Sad news

I heard some dreadful news today.  Murphy's mother was diagnosed with acute leukemia yesterday, she collapsed last night, and died this morning.  Sienna was only 5 years old. 

Time for good news

Murphy drinks a lot and wees a lot and is a very good boy and only wees on the newspaper indoors.  We would prefer him to go outside and he does when we put him out but sometimes we forget.  Hence the kitchen timer, set to 60 minutes to remind us to let Murphy out. 
Murphy is a bright boy, as soon as he hears the timer beeping he runs to the door.  Yeh!
Unless of course it is set to let us know dinner is ready to take out of the oven :)  Little Murphy makes me smile, but I may have to get a new timer for the kitchen, one which doesn't sound anything like the wee timer.




The Good News.  Kizzie has been eating the new exclusion food whilst we wean her off the steroids.  Now down to 1/2 tablet every other day, and no sign of itching.  No scratching.  Blue Whiting and Tapioca rocks :)  I have everything crossed but in the past poor Kizzie has been tearing her hair out (literally) as soon as we dropped to 1/2 twice a day.  Happy days..

The little chew

Murphy was enjoying a hide chew.  Kizzie isn't allowed anything other than her exclusion diet kibble. 

Then Kizzie disapeared.  I could hear crunching noises and went to see what they were up to.  Kizzie had found her piece of antler.  Both dogs were chewing it.  I didn't have the heart to take it off them, Kizzie really shouldn't have had it, but she was sharing so nicely.  I did go and find another piece and offered it to Murphy but he wanted to share Kizzies.

it was a perfect moment

They were fast asleep, I disturbed them getting the camera.  This was the first time they cuddled up together.  A wonderful moment for me, it was exactly what I was hoping for.

Whilst Kizzie's away

Murphy has a snooze on Kizzie's stool whilst my little star was at her training class.  Kizzie has done so well over the past few weeks that we have been invited to join the competitive obediance class.  Who could ever have guessed that my little hooligan would do so well

There were two in the bed

 Kizzie got the bigger bed first.  Murphy climbed over her and settled down.

"OK you can stay"

dynamic duo

Kizzie has a shadow, what Kizzie does Murphy has to do.  Wherever Kizzie is, that's where you will find Murph.  Except - he is fast asleep under the desk (on Kizzie's bed) so she has sloped off for some peace.  She is sleeping on the cool floor under B's desk :)
Murphy watches Kizzie.  If she goes out for a wee, so does he.  This morning Kizzie needed to evacuate her bottom, Murphy stood and watched, then went and placed his pile right next to hers.  Unfortunately Kizzie doesn't only teach him good stuff :o)


This pattern does change a bit when it comes to treasure Murphy has 'appropriated', then he runs and hides it in the back of his crate under his blanket.  It didn't take him long to realise that his crate is a great place to be, he is only in there for a few minutes at a time but there is always something scrummy to eat. 

tired puppies

steam versus atomic power

Kizzie is a food hoover.  She used to get horrific wind so eats from a slow feeder bowl.  If Kizzie could be considered powered by steam, Murphy is atomic powered.  Who knew a dog could eat so fast.

Puppy class

Murphy went to his first puppy class this evening.  He was a little star, was interested in the other puppies but did sit, down and even a perfect recall.  He cried a bit in the car going, but lay down happily all the way back. 
He is now attacking Kizzie, she deserves it, she has stolen his best ball.

First walk

It was time for Murphy to go outside for a walk for the very first time.  He was terrified.  I picked him up and he was quivering, even though Kizzie came along too.  Within around 10 steps he had calmed down, another 10 and he was wriggling.  Then he was off.  I am so glad he was wearing a harness otherwise he may have taken his head off.  No pictures because neither he nor Kizzie would pause.  

Tonight Kizzie and B went to the training class, so Murphy had 10 minutes learning about the clicker.  This part is really easy, I click and give him a treat.  He quite liked the game :)

the photo says it all

I worry about Kizzie sometimes :):) although she has now worked out how to get her whole self into Murphy's bed. 

hooligans

Murphy follows Kizzie around.  When Kizzie went outside for her wee, Murphy went out and did one too :)

Murphy is quite robust and plays to win.

At the moment this works, but he tries so hard to jump onto the sofa I don't think it will be long before he can reach.

Kizzie is a good teacher, she shows Murphy where the best stuff is :)

It would be nice to think that Kizzie will only teach Murphy good things, I am hoping that she doesn't show him how to help dig her hole. 

...and Murphy

I need to change the name of Kizzie's blog as she now has a new playmate. 

We really were going to look at the Beardie x Border Collie puppies, but on friday I saw two doodle puppies unsold and wanting homes. 

Here is Murphy, just minutes after arriving at C's on Friday evening.  He had to put up with Kizzie and Ben bouncing around, but he just watched and kept out of the way. 

It didn't take him long to work out who was the most obliging, he got Brian to hold his chew for him.

And here he is with Kizzie moments after we arrived home today, he ran into the garden and found Kizzie's latest hole.  Just what I need - a white digger!

Kizzie is being very gentle with him and even allowed him to sleep on her 2nd best bed.  She turfed him out of her favorite :)  We had bought a new bed on Friday especially for the puppy, but we were expecting a smaller and younger pup, so it will have to go back to be exchanged for a Murphy sized bed.

Both had a sleep and for the last half an hour the two hooligans have been entertaining us, charging around the house with a mini squeaky space hopper.  Now and again Kizzie dropped it so that Murphy could have a little go.  Murphy is not frightened of his big 'sister', at one point he was alternating between trying to grab her ear and tail. 

results are back

Kizzie's test results are back and she is allergic to ....... nothing airbourne.    Aaargh!  Now we have to decide whether to go the full monty and test her for food allergies.  Still, it solves the problem of having to clean the house constantly :)

We have done a bad thing.  We are going away for the weekend, dropping Kizzie off with C, E and Ben.  We may come back with more than we left with.  I have found a litter of beardie x border collie puppies.  I knew my brain had mushed, but I didn't think I was this bonkers.  puppies, gorgeous puppies, lalalalalalalalalala