Toffee is a digger!

In all my years of owning dogs

Toffee is the first "digger" I have ever had

.

She started from the day she arrived home.

Her specialty was to undermine the pot plants,

rather dangerous as some of my pots are huge.

I looked up Ian Dunbar's  article on digging dogs,

he suggested assigning a special place for digging

and salting it with treats and bones.

As my garden is not very big, Chris suggested using

a children's sandpit.

 It works brilliantly, sometimes she finds a biscuit hidden in there

so it is always worth checking out.

This picture was taken after she had emptied half the dirt out,

she couldn't decide the best place to hide her teething bone,

so of course she kept digging it up and the dirt went flying.

Where did she eventually put it?

Under her bottom!!

Toff spends hours in the dirt, it is in a sunny corner, 

under the veranda and out of the strong rain.

Toffee treats her sandpit like her crate -----

a nice secure place to hang out,

when there is nothing interesting going on.

If you have a digger, this could be the solution for you,

its worth a try.

Enjoy the Spring rain -- it makes the weeds grow!

A miserable spring day!

What do you do on a miserable spring day 

after big morning at dog school?

Go to sleep of course!!

Relax like a puppy and dream of the sunshine.

An Interesting Meeting

I know this photo is not sitting correctly but I love the wide view!

It is the picture at the top of the last page in the

MOIRA 2011 Annual Report.

The article is titled 

"Interview with a Granddaughter"

What Indie wrote is very precious to me, 

if you get the chance to read the article you will understand why.

THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU WROTE, INDIE.

Altogether it was a pretty interesting day.

I have to admit I was anxious about going to the meeting,

I am a worrier, usually for no reason. 

To days worry -- would I be able to manage my boy!!

sometimes I am so silly, must be getting old.

First Challenge.

Managing Middi on the train at peak hour, for the first time.

The biggest problem with trains, is the other passengers.

Sometimes they can be very rude and even knock the dogs 

or stand on them!!!!

The train was packed with school kids, bags, office workers

and trolleys.

I warned everyone that I was coming in and they would need to watch their feet. 

Not much response, so I asked Nik to bring Midi in after me,

the fact that people would not move out of the doorway, 

made me mad, so I said I would look after him myself.

I could only use my voice and one hand movement to tell him to cross in front of me to the right hand side of the chair- 

his working position.

There was about 40cms  between the chair and the wall, 

he had to walk down that space to turn around and stand by me, 

then do a sit/drop into position next to me.

He did it like a trouper, the only thing that was slightly wrong ---, he dropped onto a girls feet. 

I did not correct him because I saw her deliberately move her feet out into the passage way.

Sometimes it makes me very proud to be the mum of

a 14 month old poodle boy.

So many people commented on my beautifully trained dog.

Not a very good photo, but it shows how tight  was the space

Second Challenge.

Attend the Annual meeting without making a fuss, or being a nuisance.

Of course we were late because the keys to the bus were missing!

Nothing more awkward than trying to creep in to a meeting with a squeaky wheel chair and a poodle who knows he is being looked at and walks like a king.

Warwick [CEO], made it easier by welcoming me, 

believe it or not!! :-)

Of course the big boy lay down and went to sleep,

I think he is used to me talking when we are out,

its always a long time!!!!

When the meeting was over he was surrounded by people wanting to know about him, and why I was doing training him myself.

My question to people who did not know him was 

"how old do you think he is?"

The answer was always "around five or six"?

when I told them he is only 14 months they were amazed.

If you think about it , he is still only a pup, 

if he was being trained through a training school 

he would have just started his formal training.

There should be a change to the law, 

so that dogs can be trained either way.

Both ways are good, I think it should be our decision,

after all we are the people using the dogs.

I have just realised there was one other thing 

that could have been a challenge -- 

there was beautiful food all around him at nose level

and he never even sniffed!!

I know he enjoyed himself, 

when a poodle knows he is in the limelight

he holds his head high.

Maybe our next challenge might not be so scary,

who knows.

The growing girl

We have had Toffee for 2 weeks now,

she has definitely settled in!!

Here is a reminder of how small [for a standard poodle] she was---

so beautiful snuggled in Jess' arms.

Now look at her!

She is a big ball of fluff and mischief!

She eats like a horse,

in fact she will run between Midnights paws 

and devour his dinner, if she gets the chance.

Noisy nights are a thing of the past - she sleeps right through and doesn't wet, thank goodness.

Unfortunately, she has no idea that wheel chairs can be lethal,

look where she went to sleep yesterday!

She wears a bell on her collar so I can hear where she is, 

but unfortunately it is no use when she is asleep.

"Tough love" means that I must let her get nipped by the chair, better a little fright, than broken bones,

or worse still, a dead dog.

Unfortunately that does happen, as my vet keeps reminding me!

Toffee loves riding on my tray, 

because she has not had all her shots it is the safest place for her to be when we go out.

She is not going to fit for much longer..

Just like Nacho, she loves snuggling into my foot cradle

must be a girl thing.

It iwill be interesting to see how she can fold those legs up to fit.

Now I will give my big boy a big cuddle, he needs it.

Little red puppys get all the attention when we go out,

BUT NOT FROM HIS MUM!

He will always have a very special place in my heart.

Could this be our little darling??

Someone has been to her first day at puppy school!

She was not an angel, just a normal little toddler wanting her own way.

Jess said she had a tantrum, as I had no idea what a puppy tantrum entailed I asked Chris to explain what happened.

Here is her reply!!!

 Tantrum…..

Chris – “Toffee come here”  (offers treat, is ignored)

Toffee – “ Oh, not right now I’m busy sniffing butt”

Chris – No, I said “COME HERE” (changes tone to more serious)

Toffee – “Nope, I’m going to play with this toy under the table”

Chris then goes and gets naughty puppy and scoops her up, flips her onto her back in her arms, holds her very tightly and puts her hands on her chest very firmly.

Chris “ Now SETTLE”

Toffee – “No, don’t wanna  WAHHHHHHHHHH”  (kicks, fusses)

Chris – “Sorry Toffee but I really don’t care, (grips tighter) now SETTLE”

Toffee – “ No, No not gonna, WAHHHHHHHHHH” (more fussing)

Chris – (softly) “Enough.” (keeps holding tight and waits for her to stop fussing around 30 seconds, then loosens grip)  “Good girl, now go to mum”

 If Toffee openly ignores her (or you) I suggest Jess sits to do this if possible, Toffee is fairly strong.  She needs leverage to keep her grip.

I have been “wrangling” naughty puppies for some time so I am fine standing (haven’t dropped one yet).

  

This is tough love, not cruelty, Toffee needs to learn the rules. 

I am not hurting her, simply demonstrating I am stronger than her, like her doggy mother would have. 

Just remember, don’t call her over to “correct” her – go fetch her.

  

Coming willingly must always be pleasant and be rewarded.

This last sentence is so true, the number of times I have seen people at the park call their dogs [who are being less than angelic] and when they come, give them a smack and yell, stands to reason they are not going to come next time

.

Training puppies is just the same as teaching toddlers, except puppies grow so quickly, that you need to get it right from the beginning.

I must be getting old, I have no memory of  Midnight having tantrums at that age.

He was a difficult boy to train [and sometimes still is] thank goodness I never had to try and put him on my knee, 
he would not have fitted!!

An incredible response!!

Well Saturday was the big day of --

"The Great  Wheel Chair BBQ"

and what a day it was, Luke and Nicole from

Savemore in Bentleigh, had gone to so much trouble.

I believe Luke was seen cutting onion rings with goggles on!!

Only a man would do that.

As you can see by the picture above, we also had beautiful gingerbread men ,

made by Gabe and packed by Indie,Jess and myself.

They looked beautiful and tasted even better.

 Here is the sausage sizzle area,

and

 the gingerbread area, with my great salesman and friends.

Midnight stayed by my side for 4/5 hours,without complaining.

People came to pat him and then bought gingerbread.

Our biggest customer was Kate,

she took the last NINE packs!!

Here we are waiting patiently for our first customer.

 Poor Edd, none gave him any gingerbread!

its a tough life being a poodle.

Here is my beautiful boy selling sausages,

look at those eyes,

how could anyone resist.

It was a wonderful day,

I met some very generous people,

who happily gave money to help someone, 

who most of them didn't even know.

There was the old lady who was diabetic, she wanted to buy a sausage for Midnight and when I said he was not allowed to eat them said she would put the money in anyway.

The person who put money in my tin so I would not end up in a nursing home like her husband.

The family who donated because they like seeing me and Middi running along the bike path together.

So many beautiful messages of support,

too many to mention, but all precious to me.

How much did we raise??

$927.10

Thank you, everyone.

 

Thank you to you also Big Boy!!

 

Manners!!

Maybe its because I am older,

but I have a "thing" about manners.

When I was a child I was taught to be polite

and treat people as I would like to be treated.

Most people, not all, are polite to me

and those that aren't usually get a smile [that would melt ice]

and my most charming reply!

Wheelies are often perceived as being pushy and rude, 

some are, but I think most are just frustrated like me, 

by people who push in, ignore us,

or even tell us we should not be in the street,

or using public transport -- that is only for "working people"!

The other day I was told a very interesting story.-

A friend was shopping in her local supermarket,

she noticed a woman in a power chair.

In front of her in the aisle was a trolley 

with a little child sitting in it, 

stretching up to the top shelf was an other woman.

The person in chair told the woman to move her trolley out of the way, 

lady stretching up ignored her.

Wheelie yelled at her "are you blind, move the trolley,

I want to get through"!!

 The shopper turned to her and said "its not my trolley" and turned back to her shopping.

I wish I had been there to see it.

No wonder we get a bad name,

just because a person has a disability,

that does not give them the right to act like a spoilt child and throw a tantrum when they don't get what they want!

Good manners

make every ones day more pleasant!

Look what we have!

Look what arrived at our house last Thursday!

isn't she lovely, we call her Toffee Apple,

Toff for short.

She is Jess's little girl, but I can share her too.

I had forgotten what little puppies are like.

Its a bit like child birth, if you remembered the first night, you would never go through it again!!!

Being full of good intentions,

we put her to sleep in her carry crate next to Jess' bed.

At 3.30 am Jess got sick of singing "gentle little songs"

and told her in no uncertain terms to go to sleep!!

It worked like a charm and she slept like a lamb for the rest of the night.

Now she sleeps on, or under Jess' bed,

last night she slept right through the night - heaven.

Tomorrow we will have had her for one week, 

she is growing so quickly.

Tomorrow she is starting puppy school with Jess,

I cant wait to hear what happens.

Chris will be teaching her puppy class,

poor old Middi could not go to puppy school,

because I couldn't climb the stairs!

My goodness that seems like a long time ago.

I cant resist Jessika's photos,

this one was taken last night,

Toffee sleeping on Jess' pillow.

Look at the colour of her hair, isn't it beautiful.

Until next time -- treasure  peaceful nights!!