Mumsnet Talk

Bertie Pickle!?! That is an awesome name! Sprocket used to be called Bertie but was officially Brett on paper. He also has a brother called Bertie (possibly Andy's brother too)

You sound like you're very busy Scuttle, I take it the stockings are a big hit?

I know, it's brilliant isn't it?
Yes, the stockings have been amazingly popular. V pleased we introduced them. I've just finished all the parcel wrapping and packing (some are gift wrapped as well, as we offer that as a free extra if customers want it). The parcel I'm happiest about though is the fleece coat for Onyx - he is a foster dog with EGLR who is in urgent need of some cosy warmth. Our machinist has pulled out all the stops and done his coat today. So if you see a short fat person surrounded by a wheelbarrow full of purple parcels tomorrow that is me. I've had to be particularly careful with one as the purchaser has requested the inclusion of some JWB Crackerjacks with a stocking. This we have done, but of course I'm sure certain pointy noses have also clocked its existence so it is having to be stored out of reach until we get to the PO.

at the pointy hounds' potential for unwrapping parcels!

Our collie cross (who we got on the 23rd December, many years ago) unwrapped all the presents when we were out at midnight mass.

I read last night of someone who sends out the muzzles sold by LL having real problems with her dogs - because every time they saw a muzzle they thought they were going out. I understand that they've worked it out a big better now!

mistlehound has made progress - she's been suffering from a rather dodgy tum (and is on rice and fish for a while until its under control) - last night I had to get up to let her out at 3 - but at 5.45 I didn't hear her go downstairs (what normally gets me up) - and she came back upstairs and stood at the top of the stairs waiting for me rather than reverting to the hall rug - luckily I was awake enough to register this and got up very promptly to let her out - but its quite a big step for a dog that hasn't been housetrained for two years (and is not at all vocal).

She loves playing in the garden and is starting to learn how to react with us when we do silly play things (silly noises and poses etc) and is joining in very happily. We have found her a light-up collar (one long lit strip, not little LED lights) which we can put on when she goes in the garden so that we can see her from the kitchen door - makes it a lot easier keeping tracks on her. Luckily, to date at least, the bodge job I have done on the bottom of the fence where there's a bit of a gap which we discovered that she could get through, seems to have done the trick and she's not been in next door's garden since - their cat will be very relieved.

Good news! Can you all recall me going on about Adie, the super strong boy that LGT have had in more than 18 months now? Well, if all being well he'll have a home before christmas! There's a couple who are very interested in him apparently fingers crossed it goes well for him.

Mistle that is brilliant! What excellent progress she's made, you must be so proud of her loving the light up collar

Davey dog, ex racing greyhound has made brilliant progress with other dogs recently

We introduced him to our friends 2 dogs, a Jack Russell cross and a Boxer and after a bit of barking and jumping about when they initially met, after that he was an absolute gem and was happy as anything round them!

So pleased, I think he's fine as long as he's introduced properly, I'm not sure we'll ever get him to be happy about unknown dogs that come bounding up unannounced but this is still massive progress

Well done Davey dog! That's excellent progress

Sprockets whippy best friend severed an artery last week (the equivalent of slitting a wrist), her owners think she did it on a broken can or something like that on the field. So far she's making good progress so fingers crossed she makes a full recovery! Anyway, her owners have decided that to keep her safe she isn't going to be allowed off lead anymore, apart from once a week when they take her to a fully enclosed, secure field, and they said if/when she is fully recovered that me and Sprocket can go with them too

Sprocket broke a tree dec last night, he whipped a bauble with his tail and it smashed! I didn't even realise it was smashable, I thought it was plastic. I had to check his tail though because he didn't hit it off the tree and then it smashed, he hit it and it was still on the tree with the front of it in sharp pieces all over the floor

<talks to self>

Oooh, Cunny, that's lovely news about Adie. So good to know he'll be in a home and warm and cosy over the winter. If they start taking him to dog training classes straight away, they'll have cracked lead walking by the spring (or probably sooner) and in time for the nice weather.

So sorry to hear about your little whippy friend though. Understandable they should react that way, but perhaps they will rethink once she has recovered. If the field where the accident happened was Council land, it might be worth your friend contacting the department concerned to let them know so they can step up their cleaning regime. Might help to prevent it for other field users. It'll be great though if you can have a regular offlead playdate - you will have a ball.

Sooper - congratulations to Davey on his new friends. That's lovely.

I just heard that a 10 month old Bull dog breed cut his leg open in roughly the same place as Pippin, and unfortunately he bled to death before his owner got him back to the car I can't imagine what his poor owner is going through.

I think that has helped make their minds up wrt off lead.

DD and I went to visit today, bless her, her leg looks so uncomfortable, she's got a splint on it so she can't move her leg at all. Other than being mighty pissed off that she is housebound she seems her normal cheeky self

It is council land and there are always men there maintaining the attatched bowling green, but now you mentioned it I don't think I've ever seen anyone litterpicking the main field.

According to the vet if it wasn't healing her toes on that paw would be curling upwards but they're not, they're still pointing down like they should be so hopefully she'll make a full (but slow) recovery.

That's just about the other dog. After that, I think it's definitely worth calling the Council - they have a legal duty to clean land accessible to the public.

Can't imagine a whippy wearing a little splint. Oh, bless her, that's just awful. Fingers and paws crossed here she gets better very quickly.

I have just seen the most gorgeous picture of a 7 week old whippet cross at our local rescue centre.

<<Keeps repeating to self, we don't need another, we don't need another, we don't need another>>

<<Returns to rescue site to admire pretty black whippy pup>>

Two sayings spring to mind here, Magrat (neither of which is much help ):-

If there's room in the heart, there's room in the home...

And

If you can see the floor, you've got room for another one....

I suppose I'm being a bit blase about it because we finally got all the bits and pieces signed off on Friday, and Callie and Mick will be staying with us permanently for the rest of their lives. We never in a million years expected to be a four dog household and I certainly wouldn't have chosen it, but now it's happened we've all adapted and (touch wood) it is working well. Callie and Mick will be long term fosters - the charity will continue to support us. They have settled in so well, and I was talking with the charity chair earlier in the week, all the trustees felt that the dogs had been bounced around enough. This way they will have stability and familiarity for the rest of their lives. It's also good that they are staying together - it was a big worry of mine that they would end up being separated. So now we can all look forward to Christmas together.

Ha! "If you can see the floor, you've got room for another one" I like that very much. I'm sure your dogs are very grateful that they have you, *Scuttlebutter", how lovely that they can all stay together.

Another would be nice, but I suspect we probably don't have time at the moment especially not for a pup, even though it is a gorgeous one with big brown eyes.

I think I'll stick to admiring the pictures for now!

Well, my friends Whippy went back to the vets today (yet again, she's been about 4 times since she did it! Will be 2 weeks tomorrow), and I'm waiting to hear how it went. They were hoping that she'd have a half splint put on instead of a full leg one.

at Scuttles sayings

Christmas a week tomorrow! Everybody ready?

Brilliant news about my friends whippy! She's now allowed 5 minute walks and hopefully she gets all her bandages off on christmas eve. The vet says the tendons are healing beautifully

excellent news

It's very quiet on the cushion at the minute. Where are you all?

Snowed under with orders and frantic last minute Christmas preparations. Dog training class tonight though with Norty Minx - really enjoyed it.

Oh of course, it's wednesday. How's she doing? Learning much?

We had a lovely class, Cunny. She really enjoys working with the clicker. Like most greys, she doesn't do "sit" so we've been working on wait and then last night we were working on down. We were doing this by trying to lure her under a chair with treats and then clicking when she got her bum on the floor. Great fun! We really notice too how she is absolutely shattered at the end of the class - it really does wear them out because of all the concentration. And that applies to me too!

Great start to the morning. One of my favouritiest friends popped in for breakfast en route to London - she and I got to know each other when both trustees for greyhound charity and she is now chair of a smaller local all breed charity so we always have loads to talk about. She also has two of the most adorable lurchers that I always want to kidnap! I made some nice cupcakes last night and we did some homemade bread too.

Have just ordered my grey a pixie hat. They look so cute, hope she will wear it!

www.etsy.com/shop/Crafting4Greyhounds

Woody does have a Santa hat and coat . He was none too impressed last year.