Our first New Years Eve together

I checked to see how Rodders poo is today (lovely topic I know!) and it is firming up so his tummy seems to be getting used to the kibble again. Rodders missed his supper again today as he slept through so I am going to increase him to 3 x 80g tomorrow and go for 50/50 id diet/kibble for a day or so and see how that goes.

When he was awake this evening he was happy playing. At one point he was lying on the floor and moving his bed pad with his paws, it was really funny.

During the evening there were fireworks going off intermittently and he was barking at them. I think we need to remember to use the Clix noise CD more this time next year as he was far better with them around bonfire night.

By the time we got to midnight the amount and volume of the fireworks had increased and he just stood and barked. It didn't matter if he was inside or outside, on the floor or up on the sofa with me, he just barked and barked. It was almost 1am before he settled down again.

Rodders and I had a very quiet New Year together and made sure that we were in contact with the important people in our life. This is just how I wanted it, I always get a bit emotional at this time of the year, thinking of all the people no longer physically here with us and shed a tear for them. It seems sad that we are passing another milestone without them with us.

Welcome to 2012 everyone! I hope it brings us all health, wealth and happiness in many ways.

We now have a little horror!

Rodders was having a quiet snooze on the sofa with me and then we got two interruptions. The first one was a christmas card being delivered and Sophie knocked incase Roders ate post, the second was Kevin and Polo coming to visit us.

Polo and Rodders have met before and they seemed to get on OK again today. Except someone piddled on the floor, not sure who :-( It was quite a big puddle and I am not convinced it was Rodders. I made Kev and I a cuppa and we sat nattering while Rodders chased Polo about and asking him to play. When Polo got fed up with being batted with a paw and teased by him I put his Rodders lead on and tried to make him sit. He threw a complete tantrum and was trying to bite me so he got severely checked. I then managed to get him to lie down and stood on the lead so he couldn't get up. He lay at my feet making play with me noises but at least he stayed down.

Once they left Rodders had the devil in him. He was running around getting in to mischief as I was trying to tidy up all the wrapping paper stuff and then I found him sitting in his toy box. At least that was keeping him quiet! He then decided to throw all his toys out of the toy box and the conservatory floor was covered, this is one spoilt puppy! I hope he doesn't get too many more for Christmas or we will be looking for a new, bigger, toy box.

As I cooked dinner he was under my feet in the kitchen waiting to see if anything dropped. He then asked for his dinner, the first time in ages, so he must be feeling better. He has eaten most of it too.

There are now fireworks going off and so he is barking at them. I think I have just managed to distract him as he has gone back to his toys.

Flippin Fireworks in December

Rodders had a quick nap while I ate my dinner and then decided to roll on his back on one snuggle fleece while chewing another, he looked quite cute and I don't care what he does to his fleeces.

He then came up on my knee for a bit of a fuss and once he settled I moved him to his bed pad. He was quite happy snoozing until loud fireworks started going off around us. He barked at the first one, raised his head at the second and has ignored the rest!

Early evening

Rodders came in to the kitchen with me while I cooked and stopped barking at the fireworks.

He has had the odd naughty moment chewing something he shouldn't but is much better at stopping and coming away when asked and I didn't even have the lead on him tonight.

I did give him a chocolate custard pot to lick and he was so funny, just when I thought he had got his snout stuck in it he would use his paw to knock it off. He was very good at holding it between both paws too. He probably shouldn't have had it as he hasn't eaten his supper.

He has been quite snuggly today and has wanted to be as close to me as possible so I have had to settle him on my knee before moving him and snuggle fleece on to the floor.

A bit of a trying time

Rodders came back in from the garden with the wind in his tail and was running around like a lunatic and getting in to mischief and earning himself a few firm no's, he also got a very firm check when he was trying to bite me.

He then asked to come up and was wriggling for ages before settling down for a snooze when he and snuggle fleece got transferred to the floor.

I needed to use the bathroom so told him I was going upstairs and he could come if he wanted to. He didn't follow me up the stairs and was not at the bottom waiting for me which means he is up to mischief. Sure enough, there was a slipper missing from the bottom of the stairs and we had taken himself off to the rolled up carpet in the conservatory looking very smug! He did give it up when asked to and went back to curl up on snuggle fleece.

He has just woken up and started barking because there are fireworks going off again. I may have to distract him by going off to cook my dinner.

Not sure he is right

I really am not sure that Rodders is right today. It could be that his routine has gone to pot, it could be that he isn't happy at the change in discipline in the last 24 hours, it could be lack of sleep, it could be all the fireworks over the last few days, but he just isn't right.

He hasn't eaten and all he really wants to do is lie on snuggle fleece and sleep. If I potter about doing things he cries.

I have had my breakfast and he sat in the conservatory and nosed his toys but didn't play like normal. I am going to give him a further hour of sleep and then we are going to go in to the garden to pick up leaves. I need to get him happy to be in the garden again. I know it is damp but he loved being out there, rain or shine.

OH to the rescue.... maybe

As we got back from our walk (or sit!) OH rang to say he was on his way.

At that point Rodders was having a silly 5 minutes and was jumping and snapping at me so I had to hang up to sort him out. He was very playful and running about quite a bit. OH rang back and while I was talking to him Rodders started to poop by the lounge door, I grabbed him and put him in the back garden. He wasn't happy and barked and barked to come back in. You can flipping well stay out there until I have cleared up and calmed down.

What is this? We had been dry and clean in the house all of last week. Has he been unsettled by puppy training, meeting other dogs, going out with me on saturday, fireworks? I wish I knew.

By the time OH got here the little angel had fallen asleep! He did wake to bark at the intruder which quickly turned in to a tail wag once he realised who it was.

Once we had all said hello, I had made a cuppa and we had caught up I left them to it and went to have a soak in the bath. It was good to have a break and know that Rodders was in safe hands.

Rodders was very excited when I eventually came back downstairs. OH had been in the garden with him but he hadn't done anything. They had been playing happily together - Rodders love it as OH plays rough with him.

And then Rodders piddled on the floor :-(

Twas a brief hiatus

Rodders ran about for a little while longer with me following him around. He got himself between the dresser and table and pooped behind a chair where I couldn't get to him quick enough :-(

I daren't put him in the garden because of the fireworks so he got shut in the kitchen behind the baby gate while I cleared up. From the noise he was making you would think that I had abandoned him. He was jumping up at the gate and throwing himself on the floor and nearly went bonkers when I was using the kitchen roll and when I went to the bin at the front door.

I sprayed the area liberally with stain & odour removal (maybe I should do the whole floor?), left it for a while and then mopped up. Rodders was still barking and whining so I went in to the kitchen to use the bin and ignored him until he quietened down.

I then let him out and the first thing he did was to go and sniff the area, not sure if he was checking I had cleared up properly or what. He then wanted to come straight up on my knee but I made him sit and wait, which set him off barking again!

Once he was quiet I let him up and he promptly fell asleep again. He is now back on snuggle fleece at my feet.

An unusual evening

Rodders rarely wakes up in the evening and has to be picked up and taken outside for a piddle (much to his disgust) every two or three hours, he will occasionally wander to his water bowl and back but that is about all the activity we usually see.

Not tonight!

He has been asleep on snuggle fleece since about 6pm and woke up about 15 minutes ago (damn, nearly missed the end of X Factor!). He wandered sleepily towards the front window so I asked if he wanted to go in the garden and walked towards the conservatory. He trotted happily behind me and we went in to the garden. Fireworks have been going off all evening, luckily for us there was a bit of a lull. Rodders had a piddle and then went to find his toy! I headed towards the door, it is flipping freezing out there and we don't know how long we will be firework free. Rodders came back in with a twig and flopped in the conservatory to chew it.

After X Factor I ran upstairs to the bathroom and he came to. When we came back down I put him on snuggle fleece and he wandered off to finish his supper and have a drink from his bowl. He is now happily trotting around playing and getting in to mischief.

And there was me hoping for an early night!

A bit more play and collapse

Rodders payed in the conservatory for a while but wanted someone to play with after a while so I obliged until it was time to cook dinner.

I took him in to the kitchen with me, some toys and a snuggle fleece. He was happy sniffing around in case I dropped something. He barked again so I let him in to the garden. He was happy out there until the fireworks started to go off - they were going off until almost 11 last night so I hope it isn't as late tonight.

Dinner made and a glass of wine poured (no, not normal - just fancied it) and I came through to the dining table. As soon as I sat down to eat he wanted to play so I was eating my pasta one handed and playing tug with him with the other. I have tidied up and put the dishwasher on and am back sitting at the dining table. He was curled up on snuggle fleece but has just got up for a drink. Think it is time we moved to the lounge.

Rodders reaction to fireworks

Rodders doesn't really seem to react to fireworks unless he is A) in the garden and then he just wants to come inside or B) They are very loud.

He doesn't bark at them or anything.

He didn't seem to notice them in the car at all.

Having seen how Finnan and Becky respond to them I think Rodders is doing brilliantly!

Back to Houghton

We rang Kirsty from the car to find out that Sue & Mel had arrived so we called in there for a little while on the way back. Rodders did have a little complain about being back in the car crate.

We parked at the end of the lane and I put his lead on before getting him out of the car. He walked down to the house again and wasn't put off by Finnan barking as we arrived. Sue gave both dogs treats this time. Nor was he bothered when Finnan went off on one because of the fireworks.

After a quick chat we headed off for home. He did walk back down the lane but at the end, just before we needed to cross the road he lay down and refused to move so I had to carry him the last little bit. We had to stop at Tesco's for fuel. It was interesting to see Rodders in his crate under the lights. He was curled up for a little while and then sat up, not making a sound.

Rodders was brilliant on the way home and I carried him in to the house and we went straight in the garden. He didn't want to stay out there because the fireworks were going off all around us.

Off to see Donna

We left Kirsty and Rodders walked nicely back to the car and there was no noise as I put him back in his crate for the 5 minute journey to Donna's.

I got him out the car after putting his lead on and he walked nicely in to the house just as it was getting dark. He didn't want to come in the door so had to be enticed with some treats. Donna and Toby gave Rodders lots of fuss and he was allowed to have a good sniff around before Donna washed, cut and blow dried my hair. He was happy to come up on my knee for a fuss while she cut my hair.

Matt arrived home in the middle and he took Rodders off me for a fuss and took him with him while he went to get their Springer Becky out of the car. Apparently a firework went off while they were out and Rodders jumped a little.

When Matt came back in with the dogs he handed Rodders to me. He was happy to sit on my knee watching Becky running around and they came nose to nose a couple of times.

Once Donna had finished my hair Rodders had another run around and play with his toy before we said goodbye.

Fireworks again!

Well it is the 4th November and we have fireworks going off all around us.

Rodders is sleeping on Snuggle Fleece at my feet and is paying no attention to the whatsoever, it is just me that is jumping!

Afternoon

We put the shopping away and played a bit and then Rodders took himself off in to the garden so I took the opportunity to give a pal a call, been a bit worried about her as she disappears when she is not feeling good and won't answer the phone or emails. It was my lucky day as she answered and we chatted for about half an hour.

I hung up on her, changed my boots for wellies, and put my coat on ready to take Rodders for a walk. I called him in from the garden and locked the patio door and he started making little crying noises so I went and got his lead so that he would know he was coming too. He ran off with it to the rolled up carpet but sat on there while I put it on.

Once we were outside he walked nicely most of the time until we got stopped by the man with the bin (see yesterday!) and then he stopped. The man spotted him and came to talk to him, with a bit of encouragement he let him give him a fuss.

We walked to the rugby field and he was happy sniffing about, stopping to look, then walking some more. Until some git let off a very noisy firework! Rodders shot off and nearly strangled himself on the lead and I had to take quietly to calm him down. We managed to spend about 10 minutes on the rugby field before heading home, stopping to talk to Kev in his van on route. Rodders was happy to come up in my arms so that Kev could give him a fuss but started to wriggle after a while. I put him back down and he had a piddle.

I have started making him sit at roads, he doesn't quite understand that he then has to move when told though so I need to work on that! May need to take treats on our walk too.

Why?

It is still broad daylight and fireworks are going off. Why? Surely it is a waste of money of you can't even see the flipping things?

Rodders has carried on playing in the garden and doesn't seem bothered by them.

Meanie

Rodders got up to get a drink from his bowl and I took the opportunity to take him out to the garden, he wasn't impressed! He sat on the path for a little while thinking about it and then ambled off for a sniff and a piddle.

While we were out there we could hear fireworks going off in the distance but nothing too loud or close.

I thought he deserved another liver treat for that!

It didn't take him long to settle back down on snuggle fleece.

Can't believe it

I cannot tell you how many fireworks are going off around us tonight, or how loud they are, but I am sat on the sofa jumping with great regularity.

Rodders? He is sleeping soundly! Long may it continue :-)

More flippin fireworks

As Rodders was eating his dinner more loud fireworks went off, he stopped for a second and then started to eat again.

After dinner he wanted to go in the garden but wasn't too keen on going by himself as there were more fireworks going off so I went too -  he obviously hasn't twigged that I hate them! Anyway he had a sniff around, stopping to lift his head to the strange noises, and then piddled. We hung about in case he wanted to do anything else but he really wanted to come back in.

We hate fireworks!

Rodders and I both jumped as a very loud firework went off fairly close by just now.

It stopped him eating his chew for a split second.