Poor boy...

Haven't been very well for the last few days. High fever, vomiting and peeing much more than usual, so I was taken off to the vet again...

The vet wasn't very happy with me and I wasn't very happy with her! She scratched my ear for a blood sample, shaved me chest for a bigger blood sample and then put a catheter into my precious, if still very little, willie! It was most unpleasant and I protested as much as I could whilst they held me down. 

Then the vet gave me a shot of antibiotics and put me on a course of strong tablets for a week. She suspects I might have caught leptospirosis, which can be very dangerous for little fellas like me. I think they were all very worried.....

But I'm a strong sort of chap and although I get tired more quickly and sleep a lot, I am lively in between again. I think I'm out of the danger zone and on the road to recovery. Certainly this evening I have had several 'mad moments' as they call it when I'm jumping about, trying to bite their ankles and generally being a nuisance!

I'm still a bit fussy about eating all my food, in fact I'm more interested in the stuff they give the cats but they insist to pull me away from their bowls. I'm so clever at finding the odd biscuit that one of the cats have spilled around their bowl outside. Kerstin thinks I might have a bit of bloodhound in me, I'm that good at sniffing things out, especially stuff I'm not supposed to have, like rotten apples, earth and mossy bits of grass. 

They have given in to my demand of sleeping on the settee, even though I need a lift up as my legs aren't quite long enough yet to jump up myself....

Two weeks here already

I've been here two weeks now, so quite getting used to the place. I also have a bit of a routine going. Quite lively most mornings, nap after lunch, lots of play in the garden after that and then I'm quite a sleepy boy most of the evening. I'm very good at night, have never disturbed them since the day I came, so I'm a very good boy. I do admit I have the odd accident in the house, but I'm just about learning how to ask to go out. I sit by the door and if they don't notice me I give a little yelp. If they ignore me or don't see me, I might just drop one indoors..... their own fault....

I met some more new people this morning, two children who played with me for ages. It was great fun! The little hole I did in the girl's dress was not intentional and her daddy said it didn't matter as she was growing out of it anyway.  I can't help,getting so excited!

At lunch time I had another visitor! She brought me some nice new toys and I had great fun with them in the garden this afternoon.

Only three!?...

They've cut my meals down to three a day! I find that quite hard to cope with. I try my uttermost to call their attention when I think it's mealtime, but they are getting too good to ignore my pleading eyes, my little yelps and my jumping about to call their attention....

I've had lots of walks round the garden today and have spotted the darned cats several times. If only I wasn't on that silly lead all the time. They seem to be getting used to me, they don't run away when they see me, just sit at a distance and stare. I'm obviously incredibly handsome!

I have several ' mad' moments a day, when I chase around, trying to bite things that pass by, like trouser legs. I'm good at stealing shoes, but am always discovered before I have a chance to put my teeth marks all over them. It's quite exhausting all this activity and I have several well deserved naps, on someone's lap if I'm lucky....

Getting bigger..

Stayed indoors most of the day yesterday, I definitely don't like the rain and will refuse to go outside if I can, which most of the time does not work with them....

Had visitors again last night, lots more cuddles and fussing over me! I certainly know how to put the charm on when it counts!

Today it's still raining......and they took me to the vet's again because I had to have my first injection. I was a very good boy, didn't make a sound, the vet was very gentle with me. I think she was pleased that I had put on another 800 grams, but she still don't know how big I'm going to be, but guesses 20-25 kilos. So I've now been put on a food for bigger boys! And my meals are being reduced to three times a day. 

A lot of money exchanged hands so I'm going to be a costly fellow, but by now I really have them firmly round my not so little paws, so I'm sure I'm worth it!

Poor boy....

I wasn't feeling too good last night....I was sick several times, all my supper wasted! I must learn not to eat all those interesting things I find in the garden, but its very hard. Everything is so exciting. If I only didn't get myself entangled in my lead, I would get so much further and find so many more interesting things!

I m feeling much better today, yesterday's episode (which wasn't very pleasant for any of us) long forgotten and I'm in full form again, still finding lots of interesting things to put in my mouth and chew!

One thing I don't like much is the daily inspection of tics......they hitch a ride on me when I run around the garden, blooming cheek!

I'm starting to understand that we are going out when they put their shoes and coat on! It's all very exciting and I eagerly wait for the horrid lead to be attached (I'm afraid that's an unavoidable evil most of the time). Don't they trust me? Obviously not yet.

Holy Cow!

So that's what they were, those big brown things in the field next door. Had a staring stand off with two of the smaller versions and then later on escaped under the fence, although quickly taken out of that fun game.....

It's been raining cats and dogs all day - stupid expression by the way! And I don't like to go out in it one little bit, but they make me just as often as normally. I was a very good boy again last night again, that's two in a row I've managed to be clean! Not making promises for tonight, but I'll try.....

Had more visitors today, I quite like the fuss they make of me. Makes me feel important! And tomorrow those little people want to come and see me again, the ones who have that HUGE dog - no kidding, he is the size of a small horse, but quite friendly. 

I've learnt to play  'tug-of-war'. I just have to remember only toys are allowed....

They're off to bed now, just as I'm ready to play again. Well, they shouldn't have woken me up to take me out into that blasted rain again, should they?

And so it's Friday

I've been here a week tomorrow and I might decide to stay. I'm enjoying most of the time here, especially being made a fuss about. I just love all the attention! But I don't like getting told off....

Today I had my first raspberry, picked myself off the bush, had another one before I was stopped.

There are so many good things to eat, why she calls me a 'Hoover' I don't know. 

Saw both  cats today, I'm so tempted to chase them.....can't understand why they want to keep away from me, I'm so nice! And I don't think I smell or something?

I left my fly swatter at Anne's on Wednesday, so now I have to find another favourite toy......hrmm there was a lovely plastic seed tray in the garden which I fought for a bit....I might go back for that unless I can lay my paws on another of their multiple fly swatters.......do they get a lot of flies here?

The picture below shows me trying to steal the knitting......just before I pulled the phone off the table....

Thursday

I've been out a lot in the garden today. It's great fun, I especially like chasing my ball (well it is my ball now). Wayne Rooney eat your heart out! I am learning to come back when called if I hear the clicker, because I know I get a tasty treat if I obey. Sometimes I forget to obey though, so no treat......

I hate having my collar on, it's itchy and I try my hardest to scratch it off, but it doesn't work. I don't think Kerstin trusts me enough not to run out in the road or into the cow field next door. Both look very interesting though, especially if a car comes up the road! I expect that is something else I will have to learn, trying not to chase things. It is so tempting though, even a leaf in the wind needs chasing! I also find the most interesting and tasty morsels around the garden, like fox poo, rotten apples, dandelions, bits of twigs and the odd stone or two, no wonder I need to poo so much! I'm getting much better though, I was clean and dry all last night and I've had only one accident indoors all day! 

At the moment I'm having a mad moment, they keep taking away the book I started on, the pen, the leaves on the plant, and other lovely and tempting things......

My first playday!

Today my folks went off to Paris, so I had to stay with Anne who has two big dogs and a cat! I had a great time playing with the dogs, but the cat hissed at me so I avoided her. I was very good too, only pooed once indoors! Anne said she thinks I'm going to be a strong minded boy, I hope that's good?

I wasn't afraid at all of  Chabi, we had lots of play fights and he didn't win all of them either. Jess is quite an old lady dog, so she didn't join in quite as much, I think the word 'tolerated' was used by Anne....

I was so happy when my folks came back, I licked them all over to show my appreciation. When we got home their cat Casper came indoors and we had a little kiss, both of us not quite sure what the other one was I think. I'm now quite exhausted after my day out....

Tuesday 10th September

Today I found two balls in the garden and a dinosaur! Great fun, but exhausting as the balls kept rolling away from me and were very hard to grip, my mouth might be sharp, but it's not very big yet. The dinosaur was quite fun though and very tasty to chew.
I'm not very good at going to the toilet yet … although I was clean and dry all night the first night at home, I haven't been quite so clever since ….
I've been told my delicate stomach could be a bit stressed at having to adjust to my new situation, or it could be those pesky worms that are the culprits (I'm very good at using big words aren't I?!), but if I'm not let out every hour or so, I'm afraid I might do something I shouldn't indoors. So far I've done the kitchen floor, the lobby carpet and the wires in the living room, even managed to direct one lot right into the middle of a socket on the floor! I think I'm not going to be too popular if I continue with this …
Tomorrow I'm going to visit my friends Anne and Colin, who have agreed to look after me for the whole day as Mike and Kerstin are off to Paris! What a cheek, fancy forgetting that I was going to be here when they arranged my homecoming date! Still, I'm sure I'll have fun at Anne's, just hope she will have plenty of poo bags handy as I'm not making any promises …

This is me just looking adorable, haven't I grown!?

Monday 9th september

Today I had my first visit to the vet! I didn't really like it much, I couldn't stop shaking, but the vet was very nice to me and just examined me and said I was healthy and in good form. The vet wasn't sure either what my parentage is, but she mentioned possible spaniel …. Ah well, only time will tell!
She thought I was a bit too young for my first jab, so told me to come back next week for that. She did give me a tablet to get rid of any worms (what a preposterous suggestion!), but I was a good boy and swallowed it straight away!

I also had my first experience of travelling in my crate from the vet to the shops and then home, and as expected I was a very good boy all the way; no whimpering from me at all! So brave, that's me!

I do like my crate very much, but best of all for sleeping is on someone's lap, although I'm not sure that's going to be allowed for very long either, especially if I grow to be a really big boy!

A nice place to relax....

This afternoon I also met some very little people, they were quite good fun to play with, but didn't
like my nips too much, but I tried very hard to be nice to them. I'm trying very hard to learn not to nip people, but it's very hard. I'm  particularly good at remembering if I get a treat when I don't do it!

I am a fast learner even though I'm still a baby. I learnt to sit on command the first day I was home and I'm learning to respond to a 'clicker' too. 

Sunday 8th September

Today I had my first visitors! I like people a lot, they seem to forgive me for being overexcited and offering a few nips here and there. I get the feeling it is only going to be accepted for a short while though …

I also had my first appearance on FaceTime! I was 'talking' to Anya, my biggest fan, who can't wait to come and see me at the end of October! She loves dogs, but I think she'll love me more than others.  I am family after all.

This is me posing for FaceTime.

First Day in my New Home

This morning I was picked up and driven home to my new place. I was introduced to my new, posh crate, which is blue and very comfortable. I love it already!
I was a bit shy when I first arrived, but soon started exploring the new house. Nice lot of shoes around, made for chewing …removed very soon, how unfair! I had brought my favourite toy from my foster home, apparently called Patrick from Spongebob. I was also given some new toys, but have found my favourite toy in the kitchen, a fly swat! It's great! I make sure I keep it in my crate for safe keeping.

Saturday 7th September 2013

About a week ago four new people came to visit me! Let me explain: I was rescued by some nice English people who found me wandering on the road in the department of Lot et Garonne and took me to the Phoenix Association, who take in lost and abandoned animals in and around the Dordogne area. We are then put on their website for people who are looking for pets and who will hopefully look after us better than we were before being found.

Phoenix foster us out to nice people in the area, so that we are used to other animals and people before we go to our permanent homes. I ended up with Shirley and Dave who were very kind and looked after me really well.

And so to tell you a little bit more about myself: nobody quite knows what breed I am, but I have been told that there is a lot of English setter in me. It must be my beautiful face, silken long ears and my spotty coat! I'm only a baby, they think I was born around 18th of July, so I am only 6 or seven weeks old!

Anyway, when my prospective permanent people came to visit I made sure I was on my best behaviour. I am quite good at looking really cute and I'm sure I succeeded with all the ''Aaahhh's' and
Ooh, what a sweetie's' I was hearing!' Job done! They wanted me! And they said they were coming back in a week's time to collect me!