Put a sock in it

So, I used to have several hard rubber balls that made really good garden toys if tied in an old sock; makes it easy to throw them a long way. Needless to say, the socks had disappeared, so I went and got a couple more. Run out of the very fine ones, so these 2 were a bit thicker. Tied them on and threw a couple of times and went out for the day leaving the dogs playing happily with them. Came back to find - both balls, neither had their socks on. Couldn't find the socks whatever I did. Gave Satchmo some old-fashioned looks.

Cut to next few days when old Max was being a bit sick here and there, but dogs do that, so ...

THREE days later, I came downstairs in the morning to find a large pile of vomit. Unusual that, as they usually eat it again (aaargh). I don't really need to tell you that both socks were in it, do I? Poor old Max had managed to eat two full thick socks. Poor wee laddie. Better out than in, I suppose!

Life's not fair!

Satch has been really good lately. Good stays, good on walks. Then Saturday I was preparing myself a really nice cold chicken salad (you can see where this is going) when the postman arrived. The back door was open as it was such a lovely day and the dogs all rushed out, so I had to step momentarily outside the back door to take the post through the gate ... and stepped back in to find the chicken breast in Satch's mouth. Got it back, not without a little difficulty, but obviously out of the question to eat it. I had to make do with an omelette and the dogs got chicken for tea. Life's so not fair!

The joys of dog ownership

Got up yesterday morning and could tell before I started to come downstairs that there had been an 'issue' overnight. Got into the breakfast room to discover one of the three dogs had had real squits. Spent a happy half-hour cleaning that up. Couldn't have been Max as he would have called me. So both Nina and Satch got a very small breakfast. All well during the morning - several lots of workmen there laying flooring and carpets, servicing the Aga, delivering radiators. Then, after they'd all gone (thank goodness) I discovered some more in the hall and extending on to the sitting room carpet - which had just been professionally cleaned, at great expense, exactly a week before. Whilst cleaning that up, I realised there was some more on the sitting room carpet. Oh joy. Concluded it was Satchmo (there was a bit of evidence, if you know what I mean). So no dinner and no training class for him. Still, that meant Nina could go. We did a bit of agility - going over a jump, through a tunnel, over another jump, picking up a retrieve item and bringing it back the same way. She gets soooo excited about agility that, to start with, I couldn't stop her going backwards and forwards through the tunnel in a frenzy of excitement. Bless.

Dobermann eating deer

Gross bit of video from Xmas time. Monster Nina found this in a field and wouldn't give it up until there was only a little bit left. Needless to say, much of it appeared on the floor the next morning...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S5kyQo1V5w

Tomboy again

Yet again, I came home from a day out last Weds and found Nina had a 3 inch tear in her side. Actually, rather embarrassingly, I didn't find it on Weds at all - I didn't notice till Thursday morning. So, no breakfast for Nina as it was clearly a general anaesthetic jobbie. Off to the vet for first appointment of the morning (I think they keep it free for us). Collected her about 4.30 and had usual 'I need to sleep but I don't want to so I'm going to stand here and waver about all evening'. Getting better now. Nurse Satch did his usual job of licking it clean all the time. Although clean is perhaps overstating it. You never know where that tongue has been. No - worse - you DO know where that tongue has been!

The Nina Simone Guide to Parenting

The Nina Simone guide to parenting – a guide for first-time mothers

1. If in doubt, lick its bottom
2. When leaping from the bed to shout at a passing horse, try not to tread on more than two of the puppies
3. If the horse is imaginary, try not to tread on more than one
4. When all else fails, lick its bottom
5. If it won’t stop suckling to have its bottom licked, stand it on its head and do it anyway
6. Try not to look at the puppies with too much disdain as you pass the nest, or your mum might not let you out in the garden as much
7. Remember, this is the one time you’ll be allowed to eat as much as you want – cultivate a constant hungry look and head for the kitchen every time your mum goes in there
8. If the puppies cry, ignore them; they’ll fall asleep eventually
9. If they’re suckling and you want to get out of the bed, get out anyway; they’ll drop off at some point
10. If in doubt, lick its bottom

Happy New Year

Happy New Year. What will 2011 hold for Grafmax dobermanns?

My main wish for Max is that he stays happy and healthy. My resolution is to make sure he gets 2 walks every day to keep him fit.

My wish for Nina is that she stays well and continues to do well at shows. I've just started taking her again and she's had a Best of Breed, a 1st and two 2nds in her first four shows. My resolutions for her are to continue working on her nervousness of unknown small dogs if they come bounding up to her (she's much better, but more to do) and to join an agility club with her.

My wish for Satchmo is that he stops chewing everything! Are you listening, young man? My resolutions for him are to get him through KC Gold and SWDTBC Intermediate. And to improve my handling, especially to handle him well at Crufts.