It's been a long dog, I mean time

Dear Diary

Seems I'm just about as good at keeping a diary as my Mum. Sorry to all my lovely friends for my long absence. So this will really be a quick update of some of my adventures.

When I left you I was in Timaru and having a great time. That great time continued. Mum and Aunty Sarah took me for a big walk through a thing called an estuary (it's just a fancy name for a swamp) and we ended up at a beach. It didn't seem like a beach to me at first, but Mum said that if I was in the UK (hi guys) this is what  most of their beaches are like. 

I had to check the beach for badgers, we had my little human friend with us and I couldn't let her get caught up in any evil badger plot. I was sure there was one where Aunty Sarah was sitting, but I must have scared it off with my awesome shovels of doom.

On the way back from the beach I decided that Mum really wasn't paying enough attention to what I was up to so I taught her a good lesson. It was even better because she was wearing her nice clothes and had the fancy camera! There was lots of long grass by the path, but I spotted a stream with some ducks in it. 

I've never really been interested in ducks before but they were just irresistible. A few bunny hops through the grass and then SPLASH! Ducks went quacking away and Mum came bounding through the grass. Unfortunately I had miscalculated the steepness of the banks of the stream and I couldn't get out. I was a bit worried till I saw Mum. Also it turned out the stream wasn't really full of water, but black stinky (YUSS) mud. It was hard to swim in. Mum whipped me out and I managed to get mud all over her. Then I spent lots of time trying to dry myself in the cut grass. 

Maybe it wasn't such a good idea (especially since I had to have a really loooooong bath to remove my glorious aroma).

That was my best Timaru adventure, but I also told lots of cows about how I'm the boss of them (they didn't listen).

I mastered the art of climbing up and sliding down the little human's cool slide.

And I partook of some civil disobedience. Mum says some rules are made to be bent a little!

Back home Mum has been poorly for a while, but we've still been meeting up with my new Pet Care friends. I've had great walks with them, although that sexy beast Kaiser seems to have fallen out of love with me now. Sad.

At least Otto still plays with me a bit. And after a rough start the tiny bully Millicent and I are getting on much better. 

I also went on an adventure to a Beech Forest, but I didn't like it. There were millions of wasps around and I got stung buy a wasp (but I showed it by eating it) and a bee. It made me really sad so Mum carried me. It was disappointing cause I love native forests. 

Below are lots of pics of my fun times. They say a picture is worth a really large amount of words so these will save you from having to spend the rest of the day reading this. 

Thursday *Mum falls in love with another dog!*

Dear Diary

What a day. It started out well enough. I got my usual morning snuggles before breakfast, a game of hunt out breakfast in the garden, some games in the lounge and then off to the office. Some of you might think being in the office is boring. No no no! There are lots of shoes to lick and socks to nibble. Everyone gives me pats and the naps are awesome. And there's always some sort of hijinks to get up to. Like looking for exciting things under the upstairs couches.

I found a cool ball thing and Mum and Dad laughed at me when I wiggled out from under it. Sometimes I get a cool box to play with, or in. Today's one was awesome.

And I get to do my stair running up too!

Mum got some sad news in the afternoon from lovely friend so we left early. I wish was able to be with her friend right now and give her my best kisses and nose boops and neck nuzzles. I love her. 

We went up the hill to the high up dog park and Mum was a stupid again and forgot to take any photoing devices. Seriously if this continues I'm going to have employ a photographer. 

It was a great walk with lots and lots of fun dogs to play with. I really enjoyed playing with a naughty Spoodle. The first time I saw her she was brilliant white with black spots and wouldn't stop playing even when her Dad called. Mum told me I was setting a very good example with my excellent recall. Then later in the walk we saw her again, but she wasn't white anymore. She was completely covered in mud. Mum told me this was because she was a little trickster and her Dad needed more practice at recall. I thought it was funny and loved playing with her again, even though I ended up quite muddy.

Then something happened to Mum. Another sausage came into the park and it was a mini wire hair called Bella. Mum went mental. Bella was very pretty but didn't want to play with me so I went and played with some other dogs nearby. Mum didn't come though (maybe I should use treats?), she sat on the ground and made all sorts of embarrassing noises and rubbed it's belly and made a spectacle of herself. I pretended she wasn't mine. 

After that she wouldn't stop going on about Bella, lucky I'm not the jealous type. I think when I'm more grown up I'm going to end up with a wiry brother. That'll be rad though, cause that black cat still won't play with me. He's a stupidhead. 

Wednesday *Scorchio*

Dear Diary

I'm a hot dog on another amazing Christchurch hot day. And a busy one too. Mum seemed to have her phone thing stuck to her ear most of the morning, so I helpfully finished my excavations of the chilli plant. 

Finally she got all my walking essentials together and then took me to the vets! Whut? Luckily I love going there and it turned out we were only going to get that black cat's yummy food (I love it so much, but always get in trouble for eating it), and to drop off the spine book for the vets to read. Of course all the nurses snuggled me and gave me treats and complimented me on my gorgeous figure.

Then we went to the dog park by the quarry so I could run and run and run and run. And wait for Mum. She's so slow! Of course there were new friends to meet and Mum made me go swimming cause she said little black dogs need to swim when it is over 30 degrees. I obliged until a big playful lab started jumping around in the pond. 

After more running and hill climbing we had to go to the office where Mum was stuck to her phone again. We weren't there long (I hardly had time to nap) before we left and I got to do my most important job at work, charming the customers. We went to a building that had a box that was magic. There was a dog in it that looked just like me and it felt weird and when the doors opened we were in a new place. Mum talked to a nice lady and I gave her kisses and she was very happy. All in a days work.

Back at home it got hotter and hotter and I found some nice shade for napping. Dad came home early and I was so excited I had a wee accident, sorry Mum. Then Mum got my beach bag out and we went to the my favourite beach. Mum said I had to do lots of swimming because it was nearly 35 degrees now. So I did.

I ran with Mum through the warm shallow bits, and then swum a bit. Then Mum went in a deep bit and a leapt in to rescue her and climbed on her head. I didn't try to rescue Dad when he went swimming, he's big enough to look after himself. Instead I rolled in the warm sand and looked for badgers.

Then I went swimming with two little dogs, they were enjoying it, but I wasn't really and told Mum all about it. But she made me swim some more so I got quite vocal while I swum. Mum gave me treats though and said I was a really great swimmer now who can even go against currents. Whatever those are, I thought they were for eating.

So now I'm a tired sausage again. But a very happy one. 

Monday *Slaving Away and Learning about Cats*

Dear Diary

Monday's really are a lot of work aren't they. I made an early start today as Mum was busy and so I got down to some gardening chores that I felt needed to be completed. First I turned the soil for Mum to make sure her chilli and tomato are going well. Then I removed some weed mat that Mum obviously didn't need there anymore. I was going to bring it inside so I could show her, but then I remembered the potting mix incident so I just left it by the door. I'm a good dog. 

Mum still didn't seem very happy, so I thought I'd help her do some research. She pointed out the library books aren't for chewing so I was on my best behaviour. 

 

Turns out research is really boring, even if it is children's books, so I did what I do best and slept. Mum was really busy so it took ages for me to get my walk. Mum said we were going to a big park on the other side of town. I've been there before and I liked it because it has agility things and a river and countryside and lots and lots of friends to play with. Today was no different. I was ace at agility.

And I played with everyone!

You'll note I'm swimming in one of the above shots. Mum tricked me into it because apparently jumping around in mud isn't ideal for going home in the car. That's my new friend Teddy I'm chasing, he was after my treat, tricksy little thing!

After all the playing it is always important to have some Mum and me time, otherwise she gets sad, so we headed off along the country walk. Mum wanted me to use my awesome tracking skills and hid on top of a little hill. Lets just say it didn't go well and it took me about 6 circuits of the hill work out where Mum was. Lucky she had the good treats waiting. Then further on I met the BIGGEST dog eva! She was on the other side of a fence with lots of other big dogs so I couldn't play with her. Maybe some other time.

I was really tired after my big walk, but I think that was Mum's plan all along because then she took me to place where men looked at her car and went under it and opened it up and drove it on spinney things. It took forEVER, but even though it was really boring I only grumbled a little bit. I'm a good dog.

After that I thought the excitement of the day was well and truly over, but after dinner Mum got my lead out again and we got back into the car! Brilliant. Off we went to visit Aunty Paula and Uncle Robert from work and their three sausages (and two mean cats). I had the best time running around madly with Hugo (although he seemed to have ulterior motives which embarrassed his parents and made my Mum laugh). She did tell me off for leading him on though and that I shouldn't wind up older men. I was extra good and gentle with lovely Ruby who is very old, but still likes to play a bit. 

The only one I couldn't charm was beautiful Alice who doesn't like me and hid on her mum all night.  

I also tried my best to play with the two cats they all live with. I thought they'd be like that black cat that lives with us and I could chase them and have a brilliant time. I was wrong. They are tough cats and try as I might they wouldn't run. 

In the end one beat me up so now I've decided that the black cat I live with might not be so bad. I maybe might be a little bit nicer to him.

Wednesday * Must Climb ALL The Things!

Dear Diary,

I'm afraid I've been naughty today, all day long. I couldn't help it. Mum is sick again and was lying on the couch not paying me enough attention, AND the cat seems to be usurping my place in the pack, and I hadn't been for a walk. There was really only one thing for it, I had to prove that anywhere the cat can go I can too!

I've recently got tall enough to jump up onto the couches so it was really easy to get onto the bench from there as the couch is against the back of the bench. I've been doing this for a few days now. It gets Mum to come straight downstairs since she put that stupid baby gate up. Of course I get told off and crated, but it works every time so I'm not going to stop. Hahahaha!

I've also worked out I can get onto the window sill where that black cat gets fed so I had myself some of his yummy food a couple of times. Mummy was really annoyed and I got lonely timeout for a long time after the second time I did it.

But my best achievement was getting up onto the high outdoor table where that black cat lounges about and eats the green plants that make him all silly. I'm not telling anyone how I did it, but I could tell Mum was really impressed cause she didn't tell me off or anything until she had me by my scruff. I was in big trouble again.

Since I was already in trouble I spent as much time as I could harassing that black cat too. Mummy seemed really unhappy about this, but that'll teach her that I'm the boss, not the stupid cat.

Now Dad has completely rearranged the lounge so I can't get on the bench and Mum has moved everything away from the outside table and the cat food is somewhere else I can't get to so my fun is a bit spoiled. Luckily there's still lots of things to climb every where so I can keep climbing. I love it.

I think I'll be nicer to Mum tomorrow though, I don't like it when she's sad. (I will still try and eat her delicious slippers though!)