Saturday 27 December 2014

December..... and Christmas comes!

 
Hi everyone,
After the November visitors, we seem suddenly to be preparing for another event.  This picture will give you a clue!

Dad wasn't prepared to risk a tree in the house this year. He thought I might pull it over. Mum was determined to have tree in the house though, (which I heartily agree with - I quite fancy chewing sticks in the comfort of my lounge!).  But we have a wall tree instead. Not quite what I had hoped for.

Next, my secret work with my dog walker Jess was revealed. The picture she took of me ages ago in a silly red hat suddenly appeared in a card that both mum and dad were thrilled with.

I do look quite handsome don't you think?

The next change from my routine was mum being at home in the daytime on Wednesday.  She was packing up lots of food, presents and my bedding, ready to put into the car when dad came home. Then off we went up to family in Sheffield.

Christmas morning was very exciting. Firstly I had been allowed to sleep in the same bedroom as mum (too many temptations available to me in the night!). Then off we went for a smashing woodland walk in the mud and wet. Fantastic! 
 
 
 In the stream!
I had a smashing time!
 
Even more to tell you..... after we got back and I had eaten my breakfast, we had lots of presents and paper to play with!
 I had a rope toy, a penguin on a rope, a ball on a string....
 .... and lots and lots of paper to shred!
 Me and penguin - just before I pulled his flippers off!
I really did have a great time.  So much so, I needed a snooze afterwards!


The next day we came home, just in time for it to snow in our garden! Its weird stuff: white, wet and cold on your feet and I wasn't keen at first.  No picture I'm afraid as it was dark when the snow came and had mostly gone by morning.

Instead, here's a picture of me snoozing and relaxing in the kitchen after my Boxing Day evening run around. Phew, I was wet and muddy when I got back - it took ages to dry me off!
 
 
Back to normal for a couple of days now. Then apparently we have another house full of people and food to look forward to for the New Year. I'd better get some rest while I can!

 

Tuesday 2 December 2014

Lovely weekend

Hello everyone!
I have had such a wonderful weekend!
Friday 3 people came to stay - I was good.
Saturday 2 more people came to stay an one slept down stairs. - I was very good.
Sunday 13 people including little people came to breakfast!

....and I made some lovely friends!

This is Lottie. She followed me round a lot with toys to give me to play with.  I was cleaning the baked beans off her face here. We are going to be proper pals.
 
 
 
Mum and dad are so pleased with me - even though I did try and steal the same piece of toast 3 times!!!
 

Tuesday 18 November 2014

Winter Weather

Welcome to Autumn!

Its very wet these days. I seem to have to be rubbed down several times a day, every day, at the moment. 

I have a selection of towels that hang in the side entry ready to catch me as I return from my walk.  Front paw, other paw, back paw, other back paw, knees, tummy, chin, head..... it takes ages!

I don't mind really, but it does delay my breakfast in the morning. See cute picture below of me waiting for breakfast, like the best dog in the world.

This weekend it took half a dozen towels to dry me after a particularly wet afternoon walk.  Dad brought them into the kitchen to put in the washer and dropped them in a 'comfy heap' on the floor.
 ....I was so tired after a big walk around Cannon Hill, Moseley and Kings Heath, it was too good an opportunity to miss for a quick snooze!
Hee, hee!
Have a good week everyone! xx

What a good boy!

I think the reason for my lack of blogging over the last two weeks is due to everyone holding their breath, waiting for me to be naughty.

"Hello, my name is Monty. It is 14 days since my last kitchen chewing episode".

I got a new toy to celebrate!
So.... what shall I fall off the wagon for?

Saturday 1 November 2014

Into month 4 of my new life in Brum

Hello, hello!
All is well here, apart from the chewing of windowsills, skirting and the odd doorbell.  Oh and a plug off the hand held hoover - oops!

I have also started being more assertive around the house, but have a feeling that I wont get my way for too long as I am now regularly attending puppy training classes, (oh the shame to still be down in the little ones class), to gradually teach me how to behave a little better.

I am trying to show mum and dad how bright I am so that I can move up a grade. For example: last week they were sitting having tea in the kitchen and I wanted more comfort than the kitchen tiled floor.
 
So, off I toddled to my basket in the hall, pulled the blanket off and dragged it into the kitchen and lay on it, right next to the kitchen table.  Much more comfy!
I now seem to have a few more toys appearing too, which is nice.  I think the idea is that the more I have to play with, the less time I have to chew the house!
 Don't tell them, but I can fit in any amount of chewing around playing with my toys!  It's a nice idea though!
I say, I am quite a handsome chap don't you think? How could anyone be cross with me for long?

 

Sunday 19 October 2014

My First Holiday!

Hello everyone,
Sorry about the lack of blog last weekend - I was busy travelling down to St Teath, North Cornwall where we stayed in a holiday cottage in a very quiet village for a week.
We had so much fun and on the whole mum and dad agree I was pretty good! Just a bit of car chewing and apparently it's not polite to chase every dog I see and ask them to play!
Here's what we got up to:
Saturday afternoon - once unpacked we went to the local coast and walked for an hour, had a drink in the pub and came home. I got lots of fuss off the nice bar lady.
Sunday - a beautiful day when we walked in and around Padstow.

Notice I was allowed off the lead. I had a brilliant time chasing sand, water, sticks, balls and other dogs!
Monday was a very rainy day and we got very wet walking in some big woods. It was great as I was off the lead a lot of the time. No pictures as it really was wet.  I still loved it.
Tuesday was another lovely day and we walked along coast cliffs into Newquay.  Mum forgot my water bowl and had to make me one out of a bread bag - quite nice! I ran round with some great dogs on the beach. Bit miffed when I wasn't allowed an ice-cream though. Apparently they are not for dogs. Hmmm.
Wednesday - A rainy morning but lovely afternoon. We walked through woods and farmland and I met cows and sheep. Well, I didn't meet them exactly, as I was kept on the lead. Also had to learn to negotiate 'stiles'. They come in lots of different shapes and sizes and I had to be lifted over quite a few.
On the evening we had visitors to the cottage as mum's family came to stay one night. They were nice and made a fuss of me.
Thursday - sunny again and a walk to Rock beach with the visitors. I met a great dog and we ran around for ages until we were both out of puff!

After a café lunch (where I had to sit under the table and be still - very hard, but I was ok), we then went another walk around a big hole called a quarry. Lots of rabbit sniffs here.
Friday - back on the beach! We went to Widemouth Bay and walked beach and coast paths.
By early afternoon I was getting tired (we had been walking several hours every day and when I was off the lead I probably ran lots more miles than mum and dad walked), so we walked back a little earlier than planned.
Just as well we went back early, as we then had a cosy late afternoon and evening at the cottage while big wind and rain raged outside.  I was glad to be snoozing on my fleecy blanket snug and dry.
On the last morning all the stuff got put back into the car - including me in the back with my bed and we set off for home.  We did stop off on the way for a last run round the beach and to take a couple of holiday snaps to remember our nice week by:

 
 

Saturday 4 October 2014

Stair-gate

Hi All,
I was right to be concerned about this stair-gate thing.  It appeared about 2hrs after my blog last weekend.  I am now unable to access upstairs unless invited.


I am allowed upstairs in the morning whilst mum and dad are getting up, washed and dressed.  Then I am banished to the ground floor only once they go out.  As you can see, the bottom stair still tells a story (oops!).
We did have some fun last Sunday afternoon mind.  Dad decided to cut back some bushes to get the space ready for another green house (yummy - more tomatoes!)  I had great fun running round with the branches!




This weekend we were meant to go on an organised 'social dog walk' but the weather rained it off sadly.  Instead, this afternoon we went on a hobbit hunt to the Three Shires Park. It was a great walk and very sociable. We met lots of dogs having fun, (no pics as mum forgot the camera!).

Just got home and I am still full of beans, running round with my toys.

I think mum and dad thought I might snooze, but I am still a pup and you know what us puppy-dogs say, (stolen by a few song writers)... "No sleep till bedtime!" Hee, hee!
 

Friday 26 September 2014

Seven week itch?

Hi know I should be a little improved this week. After all:
  •  I have had my operation and all has gone well and everything is healing nicely - bit difficult to show a picture and retain my dignity I think, so take it from me!
  • I have started to travel short trips in the car every day to get me used to going out and about, ready for a holiday.  Slow progress, but it's there.
  • I have started to take up the offer of sleeping downstairs in my basket at night, instead of being uncomfortably right outside mum and dad's bedroom door.
This all sounds like I am settling well, don't you think?



So why oh why did I feel the need to rip carpet off the stairs twice this week then? - asks mum!!



I keep hearing the word 'stair-gate'. Anyone know what that means?

Saturday 20 September 2014

Not the best of weeks

It's been a tough week all round really. For me, mum and dad and the stairs.


I've had to wear my lampshade all the way through till this Friday, except when there was someone around to watch I didn't nibble bits I shouldn't.  However, it's amazing what else you can still nibble with the lampshade on!

The lack of exercise imposed by the vet - no more than a few minutes, no running, no fun - has really been the hardest part.  I really haven't been able to settle and have been on the look out to find something to do to relieve the pent up energy I have.


Got to say that chewing the stairs was a big mistake. Clearly shown on mums face Wednesday, when she got home from work. Especially as she thought I had been good and had already rewarded me downstairs....... only finding the evidence later when she went upstairs to get changed to take me out.
 
Lampshade off finally and back to bigger walks, I feel much more my self again.  After this mornings walk I had to stop for a snooze half way down the stairs!
 
 
I am sure I will be ready for more naughtiness in a little while.... zzzzzz.

Saturday 13 September 2014

New balls please!

This week started off like any other.  Mum and dad going to work Monday and Tuesday and Jess my dog walker coming in each day to take me for my walk.  Then it all changed on Wednesday morning when I wasn't allowed any breakfast. Imagine my disappointment!
 
Mum went to work and left dad to take me to the vets, where I spent an interesting day that I can't really remember properly.  I think I went to sleep for quite a bit of the day, but everyone was lovely anyway.
 
When mum and dad came to collect me to go home my legs were wobbly and I felt quite strange.  Mum sat in the back of the car with me to make sure I didn't fall over. I couldn't even lie down straight - really odd.  This is me, just making it through the front door with a strange thing around my neck.  I didn't move from here for a couple of hours as I just wanted to snooze.


Later on we moved to the lounge and dad slept down stairs with me.  Mum went to bed as she had to go to work.



I must say I quickly got used to my 'lampshade' as mum and dad call it. It's a bit tricky getting around the house though, as I keep bashing into things.  Dad has stayed home the rest of this week to help me get about.  Have I got bigger, or is the house shrinking?

I was allowed back upstairs last night.  Weirdly, my friend Wardrobe-Dog, (he lives in one of the upstairs rooms, behind the mirror - must tell you more about him later), seems to have had a similar thing happen to him.


He looks a bit silly in that cone head outfit, but I don't want to offend him, so I sniffed my usual greeting this morning and lay down to wait for mum and dad to be ready to go out.  I have been out for a little walk today - the first in 3 days. It was lovely.

I have noticed that something feels a bit different about me. I have two sore patches and I am bruised and a bit swollen.  Mum says my lampshade can come off in a couple of days so I shall have to wait till then to investigate properly.
 

Sunday 7 September 2014

Week 4 in the Monty Dog House!

Hi all,
It's been a different week as dad has been away working and me and mum have had to keep each other company.
I have tried to be good - see picture of me looking perfect (just for a moment), waiting for mum to come out of the study and go downstairs to make some brunch!


Mum and dad are pleased to see that I have started to use my bed in the hall.  They came back from an evening at the curry house without me and I hadn't chewed anything they could see (hee hee) and had been snoozing in my bed - it was still warm.


I am not allowed soft cushions and cute bedding at the moment because I either try to eat it or do other unmentionables to it.
Mum says when I grow up a bit and calm down, I can have lots of cosy cushions and fleecy blankets. For now I have carpet - which is fine.


 
 
Oh, and the Next catalogue arrived mid week too.  Not much in it really.
 

Sunday 31 August 2014

Sunday papers

There is nothing more relaxing than sitting with the Sunday papers.

 

Veg garden

Mum likes picking things out of the garden and cooking them.  However she doesn't seem to appreciate it when I pick things too.
I like picking flowers, sticks, plants, stones, cabbage plants and well....whatever is handy and sticking out as I run past!

Mum prefers to pick beans, marrow, courgette and tomatoes. I don't think they are as much fun as crunchy sticks though!

My walking buddy

I must be a lucky dog. Even though my mum and dad go out to work in the day, I get a half hour walk at lunchtime with a lovely lady called Jess.
It means that I have chance to have a leg stretch and a bit of company in the middle of the day.  I really look forward to seeing her and going out for my walk.
This week Fizz came with her and we were introduced.  I think we got on really well and hope we will become good pals.


I saw Fizz and Jess at dog class this Thursday too!
Yes readers, the summer is over and school has started - for me anyway.  I have a lot to learn and I am starting with the basics at puppy class!

Our third week together

Hello all,
Bit of a mixed week weather wise, but still enjoying all the local walking and getting to know the area I now live in.  Will have to show you a few pics of my walks soon (once mum can manage a camera and me on the lead at the same time!).


 
Meanwhile. as you can see I have been enjoying snoozing on my vet bed pieces - once arranged cleverly into the shape of a bed - like it was before I ran round the house ripping it up!
 

 
 
I hope the previous dog Rudi will forgive me!
 

Monday 25 August 2014

Rainy bank Holiday Monday

What a nice relaxing day we are having.
After a great rainy walk, where we all got soaked, I had my breakfast in the back of the car, (something to do with getting me used to being happy there I think! I enjoyed my breakfast anyway!).
 
We have then spent the late morning and early afternoon on separate pursuits. Mum has been helping me with blogging, dad on his computer in the dining room working, and me?


I have mostly been snoozing at the top of the stairs, keeping an eye on them both. I think they might suppose I am settling in well and that no further naughtiness will follow.

Hee, hee - wait till my batteries are recharged!

Two weeks in...

I have been living in Birmingham for 2 weeks now and starting to settle in well.
 
The first week was brilliant as mum and dad were on holiday with me. The second week was getting used to being at home for a while on my own, with a lovely lady coming to walk me at lunch time.
Mum and dad leave me treats and a toy in the morning and Jess my dog walker leaves me some more at lunch time.

I do like this toy very much at the moment. It did have a ball attached once..... not for long!  Don't worry, all bits spat out!
 
On the first 2 days I did get a bit overexcited and nibble a few books.... and the bookcase (oops!).
However, mum and dad think I have calmed down a bit now and got into a routine; though they have emptied the downstairs bookcase and sprayed it with something that smells and tastes horrible - just to remind me not to chew it! Will stick to my toys for a bit I think.