Week 2.
Dear Greyhound Lifeline
I expected everything would get back to ‘normal’ and thought that last week was the usual short-time happening, I discovered otherwise. I had heard Jane tell John that I would have my moments so I decided to change my tactics a bit this week and have some moments. John calls it my ‘Teenage Civil Disobedience’.
Sunday 12th December 2010
During the afternoon they took me a couple of miles to the sea at Lepe Country Park. I found it bewildering, all that water! And the sound came from in front-and-both-sides, all at the same time. I didn’t go for a paddle like some hounds there, maybe another time. I just wanted the get back to the comfort of my car.
I moved things on a bit, I cried and squeaked more to get attention, it usually works. On Sunday night I really laid it on at bedtime, John came down and fetched me. Well, not really, that’s what he thought, as soon as he opened the door I shot past him and up the stairs like a rocket and leaped onto his bed. I wasn’t going to get off it, I stood firm until he lifted me down. I decided not to push my luck so lay on MY new soft upstairs bed all night. Anyway that was round one to me! Don’t you agree? Didn’t take long did it?
Monday 13th
When we are at home I wander about outside following John or Joan, without my walking collar or lead, I’m always eager to get back inside though. I know my name when they call me and I’m very obedient when called. While we were out walking John let me off the leash, wow! I showed him how fast I could run and disappear. He didn’t come after me so I went back to collect him straight away, he gives me tasty morsels when I behave. I got two that time.
I tried to make myself useful and took some washing out of the washing machine for Joan, that was a doddle, it was fun to spread those things around, Joan didn’t think I needed to help her again with the washing, so now I’ve got to find something else to help her with.
It was shopping day in Hythe. We visited the Bank – boring; Post Office – boring, John promised this wasn’t going to be a regular thing. Next to the Greengrocers to meet the nice lady who wanted to see me, before going to the Pet Shop to get my new identity tag, the two nice ladies there gave me biscuits while we waited for the engraving machine to finish my smart tag.
When we came home I tried to help unpack the shopping. I took the big Broccoli head back to my bed but it wasn’t really to my taste so I left it and went in search of something more appetising. They just put everything in those darned cupboard things – which are decidedly not greyhound friendly!
Just before supper something really spooked me, I ran around panting, John let me outside, that didn’t help, after some smoothing words he gave me a nice chewy ‘Jumbone’ as a diversion, I soon polished that off, it calmed me down but only just for a short time though. They kept stroking me and saying nice things, it took me about two hours to calm down before I could sleep. They just couldn’t get what was wrong.
I was looking forward to going to bed UPSTAIRS, wheeee! Remember? I won that one! I jumped onto the bed, I wasn’t moving, I froze, John lifted me down, after five times before I gave in and went to sleep on my own bed. Just you wait!
Tuesday 14th
Last week I thought this crack of dawn thing was an anomaly, who has ever heard of walking at 07.30? so this morning I resisted I refused to get up. When Joan went downstairs, I jumped onto John for a cuddle, when Joan came back John got out of bed, I froze but he lifted me down, pulled me, yes pulled me onto the landing and close ALL of the doors, I capitulated and went with Joan. She put me in the harness and we went out on Tom’s Down where she let me off for a few minutes to run with Turbo and Tilly, Barney is too stupid [too small actually] to play our game.
Later, when I got back after taking John out, he told Joan that I was a ‘modicum of decorum’! So there! While we were out he detached the lead from my harness and I walked with him to make sure that he was going the right way, well more or less, naturally I had to investigate a few sniffs. Every now and then he called me and gave me a reward, I liked that. When a nice lady and her collie came along he clipped the lead back on, she made a real fuss of me and loved me and again when we reached the kissing gate before they went away across the Sports Field.
John told Joan that Jane had asked if I would write a Blog, he’s a misery-guts he said we are not into blogging, then after that, he even had to look it up to see what it meant and how to do it. He’s such a gasbag he’d never be able to say anything in two words if three or four would do! He said you could use my letters if you wanted to, or even extracts from them. He said I’d run out of news for you when I settle down! What does he mean by that? I wonder!
We went out for another, yes another pub lunch. This time to The Drift by Beaulieu Road Station, it was warm, I lay down straight away on my mat and went to sleep. When I woke up I did a couple of my best howls, not quite matching their music. We went to a nursing home at Fritham, for Joan to visit an old lady who has had a stroke. I took John for a walk on the old airfield. Then back to my car where I slept until we arrived back at home.
Wednesday 15th
We had fun last night I jumped onto the bed, and again after lights out, John lifted me down four times. This morning, after Joan got up I jumped onto John and washed his face and we had a cuddle, then he tricked me out of the bedroom and shut the door, that was really mean, so I had to go walkies with Joan. She let me of the leash again to play with Turbo and Tilly.
The old folk went out this morning and left me for ten minutes, something about going to the shop around the corner, whatever that means. I looked after the house, they let me roam but I was very glad to see them back again.
Later, when we went for John’s walk, I was admired by a couple of different ladies and sniffed their dogs, I was a bit nervous about the two tiny Jack Russells but they were OK, one poor little chap was blind.
After that John let me off for most of our circuit, I showed him how I can run, he doesn’t even bother to run with me, between you and me I think he’s lazy and he’s got no spirit of fun. He made me go out again this afternoon, All I want is a wee in the garden and then to go back inside, he is so thick he doesn’t get my meaning, he makes me take him round again, but fortunately a shorter loop – off the lead again, its great but I stay close to him in case he needs me. Every now and then he calls me and gives me an ‘Allsort’, they’re not much but I take them just to humour him.
At bed time I snuggled up with John while Joan was having a bath, when she came to bed he lifted me down and I went to sleep on my own bed.
Thursday 16th
I woke Joan up by barking, I had a pain in my tummy, when we were out she let me off the lead and I ate some grass. I refused my breakfast so it was taken away, I lay by the table with my inside gurgling. Later, when Joan went to feed the birds I fetched one of her indoor shoes, she took it from me, the next time she went out I fetched it again and had a right good chew on it. She said it was a good thing she has another pair.
John let me off the lead for most of our walk today, he demonstrated to another lady (with Bobby) how I go to him when he called me, she was very impressed with me and thought it unbelievable after only ten days. Then I went off sniffing on my own, between the gorse bushes, I soon went back to that idiot who kept calling for me. A bit further on I was a bit naughty playing with a young Labrador, his Mum grabbed my harness and admired me, I was put back on the lead, it didn’t matter I’d had a good play and I still got my ‘reward’. When we got back home Joan had cooked me some rice and served it with Tuna fish, I ate all of that, then I had a right good sleep.
I went to Church in Exbury today, it was fun to explore while John put the lights on the Christmas Tree and helped the carpenter with the new crib. Joan [also organist] prepared for the the floral arrangements tomorrow. The carpenter was a doggy man and felt my legs and said they were good, daft I think because I know that!
The old folk put up our Christmas tree and lights, I checked it all out to see if anything was edible – it wasn’t! So not much fun there really.
During the night I woke them up three times when I barked and howled, they thought it was either cats or the local fox that had upset me. Our neighbours feed the fox – lucky fox! The foxes live on Tom’s Down.
Friday 17th
After breakfast I went and jumped into Joan’s bed, when she went to make it I refused to move, when John came I sprawled out on my side and went rigid, it makes it really difficult for him to lift me off, it is really good fun, they giggle at me. Later they had a friend who came to see me, I was having a nap on my bed upstairs, she was very impressed when John called me and I came down to meet her.
There was a difficult situation today, Joan had to go an supervise the Church Flower preparation for Sunday, John had to take an old lady to hospital in Southampton for tests, she could be up to 3 hours, too long for me to stay in a cold car, John said. So I had to be left at home, he gave me a Jumbone to amuse myself with. Joan came back 2 hours after John left. What was the problem, I was OK, warm and comfortable, I barked when I heard someone at the door but it was only the missus! I was really glad to see them both back again.
I’m off the lead for most of our walks now, I really enjoy a bit of a run to show off. The worst problem I have is that I get ‘spooked’ by noises which the old folk can’t hear. They are pretty good at reassuring me that everything is OK though.
Saturday 18th
All that snow! I love it, I kept trying to play hide-and-seek behind the bushes but John kept walking so I had to keep finding HIM. A Boxer tried chasing me but he couldn’t catch me – I showed him what running was.
It’s so nice to come back inside where it is warm. I told Joan I wanted more breakfast today, and I got some more too. Not too much, but I was hungry after playing in the snow.
They went out to buy a new kettle to make my Marmite, I was asleep upstairs by the airing cupboard, a snug and warm place, they were back before I knew about it, they had left me a chewy and I didn’t see it! They put it back in the packet, I call that really mean, they’re like that some times, they need more training.
Sunday 19th
I was disturbed again last night and I barked. Joan saw the fox this time, it was in the next door neighbours garden getting its food which was put out especially.
John says I’m ‘finding my legs’ and being a teeny-weeny bit naughty but only sometimes, I try not to push my luck though. Joan said I was nasty to Barney today and either she would not walk with the others or I would have to wear my muzzle. John thinks she should take it with her and only put it on me if I bully Barney, he is 14 and a Westy. I got my own back on her, I grabbed the birdseed bag and spread the seed over the kitchen floor, he-he! That gave her something to do! Then John got the vacuum cleaner, I really hate that thing.
When I took John out he let me off, I kept exploring the bushes then had to find him, I always went to him when he called or whistled. We met police lady and her son and Labrador, they all like me, the boy played with me on a wide open space, I really showed them how I could run in the snow, their Lab was much too fat to run far or fast and was more interested in what John had in his pocket – MY rewards!
The old folk are really soft, they think the world of me. I love them too.
I’ve established our bed-time routine now, cuddle with John while he reads, then I lie on Joan’s bed ‘till she comes and tells me to get off, which naturally I ignore, John gets up and lifts me off, I just lie there limp and a dead weight pretending I don’t understand, then I usually give in and go to sleep on my own bed. They say I’m too big to share their space, I think it is very mean spirited when I’m so friendly and look after them so well all day and night long.
I’ve found where all the best places for me are in the house.
Lots of Love
Lady
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