Pumpkins - you just can't trust them

Now who would of thought a small green pumpkin would spook me out but it did, boy did I bark. Freya was back this weekend to visit me and everyone else.

This afternoon she laid out one of her paintings to re cut using two pumpkins and empty bottles to hold the edges down. As I went out side to see what she was up to I couldn't help give a cry. Now Ali and Freya thought it was the painting until I side stepped, barking, backing away  and finally edging nearer to the pumpkin. It kept still, which was good, still enough for me to give it a sniff. I must be the only dog scared of a pumpkin but you see its not usually on the floor and caught me off guard. Don't tell Ali but I don't think that collar she brought is working.

A trip to the vets

Yesterday I went for a drive with the boys to the vets to meet Huggie the vet. As I have nearly been adopted for five months Ali felt it was time to get me use to these visits, in the hope that I will be calm when I really need to be seen for some reason. Now I'm not to sure about this, I am very healthy thank you very much.

In anticipation as Ali knew the old boys needed to go for a health check she brought me a special collar, it's a Adaptil collar that gives off a replica of the pheromones my mum would of given off to help me feel happier. Its a bit pricey as it only last for four weeks to Ali is hoping to cram as much experiences in before the four weeks are up. So did it work? well I still managed to throw up there and back  in the car (it could be Ali's driving).

Now Ali has read as I don't like the car to make journeys positive and rewarding, like going for a walk when after a short drive so i will think the car gives good experiences - yeah right. So we had a bit of a walk before going into the vets. We had to wait outside for a while as there was already a couple of dogs waiting and Franklin being very vocal barks - a lot when he thinks his waited long enough for his appointment. A few coming and going people made me a little nervous but nothing like my flight response I usually show.

Inside the vets I was left to walk around the room, Huggie could see I was a little nervous so left me well alone this time and concentrated on Franklin and Tyser, Franklin had his tumour looked at and have his blood sugar level tested for his diabetes a small needle in his ear - boy did he complain. His lost a bit of weight and his ribs have expanded which means there may be another growth but Huggie was happy with his blood so his insulin has been reduced a bit. I will go back with him in a fortnight to have it checked again.

Tyser has lost another 1.5 Kg on his diet. Huggie felt his joints and pulled his back legs a bit as his finding it a bit difficult to get up and walks very stiffly plodding along. Sadly due to old age his joints are giving him pain, he has a dodgy hip and a bad back. Ali is increasing his rose hip dose and looking into alternative remedies as it could end up be a bit expensive with pills from the vet.

I was given a couple of treats, which i obligingly took from Huggie so I was a good girl and even better I was happy to wait in the waiting room while Ali paid, more can be said for Franklin who had to leave as he started barking then wanted to sniff the kitten there while Tyser sniffed the owner Ali put us all in the car before embarrassing things happened with the whole dog v cat hate thing.

A stranger came to visit

Just before the weekend there was so much busyness going on here it made me so tired. Starting Wednesday my friend Anita came to peel lots of food sadly it was only potatoes and onions so nothing exciting to eat. Then Ali went a bit bonkers and started stuffing bits of clothes with hay which she sewed together, resembling a big rag(ish) doll it didn't phase me as it sat outside. Not until we went for a walk past the drive and wow what was that in the field. I had to warn everyone barking like a banshee I kept on looking back as we past him, he was still there on our return, que barking.

All was forgotten until people arrived Friday evening, que barking. We had to stay inside but the rawhide chews made up for being left. It wasn't until we went out for our last night time wee when I saw the red fire in the field, now this really freaked me out,  it was the quickest wee ever just enough time not to wake the neighbours up from my barking. Why Franklin or Tyser were not phased I have no idea, I guess there just too laid back.

Windy day

Today has been really, really windy. All day the wind has blown. We went for a wind blown walk up to the plateau along the main road and down through the woods. My hair blew in all directions as did Ali's. She couldn't take any photos as trying to control one full of energy jumpy dog (me) and a slow old boy who keeps needing bribes to get him to walk (Franklin) on our flexi leads and at the same and time over seeing Tyser who seems to be going a bit senile in his old age while expecting a tree to land on us was too much.

Our walk was going well, considering  when the wind blows in makes us animals a little bit bonkers ( Ali says I can't get any more bonkers than I am already). As we progressed down through the track in the woods we all got a little bit faster as round the bend was our mate Blackie and his new mate who turned up at our neighbours and ended up being adopted by Blackies owners. She is a young collie pup who is full of energy, as is Blackie but his a lot bigger and stronger. Now the wind made us all a bit jumpy enough that leads got tangled with lots of running and jumping and Ali falling to the ground swiftly being jumped on by that young pup.

After we all calmed down we had to say good bye as we went down and they went up. It was defeanatly not a training day today as I just didn't seem to be able to hear instructions. Franklin was in trouble when the door to downstairs blew open which enabled him to go downstairs for a self service of dog with a bit of cat thrown in. He found the opened cat food tin took it up stairs,
managed to eat most of it including putting his teeth through the metal can a few times. Ali is amazed he didn't cut his gums. he would of finished it all if it hadn't rolled under the coffee table.

My faux pas this afternoon was finding a dead large mouse by the barn as we were dropping Franklin back from our walk (he didn't want to come any further). I proudly kept it in my grasp by holding its tail then just as we were about to go in the garden I dropped it Ali swiftly pulled me back picked it up by its tail and threw it up the bank what she didn't see was being a rubbish thrower it fell opposite the gate, where on our return I sniffed it out to snack on when inside the house. Only Fizz was waiting at the door and distracted me. The mouse is now in the bin so I had to make do with a raw hide chew.