[Rose n Poos]

Freddy Dear,

I think you're right. Parties are oh so very much fun but they do take some practice and there hasn't been much chance for some time. We'll all learn again, even if it takes just a bit longer.

Even when we're in practice things can be a bit topsy turvy after a party, so get some rest and have a soft, lovely day.

 

[fjm]

Guess what! I can jump on the big bed all by myself! I found out the other day when I jumped up without thinking about it, and now I can nearly do it even if I think about it. But I have discovered that it is very, very important not to jump on top of Sophy, so I think if she is on the bed I will wait for MH to lift me up, just in case. Sophy is scary if you jump on her when she is asleep.

Yesterday we had visitors - a Human I have never met before, although Poppy and Sophy sort of remembered her from ages ago, and three small dogs. One of them was called Stevie and at first he was a bit grumbly and unfriendly but we all went up to the big garden at the back and after a bit he stopped worrying and played with me and that was fun. But he didn't understand why Tilly-cat didn't run away so he could chase her like the cats who came into his garden and when we came back in he tried to make her run and got his ears boxed and yipped, just like I did when she did it to me, and after that he was very, very careful to leave her alone and hid behind his Human whenever she was around. Tilly can be a bit scary sometimes, too.

 

[fjm]

I found a really, really good treasure, the best one ever. A huge bone! I found it while MH was talking to Ian-next-door and I brought it back to the house and took it to my bed so I could chew on it in peace but MH made me give it to her because she said it might be dangerous - huh! I thought dogs were meant to chew on bones, especially lovely big lamb leg bones. I did get lots of biscuits as a swapsie but the bone was better...

 

[The Popster]

Awww... bad luck!!
I like a bone every now and then, from the butchers not the 'trash' mind

 

[fjm]

That bone looks delicious, Poppy. MH says if we had bones she would be forever sorting out squabbles over which was whose or who had the best one so No Bones. Huh - it's so not fair!

 

[For Want of Poodle]

Dear Freddy,

That sounds like a prize find, I can't understand why the human would take it from you!

The Dog Gods have been kind recently here too.

Yesterday I got a bird's wing that was left for me right outside of our house when we were coming home from a walk, and the night before I got the dead squirrel I've been eyeing for weeks, because my human was talking on the phone and distracted. And a couple days ago, we were walking by the lake and I disappeared into the rushes and came out with a fish half down my throat.

Next time you find a bone, I suggest having it half down your gullet by the time the human notices. If it's suitably rotten, they are also less inclined to take it from you.

My human says it's a good thing my heartworm prevention covers worms. I don't know why - worms are tasty too when they get all crunchy on the pavement.

Xoxo Annie

 

[cowpony]

Galen sympathizes. He found a chicken bone on a recent walk. It was too big to swallow whole, so he tried to chew it. Then everyone else on the walk heard him crunching and turned to see what he had. Uh oh! He laid the bone lengthwise on his tongue, closed his mouth so nobody could see it, and looked up with the most innocent expression he could manage. Unfortunately his human pried his mouth open and took the bone away. He got a bunch of treats to make up for it, but they were the same treats he always gets. Chicken bones are new and interesting!

 

[fjm]

I did try to eat it Annie but it was huge - much, much bigger than my head. It's easy to eat the bits of rabbit we sometimes find on walks but this was the sort of bone that is good to chew for weeks and weeks. I just found an interesting bit of plastic upstairs and MH swapsied that too...

 

[For Want of Poodle]

Hmm, Freddy, have you tried growing bigger? I can swallow far bigger tasty things than Trixie.

My human is mean like that too. Her dad's house has all sorts of big cow bones lying around. They are well pre-chewed, but still gnaw-able. And she runs around picking them all up muttering about 'vet bills' and 'broken teeth' and when the other dog was still there, 'dog fights'.

 

[fjm]

Yesterday Sophy was away for hours and hours at the vet's, and we even went for a walk without her. When she came home she was sleepy and grumpy and smelled all wrong, and even though I told her how very much I'd missed her and tried to get her to play with me over and over again she just said "Leave Me Alone!" and wouldn't. And MH said not to tease Sophy because she was feeling a bit yuck, and we went out to play with a ball instead, but it was very hard having Sophy home but not being able to play with her.

This morning we woke up early for pees and poos and then went back to bed for ages and ages, and I think sleeping must have made Sophy better because although she still doesn't want to play she is not cross any more. And today I have been very careful not to tease her, and MH says that is Very Good and Very Kind of me, and gives me chicken. MH says Sophy will probably want to play again when she smells right, and I just have to be patient for a few days and keep sniffing to check. I do hope so - it is a bit boring with no one to pretend fight with...

 

[Getting ready]

Oh poor Freddie. You are such a good brother. I hope Sophy is back to her feisty self soon.

 

[fjm]

This afternoon on our walk Sophy ran with me and played a bit and although MH said Not To and it was Not Allowed I think even she was happy that Sophy wanted to play. I just played a bit, till Sophy said she'd had enough, and then we had a nice time together sniffing all the smells the rest of the way home. I'm very glad she is not sad and grumpy any more.

 

[reraven123]

So are we! Glad to hear she is feeling better!

 

[fjm]

We are staying with MH's sister again and I am learning lots of new things. This morning Poppy told me that when MH starts packing bags and putting them in the car it is very, very important to get in the car and stay there or you may get left behind. And when we did set out we stopped almost at once because there was a hedgehog in the middle of the road, and MH stopped and the bus coming the other way stopped and the hedgehog stopped and the cars coming up behind us stopped and MH was just getting out to chivvy the hedgehog off the road when it decided which way to go and trotted off into the bushes.

Then when we got here there is a baby There are lots of things to know about babies. First, you must never, ever wake them up if they are asleep, and they sleep at all sorts of strange times, so there is lots of Hush Freddy and No Barking and Play Quietly. Then they don't like to be jumped at, just sniffed gently. And they have toys that are just like dog toys and mats that are just like dog mats but humans seem to know the difference. The good thing is that even though this one is too little to really eat proper food the humans give her things to bite on like celery sticks and bread crusts and she drops them, and when she waves her arms about stuff falls off the table. Yesterday a whole bowl of butter landed right by my nose, but MH grabbed it before I could get any except for a tiny bit left on the carpet. I did get the celery and bread, though.

 

[Rose n Poos]

Dear Freddy, you're quite right about babies and food. They're like piñata's except you don't have to open them. (Your MH will explain )

 

[fjm]

That's just what they are like!

Another thing to know at MH's sister's house is not to run out of the front door even if it is open because there are Cars and it is Dangerous. I wanted to go to the park across the road...

 

[Rose n Poos]

Oh Freddy, please never do that. Cars do not play nicely so you must always wait for your MH to accompany you. I know you are big now and smart and strong but the cars do not care. Humor your MH and listen to her.

 

[Getting ready]

Dear Freddy,
We did baby sitting once. It is A LOT of sitting. (But also a lot of yummy crumbs on the floor.). We would like to meet a hedgehog
Love,
blueberry and scribble.

(Human here. I remember we had a dinner in a restaurant for my daughter’s first birthday. She dropped a meatball and bellowed “Puppies come.” Our dogs had trained her well.

 

[For Want of Poodle]

Dear Freddy,

I was doubtful for a while, but although babies are very LOUD, they are pretty okay.

I recommend that after they are out of their special chair, you go over and inspect it thoroughly - there is often stuff left behind that needs to be cleaned up. Their hands are very tasty when they are in their special chair, but my human says I need to 'leave the baby, Annie!' The bigger humans put food on a spoon and put the spoon in the baby's mouth. I tried standing next to the baby in the chair and opening MY mouth, but my human said 'Leave the baby, Annie!' again, so I guess it only works for babies, not for dogs. But after they are gone, from the chair, it's fine to clean it. And if you hang out nearby, SOMETIMES they will let you finish the stuff in the bowl the baby didn't eat, like extra mushed berries. The baby's humans were very nice to dogs, even if my human has too many rules.

I got extra chews and extra treats for being 'a very good girl' so I hope you get extra treats for dealing with the baby, too!

Xoxo Annie

 

[fjm]

It's been a bit boring since we got home. First there was all the driving which made MH tired, then we went to something called Holstery - Sophy and Poppy say it used to happen lots but not for years and years. MH left us in the car in the shade with all the windows open and kept coming back to make sure we were all right and take us for little walks but it was all a bit snoozy and boring. Sophy and Poppy said it was Just Right after a busy time visiting but I liked the walk we had at lunchtime best - all sorts of interesting smells and a lovely big grassy field to run around in.

Yesterday started really hot so we only did a little walk, and when we went to play ball in the big garden at the back one of the neighbours was there coughing a lot and for some reason MH doesn't like to be around people coughing so we came home quite soon. So when it was bedtime I still felt very bouncy and not ready for sleep, but no one would play with me. Then Sophy got up wanting to go outside, and MH got up too and I went with them, although it took ages to get ready as MH had to find her dressing gown and shoes and specs and a torch and a flashing collar for Sophy and a lead for me. Sophy did a pee and we all came in and went up to bed and MH and I had a snuggle and we were just falling asleep when Sophy said she needed to go out again. So we did the dressing gown, shoes, specs, torch, collar, lead thing all over again and Sophy went out and barked and woke up Albie so he barked and MH said to hush because everyone was trying to sleep and Sophy did something eventually and we all went back to bed. Then Sophy got up again, but this time she just went halfway down the stairs so we didn't get as far as shoes and specs. After that MH said it would be a good idea if I went to bed in my pen with the door shut as it looked like being a long night, and the next time Sophy got up I stayed in my bed and missed it all. I think after that everyone stayed asleep till morning...

Nice and cool today, so I am hoping we get Proper Walks and games. MH seems all snoozy though, for some reason...