case scenario rushing through my head (stolen, lost for ever, abducted by aliens etc etc) and being comforted by my dear friend. My other dear friend went on a dog hunt and eventually found a very sensible Bobby had returned to the car. Bobby was reunited with a frantic me, and by this time an equally frantic Monty, and we continued our walk without incident.

The possibility that I had lost my dog filled me with such sadness that I bit back tears. The anguish I felt at having explain to Little Bear that he was no longer here took over from that, and the blessed relief to see his little self come skipping back up the path to meet me was indescribable.

I return home to find the sad news from David that their cat has died, http://vernacularcurate.blogspot.com/2011/10/goodbye-little-mate.html
and after a quick prayer to thank God for all Stimpy brought to the Cloakes and Cloakettes, and for the loving home Stimpy enjoyed on earth. I gave my dogs a cuddle...and a sharp warning to Bobby never to run off like that again!

I don't think most of us animal lovers make our pets more human. I think the cat, dog, rat, rabbit, hamster, make US more human.

RIP Stimpy

More dog tales...

Thanks to Vic the Vicar for his comment on yesterday's blog post. It is always great to read comments, indeed reading other people's reactions to my ramblings is often more fun than the rambling itself!

I wasn't planning on blogging this morning but as Blogger has seen fit to repeatedly refuse to let me respond to comments, I thought I would write another dog related post in response.

We have ended up (by chance rather than by design - although I think God is more likely than chance personally) with two very amusing and slightly dotty dogs. We adore them both even though their actions are sometimes beyond our understanding. Bobby is only 9 weeks old, he is forgiven for chewing, mouthing, weeing in the wrong places, etc. These are not personality quirks they are just the behaviours of a puppy. Monty on the other hand is, at least physically, an adult dog. He has many idiosyncrasies (although we do not deny our part in creating them as we have raised him).

To answer Vic's question, Monty does indeed sleep upside down. This is his favourite and most relaxed position - a position he rarely adopts when we are in new and unfamiliar surroundings. It is a little off putting, especially to guests or when one is eating, as in this position all modesty is lost and his "gentleman's area" is displayed in its limited glory.

In answer to the question about opening doors, no we haven't witnessed Monty open a door. He has been known to move the table we use to block the stairs when we are all in bed. The reason the table is there in the first place is due to Monty being completely incapable on letting us know when he needs to go to the toilet. If he is desperate he will push past and go downstairs to leave a puddle by the back door. These days I have become accustomed to this, and so like a parent alert for their child's cry, even the slightest movement makes me leap out of bed and rush downstairs to open the door for him. Very relaxing....NOT.

Many years ago, when I lived at home, we did have a problem with animals opening doors, but even then it was discovered the cat and dogs were working as a team. The cat threw himself on the door handle to release it and the dogs pushed, and all hell broke loose! Mum asked a friend to help, and for years all our door handles were vertical!

Monty loves to run off the lead and has brilliant recall, if we happen to have a ball. He would play fetch all day given the choice. He is occasionally distracted by squirrels or rabbits and careers off after them at speed only to return minus the ball which he has dropped in his excitement. Then some frantic searching later and we can continue on our way!

He loves to swim and is now quite accomplished and he doesn't chase the ducks (unlike one of my parents labs). However he hates the bath!

Monty sleeps on the floor in our bedroom on his mat, and at the first sign of us stirring he jumps up on the bed and goes back to sleep. He's very fond of sleep.

Monty is an accomplished thief, although again I have met worse. These days he is only likely to steal if he feels neglected. The kitchen sides have to be completely cleared before we can go out and leave him otherwise he will clear them for us. We came back from church one Sunday morning to find he had chewed and spread all over the floor a very large pack of filter coffee - it was everywhere! He is also partial to sponge scoureres, tea towels and the odd plastic dinosaur. The first time he ate a marble I was very nervous untill it passed safely through - and no Mother I did not disinfect it and return it to the child!!!

He has reeked some damage in the study as a puppy, but only destroying an old chair. No cloak eating here! A childhood dog once ate my Dad's Parson's Pocketbook - He caused weeks and weeks of confusion and phone calls to funeral directors and wedding couples which included the phrase "Sorry, the dog ate my diary...no, he did really eat my diary!" We have got off lightly so far.

I hope you enjoy the dog antics, no doubt I will have more as Bobby grows - it's double trouble now!

Greedy Pup

We have treated him well, and made many mistakes along the way no doubt, but at 2 yrs old Monty the doodle is the softest dog in the world...ever! I show only the smallest bias! He barely barks, even more rarely loses his temper and cannot bear to be more than 6 feet away from us at all times - dream dog you may think. Well, really so do we. He is a gorgeous dog with the softest temprament.

Now young Bobby has come to join the pack.

Monty has taken to Bobby very well, he has issued a few warning growls when he is disturbed from the important business of sleeping by a bouncy puppy, but hasn't snapped at him at all.

Over the last couple of days Monty and Bobby have become very friendly, and engage in rough and tumble play, at one point last night Monty had Bobby's whole nose and face in his mouth! Although this is typical dog behaviour and quite happy, we are a little nervous because of the size difference. Yet Monty appears to be aware of Bobby's dimunitive stature and avoids landing on him. Bobby has no such qualms about Monty and runs around trying to hang on to the fur around Monty's chin.

The only point when I wish Monty would stand his ground a bit more is feeding time. When I was growing up, if one of the other dogs dared to put his nose anywhere near his elder's dish there would first be a warning growl, and then a snap. It's just good dog manners. I am not talking here about food related aggression at all, if we tried to remove the bowl mid eating that would be tolerated, but another dog sniffing around it would certainly not do! However gentle Monty just relents and lets Bobby take over until we forcibly move him away to his own dish and encourage Monty to continue. As I said, he is very very soft.

So I shall be frequenting online pet retailers to find an elevated bowl for Monty, and a bowl to slow Bobby down. Otherwise I will be forced to restrain Bobby at meal times, or do what I did last night, and hold Monty's bowl up for him just out of reach.

Bobby the Labrador X Daschund certainly takes after his Labrador ancesters when it comes to greed!

History Repeating Itself

One October night 15 years ago we had a special delivery. Seven puppies arrived in their crate. They were small and perfectly formed and looked like funny coloured miniature dachshunds to begin with.  They had come into rescue after an accident between a newly formed couple and their non- neutered Labrador and Dachshund. 15 year old me was overwhelmed with joy, they were perfect. Our two Labradors Katie who was about 11 at the time, and Bruce aged 9 years, were not as keen but they coped! The little bundles of fun chased the cat, chewed everything they could get their paws on, and used Bruce and Katie as live dog beds. For a time, we had 9 dogs in the house! It was truly crazy.


Jack was the only completely blond one, and we named him after the Leeds United legend Jack Charlton, he was going to stay in our family. Eventually the others were re-homed and it was Bruce, Katie and Jack (and Johnie the cat).

Jack was a prolific chewer, aluminium saucepan lids were no obstacle, kitchen lino was mere paper to his super sharp teeth. When he ate Dad's diary, I had to remove him from the house for his own safety! The diary was the straw that broke the camel's back. However he was still a joy and a delight and lovely to be around.

We moved when Jack was 4 years old, by this time elderly Katie had been put to sleep, and Bruce was slowing down measurably but Jack was full of life! He loved Bruce deeply and was his little blond shadow at all times, when Bruce died, he was very distressed.

Then when Jack was 9 my Dad became very ill and spent long periods in and out of hospital including a long stint at Kings College London. Mum decided that a friend of hers who dogsitted could take Jack on permanently. Her son re-homed Jack and he went to live with Dino another big dog friend until Dino's death a couple of years ago. Jack remains with his new owner, he is slowing down now as he is nearly 15. Mum sees him regularly though and delights in informing us of his exploits!

The other day I was browsing the Internet for no other reason than boredom, I looked up puppies for sale in this area. The third advert caught my eye. Labrador Dachshund Cross puppies born on the day of the royal wedding. I gave the lady a call, and sure enough her show Labrador had been in season, kept safely away from the other pedigree labs as a litter was not desired, and the household's pet daschund had managed the impossible! I of course, knew that this was by no means impossible!

So after wanted a second dog for a long time, on Monday we are collecting a new Labrador Dachshund cross who shall be called Bobby in homage to the other Charlton named Dachsador, from my previous life! I can't wait!!!