This and That

I wonder whether David Blunkett might like to borrow Monty the Mont if Sadie wants a rest? Sadie walks a little IN FRONT to Lead David Blunkett to stop him bumping into things. Monty the Mont might Lead him into a Lamp Post or a Tree. Sometimes Monty the Mont PULLS. And he likes to have a SNIFF. If Monty the Mont meets another Dog he might Go On the Defensive. David Blunkett might not know what to do then.

Here is a picture of me Eating my Tea yesterday. Very Very SLOWLY. I always eat Very Very Slowly when Monty the Mont is watching me.

Persons have been Practising STOP at Home.

She-Person's PLAN-A didn't work. She called COME and when she shouted STOP He-Person Jumped Out and grabbed me and made me SIT. I didn't like that! I just didn't COME at all any more. Neither did Marmite or Monty the Mont.

This is She-Person's PLAN-B. She gives us lots of WAIT COME STOP SIT WAIT COME STOP COME STOP SIT by herself...and she is giving us TREATS. It is still Very CONFUSING but I don't mind because I get a TREAT. Marmite is the best at STOP. This is because she is always SLOW anyway. She likes STOP and SIT and especially she likes the TREAT.

When Monty the Mont has finished his Prancing About and Getting Excited he is then a Good Dog because he does WAIT COME STOP SIT nicely for the TREAT.

I hope I get Very Good at WAIT COME STOP SIT WAIT COME STOP SIT by Thursday so that Linsey-Trainer says I'm a Good and Clever Dog.

Person says I still have to learn to STOP SOONER. Person says I still have to learn to STOP without TREATS.

It is CONFUSING.

David Blunkett's Black Labrador

I heard Persons talking when Neighbours came to Dinner. They were saying that some She-Persons are ALL Covered Up when they go Out - with just a tiny hole to see out of. Nobody can see who is UNDERNEATH so they all look the SAME. (When I go Out for Walks I want all the Persons and Dogs to SEE me so I can say HELLO. I need to be able to Run, Sniff, Chase, Drink and Hunt).

A man called David Blunkett has written a book. He Can't See because he's Blind. David Blunkett has a black Labrador that looks like Monty the Mont (and who looks much the SAME as other black Labradors). She's a Bitch and her name is Sadie and she is a Guide Dog who stops David Blunkett who Can't See from bumping into things. Sadie could tell Who's UNDERNEATH Persons who are ALL covered in Black because she can USE HER NOSE.

She-Persons who are ALL Covered are the SAME as She-Persons who are NOT COVERED At All to David Blunkett - because he can't see anyway!

I am a SIGHT HOUND but I'm also a very good SCENT HOUND. Dogs like me could find out WHO is UNDERNEATH Persons who are ALL covered in Black. I would USE MY NOSE.

I hope Dog-Bitches won't have to go OUT for Walks ALL Covered Up with just Eyes and Feet showing. Marmite wouldn't like that.

Very Good Dogs

What GOOD DOGS we were when Neighbours-From-Heaven Came to Dinner!

We stayed OUTSIDE. We played in the field a bit. We lay in our Big Outside Kennel for a bit. We lay down outside the door for a bit. I did Try to ask to Come IN, using the sad little noise that usually works. It didn't work this time though. Monty the Mont gave just two of his little short high barks that usually get him IN but that didn't work either. Marmite couldn't be bothered. She quite likes lying down outside listening to the Night Noises. If the black and white Cat had come into our garden it would have had a Surprise to find us out there.

So, we were quiet. He-Person took a risk. He left his shoes outside but I didn't take them into the Field to Chew. (She-Person thinks she will find out something naughty that I did later).

Her PLAN for us to LEAVE Neighbour-People and not to jump all around them worked. When Persons had finished all their Eating (they were still Talking and Drinking though) they let us INSIDE and we went straight to our beds under her desk and they put the cage around us. We were very quiet and very good. Usually Sue-Person and Artist give us Cuddles when they come to our house, but that was before Sue-Person's Operation. Monty-the-Mont had Cuddles after his Operation. I had Cuddles after my Operation. I had Cuddles when I did my Wound. Marmite had an Operation too and she also had Cuddles.

Anyway, I made two of my little quiet sad noises but nobody took any notice of me.

Neighbours-From-Heaven are Coming to Dinner

Neighbours-From-Heaven are Coming to Dinner this evening.

It's not Coming to Dinner really. It should be called Coming to TALK and DRINK. They have One Dinner, then Another Dinner, and then Another and then sometimes Another. They have to WAIT a long time for their Dinners so they TALK and DRINK a lot. When I get my Dinner I WOLF it down as QUICKLY as I can (unless Monty the Mont is standing over me and I then eat Very Slowly). I don't Talk.

When Other Persons Come to Dinner I am Shut OUTSIDE with Monty the Mont and Marmite. Only when all the Dinners are finished and Persons just TALK and DRINK but don't EAT any more are we allowed INSIDE.

This time is different because Sue has had her Hip Operation (just like Robin did who is Person's friend Mary's Labrador). So Person has a Plan. She is going to make a CAGE. The Cage isn't for Sue-Person though. It's for Me, Marmite and Monty the Mont. When she lets us INSIDE, Person will shout BED at us and then she will put up the Cage around us. Anyway, that is her PLAN. Person's Plan's don't always work. (Her Plan to make me and Marmite STOP at Training didn't work did it. She has a new Plan for that now).

It is Hannawannah's Birthday today. She is She-Person's Daughter and she's Twenty-Four years old. That's about Three-and-a Half in Dog Years so she a little bit older than Monty the Mont.

Here is Hannawannah with Marmite when she was a puppy, and with Monty the Mont. You can see it was before Monty had the Operation. I had that same Operation as well (and then I had my Wound), but when this picture was taken I wasn't even born.

More Practice at Home needed

Well, I was NOT a Very Good Dog at Person Training yesterday. I did lots of things wrong. I got up and walked about when I was told DOWN and STAY. When I was told DOWN I didn't feel like going DOWN so I had to be Pushed DOWN.

When Person shouted STOP I didn't stop. I didn't even STOP properly when Linsey-Trainer did it and she called COME to me. I was COMING like she said, and then she stepped forward, put her hand right up in the air and VERY LOUDLY shouted STOP.

I decided to go back to She-Person instead.

So, more Practice at Home. (Persons have a PLAN).

Only one Dog did STOP properly and with NO Treats! That was Minto. Her Person is called Charles. He used a WHISTLE. I love Minto.

Even Harry who does Everything Perfectly doesn't do STOP properly. Harry's Person shouted really LOUDLY at him (just like my Person and Linsey did). I think a WHISTLE sounds much nicer than She-Persons SHOUTING.

Toby and Bella are Jack Russells. They STOPPED OK but they had a 'Treat on a Bed' to STOP for. The other dogs had a 'Treat on a Bed' and they stopped too. A Treat is More Important than COME. I would STOP for a 'Treat on a Bed'.

Anyway, I only PRETEND I don't Understand how to COME and STOP. Persons then try all funny different things to try to make me STOP and I get lots of attention. They may just have to use the 'Treat on a Bed' in the end.

Both Persons tried to make Marmite STOP but she just wasn't interested. Person says we were better before she did all that Practice at Home.

Anyway, Monty the Mont WAS a Very Good Dog. He did a FIND IT with a Toy and Brought it Back and GAVE IT to Person. He was even Very Good with the little dog who thinks he's a Big Dog. His name is Toby too and here he is:

Missing Bowl

When my Person went to fetch our bowls this morning to give us our Breakfast she could only find Two. My bowl was there and so was Monty the Mont's but she just couldn't find Marmite's anywhere.

When something is MISSING she always goes to look in the field. And there it was.

I always get the blame for everything but this time Person thinks perhaps it WASN'T ME. Was it MARMITE? It happened after Tea yesterday while Person was doing Tea or Coffee with Sue-Next-Door.

Person took this photo of the BROKEN BOWL. Marmite kept trying to pick bits of it up. Monty stood back and I kept well out of the way. That's why Person thinks it MIGHT have been Marmite's fault this time.

Anyway, there is a spare metal bowl we once used for Water. Marmite won't be able to break that. (Neither will I).

Tails

We had a friend from Training called Emma who has gone to live in Ireland and she's a Boxer. She doesn't have a Tail. I think it was Cut Off when she was a puppy. I'm glad I didn't have my Tail Cut Off when I was a puppy. I can wag it in all sorts of different ways - just a little bit at the end when I'm not sure of something or I can wag all my body as well when I bring a toy to Persons and I want them to play with me. I wag it rather slowly when I've done something naughty and I think they are going to be CROSS. Like when I took my bed into the field the other day.

I have a long curly Tail with a little twist of hair on the end. It's so long it can touch the floor when I make it straight. Monty the Mont's Tail droops a bit but Marmite wags her Tail all the time. She has a shortish Tail and it's usually sticks straight up.

For some reason when I walk past a low table with drinks on it Persons shout TAIL. LOUDLY.

A Tail is just another thing to have THINK ABOUT all the time. Perhaps some dogs have their Tails cut off when they are puppies to give them less to THINK ABOUT. Perhaps it makes them better at Training if they don't have to THINK ABOUT Tails as well as everything else. But dogs at Training like Emma and a Wiemerana whose name I don't know, they aren't better at Training then me and I have a long Tail.

Artist next door took a picture of Marmite chasing the tractor the other side of our fence. You can see her straight tail.

Anyway, Persons don't have Tails to THINK ABOUT. They sometimes THINK ABOUT mine (and Monty the Mont's and Marmite's). Especially when we are near the low table with drinks on it.