Time to Say Goodbye

Smilla is due to be colected later this morning - she will be missed. Yesterday saw her much more relaxed - I think she has finally settled in, ironic that she is soon to go home.

The 3 of them get on so well - Smilla and Mylo seem to be devoted to each other ...

Kiva probably glad of the respite as Mylo seems to want to follow Smilla everywhere leaving kiva to be her hormonal self - however that doesn't mean that they dont like to spend time together as a 3 some ...

Much of yesterday saw the kitchen full of wonderful smells as I prepared a week's food for the dogs, the smell of chicken cooking, rice boiling and garlic and chicken stock simmering away was too much of a temptation for the pack - and the 3 of them spent much of the afternoon sitting next to the range hoping for a titbit or 2.

Tesco's offer of 3 packs of meat for £10.00 meant that Lou and I enjoyed roast chicken on Sunday, as did the dogs, complete with obligatory vegetables - the remainder of the joint saw Lou enjoy chicken sandwiches for her Monday lunch. In fact we roasted 2 chickens so that there would be plenty of meat for the dogs - in fact, once the rice (boiled in a garlic and chicken stock) had been added there was enough food for 5 days meals for Kiva and Mylo plus one for the 3 of them (who says that feeding dogs is expensive?) working out at about 30p per meal per dog.

Monday evening saw Smilla (and Kiva and Mylo) enjoy the Dogs to Stay speciality ...

Lappy days ...

Smilla's Visit

Once again I must apologise for my delay in posting ... busy, busy, busy.

The 3 dogs are getting on superbly, though Kiva is a little hormonal still, there is a calmness here at Dogs to Stay only broken when the 3 of them decided to play humping.

Smilla wants to spend most of her time in the kitchen - only venturing into the lounge to join Kiva and Mylo occasionally - perhaps the coolness of the kitchen floor is the attraction - however seeing as she seems to be totally besotted with Mylo I find it a little strange that she chooses to be on her own so much. She's not off her food though, as the 4 pictures below demonstrate.

Smilla normally eats dry kibble with a spoonful of Nature Diet (something that Mylo once loved) however given the choice she appears to prefer whatever Mylo and Kiva are having as, having finished her's first she waits to finish any bits that Mylo or Kiva might leave; "mmm, their kibbles taste much nicer than mine!"- hey, she's on holiday!

With most of the snow now melted walking the 3 of them is a little easier though with Kiva and Smilla on the brace one is reminded just how strong these dogs can be. Mylo just ambles along doing his best to tangle his lead up with theirs ...

Now - if we can just get Smilla to suss out the dog flap life would be perfect ...

Lappy days

Smilla returns

My last post made mention of the small amount of snow we had, well that changed pretty quickly and today, some 8 days later we still have 4 or 5 inches left from the heaviest snow I have seen for many a year. The dogs have loved it, as have the village children who enjoyed several days off school - though walking the dogs on what has now become sheet ice can only be described as "interesting". Today was no exception - though made somewhat harder with a third dog as Smilla is with us for a long weekend whilst her hufamily spend some time in Italy.

This is her 2nd visit, and she quiet obviously knew the score - though Kiva was, at first, somewhat miffed to see another bitch in the house - yup, at long last Kiva is experiencing her 2nd season (better late than never) so things are somewhat hormonal.

After the customary 10 minutes of angst when any guest dog arrives the 3 of them soon settled in, everyone knew their place in the pack and peace returned. Graham and Chris left once Smilla had settled and then it was out in the snow covered fields for a walk ...

As I write the dogs have been fed, well; Kiva and Mylo have - Smilla has decided to leave hers until a little later, they have had a couple of walks and spent much of the day playing in the garden.

Pictures will be added tomorrow (memo to self; charge the camera battery)

Lappy days

Let It Snow

Though we didn't have as much snow as many parts of the country we did end up with a couple of inches, enough for Kiva and Mylo to want to spend as much of the day as possible outside in it ...

As always; Lappy Days

Now That's Magic

Magic is a lovely dog, she is Kiva's great aunt - her story is a little sad though.

Magic normally lives with Keith, along with 3 other dogs - sadly some 6 months ago Keith suffered a major stroke and for 3 days lay undiscovered. It was only because Magic could be seen jumping up at a window by his neighbours that Keith was found and subsequently taken into hospital. Keith is on the slow road to recovery and his dogs are all in foster homes with Magic living with Andre, owner of Norrpa, last year's Crufts BOB Lappy.

We were asked to look after Magic at the end of January whilst her carers visited family in the north and she arrived on a Saturday afternoon.



She is an impeccably well behaved dog, has a sweet nature and got on perfectly with Kiva and Mlyo as well as the 2 cats - she has many of the same traits as Kiva, she burps, belches and farts ;-) - oh yes, she does enjoy her food, having finished hers she waited patiently to see if Kiva would leave any of hers.

A walk across the fields saw all of the dogs relaxed and a quiet evening was enjoyed by all - the night was quiet, well until 5.45 when magic decided she need to go outside (if only she had sussed the dog flap out).

On Sunday afternoon we met up with Kanto and his hufamily for a walk in Badby Woods, a beautiful wood famous for its bluebells. It is fairly isolated and some distance from any roads so there would be no problems with having the dogs off their leads - Magic never strays far, has impeccable recall and, with her as an example, I knew that Mylo and Kiva would be good - well until they saw some deer running through the woods.