Mum's gone mad

This is Bruce. I would show you pictures
of the new arrivals but mum won't let me
near them

I think mum's lost the plot! She came home with baby guinea pigs today! She won't let me see them at all because she says they need peace and quiet. She says they won't be staying long as they were an emergency case and there was nowhere for them at work. Apparently it's too cold for them to live in outside cages so mum is fostering them until they get an owner. I can't believe she won't let me play with them, I think it's so unfair. I'm very good with Bruce, I'm always gentle when I wash him, although I admit that me and Fly disgraced ourselves by accidentally jumping on his cage last week when we played. Mum says these piggies are young and scared so she isn't going to let me see them. I'm sure she'll give in soon though.

Lots of love

Poppy xxx

Getting used to my sister

I'm still not sure whether having a sister is the best thing possible but I'm starting to get used to her now. I have finally been able to get some peace and quiet as mum has been taking her to work each day so that I get the house to myself and get lovely dad walks in the afternoon. I'm a little bit jealous that mum takes her and not me, but I know that I wouldn't ever get any time to myself if I wasn't left at home.
I was really worried that I wouldn't get to do the things I like now that I have a sister, but I'm pleased to say that in the last two days I have been to agility with mum and have been to pets at home with mum and dad. Agility was quite fun, but I did get trampled by a doberman a couple of times so I'm actually quite pleased that mum says we are going back to Saturday mornings. All the doggies there are my size and they aren't as good as the Wednesday night class so mum doesn't feel as embarrassed when I bark a lot or when I get tired and lie down.

me and my tennis ball

Pets at home was amazing but I disgraced myself by weeing on someones foot! She thought it was funny luckily and gave me a treat. Mum and dad said I really didn't deserve treats after that but they got lots of doggy treats, a rawhide and some tennis balls. I am being really good and sharing the rawhide with Fly, I hope the humans realise how hard it is for me to do this.

Just got back from a walk with Fly, she was put on the flexi lead and it meant that she could run around and play in the park. We had a fantastic play together and now I love her lots more than I did before. I can't wait to go to the beach with her. Now if she could just stop waking me up halfway through the night I would love her even more.

Lots of love
Poppy xxx

Grumpy pup

Tired Poppy dog

I'm a little bit of a grumpy pup today. I didn't get as much beauty sleep as I would have hoped (I don't need much, but it does play havoc with my fringe if I don't get enough). Fly finds it hard to sleep for as many hours in one go as me, mum and dad would like. I had been looking forwards to a nice long lie in as dad starts work early on a Sunday so I'm allowed to sleep on his pillow once he's gone. But today Fly woke up when the alarm went off and it scared her. Dad switched it off quickly but she was already awake. And that meant that for three hours until mum gave in and got out of bed Fly ran up and down the stairs, played with my blankie from when I was little and dived on to mums head a few times. Mum said more of the bad words and looks very tired today. She says she isn't but I know when she is lying.



We went for a walk today and mum let me off the lead because the canal isn't frozen any more and she says it is hard work walking two silly dogs with no manners at the same time. Because I'm the oldest I'm the one allowed off lead. But I swam after a moorhen again and now I've got water in my ears. Mum says my ears smell yucky and that I might need stronger ear drops, but she says she'll give it a couple of days because giving me ear drops while trying to control my sister might be too much for her stress levels!

I am looking forwards to tomorrow because mum says I can have the house to myself and a dad walk all by myself in the afternoon, because she is taking Fly to work with her. I am really pleased, I love my dad very much and really like the walks I have with him. And mum said on Thursday we are all going to the beach. Maybe having a sister isn't so bad after all.

Lots of love

Poppy xxx

Sisters are hard work

I know you can't see my face but mum
said all the other pictures had red eyes
like a devil dog. I blame the dodgy
camera work personally

Mum brought my little sister home yesterday. I know that mum says once we have settled down properly together it will be a lot of fun having a sister, but at the moment I am missing having mum and dad all to myself a little bit. Mum says that is normal though and that she thinks me and Fly are going to be great friends soon.

Fly has never been in a house before and it was really funny watching her going in to all the rooms and getting scared of things she has never seen. She loved watching the TV. I can't wait to see her face the first time she sees a ball or a bird on there, it will be so funny. Honestly, young pups are so silly. Was I ever like that? I doubt it.
We have had a couple of tiny arguments. Fly likes being on the sofa snuggled into a human. I don't mind that as there are two humans and two sofas, plenty of choice. But when Dad went back to work, I tried to jump on the sofa and sit next to mum and Fly, and she growled at me. Mum said that isn't fair, so Fly can only go on the sofa when mum gives her permission. We had another little argument about beds. I share a bed with mum and dad (although for some reason they seem to think it is their bed and that I am just being a pain and sleeping on it) and Fly is supposed to be sleeping in her own bed. At 4am she jumped on our bed and woke me up so I growled at her. Mum said it is ok to growl at her in those circumstances as it is the only way she will learn. Then mum said a lot of rude words, words that she said a young dog like me shouldn't know, and had to take Fly out to go to the toilet. She came back inside and said even more rude words when she realised I was asleep on her pillow. I played dead so she couldn't move me. She looks tired today.

We all went walking this morning and mum says the stress of trying to walk two dogs in a straight line without tripping over and injuring herself or one of us is going to turn her hair grey. I gave her a sympathetic look, but then the cheek of her, she said I was the one that caused most problems. She says I'm a little pain who chases birds and cats and tries to trip her up. We have to wait for dad to come home this afternoon before having another walk.

I'm having a well deserved rest right now as sister dog is downstairs sleeping. Mum says the good thing about pups is that they need a lot of sleep. I have to get off the computer now though as mum says Fly would like to use it herself to talk about her day. Personally I think she's copying me.

Lots of love

Poppy xxx

My sister's coming home soon

I finally met my little sister yesterday, and mum said that because I was so lovely with her she can come home soon. It was all a bit nerve wracking when we met as mum said that it was up to me and that if I didn't get on with her then mum would try to find a new mum and dad for her and wouldn't bring her home. We met at work, and because there were dog trainers down looking at some of the naughty dogs, they decided to do a training session on how to properly introduce dogs so there were at least 10 people watching me. Talk about pressure!

Luckily Fly seems like she could be a lot of fun so I told mum I was happy to have her at home. Mum was so happy she gave me a big piece of dried sausage, it was great. The dog trainers said lovely things about me as well. Apparently I am a lovely dog and I was very good at showing Fly how to behave. They also said I was nowhere near as bad as mum makes out. I dread to think what she says about me to people, honestly the cheek of it!

Not sure yet when I will get my sister as mum says she's a little bit crazy at the moment and she doesn't know who mum is yet. She thinks she is just a nice lady who visits her kennel and strokes her and gives her treats. So mum has to spend a couple of days doing a lot of training with her so she doesn't get scared when she comes home with us. I really can't wait, this could be a lot of fun!

I hope I don't look too guilty after

eating the whole treat bag

I also went to my doggy school last night. I was so tired that I could have really done with an early night and I didn't want to play at all. Even when mum got my favourite toy out I wasn't in the mood. Mum says this kind of thing is exactly why she told the dog trainers at her work that I'm a doggy with issues! I did redeem myself though by learning the command 'go tunnel' and not being scared even when the tunnel had a bend. Now all I have to do is learn not to stop dead at the other end and wait for cheese. Mum says people will laugh if I do that if we ever get to competition stage. I told her she's crazy if she ever thinks we will ever get that far, I'm just in it for the fun. And the cheese.

I finished my busy day off by managing to find where mum left her still fairly full treat pouch, opening it and then eating the whole lot. Yum. That's what I call a good end to the day.

Lots of love

Poppy xxx

Windy day at the beach

Mum kept her promise today. She took me for a lovely long walk at the beach even thought the weather wasn't very nice. I enjoyed myself very much although I don't think mum did. She said walking into strong wind and getting sand blasted isn't her idea of a good day out. I disagree. I thought it was a good day out. I did my usual ball chasing and running through sand dunes and thistle bushes and generally had a lot of good poppy fun. I'm suffering now though, I have so many thorns sticking in me. Mum and dad are sat either side of me on the sofa picking thorns out of me and it hurts lots. I don't regret it though, sometimes you have to suffer for your fun.
A wierd thing happened when we got back to the car. Mum opened the door and a black poodle jumped in. She was called Suki and her owner was very embarrassed. Mum took her out of the car and she jumped straight back in again. This happened several times. Me and mum thought it was very funny and even thought we might have to take her home with us.


I'm all sleepy after my big day out



We went to Pets At Home on the way back as mum wanted to give me the best day possible. It was spaniel heaven in there. We met an 8 week old dog being fitted for her first collar. For some reason her owners looked a little nervous when mum told them that spaniels are crazy dogs and they never calm down. Mum said to me afterwards that she doesn't think they've had a spaniel before and they might have a bit of a shock coming to them! Then we met a 5 year old spaniel boy who was muddier than me. I had a lovely time sniffing him while mum talked to his mum and dad in the queue. And just as I thought it couldn't get better mum let me chose my own rawhide. I do love my mum and dad.

Lots of love

Poppy xxx

Busy, busy, busy pop dog

Apologies for not writing during the week but mum has been busy and hasn't let me use her computer at all. She's really mean. She says she has been doing important work stuff, things that are more important than my writing. I had a quick look over her shoulder and she was doing health and safety manuals. Honestly, she gets herself a job where she could spend all day with cute little dogs like me, and instead she looks at health and safety standards. I really will never understand humans, not even my mum. She says we will go to the beach in the morning if it doesn't rain, so that will go some way to making it up to me.
I went to doggy school on Wednesday. Mum was very relieved that there was another beginner dog there, a little cocker spaniel. She says last week was embarrassing as everyone was so much better than me. I was tired this week because I had spent the whole day in mums office as well as quite a lot of running around the field. So I was ever so good and didn't bark too much. We did some crate training. I used to be scared of the crate, but to be honest I was glad of a lie down this week and I got fed sausage so it's all good.

New baby sister. She's cute but I think I might be cuter!
Am I even allowed to say that?!

Anyway exciting news. Mum said that my potential new little sister Fly is having her second injection on Wednesday. I might be allowed to meet her on Wednesday, and then if we like each other mum said that she could possibly come home as early as Friday. I know we're going to get on just fine, so long as she does everything I tell her so I'm sure she will be coming home.

Mum said Fly is still really shy and nervous and that she has only just learnt how to walk properly. She says I need to be a big grown up girl and help Fly settle in to the house. She did say that Fly would be bigger than me when she is older, but that I would always be their special grown up girl. That makes me feel better. Although I'm really looking forward to having a pup around to play with I was worried they would love the little one most. Mum says we are going to have a special week together before Fly comes home, so I'm off to take a nap in front of the fire in preparation.

Lots of love

Poppy xxx

DogLost.co.uk: Lost: Brown Spaniel Cross Male In South West (BA16)

DogLost.co.uk: Lost: Brown Spaniel Cross Male In South West (BA16)

Day out at the beach

Look how muddy I am, isn't it great!

Mum took me to the beach today. It's the first time I have been to the beach with her for ages as I normally go with dad when mums at work. But it was lovely and sunny so mum said it was a beach day. I had such a lovely time. We went for a walk through the sand dunes first of all so that I could follow rabbit smells and run through bushes, these are two of my favourite things to do. Then we walked a long way down the beach and at first mum just let me chase the sea gulls and splash in the mud because the tide was out. She says it's good that the tide was out because it is still too cold to swim.

I made lots of friends while I was scampering around. I met a lovely staffie, a chihuahua called Poppy, two spaniels who were even muddier than me, a clean spaniel (mum says that it's a bit odd to see a clean spaniel, she doesn't think spaniels are supposed to be clean), a labrador with a tennis ball and a really friendly doberman. I love making new friends. Mum says I should only make friends with the dogs though, I shouldn't jump up at their owners when I have muddy paws.

On the way back down the beach we played with tennis balls.Mum has a thing she calls a wanger which helps her throw tennis balls a long way so that I can run and chase them. She needs this because she is rubbish at throwing. I laugh at her when she throws normally. She really tired me out with the tennis balls as every time I brought one back she threw another one. I'm not as young and fit as I used to be, that left me exhausted. I was so tired I forgot to look out of the car window at birds on the way home.

I have just had a lovely sleep on mum and dads bed, hopefully they won't realise that it's me that put all the mud and sand over it. I think they will though. At least it means they will change the duvet later, I love duvet changing day, I always climb inside it and run around while mum and dad try to catch me. They pretend it makes them angry but I saw them laughing when I did it once.

Lots of love

Poppy xxx

What a busy week!

What a fantastically busy Poppy week I've had! Good news is that my ear healed nicely without a trip to the vets. Plenty of other stuff happened as well.

Back to agility
Firstly I went back to school on Wednesday. It was a little bit scary because I didn't know any of the dogs and it was a new place. There was lots of lovely smelling horse poo on the ground. Mum said that it's because it is a riding stable and that I should stop sniffing the poo. I got a little bit over excited as well as nervous so I woofed a lot and kept trying to run towards the other dogs. In the end we had to go and do our own private work at the other end to the other dogs. Mum said that they were all better than me and that I'm an embarrassment. I don't believe her as she seemed to have as much fun playing with my toy as I did.

I made a new friend

"Mum, Alfie's on my bed"

I went to work with mum and I met a new dog that I hadn't seen before. He is called Alfie and he is a springer collie cross. I think he's lovely. I even like him more than Patrick. I let him sleep on my bed for a bit, although I didn't have much choice. I think he likes me too. Mum said that she didn't mind if I wanted him to be my boyfriend as he is the same age as me. We played in the field together and chased a tennis ball, and then we came back in to the office and chased the tennis ball some more which really annoyed Storm and Patrick who were trying to sleep. Mum says I can come to work more often with her if Alfie is there as when I play with him I don't annoy her so much.

I might be getting a little sister

My possible baby sister, Fly

Mum says she has met a little girl dog who she really likes and that if I get on with her she will be my new little sister. She is 5 months old and she is a springer collie cross called Fly. She was supposed to work on a farm but she is scared of sheep and very bad at her job so the farmer didn't want her anymore. Mum says that she is very shy and nervous but that she really likes other dogs so she should be ok with me. We can't meet for another week though as she is still going through her isolation period. I can't wait to meet her, it could be fun to have a baby sister.

I was made to walk with a head collar

Mum has put me in a head collar for walks now. I don't like it. It means that I can't pull mum along when I want to go faster or when I want to chase something. She likes it a lot. She says she likes me a lot more when I am not pulling her about everywhere. I have to admit she makes sure she is gentle and never tugs the part of the lead that is attached to my head collar but sometimes I forget and pull at something and it makes my head turn sideways. At least I don't get a sore neck anymore though.

Anyway it's been such a busy week that I'm off for a big snooze in front of the fire now. I promise I will try to write more during the week next week.

Lots of love

Poppy xxx

Bad Poppy day

I'm not a happy Poppy dog today. Firstly I got my head stuck in a bramble bush yesterday. I ripped a chunk of skin off my ear and it bled quite a bit. I felt very bad and poorly, and I had to let mum cut all the hair away from it. She says she doesn't want a repeat of last time when the hair grew into the wound. Yes, this isn't the first time I got my head stuck in a bramble bush! Mum has given me a special doggy pain killer as it hurts, but it tastes horrible. It goes on my food, and it ruined my fish pate. It makes me all dozy as well and a little bit sick. Mum says only two more days left though which is good, but apparently if it hasn't healed by Thursday I am going to the vet. I DO NOT like the vet. They sometimes stick scary needles in me. I wee'd myself in the waiting room last time I was there and I swear a cat laughed at me, so I really don't want to go back.

Secondly it is snowing again. I got excited but then mummy told me that this looks like wet slushy snow and it probably won't be fun. It will just be cold and nasty and my walks might be a little bit shorter.
I have spent most of today feeling very sorry for myself hidden on the bed under dad's dressing gown. Mum says it's ok to hide there as he's not here today to notice that I'm getting my hair and slobber on his stuff. I think I'm going to go back under there and hide some more and feel sorry for myself, and hope mummy will give me extra cuddles, and maybe a jumbone. She says we've run out but I think she must be lying.
Lots of love
Poppy xxx

My new year's resolutions

Happy new year to you all. I'm glad new years eve is over. Some bad people had scary fireworks and even though I growled at the fireworks they didn't stop. Luckily mum and dad stayed in to look after me, and they let me hide behind their legs then under the duvet. Nothing can hurt you when you are under a duvet.
Anyway as threatened mum made me make some new years resolutions.
1) I will not lick anyones ears until I am invited to
2) I will not bark when people are eating - unless I am really hungry or really like their food)
3) I will let mum groom me and put ear drops in when it is necessary (I admit this is for the best)
4) I will learn a new trick. I'm thinking I might learn to shake paws. Apparently 'down' doesn't count, I can already do it. I knew I should have held off on that one for a few more days!
5) I will not trip mum up when she takes me running
6) I will come back when I am called - unless I am chasing something really, really good
7) I will not eat tennis balls. They make me sick and I lose a good ball
8) I will wait to see if letters from the postman are important before I eat them
9) I will be calmer when mum takes me to work. That way she will take me more
10) I will not go on poo and pee strike when people are leaving the house, to stop them leaving me. It only makes me uncomfortable, and doesn't seem to stop them

I hope mum and dad won't be expecting miracles. I've just read my list back and it all looks a bit hard. Still I will be getting a friend to play with at some point next year, and then the focus will be off me a little bit. I can shred stuff and blame the new dog. Seems like a great result all round.
Lots of love
Poppy xxx