Human habits... Weird.

Charlie and I are puzzled.   Why do humans have so little fur?  Also why, when they smell fine to us, do they go and sit in water or stand under a pouring shower, using disgusting soapy stuff?  I always offer the use of my tongue towel, which would start to get rid of the foul perfume stench for them, but the offer is always rejected.  Never will understand them. 

I'm shattered!

ZZzzzzzz

Oh - hi - sorry, I'm dog-tired.

Mum and Dad went out this morning.  I'm sure they said is was something involving 3 dogs this morning... "a peal of treble-dogging" they said... Mum explained it was somat to do with that bellringing lark again... boring!   So I had a lie in while they did that, though Pat very kindly popped in to give me elevenses and a trip down the garden; she is such a well-trained human!


Anyway, this afternoon Mum asked if I'd like to go out .... is the Pope Catholic?

Pat and Bo went too - it was a glorious afternoon and we walked almost 3 miles there and back along a section of the Humber Bank that's got  a proper path.   I need to remember to tell Dad where it is as the bit he takes me on is slippery mud.

We met a few other people and other dogs. Mum said I was a bit of a naughty boy some of the time and a very good boy the rest of the time. Why is it naughty to want to play with every dog I meet?   I don't get it, but Mum says I have to have her permission and I find it almost impossible to remember that. so I have to stay with Mum on the lead when there are others around.   She lets me go off and explore when nobody else is around though, so that's nice and I go back to her when she says "come" as I know there'll be something in it for me when I arrive!

Now... back to snoozing for me... wake me up when it's tea time please!

More training adventures today!

www.longfieldagilitysolutions.co.uk/

Now I know Bo's the size of a small horse but this looked more like the Horse of the Year Show than a doggy venue.   All we were allowed to do was sniff and look at the strange equipment, but that was fine as the field had nuggets of pure dining delicacy hidden in the grass.  I thought the nice man Kenny who looked after us had put them there, but he said it was the rabbits that had left them... thanks bunnies!  So why were we there in the pouring rain?  It was to have the run of a big safe field  - nice!    Kenny and Mum and Pat had a chat and then Kenny said Mum would be fine if I left her, so she took off my lead.  Yay... freedom to frolic! She kept calling me to come to make sure I was OK and to give me snacks.   I don't mind plenty of that!

Then it was Bo's turn to let Pat off the lead.  He hasn't done that before, so  I stayed with Mum. Bo was funny.  I expected him to run around but he stayed with Pat.  She walked off and he went too, looked like he was glued to her side.  Pat told Kenny she was worried if Bo went off on his own that he might not come back if she called him, but it seemed he wasn't going to leave her side, so there was no need to worry.

We thought Bo might like a game, so Mum took off my lead too and we ran together right across the field. Oh wow what fun!    We got to the far side and then I looked back - the humans all seemed a very long way off, then Mum called me and Pat called Bo so we thought we'd better go back.  They seemed very pleased and gave us lovely treats - cheese and ham NOM NOM!!   Good game Mum and thanks for getting Kenny to let us play it in his field!

Next Kenny said we needed to practise "recall".   Oh yes, that's the game where I go and play, Mum calls and I hare back to collect a quick treat and immediately rush off again?  Oh, apparently the rules have changed.  Now I have to sit and stay sitting until Mum tells me I can go.  Kenny showed us what to do.

Bo and Pat were practising the same thing but I saw Bo get away with not sitting - his legs are sooooo long that it takes forever for his bum to hit the ground and he HATES getting it wet too - c'mon - man up chap!!  Whaddya mean it's the same as me not liking walking in cold puddles?  Oi, cheeky!!!

Then they gave us a break from the game and Bo went to look at the other end of the field, right down by the hedge near the road.   Pat looked worried.  She called Bo but he was busy.  Dunno what he was doing, but man was he engrossed - in a world of his own.  I thought I'd better go and see what was so good - some great smells in that field you know, as well as the rabbit sweeties!.   Seemed Mum didn't want me going over there as she started to call me.  I considered ignoring her but after a few calls I decided what she had in my snack bag was calling me more than whatever was in the grass and set off at a gallop back to her.  Bo said to me he wasn't going back with me as he wasn't bothered about food - the smells that side of the field were far more interesting. He said he'd be fine and he knew Pat was fine, so he couldn't see what the problem was.   He is funny - can't for the life of me understand anyone who isn't always ready for a snack.  Each to his own.

Kenny went and had a word with Bo & suggested he should come back and offered him a treat as payment - dunno what Kenny  had in his snack bag but it sure hit the spot with Bo.    So, after that Pat decided to use Bo's massive long lead and  we played the "come" game again..   A new thing now was that when Mum said "come" she held her arms open like she wanted a hug but when I got near she pointed down with both hands and said "sit".  I did, and got my snack ... easy peasy when she's showing me where to sit!   Then Kenny said I shouldn't have had the snack as I got up on my feet rather than keep my bum on the ground.  NOT FAIR!   So we did it some more times - I worked with Kenny and Mum too and now I know they always  want me to sit still until they say "OK".   It's still a fun game as I get to run around a lot and get lots of FOOOOOD!

Tonight I'm really tired. Life with Charlie cat is getting much better too.  Fun, frustration and a growing friendship.  Yesterday he managed to get the lid off the big blue box that has all our treats and snacks in.  Such a shame Dad heard it and stopped us raiding it!  Charlie still doesn't want to rough'n'tumble, but we played a good game on the stairs - he sat in the middle and kept saying I had to get the right password to be allowed to pass him!   I cheated - went down with mum!   By the fire tonight we held paws so I know he loves me really!

Oscar...Come!

Mum was working at home today, so I got to take both her and Dad out at lunchtime.  I suggested we go to "Field".  I love that place as I know it's safe to let them walk without a lead. I thought we were going to walk there but no, the first thing I heard was "Oscar .. car!".  Fine with me, I love "car".  It's a magic box you know... all you do is get in and it starts to make you warm, cosy and sleepy.... then the next moment you wake up somewhere else... totally by magic!

Apparently we didn't walk all the way to my field because it is puppy school tonight and the humans would be too tired to do both as I get to have a walk with Bo first.

Mum explained that puppies like me have to train their humans to walk - she must be dead good at maths 'cos it all sounds really complicated to work out. So I'll let her explain, she says

"the recommendation is it should be an average daily total of about 5 mins per month of a Labrador puppy's age until their bones get hard. By then humans should be able to walk for an hour a day.  Until then the pup has to be patient!"  

So right then, as I am nearly 9 months old, that's about 45 mins average per day.... some days more we can do a bit more as long as other days it's less.    Phew that makes my brain ache!

By the way Mum was so pleased with me when we were out!  I'd been dashing about in the soft white stuff on the grass, then had a spell walking near Dad (got to keep him in check sometimes) and Mum called me, so straight away I dashed to her to see if she was ok!  She was fine and she gave me lovely treats and a big fuss.  I think she just wanted a hug - she's a bit like that with me and Charlie cat too.  Now, on that topic, he's a tease.   He makes out he's hard and aloof, but look at this picture - evidence!!  Seriously though, I am getting the idea that he just isn't going to play rough and actually it is rather nice to kip together by the fire sometimes.

Torture!

Went out with Dad today, but did not know I was going be be tortured! We went to a butcher's shop and he wouldn't take me in!!! Stood outside the door and yelled for service! All I got out of it smells of delicious meat, not even a bone, whilst a lady carried out the supper for the humans! If ever there was an injustice................cruelty to poor innocent dogs it is.

 

Met one of the local doggy Care Home escapees on the way home. He was very old and grey and said he was 15 but he was towing along some human as he said he wasn't allowed out on his own at his age in case his legs gave up. Neither am I, but I suppose it might be for different reasons :-)

So that was it; back home via the other end of the village, mug the cat, wheedle a treat (or two) out of dad and back to the fireside. It's a hard life....................

A good and bad day.

Today started badly.

"Oscar, do you want to go out?"

"Yeah yeah yeah yeah,...... NOOOOO!  It's  raining white splatty freezing stuff, again Mum".

"Well, you've been in bed all night, you must need to go.  Don't look at me like that.  The weather is not my fault".

"Yeah - right.  I can hold it", I muttered as I sneaked  off into the lounge.

Eventually I had to give in after breakfast and go.   Then Mum and Dad BOTH went out, I ask you, BOTH of them!  Said they had to go belle swinging... well it was something like that.  So I went back to bed. Turns out they were going Bellringing ... no idea what that is... but they were back 40 mins later and brought Pat.   Bo didn't come though :(

After they had their coffee stuff, Pat went home and I helped Mum & Dad clean up in their bedroom. They have made a big empty area; I reckon my bed would fit there.....

This afternoon they went off doing that Bellringing thing again.  I went to bed and would have slept, but for the racket coming out of the church tower.  It stopped just before they came home..  funny that.

The best bit of my day came next, me, Mum and Pat went in "car" to the park just over the big bridge. The sun was out and it was huge fun. Met a new doggy friend, but he got a bit bad tempered, as he thought my snacks were for him, cheeky beggar!  We stopped and let him and his human go.  Must say I'm pleased with Pat's training, as she brought me some snacks along - don't tell Bo as they were in HIS snack bag.. hee hee!

Got home and it seems I was too muddy for Mum... Ugh, another BATH... Eeeew!   Now if you'll excuse me,  having had my tea, I'm off to lie by the fire and dry out.