Pip needs spiflicating!

   Dear Readers,
      You might assume that as I have not been posting as regularly is my want that all has been quiet on the Pip front. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Pip has been keeping us very busy – he has turned into a very naughty boy!

      What happened to my dear lovable pup? 

   One example. D2 and I took Pip for a walk on the beach. Now D2 – being an agile 7 nearly 8-year-old tomboy – likes a bit of mischief herself. On this particular day; she wanted me to ‘spiflicate her’.

   This is something my Mum used to say when she was really fed up with us – ‘If you don’t behave, I’m going to spiflicate you!’ I never really knew what the word spiflicate meant and even back then it was kinda funny – although Mum usually cried this in a pinnacle of rage. Anyway, it’s become a bit of a running gag with me and my kids; when they muck up, I threaten to spiflicate them.

    On one memorable occasion, I threatened to spiflicate D1. We pretended to start karate fighting on the way to school – she made a mock kick, I caught her foot, she fell over and promptly skinned her knee. Although she was in pain, she was also in fits of giggles. ‘Mum, you spiflicated me!’

     So D2 and I began play fighting on the beach BUT Pip decided to join in...

    He was very over-excited and began jumping up and nipping D2. This wasn’t any regular one-off jump but constant jumping and biting. I tried to get in between Pip and D2. Poor D2 was blinking back tears. Pip promptly bit me. I yelped!

   Yelping is what you’re advised to do when they bite so they get the idea in doggie parlance that you’re not happy. This time I wasn’t bunging it on – this bite did hurt! In fact, before he bit me I was starting to panic a little. For the first time, I thought, I really can’t control this dog!

   Luckily, he registered the yelp and ran off down the beach with his tail between his legs – phew!

   D2 and I were wandering along a little dazed and grumpy and Pip was keeping his distance, when a lady came jogging down the beach. Pip promptly ran up to her and began barking. He was wagging his tail but the barking wasn’t particularly friendly. I raced over and tried, in vain, to grab Pip who had started jumping up at her.

   ‘I’m scared of dogs,’ squeaked the jogger.

   I managed to grab hold of Pip and put him on his leash. But I felt ashamed. Suddenly, I had become the person with the bad dog on the beach!

   So, Saturday we went back to Ruth and began the Good Dogs of Australia course – but that of course, is another story...