I'm interrupting this dormant dog-blog to write about my entry into the world of children's literature - there will still be the occasional mention of my erstwhile doggie companion who is still a pup in spirit, if not in size.

31 Jan 2012

A Guest Post from D1

Pip is the best dog ever!!! Especially when mum talks to him - it is so funny!
         “Pip, we do not sit in the middle of the road to eat leaves.”
 “Pip, don’t eat duck poo; that’s just gross!” (Actually, Pip eats a lot of duck poo when we go for walks around the lake)
 “Pip, human bums are not for sniffing.”
Pip investigating my Dad's boot
Pip cracks us up! Last night, when we were playing cricket in the park, Pip decided to be a fielder. As soon as somebody bowled, Pip would pounce, chasing our new orange ball as if it were a flying chunk of gravy beef.

25 Jan 2012

Day 12 - Puppy School


So, it was with much trepidation and a very hungry dog that we set off to Puppy School. Ruth – the dog lady – had instructed me not to feed him from midday Sunday in preparation for the 11am class on Monday. We were to bring 250g of gravy steak cut into one centimetre chunks to the class as rewards for good behaviour.
Pip resting in his favourite chair after a full day's play.
I felt terrible starving my puppy but as Ruth said out in the wild they get one meal every two or so days and it wouldn’t do him any harm.  Luckily, Frankie had exhausted him which helped to distract him from the fact he was hungry.

22 Jan 2012

Day 11 - A Frolic at the Beach


It was a two car job to get Frankie and Pip to the dog beach - one kid per car to entertain each dog and one adult driver.
We arrived at the beach and it was really blowing a gale. Undeterred, my furry friends had a whale of a time, chasing each other up and down the beach, while D1 and D2 tried to catch some waves.

Day 10 - Eau de Dead Bird


So after a long week co-managing the needs of demanding children and new puppy, I earnt myself some free time. Even convinced Him-In-Doors to take Pip for his morning walk so I could have a little sleep in. About an hour later, Him-In-Doors came back sweaty and exhausted.
‘Good walk?’

Day 9 - A not-so-successful play date


Pip and I tried for another play date today but it wasn’t quite as successful as hanging out with Frankie. A new Ocean Grove friend brought around her dogs, Scarlet and Charlie, for a walk. Being Friday night and all, we started with a wine and some cashews on the balcony.
But it became apparent very quickly that Scarlet, a cocker spaniel, and Charlie, a poodle-blend, were not quite so enamoured with our playful pup. Charlie has a bit of an Oedipus thing happening. He doesn’t like letting other dogs near his mistress. And Scarlet, allegedly, is a big scaredy cat which she demonstrated by barking crossly whenever Pip came near her – not a promising beginning.

Day 8 - A Trip to the Vet


A better night; Pip is learning to love his kennel. Hurray!
I decided that today we’d take Pip to the vet to get him weighted. Yes, it is like having a new baby. Only you can’t give a new baby back...It’s okay, my recalcitrant thoughts are gone and the puppy love is back. I’m still finding myself on trips to the supermarket thinking, ‘Hmm, what little treat can I get for my boy today?’

21 Jan 2012

Day 7 - The Night from Hell


Last night was hot, really hot, so the question was what to do about Pip? So far, we’ve put him in his crate to sleep. The ‘crate’ is a fully enclosed cage with air holes and a wire grill at the front and would, I’d guess, be about five degrees hotter. So we decided a compromise would be to put Pip in his crate on the back deck.
We put him to bed about 10 and he proceeded to bark for a good 45 minutes before settling. I sat in front of Glee and tried not to listen – to Pip that is.

Day 6 - The Great Sit-In


Sit-in walk this morning. Got out the back gate and Pip sat down and refused to budge. I tried a few times, yanking on the lead, etc but given it was only 6.15 and I was feeling considerably bleary-eyed myself, I didn’t push it. I took off his lead and threw him a stick. He seems slightly more into sticks than balls but still hasn’t mastered the whole fetch routine.

20 Jan 2012

Day 5 - The Dog Beach


Today I took Pip to the dog beach for the first time. At first I kept him on his lead. He was desexed just before we got him and the lady from the Border Rescue Group told us not to get the wound wet for at least 10 days. So it was 36 degrees and I was held hostage, sweltering on the sand with my poor pup still recovering from the loss of his manhood.

19 Jan 2012

Day 4: First play date


Pip had his first play-date yesterday. His cousin Frankie – ok, not technically his cousin, my kid’s cousin’s dog – came over to meet him. Frankie, to be honest, is a little upstart - very cute but super-friendly and assertive. To walk with Frankie and his mum on the beach is to take a very slow walk indeed. He stops to say hello to every human and wants to play with every dog. He also likes to be top dog with every dog, regardless of their size.

Day 3 - Oh, the sleepless nights!




Last night Pip woke up at about midnight and started barking. I ignored it at first but it went on for about 20 minutes and I thought maybe he wanted to go to the toilet. So, I got up and let him out the back door. He proceeded to gallop up and down the back deck wanting to play – did I mention it was midnight?

17 Jan 2012

Day 2 - Up and Atom!



So it’s 12.15 and we’re already two walks down. Pip is now sleeping soundly in his kennel – yay! I wasn’t sure if he’d take to the kennel – it came from another dog – but perhaps in the dog-world this is a good thing. Also, so far, he’s only slept in his crate – and he will, eventually, grow out of his crate. So taking to the kennel is definitely a good thing. But I’m wondering if the sleeping during the day is a good thing. Is he like a baby? If he sleeps too much during the day will his rhythms be all messed up? Will he be up howling half the night? I guess time will tell.

Last night, I slept lightly, expecting him to start whimpering or being distressed in some way. Of course, I wouldn’t have got up to him. He is after all just a dog, not a baby. But I was kind of anxious on his behalf. He was fine!

16 Jan 2012

Day One - A Pup Called Pip





After months of dreaming and pining, today was the day I finally got myself a puppy. Since moving to Ocean Grove in January last year, I have felt my doglessness sorely. Dogs are a far more common accessory for locals on the beach than a bikini.

Dogs in my life have been divided into two categories – Penelope dogs and Killer Dogs. Penelope was my childhood dog – a border collie/sheepdog cross. She lived until she was 17 – and I was 16. She was a beautiful docile dog and I remember more than once crying into her downy fur when no one else understood my adolescent angst.