Very Serious Career Dog

Dear Diary,
I've been taking my new job at Penny Paws Petcare very seriously and helping Mum get some clients as much as I can. Of course I'm great at initiating play with potential clients and then it's up to mum to seal the deal with human who owns my new friend. But recently I took on a huge job. I had to be the spokes-model for Penny Paws at the great big Pet Expo we had in Christchurch! Luckily for me a special delivery arrived from my lovely friend Maria at Walk Me This Way so I looked fantastic with my gorgeous leads, collars and bandana!

This was quite a Big Deal. The expo had thousands and thousands of people come through and Mum couldn't be there because she had some sort of wedding thing to go to and was abandoning me (again!) Lucky for me that I was staying with my favorite aunty Aurora from Pet Care Services. She's part of a group of clever ladies who make up Pet Solutions and they have all sorts of great services.

Anyway Mum took me there and I helped set up stalls by being cute. Then I got Mum in trouble because I wanted to have a walk round and we went and looked at all the fun cats. The cat ladies didn't really like me being there even though I was super quiet and nice and most of the cats were bigger than me! So unfair.

Soon it was time to go to work and I started schmoozing all the people. I was super friendly to everyone and let all the children and adults hold me and gave them lots of snuggles. I had my photo taken about a million times and gave out lots of kisses. At one point I needed a wee break from all the snuggles so when the lovely ladies weren't paying attention I made a quick dash to see my lovely friends the Leonburgers who were just round the corner. I was so fast that I managed to get through the thick forest of legs and make in into the cage with two of the big bears and burrow into their lovely warm fur for a nap. I didn't burrow deep enough though and it was back to work with me.

I also was a good model for the groomers. They breed miniature sausages too, but they are lovely smooth reds. I liked them lots. This one looks so much like my lovely friend in the UK Lottie it is amazing! And I really like the big floppy bassett hound that was there. He was funny.

I did all this stuff for two days and when Mum arrived to pick me up I was so exhausted from all my hard work and so pleased to see her that I immediately fell asleep on her shoulder. She's so nice to sleep on. Thanks so much Aurora and Els and Chrissy and Annabel and Jo and Becky. I had a great time! You all should go and check their websites, they are all linked from Penny Paws!

Oh, by the way, Penny Paws has a special offer till the end of April - don't miss out!

*Walking with Pennys and Giants*

Dear Diary,

I've been doing a lot of playing with big dogs lately. Now it seems obvious to me and to Mum that I am in fact a very large dog myself. Just because my body is a bit on the little side doesn't mean I'm a small dog. And I work very hard to ensure that everyone I meet knows how big I am. So it is no surprise to Mum that I love meeting giants.

Last weekend I met three beautiful ladies - all bears. Mum says I mustn't call them that because they are Leonbergers and if I offend them they could sit on me and squash me flat. But these lovely ladies would never do that. I particularly loved playing with little gentle Poppy, she's a little younger than me but is gentle and fun to wrestle. Even better I saw them again today! 

And last night I met a beautiful big St Bernard, appropriately up on the hills. He wasn't carrying any delicious warming drinks around his neck, but he was gorgeous! He wasn't too keen to play though so I found a beautiful bearded collie who wanted to run with me.

Then I met another Penny! 

She was very fast and fun and Mum was particularly taken with her because she looked so much like Mum's dog growing up, Sage. I played with her for a bit before heading off to check for badgers in the forest.

Then today I met another Penny, but this one was small and black like me and ran really really really fast. I had to sit down and wait for her to tire out a bit before I could play!

Fast poodle Penny is fast!

Then this afternoon I got together with my sausagie (and wanna be sausagie) friends to celebrate another giant's successful battle against horrid cancer. My friend in the UK Lottie. 

She is a giant dog, who is doing so much good with her story and I really wished I could get on an aeroplane and fly over to London and celebrate and raise awareness for canine cancer. So instead I got my mates together and we said BUTT OUT CANCER! over here in NZ. Love you Lottie!

Lovely Ruby is a spritely old woman!

And now I'm curled up at home having quiet time with Mum because we both are sending all our love and healing vibes to the most giant dog I know - Winny Woo. Lovely Winny's Mummy Di had some bad news today which you can see on Winny's facebook page. Mum and I having been following Winny's life since she was born. She is an extraordinary girl whose spirit and determination have touched people across the world. She truly is a giant. Some of us are meant to be giants and fill up a much bigger place in the lives of those around us than our physical size would suggest. Winny fills up an enormous amount of space with love, she is a gift. 

 I am a giant too, I came and saved my Mum when she was very sad because she can't have children. She got me instead and is now happier than she's ever been. I'm too modest to talk about it much, but I know that I am a very special dog and that makes me a giant like Lottie and a bit like Winny. Love to you both my special English roses!

Sunday *Badgers and Bears*

Dear Diary,

Today has been a day of much hunting. My highly honed ninja senses could tell that something was up in our back garden. There was a feeling that badgers were planning some sort of evil plan, probably to steal my delicious bone. I had to check the perimeter multiple times and then check the lawn. Mum wasn't too impressed with my lawn checking as I dug a fairly decent sized test hole to make sure we were secure from underground assault. I gently pointed out that we don't really have lawn, more an exciting adventure play ground of weeds and some dry brown stuff that might have been grass once, but certainly isn't anymore. She took this quite well I thought, and left me to my important work. 

It wasn't long after this I heard her call my name. I think she's got some mad ninja nose skills like me because she couldn't even see what I was doing and said she could smell dirt. She was right of course, I was sure that badgers had infiltrated the barrel where Mum used to grow things. There was a terrible accident though and nothing grows there anymore.

Mum agreed that I should investigate carefully to ensure the safety of the family but she did ask that I not fling any more dirt into the house. I of course obliged. She also kindly helped me document correct badger digging technique, I hope you find it informative.

Unfortunately I came away dirty faced and empty pawed but as a consolation Mum took me to the dog park. And there I met some bears! First I played for ages with this gorgeous baby bear. He was only 2 months old so much younger than me. I have to admit he was bigger than me though. When he lay on me I really couldn't do much so Mum took me away. It was very fun playing with the baby bear.

Then I met a big adult bear! Mum said it was actually a type of dog called a Leonberger, but I think it was actually a bear. It was nice and let me give it kisses, but wasn't really interested in playing with me. Secretly I was pleased about this because it was very very big.

After the bears we went for a fun walk in the woods and I sniffed EVERYTHING! I love the woods.

When we came out I met a golden Lab called Fern and an ex-farm dog called Murray and we all ran round together for ages while all the Mums talked and talked. Mums! It was a great play. 

Then when we got home Mum and Dad and me all went to our cool neighbors and I chased their cat up a tree. I think that's where I went wrong, because not long after that Dad took me home again. So not fair. The worst thing is I missed out on the epic block tower building that Mum builded. 

I sooooo would have loved to knock this over and run away with all the blocks. I know I would have got in trouble but it would have been totally worth it. Guess that's why I had to stay at home. My parents are so boring and uptight!