Paws for thought

Life is pretty boring right now. Mum comes and goes a lot, leaving me to sleep away, on my bed or hers.

My leg is a lot better now and I am making the effort to walk using it and it is getting easier. I love the rubs and massages mum gives me, she stretches out my leg at times which does seem to help when I go walkies later. But let's face it, any massage/rubbing/stroking is lovely. Mum has been taking me to the park again this last week, using the extending lead. This means I can stop and sniff while she walks ahead, but it stops me running off.

I know I am not fit enough for running around yet, although I can move pretty fast on three legs when I want to. I do hope I can run on the field again at some point. I need to check out the smells on the far side where Mum seldom walks.

There were some delicious smells wafting round the house yesterday as Mum was cooking up something. She said it was rabbit but I didn't see anything with long ears and a fluffy tail so maybe I heard it wrongly. I did get some lovely meat in my breakfast bowl this morinng tho, a nice bit of liver, kidneys, and heart all mixed in with my usual dry bits. Yum yum! I could have eaten a load more but Mum said I'd had enough for one meal.

I know she was having trouble with the normal 'puter downstairs and has used the old pc in the bedroom for a bit, but she is not happy with it as it has a habit of restarting itself without warning. I am quite happy about this as it means I can snooze on her bed while she is on the 'puter. I just block my ears when the 'puter plays up and she says rude words.

I don't know what was happening last night, but my tummy was making weird noises and every so often I woke up with this terrible smell wafting around. I think something has upset my tummy a bit.

If it was me making the smells I'm sorry, Mum. I'm sure a nice snooze on your bed will help me get better. Roll on walkies time this afternoon.

Love to all my doggy friends, and my human ones.

"Woof woof" xx

Truly fed up

I know it's been a long time since I blogged but to be truthful not a lot of note has been happening in my life.

The pains I was getting in my bad leg turned out to be problems with the first operation not working fully. I had to have a second operation and it's still bandaged up from that. This time they have put in a metal plate under the skin to support the fusing bones. I have had a huge bandage and something they call a splint. I've been back to see the nice vet Dan each week to change the dressing. One week they did not put enough padding in and it was really sore where the splint was rubbing on my leg :( Dan spotted it the next week and the nurses have been very careful to pad it well since. Mum says the dressing and splint might come off next week when I go for an X-ray at the Ringwood vet. I hope so because the way it is dressed means I am walking on tip toe on that leg and it's not easy to walk like that.

Mum abandoned me last week for a few days. It seemed like forever! Jenny and James looked after me, coming and going to feed me and let me out in the  garden. James was a bit late coming over a couple of times and I HAD to go :>( so I poo'd in the corner of the kitchen. I didn't want to but no-one was here to let me out. At least he gave me nice cuddles when he did come. I slept on mum's bed at night and slept well. I could stretch out without her grumbling about it. If I manage to sneak up on the bed while she's asleep, she complains when I stretch my legs out and dig her in the back. She only has to move over a bit to give me more space and we're fine. :>)

I am now back having short walkies and it's lovely to get out again. Yesterday was a bit longer and my leg was aching. We did the short walk down the road and through the alleyway to the grassy area where I poo and wee, but coming back we met lots of neighbours outside their houses. They all wanted to say hello and know how I was getting on, so we stood talking. It was about 40 mins before we got back home and I was only supposed to be on my leg for 10-15 mins! I was glad to get back on my bed!
Mum did have a laugh tho. My neighbour does car valeting, cleaning them out with weird noisy machines and he'd just finished doing a car with a black inside. He'd left the doors open to air off the car and a fluffy white cat had got in and been sleeping in it! The cat came out as I came up and just walked away from me. I could not chase it even though I wanted to because Mum had me on a tight lead. I don't know why but Matt seemed cross about the white cat having been in the black car. We left as he was getting out one of his noisy machines again.
There have been a few changes of doggy neighbours. One dog, Jade, died of old age. Another neighbour who barked a lot got killed in an accident recently too. Mum's friend said they were visiting friends and some children were playing ball with the dog. They threw the ball carelessly and it went towards the road. The Jack Russell chased the ball and got completely run over by a big Range Rover driving past. Not a nice way to go but quick. At least it means no yapping in the night. It was only a small dog but even I found it's barking annoying.

I cannot believe we still get occasional cat visitors in my garden! I do chase them off when I see them but I've not managed to catch one yet :>(

Mum has not been putting out much bird food lately so the squirrels have not been coming either. I do like chasing them but they move so darn fast.

I've smelled the foxes around but not seen any for a while. They move quickly when I appear.

I'm sure I've heard Mum say something about going away again soon. I hope that's not the case, but if she does I hope there's someone here when I need to pee or poo.

Roll on the time when I can get back to running around freely on the fields again without any pain in my leg. I hope it's not too long now.

Woofs and licks to you all  :>P

Getting out

Woohoo! It's walkies time again. Mum has started taking me out again. She is keeping me on the lead but at least I am out in the world full of wonderful smells. The first little walk down the road was a slow one as I HAD to sniff every patch of grass and every bush in case a doggy friend had pee'd there. It was lovely to get out in the sun again even if it was a slow plod. Not sure Mum was walking slowly for my benefit or hers! My leg did ache after, but I had a nice snooze in the warm sun on my day bed and I felt a lot better.

Mum took me down to Baiter yesterday and Sunday and it was great being there and seeing a few of my doggy friends again. So many smells to catch up on too. I dragged Mum around all the bushes and trees :o)

I did my best to wee everywhere so they all know I'm back :oP

Oh guess what?? I managed to get up on Mum's bed yesterday for the first time in months. It was so comfy I was fast asleep when she came home from shopping and she caught me napping! She did cheat though as she parked on the road to fiddle with her car instead of driving it up onto our driveway. I didn't hear the car stop and the first I knew was the front door banging shut and Mum calling me. I think she heard the thump when I dropped off the bed, but she was laughing at me as I came downstairs so I don't think she minded me borrowing her bed.
I did have a nasty encounter Friday. Mum had been out and came home and I was dying for a pee so asked Mum to let me out in the garden. As I stepped out of the door I saw a pesky fox slink across the garden and disappear into the bushes so, of course, I gave chase. I caught my good front leg on something and a sharp pain stopped me. I came indoors to show Mum and she was upset. My leg was ouzing a bit of blood from where my dew claw had been. It was hanging off as I came indoors and luckily it came off cleanly as I licked my leg on my bed. It stopped bleeding very quickly but Mum still took me to the vet. A very nice young lady took me out the back to have a look at my leg. She gave me a couple of injections *wimper* and took me back to Mum. It soon stopped hurting and did not bleed any more. It was fine over the weekend and didn't stop me going walkies and enjoying it.
Today Mum took me back to the vet and I saw Richard. I always get a nice hug off him but I also had more injections :o( Mum said these were protective ones to stop me getting nasty diseases and it didn't sting for long. He checked me all over too and seemed pleased with my condition.  We had a bit of a drive around on the way home, Mum said she had to go to a  hairdresser whatever that is. But it didn't take long.
Looks like afternoon nap time now, my rug and bed are waiting for me *yawn*
Bye for now *wags* ((((!))))

I'm armless - or is it legless?

Almost two weeks since that painful visit to the vets at Ringwood where they made me all sleepy and when I woke up the nasty metal frame on my leg was gone! Woohoo! I would have jumped for joy if it didn't hurt so much! It felt really weird in my leg. My paw didn't feel the same, and trying to walk on it hurt like crazy. Mum helped me back to the car and I slept all the way home. Getting out of the car was hard and Mum lifted me down to avoid me hurting my paw/leg. I barely put that leg to the ground because it was hurting every time I did. I slept on and off for about 2 days and Mum was very worried as I was limping badly and carrying my sore leg a lot. I managed going in and out of the garden ok and peeing and pooing, but squatting did hurt. It was about a week before I felt like going walkies but when I asked Mum she said "NO" and just gave me my dinner. It seems like forever since I last went walkies and I hope I do get taken out soon. Mum keeps putting me on the lead to go in the garden so I don't dash off after foxes or those pesky squirrels. There is no fun in my life at the moment :o(
The soreness seems to be wearing off and I am trying to walk more normally but it does hurt sometimes. I can run down the hall to greet Mum when she comes home much faster on three legs ;o)
The BIG down side to all this is I have not been on Mum's bed in ages! She stopped me sleeping there with her weeks ago and now I don't think I can jump up there, or face jumping down! I just sleep on my own bed on the floor :o(
Not going out makes life very boring and I just wander through the house now and then. I manage the stairs ok, following Mum up and down. She's moved my bed in the lounge again today - she had that noisy machine out she pushes around. She took my bed away to go up and down with the machine then she carefully folded up my duvet and blanket and made me a very neat, thick, soft bed to lie on. Not a bad job Mum, but it's not where I like to lie down! Never mind I'll shift it later after my next snooze. That funny man James is here. He had delicious sausages for lunch and he didn't give me any! But I did get a nice cuddle and a lovely bum rub.
Mum's been in a funny mood the last week or so, but I'm not complaining because it's meant I've had lots of cuddles. I hope it helps her feel better, it does that for me :o)
Woofs and licks to you :oP

That's life

W-w-woof! Hello! Thanks for asking how I am getting on. It was you, wasn't it?
I am doing well, thank you. I still have the pins in my leg but I can't feel them. My leg doesn't hurt at all now, and the bit of soreness I did have has gone now. I suspect Mum has been hiding tablets in my dinner. I found a funny hard lump the other day and bit on it. YUCK! But the tripe around it sort of tasted ok so I ate it anyway. You never know when the next food is coming so I always clear my dish, even though Mum is very good at feeding me on time.
I am so looking forward to having a run off the lead. Mum does her best but she is so slow walking and I am trapped by the lead to walk at her pace. She does use the stretchy lead now which means I can wander away a short distance to sniff the new smells. It means I can choose the spot to pee or poo now too :o) She was a bit slow getting the lead on me the other day and I jumped out of the back of the car off the lead. It felt good and I skipped off across the grass to pee. Mum did catch up with me and the lead went back on, but those few seconds of freedom felt good.
I have heard the word 'vet' mentioned a few times recently so I think a visit to one of them is coming up soon. With a bit of luck the pins will be coming off!

Mum gets cross sometimes when I jump around too close to her and I wack her leg with the metal frame. She cried the other day when I did it and it did bleed :o(  It was an accident but I know it hurt her.

I have been moving my bedding around the lounge of late. Mum keeps folding it up neatly near the sofa and I like it scrunched up by Mum's chair or in the sunshine. I want to be close to Mum but she does grumble a bit when she has to climb over me and a pile of rug and duvet to go anywhere :o)  I w-w-w-wuv you Mum.

Won't be long before I'll be running free again down at the park - I hope! Tell you what.. I won't be running near icy puddles again! That REALLY hurt!




Big wags and licks to my pals, Jack, Sheba and that cutie Poacher :) awoooOOO

Sunshine and snoozes

I love this time of year. I get maximum sunshine in the living room with a large area to lie in to sunbathe. Mum gets a bit annoyed with me when I drag my bedding across the floor to the sunny bit, but she can't expect me to lie on the bare carpet, can she?

I don't know why but Mum's imposed a bed ban at night. I loved snuggling up to her during the cold nights and she made a good paw warmer, even if she did moan at me when I stretched my legs out on her back. It didn't hurt me so why is she complaining?

I have a 3 duvet thick bed on the floor to lie on but it's still not as nice as Mum's bed. I make the most of the time I get when she's out - the sun shines on her bed too :o) warmth and comfort! Ahhh bliss!

Mum has redone my bandages on the metal frame in my leg. I now have a purple leg! :o) It doesn't show the dirt anywhere near as much as the fluorescent pink, but I still manage to hurt Mum's legs with it. I don't know if the frame will stay forever or if it will come off some time, but I think Mum will be pleased to see it go. I just get excited near her and jump about a bit and forget the frame's there.

Mum went out last night :o( but Jen came home first and let me out in the garden. I was warm and comfy in by the boiler and didn't want to move but she MADE me go out. Mum came home quite a bit later but she seemed happy.

I just missed catching a fox this morning! Saw one across the garden and ran out after it but it ran away and over the fence. I think we've got some living in the garden because they often disappear into a patch of brambles on the rockery. They don't half move fast!

The pics are ones Mum took of a visiting fox last summer. It was sunbathing in MY garden!!

Talking of sunbathing I think I'll get back to my bed while the sun's still on it.

Bye for now :oD

Sheba ::: Woof woof arf grr woof

Poacher ::: w-w-w-woooooof yip yip

March moments

I have not written much here because one day is very much like another round here. I am really getting fed up with this metal on my leg. I went to see the vet again the other week and they made me all woozy while they did things to my leg. They adjusted the screws and re-bandaged it in bright pink again. My leg doesn't hurt any more at all unless I bash it on something hard - like Mum's leg!



I've been allowed a little more freedom when we go to the park and Mum uses the stretchy lead. It means I can stop and sniff the news while Mum walks ahead a bit. I did get a bit tangled up the other day. The waste bin post had lots of good smells on it and I walked all round it sniffing until I came to a halt on the lead. Mum had to come back and untangle the lead which was wrapped tightly round the post - stupid thing.
I don't know why but Mum had a different car for a while. I did like being in it but it was not as easy to get into as Mum's blue car. I had the embarrassment of being lifted in and out to go to the vet's place. But that nice Phil lifted me out when we got there. I like him. He always gives me a good rub and pat before I come home.
They did not bandage my pins very well this time and the bit of padding came out after a couple of days. Well it wasn't my fault it was hanging out and was tempting to tug at.

I had great fun chasing a cat out of my garden. I've not seen this one before, maybe it's a new neighbour. It certainly knows I live here now! It's easy to spot as it's a creamy white and stands out. Makes an easy target for me :oD
Mum won't let me go chasing cats down the road. I have to come and go on the lead all the time - spoilsport!
I think I've pulled! Had this cute Lab called Poacher chatting me up on FB. He likes to chase rabbits too so maybe we'll get along if we ever meet up. Sounds like he lives a long way away though.
I hope my friend Sheba is ok. She's been very quiet of late.
I am so looking forward to having a free, off-the-lead run around again. Mum is great walking me around but I can move faster than her now and it gets boring.

She made a big fuss the other day, throwing me off her bed and messing around with the sheets. She does this often and it annoys me as she always does it when I'm having a snooze. I don't know why she got so cross at bedtime though, I'd been out in the garden and pee'd and poo'd before I went to bed like I should. I know it had been raining and the garden was wet and muddy but it soon wiped off on the bed and dried out. I wasn't still wet when she came to bed so why the fuss? I thought the muddy streaks looked pretty all over the clean cream sheets.

Yawn!

Life for me right now is pretty boring. I wake up and roll over for Mum to cuddle me before she goes in the bathroom. I snooze on the bed while she gets washed and dressed. I don't bother moving too quickly because she takes her time over it. When she turns off the TV I know it's time to move. I follow her downstairs and head for the back door. Mum puts my rubber boot on my pinned leg and I go out. I know how to wind up my mum - I just do a wee first off then come in and demand my breakfast. She takes my boot off and fills my dish with delicious IAMS. If I don't eat it straight away she tops it up with some lovely olive oil or maybe a raw egg, or even a little grated cheese to tempt me. No need for that because I am hungry anyway but it is fun to see what she offers me :) I scoff it all down then ask to go out again, just as mum's sat down with her coffee. So it's back on with the boot and out I go. I mooch around a bit, sniffing the smells left by the foxes over night, then take my time choosing where to poo today. When I've 'been' I head back indoors and wait for mum to take the boot off again. Hmm..what now? Mum's bed or duvet by the warm boiler? Mum's bed I think. I sneak off while she's eating some breakfast and finishing her now cold coffee. You know it was so kind of her to get that new mattress for the bed. It's so much more comfortable now and soft and warm with her duvet scraped into a nest for me. I could sleep there all day - and I often do! :-)
I was so deeply asleep I didn't hear her go out but I woke up when she came home. Shall I go greet her? Maybe not right now, it is so cozy here. I'll just close my eyes again for a little snooze....

Walkies? Did Mum say walkies? She's calling me. YES!! YES!! It IS walkies time! I jump down quickly - OUCH! that hurts. Slowly down the stairs now. I do hate this bit. My long legs make it awkward going down stairs :( But now I'm down and Mum's doing my boot and coat ready to go out. Now the black collar and lead and I'm ready to go! Come on Mum. Let's go! Now what? She's gone back in the kitchen again :(
Ahh a clean jacket and scarf. NOW we're off. I am really liking the walks down the road. I want to run around but it makes my leg ache just walking slowly so maybe I'll stick to walking right now. There's lots of new smells around today - lovely! Uh oh! Mum's trodden in something smelly and brown. It wasn't mine, honest! You picked mine up in that trendy new purple bag a minute ago. Looks like someone else didn't clean up after their dog and it was lurking under piles of leaves. My goodness me what a performance! Scraping her foot all over the place to get rid of the poo. Give up, Mum. It will need a wash when we get in! I've had enough for today. Let's go home.
The neighbour's fluffy cream cat was lurking over the road but he ran off when he saw me looking at him. YAH! Scaredy cat! GRR woof!
Mum gets my dinner ready when we get in, IAMS mixed with a tin of lovely smelly tripe. My favourite! I eat it as fast as I can, have a drink of water and head back to bed - Mum's bed :-D Time for the evening snooze! I stay there until Mum calls me to go out in the garden because it's bed time! But I'm already in bed! I do what I need to in the garden then dash to get upstairs before Mum. I needn't bother as she always goes in the bathroom first so I get settled on the bed before she does :-) She does sometimes make me move over. I left her a strip of bed and half the duvet, what's all the fuss about? I move anyway so she can make herself comfy and I curl up next to her. Now for some serious sleep! Roll on tomorow for more of the same :)

Woof, ruff wuff, woof to you all.

Darn foxes

My leg is aching. I've just been out for a pee and poo and I could smell the foxes as soon as Mum opened the door. It was very fresh and as I squatted to pee I heard a rustle in the bushes. I bounded across the garden towards the noise but couldn't see anything. Then I heard a soft, foxy bark from a few yards away. I went in that direction and heard another bark from further away. That darn fox was moving fast through the patch of brambles in the back corner. Then the chainlink fence rattled as he/she went over it. I couldn't get near it for brambles. Mum was shouting at me because I was leaping around the garden. Once I was sure the fox had gone I found a spot to poo then came indoors. I don't think the leaping about was too smart a move :( It aches now. I'm going to lie down by the boiler for a snooze. It's warm and cosy in there. Night all.

Woof grrr woof