Our second home groom

So after a lovely walk to A) Try out my new waterproof trousers and B) Wear Rodders out a bit (which seems to have worked as we bumped in to his pal Teddy the Dogue de Bordeaux) it was time to attempt our second home trim.

This is what we started with

Rodders is brilliant in the bath, he just stands there and doesn't move until you get his head wet. He really doesn't like that at all and always makes at least one attempt at getting out if he can (he can't!).

I always lift him out of the bath in a towel and manage to get the worst of the water off him before putting him down on the floor.

Caution, I am about to shake!

I did warn you!

Back downstairs Rodders got a wash and blow dry before being allowed off the grooming table for a bit of a play.

It was then time to comb him trough again before starting with the clippers. I am gutted that there were 4 knots on his tummy that I just couldn't get out so I had to resort to the scissors.

Half way through clipping him the clippers ran out of power and we had to stop while they recharged. But I managed to finish him off eventually.

He isn't perfect as I still need to do his ears and shave his tummy but he really had been through enough for one day and was beginning to tell me about it.

He does seem to have forgiven me though as he came for cuddles as soon as he was let off the grooming table and he is now curled up on the sofa with his head on my legs.

He really is such a good puppy and I am so lucky to have him!

Rodders the guard dog

Rodders loves being in his garden and will amuse himself for ages playing with the stones, sunning himself on the patio, chewing sticks or he will take a chew out there to munch on or a toy to play with.

While he is out there he does like to let me know if any of the neighbours are in their garden or if anyone comes to the garages behind us and I am getting used to what the different barks mean. If I think it is getting too much I go out and bring him back inside.

On Friday evening he was barking consistently and I didn't recognise this sort of bark at all so I went out to see what the matter was.

Rodders was on the back lawn barking madly and prancing at a young lad stood on our fence! I told Rodders he was a good boy and let him carry on barking while asking the lad what he thought he was doing. Apparently his ball was in next doors garden and they weren't in so he was trying to climb in to their garden to get it.

Rodders and I stood and watched as he made his way across the fence, hanging off the tree, and then dropping down in to the garden to get his ball and we watched him climb back out.

Rodders barked all the time and I didn't try to stop him untie they had gone. He got lots of fuss for being such a good boy and alerting me to intruders.

A trip to London

Rodders and I headed off early today to attend a Schnauzer Walk in Hyde Park. I decided that we would go by train and tube as this would be a new experience for Rodders. With the help of the National Rail Enquiries Website and the Transport for London route planner I knew exactly what our route would be..... Or did I!

We drove down to the station and parked up. Rodders seemed very excited to be out of the car and trotted down to the station quite happily. I used the automatic ticket machine which is just outside the main entrance. Rodders was pulling to get in to the station itself and walked inside without any problems. I picked him up to go through the automatic barriers but the station staff opened the gate for us so I put him down again. He was happy to walk up the stairs to the platform and we walked up the platform so we could sit at the back of the cafe tucked away in case any trains going straight through frightened Rodders. I needn't have worried, he hardly batted an eye!

I picked him up as the train came in to the station and carried him on to the train. To start with he was happy to sit on my knee but about halfway to London he moved on to the seat beside me.

Once we got to Euston I carried Rodders off the train and let him walk to the ticket barriers and then put him down the other side. He was quite happy walking through the crowds of people until we got to the staircase down to the tube when he stopped and refused to move so I had to pick him up again. Once down the first flight he was happy to walk by himself again.

Our planned route was the Victoria Line to Brixton, getting off at Victoria to swap on to the Circle Line to High Street Kensington giving us a short walk to the meeting point at Palace Walk in Hyde Park.

Except the Victoria Line is closed ALL weekend! So why doesn't the TFL website tell you that when it asks when you are travelling?

Anyway I managed to ask an underground employee and he suggested the Northern Line to Embankment and then the Circle Line to High Street Kensington. Except at Embankment we ended up on a District Line Train :-( So we got off at South Kensington and followed the signs to the Royal Albert Hall as I knew this would take us in the right direction.

It worked really well as there is a long pedestrian underpass that takes you all the way to Imperial College on Princes Gate. The only minor hiccup was that Rodders pooped in the underpass and there are no bins until you get to Hyde Park.

Once in the park we headed left towards the meeting point and I managed to grab a cuppa from a cafe on route. As we get to the meeting point we bumped in to Schnitzel and Pretzel with their family and we were soon joined by many others. The weather was amazing and before we started walking I took my coat off and tied it around my waist.

The dogs were all having a great time and were mostly off lead. Widget, the youngest there at 5 months but also the biggest, was brilliant at coming back when called. Rodders was quite good but I did have to go off and get him at one point when he thought some children football training were more interesting that me and another time when he thought he would like to play with a Yorkie. We all had water with us so we stopped a few times to make sure the dogs didn't get dehydrated. We did have an issue with the dogs invading a picnic at one point! But we soon got them all back and under control.  We were attracting quite a bit of attention having so many of the same type of dog together - at one point I got asked if they were all mine!

We walked all the way to the Serpentine Cafe where we all stopped for lunch. I was stood outside for a while with three dogs. Once we all had our picnics we went and sat on the grass and the dogs were quite happy to have a rest. Rodders let some children fuss him which is a first, he usually tries to hide behind my legs!

We then headed back using the other side of the Serpentine. There were no complaints at the dogs being on lead, I think they were all tired.

Rodders and I said our goodbyes and then headed to High Street kensington tube where again, our travel plans were foiled. We couldn't get a circle line train to Embankment, only District to Edgeware Road. Never mind, we can get the Circle Line to Euston Square from there and then walk to Euston.

It worked well and we walked straight on to the train home. I think I have one tired puppy as Rodders couldn't even be bothered to sit on my knee and was soon fast asleep!

Walking with Giants

Last Saturday Rodders and I headed to Chelmsford for a Schnauzer walk with Rufus a Giant Schnauzer (who came 2nd in his class at Crufts just two weeks before) along with a Standard and a few other mini's.

We were extremely lucky with the weather and we had a great time at Hylands Park. I had forgotten my camera so I had to make do with my phone. At least you can see the difference in size!

When we stopped for a cuppa we did bump in to another couple of Schnauzers (one puppy on it's 2nd ever outing) and the biggest Great Dane I have ever seen.

Rodders was being very affectionate to one particular Schnauzer on the walk and kept trying to give him cuddles. I am told I need to stop this as it is a sign of dominance!

Doggy Day Care

Our dog walker, Sue, also does Doggy Day Care and also home from home Doggy Boarding where your dog lives in the house with her, her family and pets.

Although Rodders is used to Sue and loves to go off with her we hadn't had the opportunity to try out a longer stay with her although Rodders is booked in when I go away for a week in July with OH.

Sadly one of my school chums died recently after a short illness (well, he had been ill for a while but was only diagnosed in the three weeks before he died) and I was keen to attend his funeral. It was going to be a long day as I needed to leave home before 8.30am and didn't know when I would be back so it seemed sensible to let him go to Sue for the day.

She picked him up just after 9am and took him for a couple of walks through the day and I went and got him from her at just before 5pm. He seemed to have had a lovely day but was very excited to see me when I got there to pick him up.

I am sure he will be fine with her for a longer stay.

Clean dog

Rodders has decided that he no longer wants to poo in his own garden so it is even more important that he gets taken out in the morning than ever.

He also seems to like clumps of grass as his toilet rather than short grass so it can be a bit of a challenge to find it sometimes when he is off lead.

But it does mean that our garden is now only used for a piddle or to play in.

Life continues

Life continues in Rodders household with little variation to our weekly routine.

Mondays - Short walk around the block, out with dog walker for 2 hours (30 minutes in van, 1 hour walk, 30 minutes in van), quick fuss and play with me at lunch time, 5 o'clock club, supper, play, sleep.
Tuesdays - Half hour walk, fuss and play with me at lunchtime, 5 o'clock club, supper, play, sleep.
Wednesday - Half hour walk, fuss and play with me at lunchtime, 5 o'clock club, supper, play, dog training school, sleep.
Thursdays - Short walk around the block, out with dog walker for 2 hours (30 minutes in van, 1 hour walk, 30 minutes in van), quick fuss and play with me at lunch time, 5 o'clock club, supper, play, sleep.
Fridays - Half hour walk, fuss and play with me at lunchtime, 5 o'clock club, supper, play, sleep.
Weekends - Couple of walks a day, or a trip to family, or a group walk somewhere nice, play, supper, sleep.
On top of this he gets groomed every other day and my cleaner comes in and lets him run about chasing her for a couple of hours once a week. 


He loves his garden and spends a lot of time out there just mooching around and he is turning in to a great guard dog - a lad tried climbing our fence to get his ball back the other day but Rodders wasn't having any of it! 


He also gets additional play time when OH is here. They adore each other and Rodders goes mental when he arrives home. He can now be trusted to sit and wait at the gate for OH to open it, as he doesn't run off the second it is open. In fact  in the morning when OH leaves, Rodders sits and watches him pack the car before saying goodbye to him!