Double Trouble Pupdate No 2
It’s been a summer of mixed joy and sadness as far as dogs are concerned. Last week, as the autumn winds started to roar, my brave old dinmont went off to the Happy Hunting Grounds at the ripe old age of 13 1/2 (94 1/2 for a human, that would be). We all miss his wagging–and the pups wonder where their grumbly uncle has gone. But it was time, and we all knew it. So he rests under the big old chestnut with the rest of his pack.
The pups are growing up, there’s no doubt about that. Here is Sika, now aged nearly four months.
She’s quiet for a cocker*, and is very good at sitting for her dinner/treats etc. She even goes to bed when told, and we are working on the lead training and heel commands slowly, so as not to bore the infant. I’ve always had dogs on the furniture in the evenings–with rules–so she and Hero have a very small part of the big sofa with me and the Nannydog (who keeps them firmly in order). Sika’s preferred after dinner position is lying half along the back and half on me as a kind of cocker boa, snoring like a train. Hero takes her duty as a foot hotwater bottle very seriously indeed!
Hero is the deep thinker of the two at 5 months. She watches Everything–including the TV–with her head on one side, and one ear back, considering. Here she is….
possibly contemplating the next attacking move on her friend…or the Nannydog…or a leaf. On the other hand, she may be watching one of those Mouseholes which are all over the garden and debating whether to dig a little….
This is how an afternoon in the Life of Pups goes….
Psst! do you think SHE would let us roll in that Great Smelling Manure pile?
- Hey, Hero! Look, I dug my own potato (but I’m NOT sharing!).
…especially when Sika can sneak away and dig her Very Own vegetables…. Note the nice earth tones on the nose. Very fashionable among cockers this year, I believe.
Hey! Never mind your old potato--come and sniff THIS! Yeurrrccchh!
Potential foodstuffs are not always a big hit with the Teckel’s sensitive nose…so off to do something else.
Hmmn! What on EARTH is she keeping in HERE?
Hello! WHAT are YOU? Should I b-b-b-bark???
Meeting the neighbours can be a little…SCARY!
RUN RUN AS FAST AS I CAN! AWAY FROM THE SCARY GREY HORSE BOGEYMAN!
- No, Hero! You curl the tongue like THIS for licking your nose!
Meanwhile, back at Tongue Etiquette School, Hero is learning manners from the Nannydog.
Night Night! 'S been a 'zaustin' day.
And then it’s time for bed. Life’s pretty tiring when you’re a pup.
*Well–quietISH
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