Tea!

After his afternoon nap Rodders woke up and we went straight in the garden. He was quite dopey but went and had a piddle on the grass and earnt himself a lot of fuss and a puppy treat. We played in the garden for a little longer and then someone set off either a firework or a bird scarer, you should have seen Rodders bolt for the door. I called him back and picked him up to calm him down, talking gently. Once his little heart had slowed down I put him down and we carried on playing. I really hope this is the right thing to do but I need him to be able to cope with these sort of noises as Firework season here seems to go on for ages as they use them for almost every occasion including diwali, Guy Fawkes and New Year.

We then came back in to put the kettle on so I could have a cuppa and get his tea ready. He liked the smell and started to bark! Obviously a hungry puppy! Unfortunately we have to wait for it to cool down so we went in to the conservatory to play for a little time. He did keep going back to the kitchen for a bark towards his tea though! Looks like I did the right thing by lifting his bowl earlier even though he hadn't finished.

Rodders had been using an enamelled dish but at lunchtime he was a bit spooked when it moved and clanged a little. So tonights tea went in a proper dog bowl. He wolfed down half of it, moved away to burp (!) and then went back to it and had a bit more. He then wandered through the kitchen and back before having a bit more. An almost empty dish was lifted off the floor!

Back to the garden where I stood quietly to let him get on with it. He had a piddle to earn a puppy treat which he played with for a while - obviously not hungry after a big tea! We stayed out there with me still being quiet. He didn't make a sound when Bob and Pat next door went out. My patience paid off and he eventually pooped as well. More praise, more puppy treats :-)

We came in and played for a while. I turned my back on him when he got rough which seemed to work better. Rodders came in to the kitchen while I grabbed something to eat and made a cuppa. And then piddled on the floor :-( Ah well, so many successes today & the floor mops up OK!

Just before 7pm I came through to the lounge put his snuggle blanket at my feet and he has settled himself for a snooze.

Today is a much better day! I hope bedtime goes as well.