A Day in the life of me and the dogs

We have four dogs - one schnauzer girl, Nena (the oldest) and three pharaoh hounds, one male (Lah Dee) and two females. One of the PH girls (Missy) is the youngest of your dogs, the other PH girl (Ananka) is mother to the two younger PHs.

OK, get your heads around that and then I'll let you know what they're doing. 
I let Missy and Ananka back inside, from the back yard. Nena and Ananka circled round each other briefly, but nothing untoward occurred. These two are the most likely to fight, neither really concedes superiority to the other. Inside the house they’re usually cautiously OK. Outside is a different story. Outside they’re quite likely to fight, with nasty results. The role of Alpha Bitch is much sought after if you're a female dog.

We try not to have the two oldest girls outside together, for that reason. We also make sure that the dogs are fed separately, so there are no fights over food. The giving of scraps happens with them all loose, but you have to be careful, they get a bit snappy over food.

At the moment, Nena is lying down in her crate which is about a metrre and a half from where I sit at the computer. She’s not asleep, but she’s not far off it. Ananka is lying down at rest on the dog’s sofa which is just next to (on the right of) my spot at the computer. Lah Dee is also on the sofa, and he looks like he’s asleep. Missy is lying down on the carpet, next to the sofa and about a metre and a half behind where I’m sitting. She’s awake, but she looks like she could be sleeping really soon.

This is often how the dogs and I spend the day. Me on the computer, searching the net, connecting through social media, checking emails. The dogs rest, getting ready for when it suddenly gets exciting. What could make it exciting?

Well, I may stand up. Then the dogs would get up and maybe rush to the back door, to go out for a drink and a toilet break, and to chase birds out there. If I put them out, the chasing bird thing could last for a long time. We get sparrows, starlings, spotted turtle doves and black birds every day, every time the dogs are out. Sometimes one of the dogs may get lucky  and catch a bird, in which case there might be some chasing of the lucky hunter. If it’s Ananka who catches something, she’ll get left alone. The youngsters know it’s safer to leave their mum alone.

This might all sound very boring, but I have fun with my internet connections, and my dog watching. At dinner time the dogs rush to the laundry where the dog food is. Our dogs are mostly fed a dry dog food and they usually seem to enjoy it and eat it all up. Any food that gets left is put away for the next day. Nena didn’t eat all of her tea last night, so I’m keeping a bit of an eye on her to see if she seems OK. She does, and I’ll be checking her out when she gets her tea tonight.

Nena is probably my favourite dog. She’s been with us the longest, and she may well be our last schnauzer. I love the breed, but I’m sick of the grooming involved. The PHs are much easier to groom – leave them alone most of the time and give them a brush if you feel like it. It wouldn’t matter if they hardly ever got brushed. Our dogs are no longer show dogs. If we were showing the PHs a lot more work would be required.

So that’s it. Leave a message if you’d like more info about me or my dogs. It’s a quiet life here in sunny Redbanks!

Life goes on

We've got over the funeral of my father, tears were shed, stories exchanged. Now, we all continue on with our normal lives. Graham has gone back to work, Jake has gone back to school, I have gone back to spending endless hours online.

There are some changes, for me at least. I am more aware of my mother, and will take every opportunity t o keep in contact with her. After talking with Mum, I now realise properly more about what the death of my father, her husband, means to her.

Dad had been a constant in my mother's life for fifty years - Mum had been with my father for more years than I have lived. I knew that, of course, but I now truly know it in my heart. I know what it means to Mum. 

It's all too easy to take things for granted. I will endeavour to be more mindful in my life, looking properly at things, thinking about things from as many points of view as possible.

I hope and expect I will continue growing to be the best person I can. I will think properly about things, continue doing nice things for other people and myself.

And of course, I will continue looking after our dogs. The dog pack we have, one schnauzer and three pharaoh hounds, continue to be a constant in our lives. We need to keep them fed, sheltered, medicated. We need to keep them safe.

Remember, everyone, if you ever take on the care of a living creature, you are taking on the responsibility to that creature. Looking after them should be a prime responsibility to you!

Another day - shifting dogs, feeding up our manic hole digger - one week off his super premium dog food and he's looking like a starving child! He's meant to be showing on the weekend - not if he doesn't bulk up quick!

That's the problem with the top end of dog food - it's so damn expensive. But when I look at the gleaming coats of our Pharaoh Hounds, I know it's worth the extra cost. I just need to get a couple more paid jobs!

La De and Nena are curled up in their crate, waiting for their time running outside - then LaDe has to come back in the house, so he doesn't dig again, and so he doesn't exercise the weight off yet again. This is one committed dog! If only he was committed to being a good dog, instead of being a committed digger. I think he was a mole in a former life.

Kharis, Ananka. Rangler and Missy are all outside. Missy the pup has had breakfast, the others have to wait until tea-time for more food. Unless they catch a sparrow or something of course. That's Ananka's specialty. She is so quick!

Got to go know - check the dogs have water, do pick-up duties outside, water the bonsai trees.