Three's company

The dynamic duo have a friend to stay.  Two hooligans is bad enough but Ben is a naughty boy too. 

















Luckily they tire each other out..

My house is a wreck.  I give in. 

Two years

Two years ago we collected this darling bunch of madness and mayhem. 

Merry Christmas everyone

tis the season to be jolly

Tis the season to be jolly unless a certain dog found the most disgusting pile of wotnot to roll in.  It was so bad that B could smell it and he has no sense of smell at all!  He came clean in the bath.
Then, just as we were going to bed, blech!  Murphy threw up on Brians quilt.  Sigh.  We brought him downstairs and into the garden.  He had a lovely bark.  Sigh.  Called him back inside and he ran to the Number One Bed and threw up in that.  Sigh.  Back outside and he did a wee.  He came in, seemed ok so we all trooped back to bed.  Then he threw up on his own bed. 
Washing isn't a problem, I have a machine to take care of that, but getting this stuff dry is a nightmare.  None of it will fit in the tumbler so I have two beds draped around the hot water tank and a quilt draped over the airing cupboard door.  Last time I did that I had a big fight with it on a nocternal wander to the backroom. Deep Joy.

Still, it IS the season to be jolly and I am really.  Tra la la la laaa, la la la la

Sunday afternoon

After a nice walk, a snooze in Kizzie's number one bed

Isn't he beautiful?

Two

Still as scruffy as when she was one.  Still as adorable.  Still as naughty.  Still my girl

It's a hard life

Kizzie went for a walk

Kizzie had her first little walk today. The humiliation of wearing a pink and white sock with a silver boot was almost too much for her. We didn't get very far as the boot kept falling off. We saw our vet on Monday, he said two more weeks of very little walking (and only on soft ground) should fix her. So much trouble from such a small cut!

Three blessings

blessings

I was laying on my back in bed, with one buttock hanging over the side, Kizzie's bottom next to my head, Murphy was laying on my feet.  (That was handy as he was anchoring me in place, I may have fallen out otherwise.)
Counting my blessings, I was so happy I didn't want to go to sleep.  
Then B turned over and started snoring. 
I gave up counting, picked up my pillow and sloped off to sleep in E's bed.  Very comfy it was too :)

gd/bd part two

Kizzie's cut opened up again, more blood and another trip to the vet.  Now she has loads of padding and a swanky orange bandage.  We have to put a plastic bag over it each time she goes out :):)  Hmm, Kiz is not amused and no-one dares laugh.  Kizzie is very subdued so I guess her paw must hurt, she is going out, doing the necessary and coming straight back in.  That is not normal behaviour!
Murphy is being adorable and not bouncing all over her.  His sympathy only goes so far though and he has just stolen her chew.......

good day/bad day

It has been quiet recently. Today we had a lovely long walk along by the river, catching the last of the summer sun.  Kizzie and Murphy charged about, splashing in the river, got covered in mud, then washed it off again. 
When we got home Murphy was behaving strange, running around, laying down, back up again and bouncing on and off the soda.  I saw a trail of blood across the floor and my heart sank.  Got some tissue and patted the bottom of each paw, nothing. 
I went over to Kizzie and the first paw I checked, blood.  She has a nasty cut.  Rang the vet for an appointment and gave her a cuddle whilst we waited.  She was as good as gold as she was checked, her cut was cleaned and glue applied.  She barely noticed the antibiotics injection.  She waited patiently in reception whilst I paid the bill.  Poor Kizzie isn't herself and has been asleep ever since we got home.
Murphy is fine, he seems to understand that Kizzie can't play, he has been quiet and he took himself off for a sleep in her crate this evening. 
The hard bit is to follow, Kizzie can't have a walk until the weekend, and then only on soft ground for a few days.  EEk

it's warm today

Kizzie laying in the doorway keeping her eye on ...

Murphy appears to have two chews.  He found himself a little spot of shade in the garden in order to contemplate which chew he wanted.  Kizzie was too hot to be bothered to take hers back. 

carpets - diy - noooooo

I clearly didn't get all the dead mouse stain out of the stairs carpet so arranged for a professional to come. Got him to clean the other carpets downstairs whilst he was here.  Whilst the study was empty I decided to repaint the walls so crammed the necessary stuff (stools and beds) into the living room whilst the rest was humped upstairs.  Walls are now nice and clean, unfortunately Murphy trod in some poop and walked it through the house going via the study.  Sigh!

See the colour of the carpet?  Which idiot chose carpet that colour?  Er, that would be me.

So here are my little lovlies, Kizzie cuddling her blankie and Murphy is never more than a few inches away from a ball.   

We didn't get wet

On Saturday afternoons it has become a bit of a tradition for me and Kizzie to go for a longer walk.  I thought we were going to get wet, but three spits and a spot and the dark cloud passed over, but it left behind a glorious rainbow.  It was a perfect arch, unfortunately I only had my phone with me so you can only see half.

Murphy is only allowed out on his lead on account of the mouse incident, so this afternoon he had a play with his ball.

do you wanna know something really gross

I woke up to 'that' sound.  Jumped up to put the light on, expecting to see Murphy throwing up.  Nope.  Kizzie was sitting on my bed looking very sorry for herself.  Big pile of nasty in front of her.  At least the quilt can go in the washing machine...

Walks on lead today.  They are not allowed anywhere near the meadow.  Kizzie has gone off with Brian, I will take Murphy when they come back.  Murphy is sitting in front of the window, head back, howling his head off.

Added later in the day --- Just come back from taking Kizzie to the vets, she has been sick several times today, and I noticed berries in one pile.  She has had an anti-sickness jab and can't have anything to eat until tomorrow, then little and often.  Hawthorn berries aren't poisonous in small quantities so our vet isn't sure that is why she was so sick. 

You know what was really gross?  When Kizzie threw up, Murphy ran and started to gobble it up. 

Yuk Yuk and again YUK

I had an autumn burst of energy this morning and got stuck in to the cleaning early.  Downstairs done I was settling into cleaning the bedroom when I heard a noise.  Course, I had to go and see what it was.  There was Murphy standing at the top of the stairs, looking a bit sorry.    My nose twitched before my eyes caught up.  There appeared to be a pile of something revolting on the stairs.  It smelt like the worst poo you could imagine.  Murphy had up-chucked.  I had to grab some towels to cover the mess, encourage him past it, he really didn't want to go near it (can't blame him, neither did I). 
With Murphy safely outside, I gathered the gear and went to see what was what.  Scraped the gunk off the carpet into a suitable recepticle and..... there was a dead mouse.  Yuk.  I said a rude word and carried on scraping.  No.  Two dead mice.  Yuk Yuk.   Stinky dead mice.  Long dead mouldy dead mice.  Yuk Yuk Yuk.  nooooooo.

I wouldn't have minded so much, but I had just hoovered the bloody stairs!!!

thwack

Kizzie is the resident cleptomaniac and so neither hooligans are allowed in my studio.  Miss 'grease lightening' managed to squeeze past me and grab the first thing she could out of the rubbish bin.  Once out in the garden there was no catching her.

Murphy wanted to know what she had got, he tried to take it and there was a little tug of war.  Then Kizzie let go and THWACK.  Murphy got slapped by the latex glove.  Kizzie grabbed it and he let go.  This went on for a couple of minutes, each in turn being slapped. 

I smiled benignly at them, lulled them into trusting me, then I grabbed the glove.  It was a little shredded but still whole.  I wouldn't trust Murphy not to swallow!

1/2 hour later and the studio was slightly re-arranged with the bin high enough that even big dogs can't dip into. 

at our house

It's not easy taking a photo of three, they won't stay still long enough.

Except when they are fast asleep. 

It was very quiet, suspiciously so.  I went to see what they were up to.  Kizzie had .. erm .. mounted Murphy and was giving it her all.

That's another first.   

FOR SALE - Two hooligans

This evening we went for our usual walk. Kizzie jumped out of the car and ran off for a poo.  As I picked it up an ear of grass pinged onto my hand and left a lovely smear of poo.  Deep Joy! 
We got through the gate without incident, then Kizzie ran off and started barking fit to wake the dead.  The little hedgehog rolled into a ball and pretended not to be there.

I got Kizzie's lead on and hauled her away, still barking at the top of her voice and yanking me back towards the hedgehog.

I finally walked away smelling of poo, with a dislocated shoulder and burst eardrum.  All the while Murphy stood next to me like a little angel, although the occasional woof comment was passed.

We did our loop of the park ok, then Kizzie legged it back to the hedgehog, poor little thing hadn't moved.  Apart from when Kizzie thwatted him with her paw.

We met a teeny tiny 11 week old chihuahua x jack russel puppy.  Stroppy little thing was barking and trying to chase Kizzie and Murphy away.  Her new mum looked worried but we reasured her that the hooligans were friendly.  That's not what she was worried about - she thought the chihuahua might turn out to be a stroppy bitey dog!  Reassured that it was ok to let the dogs sort it out themselves, little ruby eventually calmed down and stopped trying to massacre K&M.  What a trooper, and a lucky little dog whose humans want to do what's best for her.  I hope we meet her again.

After the excitement we strolled back to the park gate, the hedgehog had disappeared, and all was well.  Out of the corner of my eye I saw Murphy gobbling something.  Nooooooo!  I think it was cat poop.  I guess we will be seeing that again.  I still haven't got the stain off the carpet from the other day when he up-chucked everything he had eaten for the past three days!  I was going to slope off for a few days in September for a rest and re-charge, but I guess I may need the money to pay for a new carpet.  This one will be mud coloured.

How much to buy my babies?  Hahaha you couldn't afford them ;)

Kizzie and Murphy go to the seaside

A good FIRST for Murphy - he went to the seaside.

Kizzie remembered and immediately ran off closely followed by Murphy of course.  But they came back :)

Murphy learned not to get down wind of Kizzie when she is digging.  Murphy wasn't interested which is very telling, now I know for sure who digs up the garden....

It was hard to get a photo of them in the sea as they were charging about and wouldn't stand still

We had a lovely day. 

life is full of firsts

Some of the 'firsts' are more welcome than others.  Murphy enjoyed his first 'roll' in poo today.  Shortly followed by a bath. 

He wasn't too happy about going in the bath but put up with it.  He wasn't going to allow me to wash his rear end though, so sat.  In two inches of soapy bath water.  Suits me :)

In the photo Murphy is outside enjoying his hide chew. Kizzie is keeping her eye on him whilst staying out of the sun.

Is everyone having a mass infestation of ants this year or have they all moved to sunny Sleaford?

I don't like dog food manufacturers

Royal Canin have withdrawn Kizzie's special fish diet food.  Or rather they have replaced the blue whiting with duck!!!
I have spent ages trawling the net looking for a fish based food, found several but most have the sneaky addition of chicken meal or dried egg in the ingredients list and Kizzie is allergic to both.  Deep Sigh.
James Welbeloved make an ocean fish and vegetables variety, no meat, no eggs, no grain.  Whippee.  I ordered a bag and Kizzie rather likes it.  I have been giving her a little mixed with the RC every day and the first three days were fine, then on day 4 Kiz produced a rather loose, extremely stinky poop :(

In the meantime the little blighter has found something new to roll in on our daily walk.  So I come home and am moaning to Brian about the pong and he says, quite casually "that will be the pigeon - they were running around pulling it apart the other day" !!!!!  No wonder she has got the runs, long dead pigeon would give anyone the blooming runs. Rant rant.

Anyway the poops are now back to normal and she is still loving the food so with any luck all will be well.  This kibble is cheaper than the RC one too so more dosh for me :)

So, last night I took the little darlings out for their walk.  Murphy ran around holding his ball and being an angel whilst the hooligan ran straight to the stinky area and had a roll.  I ran after her yelling stuff loosely translated as "you animal, drop it, come back here".  Kizzie came running back, chomping rapidly on something.  It was a leg I believe, I definately saw a foot sticking out of her mouth.  Then she gulped it down.

It can't possibly be my turn to pick up the poop today.

asleep again

The most interesting and equally boring time of day is when I have my lunch.  We follow a pattern where they look all optimistic whilst I get it ready, just in case I change my mind and give them some.  Then they fall asleep because I am boring and never ever share :)

It doesn't seem to matter where I am or what I am doing - they are not far away but are always together.

And wherever they have been, there is a mess.


At the moment, Murphy is out at his training class with Brian and Kizzie is laying on the stool watching for him coming back.



Do you like the new cover for the sofa?  I was hoovering it yesterday and discovered a huge hole in the fabric behind the cushion that Kizzie is laying on.  Someone has been chewing, someone else has tidied up the mess the chewer made and didn't think to tell me.  Deep sigh! 

My lovlies

This is their favorite spot in the house.  When I picked up the camera, Murphy's head was on top of Kizzie's, it was such a sweet sight.  He spends hours standing like this looking out of the window.

Then today, he climbed up and made himself comfortable for the first time.

Kizzie didn't mind, she simply moved over to make room for him.

They love being together, although it is not always as calm as this :)  There is the occasional play fight and why is it that whichever toy one has, the other wants it?

Moments like this are priceless.  But they are not rare in our house.  We are so lucky.

I can't think of a single reason not to have these two. 

I remember when

I remember when 'Little Murphy' came home with us.  He is not so little now.
He has a new collar, it matches Kizzie's :)  It is lovely and soft and made from Elk Skin.  I didn't read the label until I got home " ..in case of use of leashes, training, working in water, playing with other dogs etc" it is suggested you use another collar from the range !!!

I will start looking for another now then

Scooting

I caught Kizzie bottom scooting along the carpet this morning!  I assumed she had worms so called at the vets to get worm treatment whilst we were out and about. I mentioned the scooting and our young vet thought it more likely to be anal gland problems, so the nurse took Kizzie off to a consulting room for a quick look-see.
I was quite proud as Kizzie climbed onto the scales and sat as we walked past them :)

Then I went a bit pink when the nurse had a look at Kizzie's rear end and told me that the problem was a bit of twig stuck to the hair around her bottom.  A quick shave and we left via the scales again.  25.25kg btw

I got the renewal notice for Kizzie’s pet insurance this week, I switched her to the same policy as Murphy so we got a discount, but I had to own up about her allergies and there are exclusions on her part of the policy, she isn’t covered for anything wrong with her eyes or for gastro upsets. My fault for not continuing her puppy cover, I won’t be allowing this policy to lapse. Happily, since she is a good girl and doesn’t eat dead animals, Kiz has been really healthy since we stopped feeding her meat.

After the upset of the cod dog treats being discontinued (and needing something to keep in my pocket for emergency recall), I had a mosey down the cat food isle. Natures Menu make a very nice salmon and trout treat. Murphy and Kizzie went to stay with C and Ben this weekend, Ben is an extremely picky eater and C insisted he wouldn’t eat the treats. Hahahahahahaha. I have been sent to get some more for him

Murphy's pants

I could hear the howling as we approached the surgery - Murphy wasn't a happy boy.  He came running out wagging his tail glad to see us, whilst I felt terribly guilty putting him through this unneccessary op.

First thing he did when we got home was look for food.  The boy's got priorities.  There wasn't any so he went out for a poo instead.  Then a sleep in his crate and then a cuddle.

He had meat for his tea, then settled down for a lick.  I was prepared, size 9-11 cotton boxer shorts with button fly.  I got this pair on easily, I expect the next might be a bit trickier now he knows what I am doing.  Poor lad, I don't know which was more humiliating, wearing the pants or my laughing so much I was crying.

We have had a little talk, I told him it was the pants or the lampshade.  He walked off.

Kizzie is once again being incredible.  She hasn't jumped on him once since he got back, tomorrow is another day....

Decorating and the hooligans

I repainted the kitchen walls and bought a new cover for the sofa.  The hooligans aren't that impressed.  The new cover is mud coloured on purpose...

I got the photo canvas for my birthday, It is nice at times to be reminded of how adorable they can be

Sweet smelling girl

B took the hooligans out for their walk this morning.  He was under strict instructions not to let Kizzie roll in disgusting stuff or allow Murphy to eat dead stuff.

One out of two isn't bad?  Kizzie had another bath.  I don't know what she rolled in but it burned the hairs up my nose.

Where's Winnie?

Who could resist the little ‘Winnie the Pooh’ dressed in a mouse outfit.  I really do know better but it was very cute!  Murphy loves carrying  tiny toys around and he doesn’t normally hurt them! 

We can’t find the head.  He hasn’t thrown it up yet so it may appear out of the other end.  Sigh.

the view

We changed our car recently, the new one doesn't have a dog grille - yet. Murphy is usually looking out of the back window whilst Kizzie watches me.  This is a good thing as Murphy dribbles. I am aware that if Kizzie choses to, she could squeeze over the back seat, I am not sure I want to be flying down the M1 with Kizzie on my lap. 


Brian doesn't much of a sense of smell left these days, so when he came in this morning and said there was a 'doggy smell' I knew it would be bad.  Little blighters had rolled in something seriously minging.  They had a bath.  Kizzie rolled in it again this evening. 

Todays haul was two baby moles and a racing pigeon. I picked up the moles but couldn't get the pigeon into my poo bag!

Murphy has testosterone.  He doesn't start fights but he doesn't back off either if another dog has a go at him.  The other day there was a little altercation when a lab tried to take his ball.  Kizzie ran straight through them and broke it up.  She is such a superstar.

Murphy goes to have his man bits removed on Thursday.

Mole mole mole

The mole has gone.  Safely interred in the bin.  Until next time.  I won't mention the shrew

The Duo

Big Boy

Murphy cocked his leg and did a pee

Mole revisited

Kizzie rolled in the mole

The Mole

The mole wasn't down a hole, it was laying on the grass quite dead.  Murphy found it.

As he crunched I yelled to Kizzie to take it - and she did!  Then she ran off with it.  I yelled "drop it" and she did!  I either have the cleverest most fantastic wonderful dog in the world or Kizzie decided to torment Murphy by taking it off him.  She only rolls in dead stuff so didn't want it in her mouth for longer than necessary?

On our second lap of the meadow little blighter found it again...

I don't suppose we have seen the last of it yet.

tired now

Anyone would think that they sleep all day, not a chance!  It is just that they are bouncing about all over the place and are too fast to take a photo.  Murphy never lays on the stool, sometimes he stands with his front legs on it and looks out of the window but his back legs stay firmly on the floor.  He can stand like that for an hour, but still makes no attempt to climb up. 

They do look spectacularly scruffy at the moment. 

Bleddy dog

Does Murphy look starved?  Why oh why does he feel the need to eat dead birds?  This evening I had to take two off him, one was halfway down his throat before I managed to grab it's feet and pull it out.  I saw him drop his ball and approach the second so managed to get him away.

Just what I need, feet and feathers up-chucked at three in the morning. 

stones bones and random other stuff

Twigs, stones, white plastic, fluorescent blue pottery, chunks of nylabone.  That was last nights collection. It isn't the stuff that Murphy up-chucks in the middle of the night that I find so fascinating, it is the fact that Brian examines it so closely.

I keep a pile of towels by the bed these days, very handy for catching what Murphy throws up, then I put it in the bath for later foresnic examination - wouldn't want to deny B his pleasures ;)  at least if it is in the towel B doesn't have to scoop it up with my best spatula.

Kizzie always looks fed up as soon as I get the camera out, Murphy had the hump too because I had a bit of a grooming session, he looks a bit poodly without his curls.  Look at the tip of his tail, I always think he has dipped in a cup of tea :)

Fine Art

I do clean my windows but have left this emerging piece of art for a week or so, just for the sake of Art.  It is all Kizzie's own work and coming along nicely. 

Last Agility

The move to the beginners, beginners class was a great idea.  Kizzie was no better but no worse than the other dogs :)  We went early and had a walk, we did some watch me exercises in the field for 10 minutes before the start of the class and Kizzie was much calmer.  So was I.
We were doing well going over the jumps and through the tunnels until I somersaulted over my own feet.  I did a lovely little pirouette in mid air and managed to land flat on my back, quick look around to see if anyone noticed (8 pairs of human eyes and 6 pairs of canine had!).  No damage except to my pride though.

Kizzie has gone over the A frame many times and even managed to stop at the bottom to 'touch' and eat her treat.  This time she had to stop with all feet on the frame.  I tried to slow her down and Kizzie fell off the side of the frame.  Time slowed.  Kizzie's leg slipped under the crossbar, she twisted and fell onto her back.  All I could do was step back to give her space to land.  I listened for the snap of a broken bone.   Kizzie stood up straight away, she limped for a few steps and was then fine.  Our trainer took her straight back over the frame, Kizzie was cautious but she did it. 

The next task was new to us.  We had to go over 'the walk'.  Up a ramp, over a bridge, back down the ramp.  The bridge was as high as my shoulders and only around a foot wide - I admit I was anxious, I don't like heights and I likely passed this fear on to Kizzie.  She went up the ramp, put her four paws on the bridge and froze.   Nothing could induce her to move forwards.  Then her legs started to shake.  Hetty called out to her partner to run and help.  With one of them each side supporting Kizzie, I tried to lure her forwards with prize chicken, without success.  Eventually Adrian got her to take one tiny step, I held my breath and said 'good girl'.  It took 15 minutes of patience to lure her to the other side, I think I aged 15 years. 

There is a tiny cut on the inside of one leg, where she hit the support and caught her leg.  I feel incredibly lucky that there is no more damage.  Incredibly guilty that I wasn't in the right place to catch her.  Incredibly guilty that I took chicken - it was the chicken in my hand that caused her to fall off.  I know better than to give Kizzie chicken, she had a dreadful tummy upset the following day.

That was our very last Agility class, ever. 

The things you have to do

I have just taken the dogs for a walk. There was a dead sparrow. Yelled 'leave it' to Kizzie, she glanced at me, sighed but then she walked past it. Murphy grabbed it and swallowed it whole. It got stuck in his throat. He coughed and retched and I had to stick my hand down his throat and pull it out. You can go right off dogs sometimes...

Ups and Downs

Oh dear, me and Kizzie Whizz have been demoted from the 'extremely good beginners' Agility class to the normal ability beginners.  Kizzie got a bit over excited and re-wrote the course once too often.  It was too embarrassing and I thought we were spoiling the class for everyone else.
Move on two days, Miss Adorable went to her first competitive Obedience class and didn't put a foot wrong.  Some you win - some you lose.  It may have had something to do with the fact that I had leftover chicken in my pocket from little Murphy's puppy class.  Kizzie only had a few tiny pieces and it doesn't seem to have upset her tummy so this may be a back up plan for Agility.

Murphy has been promoted to the next class.  This is the one that Kizzie and I moved on from this week.  He is so amiable and good natured, I don't think he can be bothered to be naughty.  Hahahahahahaha

My little stars

and finally.  Gg was here this weekend.