Sunday 2nd January 2011
Week 4
Dear Greyhound Lifeline
I wish you all a Very Happy New Year with lots of success in finding ‘forever homes’ for my cousins.
The other day, I overheard John telling someone how intelligent I am, wow! and how quickly I learn things. He’s a bit dumb actually, he doesn’t realise that it is usually only when it is to MY advantage to co-operate immediately and implicitly, he just thinks that HE is the one being clever, I’m getting HIM trained, but he’s rather slow!
Monday 27th
I’m still having problems at bed-time. I lie on John’s bed and stretch out trying to stop him using it, but he shoves me over, what cheek. Then they exploit my weakness and get me down with a tit-bit, it’s no use fighting then, so I just lie down (then I get another) and go to sleep.
They sometimes leave one of the bedroom doors open, when I notice I sneak in and lie on the bed, I’m not fussy about which one as long as it is warm and comfortable.
I’ve been here for three weeks now! I’m still a bit nervous about being left somewhere which is not as comfortable as my home. When they are moving about a lot I follow them about. I really stick to them when we are anywhere unfamiliar to me.
Yesterday John was talking with a nice young lady who works at my vets place. She told us about a greyhound that the RSPCA brought in emaciated and starving, it had been made to live outside in this cold weather and without a kennel or a coat, only a bit of old rug to lie on, with only scraps thrown at it, she said it made her cry. She said if they can improve its condition it might go to a Greyhound Rescue Centre.
Btw, this lady was amazed to see me walking with John off the lead. She owns a Ridgeback but she was on her way home from seeing to her horse, she got of her car and lay down in the lane and showed John how to train ME to lie down, what a cheek!
Our whole family have a get-together it is their Christmas do and Joan’s birthday combined. It is in a private dining room in a lovely country hotel which was once a Watermill. The room was once the Millers Bedroom – right by the wheel. John got a special dispensation to allow me to go into that room, normally dogs are not allowed, but it was only for this year as a one off so that I wouldn’t have to be left for a long time.
Their intended dog-sitter had broken a leg on the recent ice.
It was great, I met most of the larger family, I had more new admirers. Counting me, there were 14 of us. Everyone was amazed at my good behaviour, I lay and dozed by John for most of the time. John took me outside once, then it was back inside again.
Tuesday 28th
I jumped on John and woke him up this morning, that was fun, Joan came to see where I was as she was ready to go out and we were keeping the others waiting. Tough! I didn’t care!
It was raining today, when I came home with John from our proper walk (he lets me off the lead) I had to have my head dried and my feet wiped, I don’t mind that at all, he talks to me at the same time.
I helped myself to his Roasted-Salted-Pistachio nuts, he’d left the top off the container, I didn’t eat the shells just the tasty insides. He then had the cheek to take them away, he is really mean at times, sad really isn’t it?
Wednesday 29th
When I came back from the early morning outing I ravished John, he said it might have been his aftershave – I’m not telling. I grabbed my coat took it into the lounge and, as he said, tried to kill it. While they were having their breakfast I found the birds bread, it was hidden in the spare bedroom, downstairs, I spread it over the floor with a bite out of each piece, I didn’t eat it, what rubbish, no taste, no substance, I feel sorry for the birds, its mainly Seagulls that take the bread, but those pesky birds are not getting my tasty food I can tell you.
It was Joan’s birthday today, John took us out to a pub for lunch, nothing for me I might add, I just lay down on my pub-rug and snoozed, there were about eight of us dogs, it was only me who made a noise, I cried when John went to the bar to pay, but it didn’t upset anybody, they were all talking. The fog was quite thick across the New Forest. When we came home I tried to get onto the settee I thought they wouldn’t notice but they did and stopped me, it was a cruel and unkind gesture, especially after I had been so good.
Thursday 30th
Following on from being slighted about the comfortable settee yesterday, after breakfast I got onto Joan’s bed before she could make it and I wouldn’t move – I didn’t either! Not until it was time to take John for his walk. But when we came home the bedroom door was closed, that was another of their cunning tricks!
Something disgusting happened later today, not sure I should tell you really? Mmm?
D’y’ know, I saw him kiss her! I wasn’t havin’ any of that, so I jumped up and pushed between ‘em, I soon stopped their carrying on. And guess what? They had the gall to giggle. At ME! I do need to keep my eye on those two, whatever next? Later, I decided to ravage John and knocked his glasses off, it was fun.
Friday 31st
That fox/es disturbed me again last night at midnight, I barked a bit, that’s when it/they come for the food our next door neighbour puts out. My folk assured me that it was alright and I was a good dog to tell them, so I went back to sleep.
I had a few mad-moments today. One session was throwing my soft ball about, I threw it up in the air and caught it –twice. Then I raced around throwing it about and recovering it and tired myself out and slept for the rest of the evening.
Saturday 1st January
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I really showed my progress in communication, last night I lay right across John’s bed with my head on the pillow, when he tried to get in I resisted and growled at him – twice, d’y’ know he shoved me over, so I gave in and lay with my head on his shoulder for a fuss. So who’s daft? Him or me?
I now get straight off the bed for my first titbit when he waves it under my nose, then I lie down when told for my second titbit, then we can all go to sleep. We went to bed as usual (They’re strange they didn’t stay up) I didn’t like the fireworks at mid-night, Joan sat on the floor with me until they had finished.
I’m having difficulty with those small furry things, they won’t always run when I stand over them waiting, they are a bit thick. Most of their big human pets are quite happy about it, one or two are a bit dubious. We try to go out when it is quieter (dogwise) then I can do my own thing. I’ve pretty well explored Tom’s Down now, except of course I don’t go into the gorse thickets, but I can smell the rabbits, deer, horses and foxes, or at least where they have been.
Lots of Love
Lady
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