To think that at the start of 2013 I was convinced Holly was not going to be with me for more than a few more weeks I think her being here in 2014 is a fairly major milestone.
She continues to be her normal self, demanding walkies and treats and more walkies. And just when I am convinced she is tired and will spend a while snoozing on the sofa, she decides its playtime and squeaks her toys at crucial points in TV dialogue. Ive taken to recording everything just so I can rewind and catch the bit of plotline that were drowned out by "squeak, squeak, squeak".
Her control of the internal plumbing is slowly reducing and her willingness to move on her own is decreasing as well. I am not sure if this is due to her finding it difficult to move independantly when not in her wheels or that she has worked out that it's easier to wait for me and the scarf-sling. When I return after being out she is never in the same place that I left her so I suspect that her ladyship is enjoying being spoiled with the assistance.
Even with the decreasing control the number of accidents she is having in the house is still fairly minimal and generally only because I have forgotten that she had a big drink of water or have not looked at a clock and realised how long it has been since she last went out. I have started to make use of the timer on the too-smart-for-its-own-good phone so that I don't have to keep an eye on the clock, the phone will 'ding' to remind me to take Holly round the garden at regular intervals.
I was checking the calendar this morning to check the date of an event happening in April and noticed that it is only 3 weeks to her 12th birthday. I think this is certainly worthy of being a milestone to be celebrated with a new toy (squeaky) and a bag of tripe sticks (for Holly & the cats, not me!)
Thursday, 20 February 2014
Monday, 17 February 2014
Fluffy Fireworks
Many years ago I had a holiday on the Isle of Man and Holly came too. I worried about her being in the car on the catamaran, so I measured the inside of it and bought a crate with slightly smaller dimensions.
You may have spotted the error in the plan already, I had measured the inside of the car but not the size of the boot opening, the crate would have fitted in the car if I could have got it in there. I tried putting it in flat but there was not enough space to put it up inside the car. So in the end Holly travelled loose in the back of the car and was fine on the journey.
So I now had a nice big crate, but what to do with it?
Over the years it has been used to contain a kitten (Linus) and as a safe place for a confused cat (Olaf) and as somewhere to confine various critters (mostly cats) to when they were ill.
Holly did sometimes use it, usually in and around the 5th November every year. I would put the crate up and fill it with duvets and blankets and drape the outside in towels and sheets to make a cosy cave. When the first firework went off she would go and bury herself in the duvets and blankets and stay there until they stopped.
Then one year she wouldn't stay in there. Every time a firework went off she went to the crate and, if I encouraged her, she would get in. But she would not stay in there. It took me a couple of hours to work out what was wrong, she was all alone. In previous years Fluffy had joined her in the crate and stayed with her until everything was quiet. Fluffy was not bothered by the Fireworks but it had never occurred to me that she knew that Holly was frightened and needed some company. The year Holly wouldn't stay in was the first Bonfire night without Fluffy. Linus and Olaf would go in with her but would not stay.
My plans for that evening, and every subsequent night that fireworks go off, were scrapped. I transferred all the duvets and blankets onto the sofa, wrapped Holly up in them making sure I had an arm or a leg under too so she had some physical contact with me, and spent the evening watching t.v. or listening to music and reading a good book.
You may have spotted the error in the plan already, I had measured the inside of the car but not the size of the boot opening, the crate would have fitted in the car if I could have got it in there. I tried putting it in flat but there was not enough space to put it up inside the car. So in the end Holly travelled loose in the back of the car and was fine on the journey.
So I now had a nice big crate, but what to do with it?
Over the years it has been used to contain a kitten (Linus) and as a safe place for a confused cat (Olaf) and as somewhere to confine various critters (mostly cats) to when they were ill.
Holly did sometimes use it, usually in and around the 5th November every year. I would put the crate up and fill it with duvets and blankets and drape the outside in towels and sheets to make a cosy cave. When the first firework went off she would go and bury herself in the duvets and blankets and stay there until they stopped.
Then one year she wouldn't stay in there. Every time a firework went off she went to the crate and, if I encouraged her, she would get in. But she would not stay in there. It took me a couple of hours to work out what was wrong, she was all alone. In previous years Fluffy had joined her in the crate and stayed with her until everything was quiet. Fluffy was not bothered by the Fireworks but it had never occurred to me that she knew that Holly was frightened and needed some company. The year Holly wouldn't stay in was the first Bonfire night without Fluffy. Linus and Olaf would go in with her but would not stay.
My plans for that evening, and every subsequent night that fireworks go off, were scrapped. I transferred all the duvets and blankets onto the sofa, wrapped Holly up in them making sure I had an arm or a leg under too so she had some physical contact with me, and spent the evening watching t.v. or listening to music and reading a good book.
Wednesday, 12 February 2014
Bleargh!
The radio station I listen to has a feature on the weekend breakfast show called 1 word weather forecast. The idea is you email, text, tweet etc. a one word description of the weather where you are.
Tonight's one word weather forecast for where I live is "Bleargh!"
Fortunately Holly has declined an evening walk, which is just as well because the gusts of wine are almost blowing me over never mind a wobbly dog in a wheeled cart. A trip round the garden was quite enough for both of us, so this evening we are going to snuggle up on the sofa and hope the TV drowns out the 60 to 80 mph winds they have predicted for us.
I am also hoping that if we get a power cut it is after I have finished cooking my dinner.
Tonight's one word weather forecast for where I live is "Bleargh!"
Fortunately Holly has declined an evening walk, which is just as well because the gusts of wine are almost blowing me over never mind a wobbly dog in a wheeled cart. A trip round the garden was quite enough for both of us, so this evening we are going to snuggle up on the sofa and hope the TV drowns out the 60 to 80 mph winds they have predicted for us.
I am also hoping that if we get a power cut it is after I have finished cooking my dinner.
Wednesday, 5 February 2014
Photo Favourites II
A few more photos from the archives
The inflated ego does mean that he can wear an empty salad box with dignity and pride
Linus demonstrates the art of elegance - feline style
Mono spent a lot of her time on her back waiting for you to rub her tummy
If Fluffy didn't want her photo taking she simply shut her eyes
Linus suffers from an inflated ego, this is him in his "worship me" phase
The inflated ego does mean that he can wear an empty salad box with dignity and pride
Holly does impressions, this is her take on the Turner and Hooch drool scene
Thursday, 30 January 2014
Rain rain go away!
Up here in Yorkshire we are fortunate not to have flooded too badly so far this year.
However the back garden is starting to resemble a swamp rather than a lawn making it somewhat treacherous underfoot and the footprints on the kitchen floor are now a trail of mud.
This morning Holly slipped on one of the wet bits of the kitchen floor and did a very good Bambi impression before crash-landing on her left shoulder.
Poor old girl was a bit shaken and decided to stay where she had landed to eat breakfast (it takes a lot more than a tumble to put her off her food) and to watch me make my packup, or rather to make long hard covetous stares at the bowl containing egg mayonnaise to go in my sandwiches.
After looking thoroughly disappointed that the egg-mayo went in the sandwich and not into her bowl she perked up when her and the cats were allowed to perform a pre-wash lick of the mixing bowl before it went in the washing up. The walk across the kitchen floor to every animals favourite spot in the hallway (above the hot water pipes) was uneventful. I gave her shoulder a good going over and found that it's a little tender to the touch but otherwise feels ok. I suspect she will feel a little stiff and achy later on today. If she is then we may cancel tonights walk in favour of cuddles on the sofa and alternating ice-pack & hot-water bottle (both in fleecy covers) for her shoulder and my hip.
Yes a few months ago I too slipped on the mud and did my own Bambi impression but without the crash-landing. It feels like I have pulled something in my hip, it is still hurting now so I have actually made an appointment to get checked out by the doctor.
However the back garden is starting to resemble a swamp rather than a lawn making it somewhat treacherous underfoot and the footprints on the kitchen floor are now a trail of mud.
This morning Holly slipped on one of the wet bits of the kitchen floor and did a very good Bambi impression before crash-landing on her left shoulder.
Poor old girl was a bit shaken and decided to stay where she had landed to eat breakfast (it takes a lot more than a tumble to put her off her food) and to watch me make my packup, or rather to make long hard covetous stares at the bowl containing egg mayonnaise to go in my sandwiches.
After looking thoroughly disappointed that the egg-mayo went in the sandwich and not into her bowl she perked up when her and the cats were allowed to perform a pre-wash lick of the mixing bowl before it went in the washing up. The walk across the kitchen floor to every animals favourite spot in the hallway (above the hot water pipes) was uneventful. I gave her shoulder a good going over and found that it's a little tender to the touch but otherwise feels ok. I suspect she will feel a little stiff and achy later on today. If she is then we may cancel tonights walk in favour of cuddles on the sofa and alternating ice-pack & hot-water bottle (both in fleecy covers) for her shoulder and my hip.
Yes a few months ago I too slipped on the mud and did my own Bambi impression but without the crash-landing. It feels like I have pulled something in my hip, it is still hurting now so I have actually made an appointment to get checked out by the doctor.
Tuesday, 28 January 2014
1 year wheeliversary
On the last Tuesday in January 2013 Holly and I were sat at home waiting for a large box to arrive in the post.
Ten days earlier Holly had been subjected to being measured and weighed and re-measured by me and my Dad. I had then filled in all the measurements on the dog-mobile website and now we were waiting for the wheels to arrive.
Its hard to believe that a whole year has passed since the wheels arrived, especially as we have passed both the 18 month and 2 year milestones since then. Holly is still loving her walks, we may not be going out and walking 16 miles in a day any more but we are still going out and exploring new places as well as revisiting old favourites.
This was taken last weekend, we were out and about in the fields down by the river in the morning and I managed to snap a quick photo of Holly up on top of a bit of banking surveying the surrounding area and enjoying the sunshine.
Ten days earlier Holly had been subjected to being measured and weighed and re-measured by me and my Dad. I had then filled in all the measurements on the dog-mobile website and now we were waiting for the wheels to arrive.
Its hard to believe that a whole year has passed since the wheels arrived, especially as we have passed both the 18 month and 2 year milestones since then. Holly is still loving her walks, we may not be going out and walking 16 miles in a day any more but we are still going out and exploring new places as well as revisiting old favourites.
This was taken last weekend, we were out and about in the fields down by the river in the morning and I managed to snap a quick photo of Holly up on top of a bit of banking surveying the surrounding area and enjoying the sunshine.
Tuesday, 21 January 2014
The Trouble with Training
Holly came to me when she was 7.5 weeks old and I started her training immediately. Nothing too serious, just saying "sit" when she naturally sat and other key words and phrases at the appropriate time to start the connections between action and words.
I also signed her up with the local dog training group for puppy socialisation classes and for the basic road safety obedience training.
Puppy socialisation started when she was able to go out after her vaccinations. She didn't really enjoy the classes. Even then she wasn't keen on boisterous bouncy puppies and would simply walk away from them and come back to me. She did play quite happily with a few other calm and quiet pups when the bouncy ones were out of the way and she loved the ladies running the sessions.
When she was about 6 months old she started the basic road safety training classes and loved them. Her basic skills expanded and she developed a real enthusiasm for learning. She passed the basic exam with flying colours and was invited to join the intermediate group.
After a couple of weeks off we started the intermediate group. This stretched not only her mind and abilities but mine as well. She hated the out of sight down-stay, but after being taken into the room where all the handlers went to she did start to stay provided she was placed directly opposite the door. The emergency stop was great fun because it was a polished floor, her legs stopped on command but she was moving at such high speed in the recall that it took several more feet before she came to a halt. The exam was entertaining, I had to be given written instructions. The trainer would call out to you to turn left or right, to go at a slow or fast pace and when to leave your dog in a sit or a down. Only Holly was also listening to these instructions as well as the ones from me. So by the time the exam came round she was starting the turn or the change of speed before I had told her to. So we had to do without verbal commands from the examiner. Holly came second out of the whole group in the exam and got a rosette and a trophy. I still have the rosette but the trophy had to be returned after 10 weeks for the next group.
After the intermediate came the advanced group. This wasn't formal training sessions like the basic and intermediate, but more a social gathering once a week that built on the skills and gave the dogs something new to learn.
I had always taught Holly to obey hand signals as well as voice commands as I am prone to laryngitis. One week the dogs were all laid down on one side of the hall and the handlers were stood on the opposite side with our backs to the dogs. The idea was you would issue a voice command and get your dog to change position. It was Holly and me to go first. The instructor asked me to get her to sit. So I called out for her to "sit". No reaction. I tried again, still no reaction from Holly. So I bellowed out in a proper sergeant major command voice "SIT!" The instructor burst out laughing as every dog except one had changed from a down to a sit. The one dog still in a down? Holly. I put my hand behind my back and gave the hand-signal for sit and she instantly sat up. She may be fairly clever but she also has a stubborn streak.
Every year there was an exam for the advanced group, nothing too formal and more of a social afternoon. Two particular tests remain firmly embedded in my mind.
As this was the advanced group we did a certain amount of work outside (in an enclosed area) when the weather was favourable. On the exam day the out of sight down stay was conducted outside. The dogs were all lined up and put in a down and then the handlers walked behind a building so we were out of sight. We heard laughter from the examiners and a few moments later a parade of dogs led by Holly appeared round the side of the building. She wasn't going to let me out of her sight and when she got up and moved the rest of them followed. We tried again with the same result, so Holly had to miss that test.
Back inside the hall and one of the tests was a retrieve. No problems you may think. Lots of problems, the dogs were being asked to retrieve a sausage!
There were two lines on the floor about 15 feet apart, you left your dog at the first line and went to place the sausage on the second line. You then returned to the first line and were not allowed to step over it again until the end of the exercise. Mostly the dogs just ran to the second line, ate the sausage and returned. Holly got some marks for style. We had been warned about this task a week before the event so she and I had been practising with frozen hot-dogs. The sausage on the day was a vegetarian one as it was thought this would give the dogs most chance. Holly went to the second line, picked up the sausage and started back towards me with the sausage. She stopped a couple of feet short, sat down and ate the sausage before taking the last few steps back to me. Some marks awarded for effort, none for the actual retrieve but several for style.
Shortly after this we moved house and couldn't make those training classes any more. But I still run Holly thorough training routines to keep her active and thinking. Linus joins in as well, he worked out that it was a good way to get a treat. So while he may not win any rosettes for obedience Linus will come on command, sit when asked to and walk to heel - provided, that is, that he feels motivated enough to earn a treat.
I also signed her up with the local dog training group for puppy socialisation classes and for the basic road safety obedience training.
Puppy socialisation started when she was able to go out after her vaccinations. She didn't really enjoy the classes. Even then she wasn't keen on boisterous bouncy puppies and would simply walk away from them and come back to me. She did play quite happily with a few other calm and quiet pups when the bouncy ones were out of the way and she loved the ladies running the sessions.
When she was about 6 months old she started the basic road safety training classes and loved them. Her basic skills expanded and she developed a real enthusiasm for learning. She passed the basic exam with flying colours and was invited to join the intermediate group.
After a couple of weeks off we started the intermediate group. This stretched not only her mind and abilities but mine as well. She hated the out of sight down-stay, but after being taken into the room where all the handlers went to she did start to stay provided she was placed directly opposite the door. The emergency stop was great fun because it was a polished floor, her legs stopped on command but she was moving at such high speed in the recall that it took several more feet before she came to a halt. The exam was entertaining, I had to be given written instructions. The trainer would call out to you to turn left or right, to go at a slow or fast pace and when to leave your dog in a sit or a down. Only Holly was also listening to these instructions as well as the ones from me. So by the time the exam came round she was starting the turn or the change of speed before I had told her to. So we had to do without verbal commands from the examiner. Holly came second out of the whole group in the exam and got a rosette and a trophy. I still have the rosette but the trophy had to be returned after 10 weeks for the next group.
After the intermediate came the advanced group. This wasn't formal training sessions like the basic and intermediate, but more a social gathering once a week that built on the skills and gave the dogs something new to learn.
I had always taught Holly to obey hand signals as well as voice commands as I am prone to laryngitis. One week the dogs were all laid down on one side of the hall and the handlers were stood on the opposite side with our backs to the dogs. The idea was you would issue a voice command and get your dog to change position. It was Holly and me to go first. The instructor asked me to get her to sit. So I called out for her to "sit". No reaction. I tried again, still no reaction from Holly. So I bellowed out in a proper sergeant major command voice "SIT!" The instructor burst out laughing as every dog except one had changed from a down to a sit. The one dog still in a down? Holly. I put my hand behind my back and gave the hand-signal for sit and she instantly sat up. She may be fairly clever but she also has a stubborn streak.
Every year there was an exam for the advanced group, nothing too formal and more of a social afternoon. Two particular tests remain firmly embedded in my mind.
As this was the advanced group we did a certain amount of work outside (in an enclosed area) when the weather was favourable. On the exam day the out of sight down stay was conducted outside. The dogs were all lined up and put in a down and then the handlers walked behind a building so we were out of sight. We heard laughter from the examiners and a few moments later a parade of dogs led by Holly appeared round the side of the building. She wasn't going to let me out of her sight and when she got up and moved the rest of them followed. We tried again with the same result, so Holly had to miss that test.
Back inside the hall and one of the tests was a retrieve. No problems you may think. Lots of problems, the dogs were being asked to retrieve a sausage!
There were two lines on the floor about 15 feet apart, you left your dog at the first line and went to place the sausage on the second line. You then returned to the first line and were not allowed to step over it again until the end of the exercise. Mostly the dogs just ran to the second line, ate the sausage and returned. Holly got some marks for style. We had been warned about this task a week before the event so she and I had been practising with frozen hot-dogs. The sausage on the day was a vegetarian one as it was thought this would give the dogs most chance. Holly went to the second line, picked up the sausage and started back towards me with the sausage. She stopped a couple of feet short, sat down and ate the sausage before taking the last few steps back to me. Some marks awarded for effort, none for the actual retrieve but several for style.
Shortly after this we moved house and couldn't make those training classes any more. But I still run Holly thorough training routines to keep her active and thinking. Linus joins in as well, he worked out that it was a good way to get a treat. So while he may not win any rosettes for obedience Linus will come on command, sit when asked to and walk to heel - provided, that is, that he feels motivated enough to earn a treat.
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