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!

New ventures and adventures

Dear Diary,

What a crazy time it is! Mum and I are business partners! That's way she's been so slack about being my secretary, but I forgive her because if our new business takes off I'll have lots of new friends to play with all the time. We are starting a dog walking service, it's called Penny Paws Petcare (after you know who) and anyone lucky enough to use it will get to hang out with me. So everyone (based round the Port Hills in Christchurch) should go to our website and ring or email us to arrange for us to visit you! Your dogs will have the best time EVA!

While Mum has been busy organising everything I've still been having great adventures. I've been hanging with my gang and teaching that naughty Frank not to be too rough with me, but he's a bit of a slow learner. Sigh.

He's also crazy about water. Personally I don't see what's so great about it, but each to there own.

Oh, and I officially have a boyfriend, according to Facestalk anyway. He is a Lord, a title befitting a Lady of my breeding and he is rather gorgeous. His name is Louie Lord von Houndlinghausen, I am very much looking forward to our next date!

Mum had to go for a meeting with the lovely Aurora who owns Petcare Services Ltd and is the BEST dog walker in Sumner (and perhaps the world) because she is helping us with our business. I got to play with my sausagey friends Otto and Kaiser (and Barky Harry), but I also met some giants.

I meet Barry the giant cat, who unlike that black cat I live with, loves to play with me.

Unfortunately he lives in something called the pussy palace, but seems more like a fortress. I tried to conquer it, but I just couldn't manage it. Yet.

And I met a giant rabbit called Graeme. I thought he was a delicious treat for me, but then he told me off and I had to run away. He's crazy and scary!

Yesterday I got to go the the Agility Trials. It was very hard work for me because I wasn't allowed to go and talk to every dog I saw and had to be good and be on my lead all the time. To make the most of being on my lead I kindly offered to model one of the Safety Collars leads for my lovely Aunty Els. This time I had a much more appropriate one!

We watched lots of fun running and jumping and lots of people asked me if I wanted to do it, which I do! But I'm not old enough yet, I have to wait till my bones have finished growing and got all tough. I can't wait to fly through the air though.

I did get to met some really lovely dogs though, and I met a tiny puppy who was only 9 weeks old. He had to stay in jail because he hadn't had all his shots which made me sad because we really wanted to play together.

Mum finally let me have a run around the big grounds and I was so excited I decided to be a charging bull and run very seriously. See I can be a serious dog. I'll be great at agility!

Anyway Mum took a bazillion photos of dogs jumping so here are some of them. And don't forget to check out Penny Paws Petcare. I can't wait to play with you!

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.