As each day passes I meet new people and make new friends. On Monday I met Barb. I am not sure she is all that keen on me, but hopefully I can change that over time. Barb comes to do a bit of gardening for Alex and she said that she likes dogs so, as it as a nice day yesterday, Alex let me stay in the garden with her. I thought I would help her, so every plant that she put in the ground, I helpfully dug up again. She didn’t seem all that pleased though – I don’t know why. Anyway, as time went on, she began weeding instead. That didn’t really need much help from me and I got a bit bored. Eventually I went up to where she was working and I did a poo … it was huge!! And boy did it smell! When she left Barb said to Alex, “He’s a nightmare and his poo stinks!”. Alex says he’ll keep me indoors next time Barb is here – probably wise until she loses the ability to resist my charm and good looks!
So, having entertained Barb I decided I needed a new game. One I’ve recently invented is scratching at the carpet, but apparently that isn’t very good, so I’m not allowed to play that anymore. I’ve also decided that jumping up and trying to nip when Alex or Richard is putting my lead on is quite a good game, but they keen turning their backs on me and ignoring me when I do it, so that isn’t a lot of fun either. I tried relocating all shoes in the house, but that didn’t take that long, so I decided to take Alex out for a walk. Well, when I say walk, I mean more of a tow. Alex wanted me to walk on a loose lead, but I was having none of it. I’ve done a lot of that recently and I wanted to do things my way! He said it was like having a naughty teenager, but I don’t really know what that is.
On our way around we bumped into Angela. She is very nice and kept saying how lovely I am. Even when I was pulling with all my might, she still said I was lovely! Alex seemed to take a different view but he’ll learn in the end. I am Monty and I am king! We walked back down the Bay Pond path to where Angela lives. I had a quick drink of water out of the bowls she puts outside her house and then we started our way back up the High Street towards home. Just past the Post Office I thought of another fun thing to do – I stopped. I mean, I just stopped. I refused to move forwards at all. Eventually Alex tried to bribe me with a piece of chicken. I moved three steps, took the chicken (to fool him into thinking I would carry on) and stopped again. We spent the next 30 minutes playing this game before we eventually got home.
Yesterday (Tuesday) when we went out for our morning walk I decided we could play the stopping game again. For some reason Alex didn’t want to play this time. When I stopped he just stopped with me and told me that we could stay there all day if I liked. That spoilt it so after a 5 minute stand off I decided to give up and carry on walking. I did try it a few more times but he was not playing anymore! In the afternoon Alex played with me with my favourite ball – it was good fun. He throws it (not very far because of my hips) and I go and get it. Then I drop it in the most awkward to get to spot, bark until Alex gets it for me and then we start again. We played this game for quite a while. Alex told Richard he was trying to tire me out a bit before going for a walk to see if it would improve my pulling. Actually it did, but don’t tell Alex that!
After about an hour of our ball game, I took Alex out for a walk. We walked for most of the time on a loose lead because, frankly, I was too tired to pull. When I did pull a bit, Alex stopped and walked back a bit, so we actually ended up worse off than before I pulled. That seemed a bit pointless so I gave up. We had a nice walk until we got back to the High Street when I tried the stopping game again. It didn’t really work again – I’m going to have to find a new game. When we got back home I decided more games with the ball were in order. Alex said that we had already been playing for about 2 hours but I didn’t care. If he stopped playing, I barked. Eventually, when Richard was just about to arrive home, I got a bit distracted and, for some reason, the ball just disappeared! I haven’t seen it since and, believe me, I have been looking!
Yesterday evening, Richard took me for a lovely walk. Alex wanted to sort the washing out (whatever that is) and apparently it is difficult when I am around because I play a game of pinching bits of clothing and relocating them to various points around the house. Anyway, what do I care – Richard took me round The Green and down Ivy Mill Lane. We went through Ivy Mill Close where I stopped to produce an enormous poo outside Moira and Alan’s house. Richard says we are going to have to get bigger poo bags! We walked back through the footpath and when we got home Alex had done whatever it was he needed to do. We settled down to a nice evening and even Great Uncle Bulgaria dropped in for a drink. I think he would have stayed a bit longer, but Richard seemed keen for bed (I think he might have had one too many, but I would never say!).
And so, this morning we are about to go on one of our walks. I am still avoiding the car although I had a lovely message from Charlie yesterday with some advice, so I might be prepared to give the back seat a go. Alex is saying that we are not going to walk our usual route so that I won’t start the stopping game. We’ll see. However, as we’re off on a walk … must paws!
Now Monty. I think that you are not being a very helpful dog if you are going to sit down and refuse to walk any farther, especially in the High St where there is really nothing to look at except parked cars and shop fronts. I would suggest that next time you decide to do stopping you do it on the Green so that Alex can at least sit down and watch the world go by while you make up your mind about setting off again.
Iain and I saw you this morning walking down the High St with Alex. We beeped our horn and you stopped to look at us but I don’t think you knew who we were.
I saw you friend Zena this morning going to work on her bicycle. I don’t think she would be happy with you stopping if she was taking you for walkies. We called out to each other and she went on her way.
Now pooing in front of Angela was probably not the best idea, especially big smelly ones. I am sure you will know not to do it again.
Just now I am looking after a pussy cat who lives along the road, His name is lucky and his owner has gone on holiday and couldn’t take him so I go in twice a day to feed him. What with that, walking Spike and Daisy, who you met, and opening and closing Brendan’s windows morning and night I feel the neighbours can’t do without me.
Now if you are a good doggy you will find that your friends won’t be able to do without you!
Be good!
Fran