adventures

Lizzie ‘Deadgehog’!

Ahh the perfect afternoon stroll and something to roll in - that was Lizzie’s aim every time her lead came out and the magic word ‘walkies’ was called. Today she was going to be luckier than most! Carefully investigating every bit of ground as she trotted happily alongside her owners without her lead Lizzie thought she was in ‘Doggie Heaven’. No tiny spec remained unexamined, until pricking her ears and lifting her nose she smelt something.

“Mmmm that smells good”

she thought and took off at the speed of light, her owners followed slowly as she was in a large wood and there was no danger, and that gave Lizzie the advantage she needed. Running off to the source of the exciting aroma she proceeded to roll in it in ecstasy! Not a bit of her small squirmy body was forgotten, a quick dab behind her ears and her owners finally arrived for her to proudly share her discovery with them.

“Why were they so horrified? Why did they seem cross? Wasn’t this just the best smell ever - and what does ‘dead hedgehog’ mean?????????”

‘Honey and the Pigeons’

Honey had poorly ears a few years ago and is now stone deaf - but whilst she can’t hear any sound her eyes are as sharp as a hawks! Today she went into the garden to carry out her morning rituals before breakfast and was just about to bound indoors with her ears flying in the wind when she noticed the ‘pigeons’! Normally a very silent lady the only thing that rouses her enough to squeak (well she has been deaf a long while and doesn’t know that she doesn’t bark properly) are birds.

Should she go in and get her breakfast or sort out those pigeons. Ears pricked, body low she decides to get those pigeons once and for all….. GO!

“Oh no missed again - who's that at the door - saunter over as if I was aiming that way all the time, get my paws wiped and get my breakfast - there is always tomorrow!”

Lucy and Honey go on holiday!

Lucy and Honey consider themselves ‘streetwise’, they have done the walk, talked the talk - but what they hadn’t done before was go on holiday on a camper home. They loved travelling in a car but when they approached the camper alarm rather than curiosity lit their faces. After having a lift up the too steep step they were inside. A quick inspection ruled out any dangers ahh and there was their bed - they had been wondering where that had vanished this morning. Jumping in their bed they relaxed while their owners got into seats and the camper moved off. The experience was like a car and after a few minutes they decided it was all too much effort to stay awake and curled up to sleep for the entire journey.

Suddenly they awoke to a new place, stretching their paws as their owners put their leads on they looked outside and saw lots of trees and grass - this wasn’t home! Stepping outside they were hit by a wave of very interesting smells and what were these delicious currants every where on the ground - ahh they must come from that furry thing with big ears and a fluffy tail - ‘CHASE’! What were those big dogs with swishing tails - mmm perhaps we shall give them a miss but oh whatever they drop on the ground is lovely to roll in. Yes Lucy and Honeys’ first visit to the New Forest was the best ever holiday - especially trying to eat bunny poo and roll in horse manure!

Honey and the seaside!

As you know Honey considers herself the most laid back and ‘streetwise’ dog! Some dogs are chilled out like Honey and others continually stress like her friends up the road, bark, bark, bark all day long! Nothing was a better example of this than when Honey went to the seaside.

Dragging her owners over the sand dunes Honey could smell the sea and was rushing to it as fast as she could make her owners move. She had been to the seaside once before and apart from lots of sand in her ears had loved every minute of it.

Rushing down the final slope she finally reached the sea and sand. Oooh nose down she investigated the shells and seaweed that the outgoing waves left behind, trouble was she was so engrossed she didn’t notice that the waves came back in after going out and suddenly she looked behind her in surprise when a cold wet wave splashed over her tail. Well she was unperturbed, she tasted the water and decided it wasn’t for drinking so promptly stuck her ears and nose in the water and then splashed her sister Lucy. Poor Lucy always a little on the nervous side ran to her owners and hid in a big warm towel. Honey however decided this was fun and so was chasing the seagulls! Up and down the sea front shouting at the gulls then pushing her face and ears in the water - what fun! Finally she decided she had had enough and wanted her tea so with a big smile on her face she trotted back to her owners to be snuggled in the big warm towel with Lucy then taken home for a well deserved tea!

Honey Gets a Cough

Honey has always been the strong silent one - well being deaf does help! But today instead of Lucy moaning about a tail hair out of place, her ears not looking as pretty as they should - Honey started coughing.

At first Lucy looked at her in amazement then realised Honey was still coughing and feeling very sorry for herself so Lucy went in search of her owner. When Lucy came back with her owner Honey had taken herself back to bed and was looking even more sorry for herself. It hurt her to swallow, her ribs hurt when she coughed and she was just feeling ‘unwell’.

Picking her up her owner announced it was the vets for Honey! Poor Honey one thing she hated more than feeling poorly was the ‘vets’. Trying to perk up and wag her tail and pretend she was fine another coughing fit happened and she hung her head in resignation of what was to come - the awful thermometer to take her temperature and the awful smell of the vets.

As soon as Honey was shown into the vets office she started to shake - then cough - then shake again. This time the vets looked over her very carefully and listened to her chest, she then announced Honey would need some medicine and would be as right as rain in no time, then stuck something sharp in her! Practically charging out of the vets with her owner dragging behind Honey raced to home … but when she told Lucy about it later she had to admit the vet had helped - her nasty cough was already going! Didn’t mean she liked the vets now though!!

Honey Gets Brave

Honey has always been the shyest of the pair and usually lets Lucy be the boss, get the best titbits or comfy lap, happy to jump up on a lap when Lucy decides she has shown her superiority, or snuffle the last few crumbs of a treat. However, she decided enough was enough and after taking careful note of all Lucy’s bossy habits she decided to make a stand. Not with Lucy of course - that would be silly and Lucy would tell her off in no uncertain terms! No she decided to show her owner who is boss!

Every evening after their owner’s finished dinner they would have Kong’s filled with lovely treats. Lucy always impatient would keep hovering near the dinner table to remind us she was waiting for her treat. Honey would sit on the little bit of carpet in the kitchen especially for her with her head on paws and just wait, leaving all the reminding to Lucy. Finally their owners finished and made their way to the Kong and treats drawer. Honey having been patient for so long, always quiet in Lucy’s shadow decided to show who was boss. As soon as the Kong’s appeared - not even filled with treats she barked her annoyance at waiting. When after another 10 seconds they still weren’t ready she barked again and again and refused to stop until she was given her Kong!

Now whenever Honey’s owners finish their dinner Honey rushes to the drawer and barks with impatience - even Lucy stays back and waits for Honey to be given the Kong first!

Dribbles Get’s Brave

Dribble’s was deserted by her previous owners when she was an adult cat - not that you would know because she was a Black Bombay and never grew bigger than kitten size! This desertion and the fact that someone had hurt her before she came to live with us made her a very nervous cat.

For the first 10 years of her life she lived in Emily's room, ate there, slept there, and played with Emily, happy with her little domain. Sophie and Lizzie being nosey cavaliers loved to rush in and try to scare her so she jumped on the dressing table scattering bottles everywhere.

As Dribbles neared her 19th birthday, which in cat years is very old, the vet decided she would benefit from some new medication as Dribbles was always being sick and weakly - to the point where she was nearly renamed 'upchuck'! The medication had an immediate effect - not only did Dribbles stop being sick, she discovered confidence! She was no longer afraid and decided for the first time ever to venture out of her room. Sophie and Lizzie rushed up to her and instead of getting scared Dribbles gave them a swift pat on their noses with her paw! She then went downstairs and jumped in their basket, daring them to try and move her. When it was feed time Dribbles decided she had to inspect the girl’s food and have a little nibble before she would let them eat, and they let her!

From then on Dribble’s became the boss, chairs and laps were for sleeping on and if she had to share it with Sophie or Lizzie she didn’t mind - as long as she got in first! Until she died a grand old lady at 22 years old she never went back to being sick or afraid again - she even ventured down the garden but then rushed back in - perhaps she wasn’t quite that confident!

Dribble’s gets run over

Dribble’s would never go outside, even when she got her confidence back she was still very frightened of ‘outside’! However one day without her owner realising Dribble’s followed Emily outside. In a panic because she realised what she had done and Emily was already cycling away she rushed after her - without looking right and left then right again on the road. A car came shooting down the road and Dribble’s found herself flying through the air, as luck would have it straight back on the lawn in front of her house. She limped round to the back garden and crawled upstairs to Emily’s room. Her head hurt, her paws hurt and her one leg wouldn't do what she told it. She became very frightened and hoped Emily would be back soon.

Lucy and Honey go to the Kennels

Lucy and Honey’s owners were going on holiday and had arranged for the usual house sitter to take care of them. They enjoyed this as they got more treats than usual and Emily would walk them to lots of new places - not to mention they got to sneak into her bed!!

This time however Emily was also away so for the very first time in their lives they were going into kennels. Their owners took them to visit lots of places and they got to sniff different cages and shout at some dogs in these strange cages who were moaning they wanted to go home. Little did they know that the final one they visited and had a nice biscuit was where they would return for a taster visit.

With a big cuddle their owners left them in one of those cages they had seen before, they went in their nest and curled up not sure what was happening but convinced their owners would be back. Years later (alright only 3 hours but in dog time that is a long time!) their owners were back. Honey wagged her tail but Lucy decided she hadn’t liked being left and wanted to sulk. But 2 days later it was all forgotten.

3 days later they found themselves bundled up in the car again and next to them were tins of their favourite food and biscuits - what was happening? Once again they went in that strange cage, but they didn’t mind they had stayed in it before and with a little wag of their tails they watched their owners go off.

5 days later and 2 very worried owners returned - they had phoned the kennels every day to be told Honey and Lucy were having fun, but they were sure this wasn’t the truth. They went to the cage and Honey and Lucy rushed out to say hello, they had had a spa treatment day the day before and wanted to show off their clean fur and neat nails! They were happy to see their owners but they didn’t want to leave the young girls who had spoilt them a little too much as they had definitely put some weight on! Lucy and Honey smiled at each other as they got in the car with Lucy saying;

“I knew I could get us lots more food from those young girls without our owners there to see! Bet they won’t leave us again!”

Dribble’s would never go outside, even when she got her confidence back she was still very frightened of ‘outside’! However one day without her owner realising Dribble’s followed Emily outside. In a panic because she realised what she had done and Emily was already cycling away she rushed after her - without looking right and left then right again on the road. A car came shooting down the road and Dribble’s found herself flying through the air, as luck would have it straight back on the lawn in front of her house. She limped round to the back garden and crawled upstairs to Emily’s room. Her head hurt, her paws hurt and her one leg wouldn't do what she told it. She became very frightened and hoped Emily would be back soon.

When Emily returned home she went upstairs as usual to say ‘hello’ to Dribble’s. To her horror Dribble’s was in her basket crying and licking her sore paws. Rushing her to the vets they found she broken her leg, scratched her face and cut all her paws. She was taken into Animal Hospital for the vet to make better.

A week later she returned home, not quite the same but happy to be back somewhere she knew. She has walked with a stiff leg ever since and her one ear will always have had a bit missing - but she has learnt her lesson she is never going near the road again!