Tuesday 29 January 2013

Hugo's little accident!

As the garden is so wet at the moment and Pip is very interested in looking over the fence into next doors garden (where rabbits and guinea pigs live!) we have not left the back door open for Hugo and Pip when we have gone out over the last few days. Yesterday when we got in Pip did her usual excitement wee (on the kitchen floor)  and I went and got the mop and bucket to clean up. Hugo went up the garden and we watched,  laughing at him, as he stood there, weeing for England and didn't think he was going to stop.  As the floor was so dirty I give it a thorough wash all over and used plenty of disinfectant and then got on with making tea. Suddenly heard running water and thought the dishwasher was leaking and then realised Hugo was just standing there weeing al over the still-wet-from-washing floor!!! Couldn't believe it - totally out of character as the only time he has ever had an accident in the house was the first night we had him. So, kitchen floor washed for the second time within the space of about 15 minutes. 

Perhaps he was trying to mark his territory after all the disinfectant - maybe that's a good enough excuse not to do too much housework in future!!



Thursday 24 January 2013

Cough, Cough!

When I went upstairs to get changed tonight I noticed on the bed a tiny scrap of cardboard and realised it was from the box of Covonia cough sweets I had left on the bedside table. When I mentioned it to Toby he did say he had found Pip standing over the empty box earlier and he had thrown it away. There was no sign of anything else anywhere so SOMEONE must have eaten the 5-6 sweets left inside!! It wouldn't be quite so bad but they tasted absolutely awful so cannot think what the attraction was.

Hugo is finding Pip rather interesting at the moment as she has just come in to her first season - obviously he can't do much about it but they seem a bit more loving towards each other over the last couple of days and we wonder if that is why he reacted to the dog on the Common on Tuesday. Pip is looking a bit sorry for herself and sleeping a lot so will be glad when it's all over and we can get her spayed. Just a bit worried though as she doesn't like the vet anymore after they 'took her downstairs' to sort out her abscess! Perhaps they'll let Hugo come and stay with her for the day (only joking!).

Tuesday 22 January 2013

Blowing the cobwebs away

Hugo actually running! Also showing his rolls of fat!!!
After the initial shock of seeing snow for the first time, Hugo and Pip now absolutely love the cold, white stuff. Every chance they get they are out in the garden, charging around and around and coming back in exhausted. It's just as well they are getting so much exercise this way as we have found walking them off the estate a major problem as the road and footpaths are like an ice rink and almost impossible for one person to take the two of them without slipping and sliding all over the place. Also, as our favourite drive-to walking places all involve going up steep hills they haven't really been accessible either.

There's a tiger about!
As the roads were much better yesterday we arranged that Toby would bring the dogs with him when he came to pick me up from work and we would go home via Selsley Common but, unfortunately, the car would not start and I had to get a lift home. Hugo and Pip were not amused! They were ready in the car and Toby had to persuade them to get out and they could not understand why. As it was still light when I got back we walked them down over the canal to the meadows where the snow was still quite deep and they had a wonderful half hour running round and round, using the extender leads like lunge reins. It certainly helped blow the cobwebs away and we actually managed the whole thing without anyone falling over.

Mine, all mine
Delicious!
Today Toby took them up on the common and they had a great time - made even better by the fact there was hardly anyone else there. Toby managed both Hugo, Pip and a camera all at the same time and got a few nice snaps of the scenery. They only met one off-lead dog who ran over to them when they first set off - the only thing to do in this sort of situation is to stand still just to keep your footing - but, fortunately, the person with the dog came running over, very apologetic, saying they were only dog-sitting for it. A bit further in the walk it escaped again so Hugo did his usual greeting and put his paw on it then, most unlike him, woofed loudly - it slunk off and didn't bother them again!

Daniel has bought Hugo and Pip some big bones again and Pip in particular is obsessed by them and wants them all to herself. I even resorted to confiscating them for a while as she was standing guard over them while poor Hugo looked on bemused. He is a bit sneaky though and carries them upstairs and hides them when she isn't looking. Yesterday morning he got up with me on the bed and bought one with him (lovely, just what you want in bed with you) - when Pip looked up and saw him Hugo just starred her out and she turned away and lay down. First victory ever to Hugo I think!



Friday 18 January 2013

Snow!!!


Normally when I go downstairs at about 6.30am in the morning and let Hugo and Pip up the garden they fly out the back door and go charging on to the decking, leaping and jumping over each other - if it's frosty they shoot out like a rocket and lick everything in sight and then lie on the cold ground. Today was different, today we actually had snow! I fought my way through them to open the back door and they froze on the step as they saw what was outside. Very cautiously they sniffed the strange, cold white stuff then licked it. They then very, very, slowly, both walking like little old ladies, licked their way across the patio, up the path, over the decking and round on to the lawn - took them about 10 minutes to get that far and they were then happy to come in.



After that first experience though they have suddenly come to life and want to be out there all the time which. When Martin took them for a walk this afternoon he said Hugo had to walk in the deepest drifts of snow he could find (only about 2 inches deep - this is Gloucestershire after all!) and Pip put her nose down and snorted her way along.

They are now both flat out, dreaming and twitching, no doubt reliving their exciting day.