Spa Day

Today we spent the morning with Miss Anna at the Doggie Spa.  It is one of our favourite things to do.  Mum takes us in at 9 o'clock and picks us up at about 1 o'clock.
I don't know what she does in between but we have a great time.
First we have a bath.  Not just any bath but a bath with rosemary scented bubbles to help relax us.  I usually go first and Heidi watches and laughs at me and then I have to stand in front of a huge fan and blow dry while Heidi has her bath.

Then there is the brushing and clipping.  We were very woolly today.  Miss Anna said she cut off enough wool to stuff a dozen cushions.  There was a bit of drama when Miss Anna found a grass seed trying to burrow into my belly.  Yuk!  She had to pop it out and disinfect my tummy.  Disinfectant doesn't taste very nice when you lick it.  Mum has put some paw paw ointment on now which is much nicer to lick.

I got to lie on the 'waiting couch' while Heidi had her ears plucked.  Ouch!  Ho Ho is so brave.  I guess she is used to it.  Heidi's wool is curly and she grows  some back inside her ears so they have to be plucked or she will get ear infections. 

To finish off, if we have been well behaved, we have a little treat.  Miss Anna lets us snooze on the 'waiting couch' while we wait for Mum to come to pick us up.  Sometimes we are allowed to play with Miss Anna's little dog but that didn't happen today because of a slight accident.

When we arrived at 9 o'clock, Miss Anna's dog was so excited to see us that she ran around in circles in the back yard and slipped into the fish pond.  She was covered in smelly green weeds (fish like weeds in their ponds) and Miss Anna said she was not a good advertisement for the spa and put her in the laundry.  So no play time just snooze time.

Now we look like a pair of skinny minnies but we feel a lot cooler. 
Thank you, Miss Anna.  See you in April. 

Stupid rain!

Stupid rain!  We are over it.....totally over it. 
No going for a nice long walk; just a quick wander in the park.  No playing outside in amongst the palm trees or sneaking under the hedge for a good bark at Otto, (aka The Rat), who lives next door. 
Everytime I do go outside for a minute, I have to have my feet wiped before I can come back inside.
I even got into trpuble for having mud in my ears this morning.  Well, how else was I supposed to fix an itchy ear?  You rub your head on the grass....everybody knows that!  It woasn't my fault that the grass was a bit muddy at the time.  Over it!!  Totally over it!!

Heidi has gone on strike and retired to the cupboard, only emerging if she hears the pantry door opening.
I am lying on the bed in the pool room looking out at the park.  No people to bark at.  No dogs to bark at. No birds sitting on the fence to bark at.  It seems that even stupid cats stay in when it is raining. Sigh.......What is a dog supposed to do? 

On the upside, there is a nice soft spot forming in the middle of the lawn which, if this rain keeps going for a couple of days, might turn into a puddly sort of slip and slide for us.  Hmmm.  Note to self: keep an eye on that soft spot.  Hope Mum hasn't noticed it.  She won't let us go out there if she knows it is there.
No idea of fun, these humans.  What could be better than taking a run up and sliding along on your belly through the soft squelchy grass until you hit the bushes under the white flowery tree?  Sheer bliss! 
Oh well, I might just have a snooze until Heidi comes out to tell Mum that it is time for dinner to be served.  By then the slip and slide might be ready.

Training Dad

This year Mum has been going out on some afternoons to help some kids with their school work. That means that she is not at home when it is dinner time.
Big problem! She is not at home and we cannot open tins...no matter how much some of us have tried. She is not at home so someone else has to be put in charge of feeding us....and the only available someone is...Dad.
This is not as straightforward as it might seem. Dad is not used to doing the dinner service so he does not automatically spring into action at 5.30 like Mum does. He seems to think that watching 'Deal or No Deal' on television takes precedence over our nutritional demands.
Therefore, a training program has been devised by Heidi to sort the problem out.
At 4.45 I go to Dad with the pulling toy and encourage him to play with us. He does.
At 5.00 Heidi goes to Dad and requests a neck rub. He rubs.
At 5.15 I go to Dad and put my head on his knee and gaze soulfully at him so that he can feel my starvation. He tells me I am a good girl.
At 5.30 Heidi goes to sit at Dad's feet using her very best and most perfect begging pose. He says how pretty she is and usually asks her if she is hungry. (Duh!!)
And then, if he doesn't get up and start serving.....I jump up onto the recliner chair with him and lie all over him so that he finally gets the message.
Yesterday, We only had to work through steps 1,2 and 3. Dinner was served at 5.20.
Another successful plan! Gosh, we're good.


And on a completely different subject.....

Freshly mown grass + rolling big blonde dog = big green dog! Fancy that!
Woof.

Big scary storms

We are not in favor of big scary storms. A bit of rain occasionally is okay but we definitely do not like the loud crashing storms that make the yard into a swimming pool.
Now, you would think that a pool in the backyard would be a good thing but, according to Mum, it is not. She dashes around making sure all the drains are draining and checking doors and windows for leakage and, of course, keeping us inside. Today the swimming pool came right up to the doorway and Mum wasn't very happy about it.
Heidi was in the walk-in cupboard so it was up to me to follow Mum around and keep her out of trouble. She was out in the rain (I wasn't allowed out!!!) taking sticks and grass out of the drain and complaining about her hair getting wet. When I barked a suggestion that I come out to help, I was told, quite rudely I thought, to 'Shut up!'.
So now, some hours later, we are not allowed out because of the wet yard. The swimming pool has pretty much gone away but it is still slushy underpaw. The rule in these circumstances is as follows:- When one goes outside and gets wet paws, one is then denied further access to the house until said paws are dry. So one finds oneself confined to the garage or the pool room.
Our friend Bonnie's Mum says that there should be gumboots for adventurous dogs.
Hmm....Heidi would wear them. I am guessing that Bonnie would wear them too. Well, not me!!!
I would have those things off my paws pronto! I am no soft wussy princess! I am a big brave tiger hunting dog. A bit of water doesn't worry me. I thought I would go out and check the palm trees for pussy cats and possums. That's why I am waiting in the garage for my paws to dry.
Humans and their rules....no understanding of the necessities of a dog's life sometimes.
Oh well, if I'm not allowed in the house, I'd just as well go and see how much of that swimming pool is left. Woof!