Monday *My Gang*

Dear Diary

Do ya wanna be in my gang, my gang, my gang?
D'ya wanna be in my gang, my gang?

Well yeah you probably do, because my gang is super radtastic with a side of awesome sauce. And my gang gets bigger all the time, so I thought I'd share some of my super mad fun friends from my gang with you.

This is Kaiser. For a while he was my extra special boyfriend and showered me with affection (and other things). He's fallen out of the love with me now because the gorgeous Frank has come along and Kaiser swings both ways. I still have a soft spot in my heart for him though and try my best to get his attention with kisses and subtle bum sniffs when I can. Kaiser is very fancy an has been the best in NZ twice (whatever that means).

This is Otto, Kaiser's brother. He is not as fancy as Kaiser, but just as gorgeous. He loves a good play and will run through the long grass with me. Mum has an extra soft spot for him

This Bob the Bullied, he is a big softy and often gets picked on by the other dogs in my gang.  He is lots of fun to roll around on top of and he likes lots of kisses, and you know how I like kisses.

This is Shouty Harry. He's always feeling lucky punk and his house overlooks the park where my gang mostly meets so he's always on patrol and barking at any interlopers. If there's trouble he's there straight away to mix it up. I like that in a man.



He's rather regal when he wants to be, but that isn't very often. He's secretly a mummy's bog though.

This is Hunter the Shark, although I like to secretly think of him as Hunter the Womble because he's always picking up rubbish and carrying it around. He's a great playmate and knows the importance of a long nose for finding mischief and getting a good grip on your rival's neck (often mine, but I can take it).

These two are the "Perfect Pups". Lets be polite and just say their name is ironic. They are a real laugh and love nothing more than to run up, down, and along the hills. They are really real brothers from the same litter and they speak a secret language to each to keep their naughty plans secret.

This is Magic Marv. This is a dog with the special powers of cunning. Those big cute eyes say "I am just a little angel who needs a snuggle", but really they are looking for someone to pounce on and play with.

Here we have Walter the Barbarian. He is a teenager and galumphs about in the long grass as much as possible. He does a great troll impression and is all legs. Despite his sometimes loutish ways he really is a soft touch and will sidle up to unsuspecting humans and lean into them till they give me pats. Clever!

This is my nemesis, Monstrous Millicent. She is just a baby girl, but boy does she want to run my gang. I, of course, am well mannered and know not to beat up dogs smaller than me so I let her have the upper hand and then secretly laugh when she gets in trouble for being all too growly and bitey. We are slowly coming to a lady's agreement about who's the boss. She is Walter's baby sister.

This is Kimba Smiling Lips. She is new to my gang, but a great addition. She is a little younger than me, but loves to run through the grass and play chase, a perfect companion for a dog of my great stature. I hope I get to play with her again soon.

Crazy Cooper is hard to photo. He is always running and jumping because he's very young and everything is so damn exciting. I remember that time of my life (4 months ago), they were good times. Cooper is besties with my new boyfriend...

... Baby Face Frank. He is the youngest in the group so he gets all the snuggles from the humans and gets picked up and carried lots. Which I think is rather silly given he's enormous! I love playing with him most of all, his ears are soft and delicious and he's a big gentle honey. Cooper almost always joins it so it becomes even more fun!

So that's most of the regulars in my gang. They are all super cool, obviously to hang out with me, and I get very excited every time I see them. My gang carries out all sorts of important business like meetings...

...races...

... and of course chatting at the bar after a hard day's walk.

Although often there's a fool who drinks too much and jumps in the pool!

And finally there are the kisses, there's always lots of kisses to go round.

So that's some of my gang. I'll fill you in on the rest in the future, but for now I've got rumbles to plan and hijinks to sort out.

Sunday - Lending a helping paw

Dear Diary,

What a fun day today! Mum and Dad were both lounging around home, although Dad was stuck to his typing machine, so I got lots of snuggles in the morning. And when I wasn't getting snuggles there was bone. I'm not allowed it in the house, but it is so fun to try and sneak it inside when no one is looking and then run outside again when I'm caught. I know I can only get away with it a couple of times in a row or my beautiful bone is taken away. Which sucks and is stupid.

In the afternoon we got to go on a walk and I met the beautiful Poppy. 

She was three but still loved playing with me, although she wasn't super happy when I got hold of her awesome fluffy ear!

Then a great thing happened. My lovely friend Aurora showed up with Otto and Kaiser and three big silly blondies. So exciting! Plus there were children to run around with and give me snuggles, how cool! 

However Mum said that we were actually there for Serious Business and I had to be extra good and go on my lead because we were meeting my amazing teacher Els who was helping a big dog who had been savaged by a little dog and was now scared of all little dogs and wanted to eat them. Lucky I'm a big dog!

So Mum and I went over and I was a good girl and sat patiently while Floyd the handsome staffie walked past me lots. And then I jumped round lots when I had to and Floyd walked past some more. He was very good and got closer and closer and became less and less interested in me (I know that was the goal, but really how could he?). I got treats and so did he. 

Then I got snuggles with Els (yay!) and Floyd's human sisters and then it was play time again! 

There was lots of running and rolling and fun, but I'm a little sad that Kaiser isn't in love with me anymore. I tried really hard to get him interested, but to no avail.

Then my friends had to leave, which was sad and I wanted to go with them, but Mum found me new friends to play with. One was called Montigue and he was younger than me by a month. We had the best time! Especially since he has delicious flopping ears for me to grab onto.

I was very tired after all the fun and the hard work helping Floyd. That's the thing about us dachshunds, we love to help and our people are really special. And the specialest one I know at the moment is called Mummy D. She's the human mummy of the amazing little Winny Woo (I call her Winny Sassy Shoes because she has to wear the cutest shoes eva) who lives in the UK and is battling to walk. I love her and me and Mum watch her videos together. If you want to watch an amazing woman and an amazing dog work to walk go check out the Winny Mini page. She is an inspiration and a gorgeous little angel.

Wednesday *Road Trip - Eventually*

Dear Diary

A lovely sunny day today and Mum AND Dad were both home! Fun times. Lots of playing and snuggling and playing and napping and snuggling. That black cat is still not running away from me as much as I'd like but I can't work out how to get things back to the way they were before. He keeps hitting on the nose when I try and chase him!

Mum took me up to the high dog park and there were lots and lots and lots of dogs there today. Some of them were really fun, like little Atari the Staffie cross, we played lots and he was a great ball chaser. Mum tried to get me chase my new frisbee, but for some reason she kept throwing it away. If she doesn't want it then it can't be very good so I just hunted for badgers.

There were some grumpy mean dogs at the park too today. They barked and barked and barked at me and their owners just let them bully me lots. Mum rescued me and took me away. Luckily there were lots of other fun dogs so I forgot all about the bullies. 

Once we got home all sorts of strange goings on went on. My den got packed up and all my toys put away, then some got put in a bag with my blankets and bed and stuff. Mum got the cool sucky machine out, but I wasn't allowed to play with it. Dad gave me treats for not playing with it. 

Then lots of things got put in the car. Then I got put in the car with Mum and Dad and we drove and drove and drove! We finally got to a place I've been before. Aunty Sarah and Uncle Greg's! Their place is really fun because it's out in the countryside and there's sometimes big white fluffy dogs to play with (I'm a little bit scared of them), and they leave delicious treats in the grass. 

No fluffy white dogs when we arrived, but I made sure to check their paddock and drink from their trough. Then I found a ginormous mound of grass to play. It was sooooooo fun, I was sure there was a badger in it, but there wasn't. I'm going to check it again though, when Mum isn't looking, just to be sure. 

I ran round and round and round the house lots and played with a ball and then had to go to bed early because I was just too excited. I can't wait to go adventuring tomorrow! 

Monday *Abandonment Issuse*

Dear Diary

This will be a short and sweet entry because Mum is a dirty abandoner and left me home alone for hours and hours and hours today. And I'm not telling her what I got up to when she was out, although I do still have some yummy bone so I was pretty preoccupied with that all day. 

Mum says it was alright because she was out getting me inscribed on her arm. Why she did that is a story for another time, but I look pretty cool there so I guess I forgive her.

And I forgive her for locking us out of the house in the rain and then having to go for a walk and get wet. I did get to have a good run round in the park after all. And Dad came home and rescued us. He's good like that.

Something very disconcerting also happened. That black cat I live with didn't run away when I chased him. He whacked me on the nose. Twice! And then he just stared and stared and stared at me. So I barked lots to show him I'm boss and he kept staring! That's not how it works. I was so confused I went outside into the rain. Strange. Maybe I'll have to be a leeeeeettle bit nicer to him? Maybe.

After that it was snuggles all night so a pretty perfect evening really. Mum says she has a special treat for me tomorrow to make up for today so I'm pretty excited to see what that is. Oh and Mum gave me a present today that my little friend Sophie made for me. It was delicious, the snails part anyway, and I loved the gold bow too! Thanks lovely Sophie!

Friday *Puppy Madness*

Dear Diary,
So tired. Today has been a play day. Mum got my special toy out this morning and we played for ages.

I guess that was to make up for the fact that she went out without me for EVER! Mum says it was only 2 hours, but it was actually forever and ever. When she came home I used my best puppy eyes and made her lie down so I could snuggle her and sleep on her. I think we were both happy with that outcome. 

Later Dad came home and we (they) had a picnic dinner at the dog park. As usual I played with lots of dogs. I meet a pack of fun little dogs and only one wouldn't play but that was cause she was 19! That is so very old. Mum said with lots of exercise and eating right I'll be at least that old and still coming to the dog park.

Then I met some nice black and white shaggy dogs and we ran up the hill and made Mum cough with all the dust we kicked up. They were fun. 

Then I met Judd. He was 6 months old like me and a vizsla. Vizsla's are one of my favourites ever! We had so much fun. Everyone was laughing at us because we were the best players in the the park.

Judd on top of me

Me on top of Judd! 

Then I got to met some wolves! They were so pretty and but were very serious and didn't want to jump around with me. They were polite though.

So tired after all that, I completely zonked out on Dad's knee in the car. I wanna play with more vizslas!