Where the Wild Things Are

[barbarianoftheuniverse]

I have an eight month old Border Collie called Meg. She is far from perfect (and so am I).
Today she has been about 60/40 good. The 40 included chewing up my camera memory card which DH is sure he put safely on the mantelpiece. Every time I look down at this screen she takes a quick munch of the coffee table with her eyes on mine. This despite a 2 hour walk which included much in and out of streams.

Mint, I think you live not too far from me. We have found a brilliant kennels for Meg- lots of play, quiet (only housed in 3 or 4 dog blocks so not noisy). Meg did not look at us when we went to collect her, ran straight to owner for another play. Believe you can watch them online when they are in their (underfloor heated bright airy) kennels but they are so often out. PM if you want the details (it is in Derbyshire nearish to Matlock).

Thanks barbarian, I've sent you a message. I'd travel an hour to reach a good dog boarder so maybe that would work out.

How was Meg when you got her home? Did she settle and remember how to do all her chores like loading the washing machine?!

Yes she did. It was like she had never been away. She did three days and then I had to be away for a night and she did another. The second time she recognised the place and tugged to get back.
The second time when dh and I came to collect her she ran to the owner, not us!

Glad your family is getting on an even keel needa.

Admitting to my crazy ways has obviously worked as I have slept like a baby the last couple of days I can keep a grip of it most of the time.

I hope you find somewhere for minty to go too mint. What a shame.

We have had some lovely walks the last few days whilst the weather has been nice. The downside being at the weekend when the sheer amount of people out meant that even a walking a mile or so from civilisation we still couldn't manage to find a quiet spot. The childish part of me wanted to foot stamp and demand to know why these people thought they had to spoil my fun when I had earnt the right by tramping the same riverside path in december and january and they can't just decide to have it now its warm You will be very pleased to know however that I put Maz in the dreaded evil flexi (which we still couldn't unlock due to 1000 cyclists) and greated everyone with a smile whilst pouting internally

Oooh andbjust because I have only just noticed we now can...I am going to introduced Maz properly. He is even sitting nicely for you all

Having a whole load of fresh hell here (non-dog related) so apologies for my absence.

Been curled up with ds1 on the sofa watching the Heelwork to Music and Freestyle comps from Crufts, as my old Trainer is in both classes. Silly moo that I am, everytime I watch it it makes me cry. Not sure why, other than it's a world I used to belong to but don't anymore. Don't think Pip would be very good at HTM! My Wheaten girl was an absolute star at it and best of all absolutely adored training, even nagged me to train her the whole time we were out on walks, but I let her down by being too shy to ever go in the ring with her.

Fan, I felt the same at the weekend, there were dogs everywhere, loads of dogs I've never even seen before locally. Do these people only walk their dogs when the sun shines?

Hope everything is okay Moose.

If it makes you feel any better I was really emotional watching Crufts and I have no excuse! The friends for life films in particular have me in bits!

Maz is lovely (i'd peeked at your profile pics already). I was glad the girl in Friends for Life won, although they all had very emotional stories. Glad you've been able to get some good sleep, must make all the difference

Things are a long way off okay fan, but we'll get through it, we always do.

The girl that won FFL had her last dog from the same Lurcher rescue as Lurcherboy. She has has such a terrible time of it, then her Lurcher died last year as well. I really wanted her to win and was so glad when she did.

I sobbed over the Scrufts winner as well. What that poor dog has been through in Afghanistan and yet he's still so calm and trusting. What an incredible dog.

Sorry to hear that Moose, I hope you manage to sort things as soon as.

I cried at the the Scrufts dog too. Great that he can still trust people after all that, and that the rest of his days will be his reward for not giving up on us.

Thanks LadyTurmoil

ooh this new photo thingy is exciting

As you can see, Fitz has had a very busy couple of days ...

lovely to 'see' Maz, fan

moose - sounds like you're still going through a rough time

we're on a fairly even keel at the moment - Fitz has completely perked up after his op, tummy's back to normal and his eye infection is on the mend (needed antibiotics though)

he's bathing in reflected glory at the moment as one of his cousins won best in breed at crufts - oo-er!!

How odd. That post with the picture of the lovely Maz, has only just shown up on my computer. The post before mine on my screen was the one from just before 11.00 this morning.

He's a cutie fan. How could you refuse those eyes a thing!

Good o hear Fitz is fully recovered Basil - and we have puppy royalty on the thread then! Gorgeous picture of his all curled up snoozing.

I need to take an up to date picture of my lanky beast. Will try and get one of him standing up so you can see how ridiculously long his legs are.

Aww Fitz is lovely and I am glad he is feeling better. Looking forward to a nice smattering of pics from.now on - HQ is going to regret giving us this facility

Maz's gr gr gr grandad was crufts bob champion. Any royal BT blood has clearly been diluted as Maz is known as fleabag furry face. We did take the 1st place rosette in scruffiest dog in last years town show though

Oooh those pics are lovely. Fitz is gorgeous, what a lush shiny coat! The maz has such an endearing expression.

I must try attaching a pic!

Really sorry Moose, hope the sofa cuddling time helped. Your DS must have loved that - having his mum all to himself must be a rare treat in a busy house! I can understand why watching crufts would be upsetting - even if you wouldn't swap your current life for it in a million years, seeing a reminder of past happy times can be draining and confusing. I feel like that when I go to London for a work meeting - all these buzzy people in smart clothes dashing about, grabbing a latte to go into the office and popping into the wine bar on the way out - and I feel kind of sad that I don't have that adrenalin rush & high anymore, then I look at my short, unpainted nails and my out of date shoes & clothes and I feel a bit dissatisfied that I couldn't cut it anymore anyway and then I remember my warm snugly boys at home obsessing about their spellings or what page of Lord of the Rings they've reached or why the other boy has their favourite tea that night instead of them and I get such a rush of belongingness and calm that I forget the rest and think how lucky I am. Weird isn't it?

Going to try again for a pic of minty!

Aww Minty is just so cute...I just want to squishy cuddle him!

Minty is so cute! Look at his paws!! How much bigger is he going to get mint?

Thanks! He is a super cuddly sweetie and likes to lean against us sideways for his cuddles as though he's giving us maximum opportunity to stroke his long torso!

I think he's nearly finished growing so his paws do look massive there - maybe phone angle!

Sorry fan to call your dog 'the maz'! Not sure what I meant to type there but he has a very sweet expression.

We met two women on a walk this weekend with a 17yr old lurcher!! He was so sedate. They were lovely women who asked if they could say hello to minty then one of them did a big hello, stroke, cuddle while the other stood calmly reassuring their old boy - then they swapped over! It was lovely the way they were so gentle and careful about meeting the needs of their own, obviously very special dog, while being really keen to cuddle our bouncy boy! The chat was great too - they were asking us about how minty had enhanced our lives. Afterwards I was struck by how supportive they were - sort of helped our bonding with him - not that we need much help but it's lovely when people are positive about your dog & lifestyle choices.

Maz is not very well today. He is having the first of his poorly episodes he has had since I started to suspect CECS/Spikes disease

I'd rather he was well but it is giving me the opportunity to look at the big picture and sadly seems to definitely be pointing that way. He has the obvious belly ache and I can see his back legs trembling every now and again. He is doing the slow deliberate steps thing but he is also stopping to look at his back legs and every now and then he is really stretching out a back leg. Coupled with mournful eyes and lip licking and alternating between slinking off and burrowing into me so hard it is like he is trying to be absorbed Poor boy. And I am afraid I am not even more convinced it is CECS. Luckily it only seems to last a few hours.

It is often diet related so I will have to consider what he had yesterday. I opened a new pack of feelwells liver treats which I specifically picked up as gluten free! He also had minced duck which he has had before, but not often. I may need to pay attention and see what happens next time he has it.

now even

Poor little Maz, it sounds horrendous. Sending healing vibes and hope it's just a short relapse and he's back to himself really quickly.

Minty looks so cute in that photograph. Ds1 was totally smitten.

Pip has a long back as well and has now decided that if we can sit on the sofa, so can he, so he reverses up, plonks his bum down and crosses his legs. I swear he thinks he's human and that's why he doesn't trust other dogs!

Fan, just reread your post and his behaviour sounds just like what Lurcherboy was like when he had a bladder infection that wouldn't go away and let to him getting a cystic prostate. Arched back, stretching out his back leg, especially when he rose from lying down, slow jerky back-leg gait, bit wobbly on the back legs too. According to our vet, any pain in the lower abdomen can display like that. We took him to the vet thinking he'd hurt his back or legs - had no idea that it was connected to his waterworks problems. He was thoroughly miserable as well and totally glued to my side, just like Maz.

Poor little fella.

Poor Maz, hope he's ok Fan. we worry so very much about our dogs don't we? Perhaps time to get the vet involved? Sorry, I have missed if you have said whether this has long term health implications, other than the diet, which you are already managing.

Fitz, Maz and Minty are adorable, I will post some pictures after this post, from my phone as it's easier. They all still look very puppy like don't they?

Been a busy few days, DD has been struggling a bit with DH's bi-polar and showing some anger, so feel for you Moose, although she shares emotion with her friends as well as myself now, being a teen. I hate my DC feeling awful, breaks your heart doesn't it? School has been excellent so she has good support.

DH is away too, which means I feel a bit stretched....!

mint - the Lurcher sounds lovely, 17 is amazing for any breed. I feel a bit like that too at times. I am scruffy all the time at th moment having the puppy, whenever I meet folk I am in dog walking clothes and muddy. Much as I love them, I do know what you mean

I make sure I have my nails done every 3 weeks, for no particular reason other than to feel slightly glamourous!!