The Dog Cafe

We'll be at home... DS2 and GF will come over for lunch, which we tend to have quite early. Then they're going over to her parents for lunch, where they never manage to get it ready till about 4-5pm! How anyone can face two Xmas lunches is beyond me.... My mum comes to stay alternate years, but she came last year so my younger brother will have her this year. (Older brother lives in Cambridge which is a bit of a long journey from Bristol, where Mum lives, so they tend to go to her in between Xmas and New Year.)

 

Oh, the logistics of family events and special needs dogs.... I've been trying to work out whether there's any way I can go to MIL's funeral. Four hours drive away, we'd have to bring Jasper who doesn't like long drives and would need a walk on the way up and the way back... If Jasper comes, DS1 and DS2 can't come. Neither of them drive - DS2's fiancee does but she can't get the time off work. So they'd have to come by train, 5 hrs and three changes... DS1 has ME/CFS and couldn't manage that - but his sleep cycle is back to front at the moment so he may not be able to go anyway, even by car. Or if he did he'd have a relapse...

If we go up with Jasper, we'd want to stay overnight... have you ever tried to find self-catering dog-friendly accommodation near Leicester? I did find one place, but we'd have to pay for 2 nights which would be £350.

So, including train fares, if I go it will cost around £500, and OH will be stressed out by travelling with the stresshound, and we'd also have to 'manage' him the whole time. I've decided not to go, and we can make a donation to some charity MIL supported instead.

On a good note though - I rang the crematorium and though they don't officially allow dogs on the premises, they're happy to waive this on occasion, as they understand that dogs are part of the family too. As long as the dog is on his best behaviour, of course. At least now I don't need to worry about whether crematoria smell of roast bones.....

 

I emptied out my dog walking bag this morning, as in winter I carry everything I need in my coat pockets. It has several compartments and apart from the standard poo bags, I found:

- treats of VERY dodgy vintage (now carefully and hygenically disposed of... by Jasper)
- £40 in assorted notes and coins
- two tick removers
- a key to my mum's house
- a 'Rebel Dog' training class badge
- a button.

What surprises are you likely to find in yours?

 

I shouldn't laugh, but...

We were walking in the woods this afternoon when we met a lab x. Jasper decided to chase her... not in an aggressive way, but intending to intimidate her, I think (the little ratbag that he is). Served him right when, before I had a chance to call him back, they went round a corner and encountered the rest of the lab x's pack: a Rottie, an extremely handsome young ridgeback, and two or three assorted terriers

There were no fisticuffs, it was all very civilised, but Jasper is always a little unsure when being sniffed by more than one dog at the same time so all of a sudden he wasn't the Big Bad Rough dog he likes to think he is any more!

 

Pride comes before a fall...

There was a little dachsund in the park this afternoon. Jasper did his usual trick of approaching it, stopping about 30' away and waiting for me to recall him (he has me well trained). I blew the whistle and he instantly came charging straight over at top speed. I put his lead on as the dachsund owners had done the same, and we were heading in the same direction. They commended to me about how excellent his recall to whistle was and said they were thinking of doing the same with their dog (he was just 6 months old & quite nervous). So I told them how I'd trained Jasper to the whistle.

Later, I was chatting to another group of owners, and a woman walked up the path with a young male dog on lead. Jasper looked interested so I called him to me, but he kept approaching the male dog & owner. She wasn't sending out particularly friendly vibes so I got the whistle out... and he completely ignored me To be fair, he turned away from the other dog - he was probably just wondering if the new woman was a treat fairy as there's a lot of them in the park, but I wasn't best pleased.

At least the dachsund owners weren't around at the time, that would have been even more embarrassing

 

No advent calendars here. I regard it as a major fail on my part that I couldn't convince my sons that pretty Xmas scenes incorporating lots of glitter, and a surprise bauble/tree/reindeer/Santa every day, were far better than non-Xmassy chocolate ones.

I wouldn't get Jasper a dog-treat one because he'd get upset when Xmas arrived and his expected treat didn't