Sorry for being missing in action

Yesterday was quite a day and it started early.

OH got up with Rodders and woke me almost straight away to say that he had been sick in his bed. I came down as he was trying to clear it up but it was obvious that the bed pad was going to have to go in the washing machine as it was covered in undigested rice, he had also wet it. Rodders seemed OK, if a little sorry for himself, he still wanted to play and spend time in the garden. I took him for a quick walk up the rugby field and he was happy enough running about.

He was also hungry so, rather than chicken and rice which he A) didn't seem to be enjoying or B) fully digesting I gave him the smallest handful of kibble I could. He wolfed it down.  He also wanted a carrot top while I was peeling vegetables ready to go in the slow cooker later.

When OH went off to work he wanted to go out to the gate as usual and came back when I called him.

I spoke to OH in the car after I had got ready for work and he reassured me that Rodders would be fine. I was concerned about him not having any water so while I was chatting I was googling for a water bowl that we can fit to the crate. I found one on Amazon and ordered it straight away, it should be here in a couple of days.

I was worried about leaving him to go to work but he seemed happy enough to go in to his crate with the other bed pad and some treats. I couldn't wait to get home at lunchtime and he was quiet when I walked in the door until he spotted me when he started squeaking. He had been sick again and had tried not to do it on his bed so it was mainly on the floor outside the crate. I took him in to the garden for a piddle and so I could check his poo from this morning - loose but not too runny. When we came back in I cleaned up the sick and turned the bed pad over as the first one wasn't yet dry and rang OH to let him know. He suggested I called the vets for advice.

I chatted to the vets and they brought his check up forward from tomorrow to tonight which would mean leaving work earlier, not the best thing during my first week but it can't be helped. The vet also suggested that I gave him a very small meal as they don't recommend starving puppies, and to make sure he still had water available.

I came off the phone and made him up a small amount of chicken and rice. The little monkey ate the chicken and left most of the rice. I managed to squeeze his water bowl in to the crate and Rodders drank from it straight away. He still wanted to play and have a fuss.

I also managed to put tonights dinner in the slow cooker but had to forego lunch as I just didn't have time, good job I had a bag of crisps earlier!

I had to leave him and go back to work and, the little star that he is, he went back in to his crate without any problems.

After finishing work at 4.30 I came straight home to find that he had been a little sick again and had managed to get most of it outside his crate. After clearing up and letting him in to the garden for a piddle I threw the bed pad in the washing machine and we went off to the vets. Luckily the bed pad washed earlier was dry so could go in to the car crate.

Rodders was his usual self in the vets and wanted to talk to everyone that was there. When I made him sit and wait he just barked his please let me play bark! After about 5 minutes we got called in to see the vet and he was very thorough and asked lots of questions as he was examining Rodders. He also weighed him and he is now 4.9k, so he has put on weight in the last week. He told me that his tummy was very noisy, so obviously upset about something. Again Rodders had to have the anti sickness injection and we have come away with more in tablet form for the next 4 days, more antibiotics and some special dog food. He isn't allowed anything else, no treats, no carrots, just this and water and he needs to be checked over again on Friday, earlier if I am worried. I am also to wait at least an hour before giving him anything to make sure the anti sickness injection works. We sat in the waiting room while they got the medicine and food ready and then paid the bill. Rodders was playing with one of the members of staff that he knows from puppy party, trying to attack her feet under the desk!

I rang OH, who was on his way home, as soon as we got out the vets to let him know how we got on. We are both so worried about the little fella.

Once home we put the 2nd bed pad on the bathroom radiator to dry and sat and had a snuggle until OH was home. After giving Rodders a fuss we needed to go shopping so that OH could get Rodders some Christmas presents. We had a great time in Pets at Home, Rodders loves it in there and OH hasn't brought him any presents before so he went a little nuts! This really is one spoilt puppy!

We also stopped at the little Tesco to grab some bits for dinner. I left Rodders and OH in the car and came out to find them in the Car Park. OH needed to use the hole in the wall so we walked him around a little before putting him back in the crate.

As Rodders has been poorly on both bed pads he was allowed his new bed early. OH took the labels off and put it in the crate. It is a very posh bed pad with a fleece topper that attaches with press studs and OH also bought a spare topper. It is exactly the right size for the crate and Rodders seems to like it.

I gave Rodders his antibiotic and measured out the special food. he is to have 50 grammes, 4 times a day. It looks such a little amount in his bowl. He was obviously hungry as it disappeared in seconds.

Oh went upstairs to do his Christmas wrapping as I finished off dinner. Rodders was running between us and seemed to be helping OH with his wrapping from the comments I could hear! I shouted for him to come down as I put dinner on the table. Rodders pottered about as we ate. Once we were finished OH went back up to finish wrapping and I cleared the table.

When we were all done OH played with Rodders for a while before I gave him his 2nd feed and then we settled down to watch some TV before bed.

Rodders had been in and out the garden all evening and went out again with me before bed. It was hard putting him in his crate without any treats but he didn't complain. He is such a good puppy.

Afternoon shift

I managed to concentrate on work for the afternoon and IT came up to sort out my computer. I managed to start finding my way around it on my own so it can't be too hard!

Looking at some of the spreadsheets they use I think there will need to be some basic macro's and look up tables done to make life easier.

It was soon 5pm and time to go home. As soon as I walked in the door Rodders started barking and I let him out the crate for a quick fuss and then we both went out in to the garden. To say he was desperate for a piddle is an understatement! I didn't think he was ever going to stop.

Once back inside he just wanted up for a snuggle and wouldn't stop licking me and nestling in to me. He didn't want to play or anything. Eventually he was happy to go down and  started to sniff his bowl so I made his supper. After he had eaten a little he asked to go in the garden and then wanted to play.

Pat next door rang the bell to drop off a delivery and said that they didn't hear him at all today but he did howl when we went out last Thursday.

OH called to say he is on his way home but it could be a while as the traffic is awful and he needs to pick up an ebay purchase on route. I just need to know when he is 30 minutes from home so that I can prepare dinner!

Rodders has been running about playing and getting up to mischief, stopping briefly for a drink and a bit more supper. He did also try to get at one of the Christmas Tree ornaments but did stop when asked. He has also been upstairs with me when I went to get changed and was trying to bite the trousers I took off and the trackie bottoms I out on before running off with a slipper!

He is now in his toy box playing!

What am I like!

So everything went to plan, puppy walked, me showered, hair dry and dressed for work. It was very frosty and we were lucky not to slip over on the paths and patio this morning. Rodders also ate most of his chicken and rice.

When it came to telling Rodders that I needed to go to work and he had to stay here I was in tears :-( Soppy cow that I am! He didn't seem bothered and went straight in his crate for treats - he had been out to the garden for a piddle 5 minutes before.

So off I went for my first day and met with HR for a brief induction before being handed over to my Manager and then the girl I am replacing. By the end of the morning I had two pages of notes and things were starting to make sense. It does seem a bit of a disjointed system with some things being done manually but I am sure I will get to grips with it.

By lunchtime I was getting twitchy about Rodders and couldn't wait to get him, thank goodness it is less than 5 minutes away! I shouldn't have been worried, he was quiet when I came in the door and didn't make a sound until I spoke. He then started squeaking and was desperate to get out of the crate for a fuss. As soon as he had been given a fuss I took him in to the garden for a piddle before making a cuppa and heating and eating my lunch. While waiting for things to cool down we were playing fetch with the ball. Lunch eaten (Rodders finished this mornings Chicken and Rice), I popped Rodders lead on and we went out in to the rain to deliver the Christmas Cards around Pentland. Rodders then had another run around in the garden before it was time to pop him back in his crate for the afternoon. This time I gave him a big chew along with his normal treats.

Another good night! But he has found the Christmas Tree

At 11.30pm it was time for bed. When I told Rodders he got up from the bed pad by the sofa and moved in to his crate. No way was he going to go out in to the garden. I locked up, switched out the lights, gave him his treats and said goodnight.

Not a peep out of him, even when I needed to use the bathroom at 2am but I did try to be very quiet. I woke up at 6.45am and came downstairs. Rodders was very pleased to see me and was happy to come out of his crate for a fuss and soon wanted out in to the garden for a piddle and a poop.

Once back in he wanted to come up on the sofa with me and slept for another two hours. When he woke up he wanted to play with his toys and then I spotted that he has managed to get a decoration off the tree. It got taken away from him with a firm no and out back. He tried to get it again and was told no.

I let him play while I got his breakfast and next few meals ready and he came in to the kitchen with me after a little while to see what I was doing, chopping up chicken. He was squeaking so I threw some kibble down for him, just a small handful. I put his breakfast down and he has eaten a little chicken and rice.

We then got the comb out and groomed him. He hasn't been done for a few days and is a little knotty so we didn't do all of him in one go, we will go back to it later. He got a treat for being a good boy and has now gone back to playing. He was spotted trying to get at the Christmas Tree but came away when asked.

A good evening

Rodders was happy to play as I wrapped more christmas presents and he was in and out the garden for a while. He has eaten two full bowls of chicken and rice over the day and has hand a couple of handfuls of kibble but he doesn't seem to be drinking much.

I have taken chicken out the freezer to defrost and more rice has been cooked, brown rice this time so I hope he likes it.

Rodders has shown a bit more interest in the Christmas Tree but is coming away when asked.

Late in the evening, when I was still wrapping he was asleep on the bed pad by the sofa and then moved to his crate. About 10pm he asked to go out in the garden for a piddle.

The good news is that I only have a few more presents to wrap tomorrow and then we are done Do need to write the last of the Christmas cards though. About 10.30 I stopped for the night and he came out of his crate on to the bed pad by the sofa until bedtime.

Wow, what a good night and morning.

Rodders was fast asleep in his crate at midnight when I decided it was time to go to bed so I had to wake him up to go out for a piddle. He went all stiff legged on me and so I carried him out in to the garden and put him on the grass. He sat there for a second, had a stretch and then wandered off for a piddle. He then came straight back in and went to his bed and sat there while I locked up, switched out lights and got his treats ready. I shut him in the crate and went upstairs.

I slept through until 8am and there wasn't a sound from Rodders as I got up, used the bathroom and came downstairs. He was a very sleepy boy as I opened the crate and after a fuss went and lay down on the snuggle fleece by the radiator. Gradually he woke up and after I had made a cuppa asked to go in to the garden. He was out there for ages and had a piddle and a poop before going off to play.

By the time he had come in I had almost sorted out his chicken and rice but I had put it in the microwave to warm it a little and it was now too hot. I threw down a small handful of kibble and he wolfed that down. When I put the chicken and rice down he didn't seem interested to start with until I put a bowl of kibble beside it - he picked the chicken and rice!

After eating some of his breakfast he wanted to play with his toys for a while until I went upstairs to get washed and dressed. He came too and was happy to play in the bathroom and then sit on the bed.

Once we were back downstairs I popped his lead on and grabbed my coat so that we could walk up to the post box at the shops with the first batch of Christmas cards. It had started to rain a little but that didn't deter us. He was walking really nicely on the lead until we spotted another dog and he wanted to say hello. It was  a two year old poodle/bichon cross who seemed very friendly. They had a good sniff at each other and a little play before we parted company.

He was sitting and waiting as we stopped to cross roads and the only thing that seemed to spook him was a lady at the bus stop with an umbrella.

Back home he needed drying off with his towel as he was soaking and he then wanted to play so we got his ball out and played fetch for a while. He then wanted to attack the Christmas Tree but did stop with a very firm no. He has had this mornings tablet in a little lump of cheese and has eaten more chicken and rice.

I made another cuppa and came to sit down and he wanted up on my lap. Once he settled and fell asleep I moved him and snuggle fleece on to his bed pad at my feet. He seemed a little shivery so I have wrapped snuggle fleece around him.

Did I bring a different puppy home?

Since we got back from the vets Rodders has been playing much more than he has done since Wednesday. He has been chasing his toys and playing fetch, trying to eat the Christmas Tree, jumping on me, chewing the door mat, he has been in and out of the garden and came back soaked one time and covered in mud another and generally up to mischief! It is like I brought a different puppy home and so much nicer than the sad one of the last few days.

OH has called to check how he is doing and then again to say he is on his way home from work. We won't see him until Monday now :-(

I have checked the freezer and we have two more bags of cooked chicken so I have taken another one out to defrost ready for tomorrow, which means that I only need to cook up some more rice for him.

As I am typing Rodders has settled down on a snuggle fleece for a rest.

A quiet day and a visit to the vet

Rodders was very quiet today and hardly left his bed pad or my side other than to go out in to the garden for a piddle. By lunchtime he had eaten some chicken and rice and had drunk a little but he really wasn't playing like normal. He didn't even want to come upstairs with me.

I needed to go out waxing and shopping so I let him in the garden for a piddle and then popped him in his crate with a treat. I was out for almost three hours and he was happy to see me back.

We went out in to the garden so he could have a piddle and then it was time to go back to the vets for his check up. He wasn't happy to go out on his lead to the car but once we got to the vets he was very happy to trot in there. While we were in the waiting room we saw a cat and then a chocolate labrador. Rodders had been sitting nicely until the lab came in and then he wanted to play with it. He was making so much noise with his come play with me bark that I eventually asked the owners if he could say hello. They agreed and the dogs had a good sniff of each other. Rodders was then happy to come back and sit beside me.

Rachel called us in and we talked through how the last day has been. I said that he was still quite quiet and sleepy but had drunk all the rehydration salts and more than 2 bowls of chicken and rice. She checked him over and he is no longer dehydrated which is good and heart and temperature are still good.

To be on the safe side she wants him to have antibiotics twice daily for five days and to stay on chicken and rice until she sees him again on Wednesday, just because she wants to be a bit cautious and make sure he is better by christmas. Once she gives him the OK we can gradually swap him back to kibble.

We went back to the waiting room to wait for his tablets and another bill and there were two more cats in there, one was making quite a lot of noise so I managed to get Rodders to sit behind them. He only made a bit of a squeak, much better than the barking earlier.

We got called forward to pay the bill and pick up the tablets and we were on our way out the door. Rodders was quite happy to walk back to the car and go in his crate.

A celebration!

To say congratulations on getting the new job and Happy Christmas OH wanted to take me out for dinner to our favourite restaurant to celebrate. Having heard how awful I sounded on the phone he wasn't sure if this was going to happen.

Once he came in and saw that I was feeling better he nipped out to the car for a change of clothes. Rodders was distraught at being left inside as OH hadn't said goodbye to him and he sat at the door barking and whinging. As soon as I spotted that OH was back in the garden and the gate was shut I let him Rodders out  and he was so happy to be chasing OH up the path.

The ironing people called in to collect my ironing and wanted to see Rodders so I brought him to the door for a fuss, he also had a sneaky bark at someone passing by.

We both went upstairs to get changed and Rodders realised that we were probably going out and leaving him behind. Once back downstairs he did come out in to the garden for a piddle and then came back in and was encouraged in to his crate with some treats.

I drove us down to the restaurant and we had a lovely meal with a bottle of wine before getting a cab back. It was so nice to see Alberto again, he always looks after us.

As the cab dropped us back home and we were walking up the path we could hear Rodeders barking. We got inside and let him out of the crate and he was desperate to get out in to the garden for a piddle.

I made a cuppa and then left Rodders and OH downstairs playing while I went to sort out the Christmas presents. Rodders ate more of his chicken and rice and had another drink. OH also gave his beard a wash, all this chicken and rice had made it a bit sticky. OH and I then had to make the bed and Rodders came up to help.

I don't feel well now :-(

All afternoon I had been feeling rough and I had already taken a migralieve but I was still feeling awful.

As soon as my friend left Rodders was happy playing and I needed to get myself on to the sofa for a sleep. As I lay down I called him to me and he came up on the sofa and gave me a wash. Once he realised that I wasn't up to playing he climbed over my legs and settled down between my thighs, knees and calves.

The little star that he is Rodders stayed there and didn't move even when the phone went for OH to say he was on his way and he didn't make a sound until OH arrived. Then he was desperate to get off the sofa and get to him so I lifted him down on to the floor. He was soon jumping up OH wanting a fuss and a snuggle.

Once I got up and started moving around I felt much better. Rodders seemed to be too, he was playing with OH and he asked for more to eat. He didn't eat too much of the chicken and rice but he did drink quite a lot so I topped his bowl up with more rehydrating salts.

Getting better

Over the course of the day Rodders was improving and I found him sitting in his toy box at one point! The length of time he was playing was getting longer and the sleeping was getting shorter so it is obvious that he is feeling better. A combination of the treatment by the vet, chicken and rice and drinking probably.

My only concerning moment was when he dragged his teddy across the floor and then whimpered as he let him go. He just sat there and looked at me so I called him over and brought him up on to my lap. As soon as he fell asleep I popped him back on his bed pad.

One of my friends called in for a cuppa and to drop some goodies off for me. When the doorbell went Rodders didn't move off the bed pad. She came in and crouched down on the floor and miraculously Rodders got up and crept towards her and let her fuss him. As I made a cuppa for us both he was quite happy wandering between us and when we settled down for a natter he just wanted to chew her shoe laces! I managed to distract him with some toys for a while but then he went back to the laces so we had to try again with another toy, this was a bit more successful.

All too soon it was time for her to go and Rodders came to the door to say goodbye.

After the vet

Rodders spent most of the day asleep on his bed pad or snuggle fleece, getting up to play for a little while and then having another snooze. When I went upstairs for anything he didn't want to come with me so I know that he isn't right. He didn't even react to the doorbell and he hasn't wanted to go out in to the garden for very long, just did what he had to do and then came back in.

Gradually he started to improve and when I made a cuppa I threw some kibble on the floor which he happily chased and ate.

I had chicken out on the side defrosting and I made him some rice. By about 2pm he was asking for something to eat so I had to try and cool the cooked rice down quickly by spreading it out on a big plate. Once cool it was mixed with the chicken and sprinkled some of the rehydrating salts on it and I put it down for him. He wolfed it down.

I mixed the rest of the rehydrating salts with water and swapped it for the plain water in his bowl. He has started to drink this too.