Harri the Welsh Terrier's Diary

[Caro Perry]

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I’ve been on holiday again and had a great time!

I had a lovely surprise too this afternoon -Bella is here and she’s staying all night! She’s asleep now on MY Mum’s lap... Mum says I mustn’t mind as this is the first time Bella has been left by her Mum and she’s a bit worried. I’m trying very hard and just snuggled up with them on the sofa.

 

[Josie]

So cute!

 

[Violet Turner]

Cute dogs, fluff balls

 

[Caro Perry]

I've been really horrible today

It's all Mum's fault really. I was hot yesterday and the cool green water of the stagnant ditch looked much more appealing than the stream for a dip. Mum didn't seem to appreciate this and when we got home I had to have a shower with that horrid lavender shampoo. Mum said I smelt lovely and my coat was so soft

So today I decided to be awkward. Mum had some shopping to do and then we went up and sat on the top of Glastonbury Tor for some lunch (I had a raw chicken wing!). On the way down I staged one of those sit down protests that Welsh terriers are famous for. I was planning on her bribing me with some of the dried chicken hearts I knew she had in her bag but instead she just sat down right beside me and waited me out... That was not the plan but I was so bored after 10 minutes I got up and we walked down. I did go awfully awfully slowly though and kept stopping. I didn't want to sniff anything but I did want one of those treats.

In the end Mum lost patience with me and picked me up!!! Oh the shame. She carried me right down into the town before she put me down. I thought then that I'd better walk properly in case she did it again....

 

[Josie]

Such a monkey!

 

[Caro Perry]

Such a monkey!

More like a holy terror. When he stages a sit down protest he does it properly! We got some very strange looks as he, of course, chose the middle of the path to sit down. Short of dragging him down or carrying him there was little I could do but wait him out.

Luckily we love him or he'd be up for adoption!

 

[JudyN]

If it's any consolation, Jasper used to do that, though he'd stand rather than sit and after a whole lot of patience (the best advice I had was 'take a book') he's much better now - he recognises my 'I'm gonna wait as long as it takes' pose and follows on pretty quickly. But we do get funny looks as we stand motionless at each end of a long lead and I tell people we're just having a slight disagreement over which way to go.

Of course, picking him up and carrying him wasn't an option!

 

[Josie]

I wonder why they do this though? What makes them suddenly just stop?
It’s not because they want to go a different way or because they’re tired. Or is it!?

 

[Caro Perry]

At least Harri is portable in extremis! I have no idea what goes on in that head of his Josie. He is an arch manipulator where treats are involved - he'll deliberately hang back until he hears his recall command and then he'll bound up licking his lips in anticipation of what he expects to receive (and usually does!) but he was dreadful this afternoon. We were sat there for 15 minutes until he gave in and even then he was stopping every few feet. No treats were forthcoming as I really don't want to encourage this behaviour.

 

[JudyN]

Jasper used to do it when it was dark and we were walking down the trailway - I wonder if he actually got a bit spooked. But generally it's because he's decided where he wants to go, even it it is over a mile away up a road when it's too hot for him. Sometimes I'll give him a reward for complying with me, particularly if he's going to get a quick fob-off walk and I feel he has the right to be peeved, but most of the time the last thing I want to do is anything that might stop our forward momentum - and yup, he'd soon work out that putting the brakes on every couple of yards was a good ploy!

 

[arealhuman]

I had a walk like this with Jimmy the other day. Often he decides he wants to go in a different direction, but on this walk we had a sit down protest or two, long spells of sniffing every couple of feet we walked, and the usual tasty chicken treats bribes didn't work. I actually carried him for a bit too, but he's too heavy for me to carry any distance. In the end we went home the way he wanted. It was very hot, so I put it down to that.

 

[Josie]

They are so naughty!

Den just wanders off and carries on sniffing when I call him and takes his sweet time coming back to me. He’s playing his old man card big time! ‘What, sorry mum, can’t hear you’

 

[Caro Perry]

I think Mum has finally won the car seat belt competition

So far I've managed to end up sitting on her lap (or at least part of me!) whatever she did to stop me - I even managed it with the expensive posh box thing!

Her latest trick was to buy the biggest longest dog collar I've ever seen (I'd hate to meet a dog who could wear it) and attach it to the door on my side. She then clipped my harness to it using the clip from my nice leather lead that I'd chewed to pieces. I can sit and lie on my side but I can't reach further than to put one paw on the central console .

 

[Sezzy]

Oh Harri, so close to mum but yet so far

 

[Caro Perry]

I'm really not having a good week.

I found this really interesting hole and stuck my nose in it for a good sniff. Suddenly my whole face was covered with small tickly things that were running about in my fur. I jumped back very fast and had to wipe my muzzle in the grass for ages to get them all off. Mum was no help at all - she was just laughing and told me that's what happens if you poke your nose in an ants nest.

She could have told me sooner!

 

[Sezzy]

Oh Harri, you and Misty would get on so well

 

[Violet Turner]

Oh dear Harri

 

[Caro Perry]

I had such a surprise this evening - Mum took me to start my bronze award classes. I had such fun. There were other dogs there but I wasn't allowed to play with them.

A lot of the games we played were new so I spent a lot of time watching before I had a go and Mum says there are some things I need to practice with her in the garden. The nice lady in charge said my recall was really good too! (Note from Mum - why can he always recall beautifully in class despite distractions when he is so terrible out on walks????)

I think I'm going to enjoy Monday evenings

 

[Caro Perry]

I had another trip to the doggy school last night. Not so many games and I had to work really hard. I think I did OK though ( Mum - hmmm maybe. In parts!)

It's so hot here Mum has been taking me out really early and we've been doing the same walk where I can paddle in the river. Sometimes I'm so hot I go in up to my tummy! It's so nice and cool for a while afterwards until I dry off.

 

[Caro Perry]

I'm having such a nice time. Bella came last night and stayed over. She's been here all day and Mum says she'll be here til Sunday or Monday

I ate her breakfast this morning and she ate mine! Mum says she'll provide 4 doggy meals a day and we can sort out between us who eats what