A 6am start

OH had to be up and on the road early today and Rodders heard him moving about and started to whimper. I came down and let him out the crate. He had used the puppy pad in the night but may have been when Bob and Pat left for Portugal at 4.30am.

I put the kettle on and then we went out in to the garden. I stayed out there with him for ages to make sure that he piddled and pooped before we came back in to make tea. It's tough doing this without a drink! But right now Rodders in more important than my needs.

We made tea and took OH's up to him and said good morning and then went down to play in the conservatory, stopping in the kitchen to start his breakfast. Rodders is fine playing on his own mainly so I just sat and watched with my cuppa. When he started to sniff about we went back in the garden for another piddle. The birds were starting to wake up and that seemed to spook him a bit so I just talked gently saying morning birds. So not only am I the mad lady that talks to her dog, it now includes the local wild life!

Rodders showed some interest when OH came down, especially as he bent down to do up with shoes and there was a tie dangling! Luckily OH moved fairly quickly or that would have been a gonna!

As OH said goodbye, I notice Rodders got more fuss than me, it was time for breakfast. As normal he wolfed down the first bit, went back to it twice more and having eaten most of it I took it up.

More play, but he is getting mischievous and needs to be watched at all times. Although there are lots of toys (maybe too many) it is much more fun to chew something you shouldn't. The bottom of the sofa looks tasty today, as does the end of the rolled up rug. Rather than tell him off I try to divert his attention on to his toys. Is this the right thing to do?

As he started to get rougher and more bitey I removed myself to the kitchen behind the baby gate a couple of times and he was happy to go off and play with something else. I came out quietly, without fuss, and we carried on. Then the biting got out of control and I realised he had been very active for almost 2 hours. I picked him up, came in to the lounge and put him and the snuggle fleece on my knee. Five minutes of gentle stroking, his heart rate slowed, and his eyes were closing. Gently moved him to the floor where he is gently snoozing at my feet.