I do like yogurt!

I do like yogurt!

Hope all my friends out there are ready for Christmas...

Old friends...

Here's another photo from Dad's archive, taken in 2006.

Reg and Phyzz doing what cat's and dogs do, apparently - get on like old friends...

I still prefer to chase cats myself!

I helped Mum tidy the garden this afternoon.

Everything was going fine until the new neighbourhood kitten paid us visit...

I barked!

Where's that pesky cat gone now?

Then I helped Mum clear some pots...

for some reason she wasn't happy about that!?

Frosty Sunday morning...

It was very cold this morning when we went on our walk to get the papers. WE always come back via the field so I can run off a bit of steam - especially if I've been wearing the infernal contraption [see previous post]. Mum & Dad encourage me to run from one to the other, for a treat of course...

...which I am only too pleased to do!

Then it's off home for a well deserved breakfast.

Infernal Contraption!

This is the new infernal contraption that Mum & Dad have bought for me... to make me walk without pulling... and I hate it! Every chance I get I try to rub it on legs, crutches, trees, leaves on the ground... I'm told I will get used to it and it certainly slows me down, but really - who wants to be slow when you're a lurcher?!

She was spoilt!

Dad's found another photo in the archives - this is Phyzz on the sofa - appears not only did she get nice fleecy blankets but also a cuddly toy!

Mind you, give me a cuddly toy and it would soon become a not-so-cuddly collection of soggy cloth and fillings scattered across the floor...

It was Mum's uncle John's birthday today and so we had a bit of a family gathering.

That meant I got to play with my mate Ernie (Bert & Ernie*)

Here we are on the sofa resting after a busy afternoon.

*Bert & Ernie were characters in Sesame Street - Ernie is a month older than me that's why I got my name. 

That's better ~ yummy!

I am happy to report that Mum bought me some new food after this morning's debacle

[see "When will they get the message?" posted earlier today]  

I now have a yummy bowl of Salmon & Rice kibble and I like it much better thanks!

Biting my nails...

Lunchtime and Mum decided it was time I had my nails bitten by those horrible clippers...

I'm not sure I like it, especially when it gets to my front feet...

But I can turn this into a bit of fun ~ catch these if you can!

A Right Dickie

Dad you do look like a right Dickie in your new Dickies overalls!

He says they'll be great for working in the woods, they are quilted inside, but where do they get the measurements from? As a medium they fit fine at the top, but the crutch is halfway down his legs and the legs are so long...

When will they get the message?

Last week they bought me a bag of Turkey & Rice Kibble ~ and I don't like it!

I used to have Lamb & Rice, I do like that that, but they went a bought a big bag of this stuff instead!

At first I just took my time eating it.

Then I started leaving half. 

But they didn't seem to understand. I was still hungry so reluctantly I went back and ate it.

Well this morning, what did they give me again? Another bowl of this Turkey & Rice stuff!

I was hungry so I forced down half of it, then left the rest hoping they would finally twig...

But no, it still sat in my bowl...

...so I scraped at the paper with my paw ~ and tipped it on the floor!

Now I think they've got the message!

I'll report back later when I see what I get for dinner...

From the archives...

Here's another photo Dad has dug out of the archives...

Taken on Putsborough beach in Devon, October half-term around seven years ago it's Phyzz and Mum taking the air - cheekily titled "Two old dogs on the beach"!
Apparently Phyzz used to love running on the sand, reminded her of her days at Walthamstow.

A tiring day out...

I've been at my friendly dog-sitters today while Mum and Dad went up to London.

I raced around their garden and dug a hole in their flowerbed and then raced around a lot more, then went out for walk, and now..... I'm so, so, tired....

Keep the noise down ~ someone's trying to sleep here...

Cat in the dog-house...

This is an old photo my Dad has just found in the archives from 2005.

That's Reggie taking a nap in Phyzz's new bed!

Guess what this is...

Not only fast in the field, but fast on the sofa too... just a BLUR OF FUR!

Playing dead...

I get tired of just laying around on my bed, so I go for this artistic pose.

I can lie like this for ages ~ airing the parts where the sun done shine!

Jesus wants me for a sunbeam...

Here I am laying in the lounge on a sunny October afternoon, light streaming in through the coloured lights in the front door, surrounded by my collected trophies - Mum's crocks, my bed from the kitchen, my marrow bone and my reindeer horn, lovely...

But this light's a bit flippin' bright isn't it?

This is my "look how gorgeous I am" pose, complete with added sunshine.

I reckon Dad has been at the Lightroom filters again!

PS. I'm not really religious, it's just a dog's life for me.

Tussling on a grey Wednesday morning

There I was walking round the field on Wednesday morning [10 Oct 2012] and who should appear from nowhere but my best friend Hans! So of course we had to have a little tussle...

Running and tackling and flippin'...

...and running some more, being careful not to lose my ball!

And when we eventually calmed down - Mum gave us both a treat!

Is it the collie in me?

Is it the collie in me or do you all do this?

I find myself doing it more and more as I get older, someone throws a ball, I find it, but rather than grab it and run off, I crouch down with my nose pointing at the ball, waiting for someone to come and pick it up.

I also do this when I see another dog approaching, even if I know them. Some dogs think I'm cowering but just wait 'till you get close - I'll leap up and chase you!

Wakey! Wakey!

How would you like me in your face when you wake up!

Lovely eh?

And if you don't wake up I'll nibble your ears!

Photo courtesy of the boy from the haystack's iPhone.

Who's on the beach?

It's me! On Aldeburgh beach in April 2012.

Photo courtesy of my mate Edan [the boy from the haystack].

Jeacock's Orchard Apple Fayre

Here I am with Mum at the orchard fair in Tring this afternoon [Sunday 7 October 2012]. It's a small countryside fair to celebrate apple fortnight in Tring, held in the ancient Jeacock's Orchard. Mum had a stall there selling her Anything Arty bits and pieces.

As you can see she makes cards, jewellery and her speciality hand-decorated pebbles. She sells these on her stall at Tring Farmer's market that's held on alternate Saturdays through the year.

Mum's just starting her own Anything Arty blog so go take a look. 

I wasn't sure about this chap, bit scary isn't he! They are Tempus Experientia, a roving band of players, entertaining the visitors with tales of piracy and kidnapping.

There was also a ploughing demonstration with these HUGE horses. I was a bit frightened by them too, but the baby foal was very cute. I was most interested in the chickens, but Dad kept me safely away from those!

Monster in the mist? What do you think?

This subject might split opinions, I'd love to hear what you think...

Today was a foggy, autumnal, Sunday morning. At about 8 o'clock, Mum and Dad walked me round to pick up the papers and then we headed home via the back field to stretch our legs. I'm wearing a boot to protect the cut on my back paw, so when was let off my lead they decided not to encourage me to run around.

Anyway, about halfway round the first field, looming out of the mist comes a jogger... "Ooh look he's running" I think as he passes... "Why don't I chase him!?"

Well Mum and Dad called, but even with a boot on one foot I quickly caught him up and jumped about to show him how pleased I was to see him... He kept on running... I followed until he stopped and started waving his hands in the air... Was I trying to catch his hands or simply give him a kiss? I can't remember, but I did jump up a few times until eventually I heard Dad calling and shaking a bag of treats, so I ran back to have a snack. The jogger continued on his way.

Back on my lead I went, to save my poorly foot from any more stress and we set off again. As we rounded the second field and approached home who should appear again but my new friend the jogger! This time, on my lead, we took a wide berth as we passed...

"NOT IMPRESSED!" said the jogger stopping in his tracks.

"He could have caught you a lot quicker if he wasn't wearing that boot" quipped my Dad.

The jogger really wasn't impressed now and began to berate Mum and Dad about "that dog's behaviour..."

Mum could see his point and was quick to apologise, I could sense Dad wasn't so keen to capitulate, after all it is a field, if I can't run here where can I run?

"I know he was only playing, but what if he'd caught me with a claw? He would have been in a lot of trouble then!"

So according to the jogger I shouldn't be allowed off my lead unless I can do as I'm told.

Well, we did do a fair few obedience classes when I was a puppy, but I like running, they tell me it's in my genes, so I tend to ignore Mum and Dad unless it suits me...

So the question is: should I go back to classes? Will it help?

Did any of you carry on classes into your teens?

Should I stay on my lead around the field? I must admit I'm difficult to catch when I get an idea in my head...

Or is the jogger just a being a grumpy old bug... man!?

x Bertie

Any one for blackberries?

Dad captured me going after the fruit in the back field last September [2011].
I love blackberries and, unlike this year, there were loads of plums too.
But my favourite fruit are apples. I love apples, even crab apples which tend to go through me like a dose of salts!

Who's that monster on the stairs?

That will be me then, sitting on the landing with my front legs down two steps. I have been known to sit like this for quite a while...

Relaxing on the sofa...

No one else wants to sit on the sofa to watch TV do they?

Friday evening curry

My friend Thunder visited on Friday evening 'cause the White's came round for a curry night takeaway. It was too dark to go out in the field so we chased round the house causing mayhem for while before settling down. Thunder went and curled up in my bed next to the Rayburn! I lay on his rug to get my own back. Mum and Dad had a lovely evening with their friends.

The boy from the haystack

Here's Edan [see Life before Bertie] 6 years on welcoming me to the family in June 2011.

Life before Bertie

So there was life before me!

Mum and Dad had a retired greyhound called Phyzz. She was an ex-Walthamstow racer and here she is pictured in the back field with a very young looking Edan, it was taken in 2005, he's at Leeds College of Art now!

Here she is in December 2009 running in the snow - I love doing that too...

She died of a heart attack after her afternoon walk on the 7th June 2011, she was almost 12 years old, not bad for a racer.

Well my Mum and Dad were very upset and decided not to have another dog...

They chose me on the 15th of June!!

Apparently walking round the field without a dog was too upsetting... Oh what a shock I was!

To cage or not too cage...

Now we come to the contentious issue of whether I should be left in my cage when my Mum and Dad go out for while...

Because they both work from home I am with my parents all day long, unless they go out and leave me. So for safeties sake they used to put me in my cage, which I've had since I was a pup.

On this occasion, in April 2012 I got a bit bored and decided to have a bit of a fight with my [new] bed - guess who won?!

The good news is, they have just decided to trust me in the kitchen at night - without my cage. I was a bit worried at first, but the Rayburn is nice a warm to snuggle up against.

How grown up am I!

[Note from Dad - we'll see about that, can we trust you during the daytime too?]

My freind Hans...

Playing with my friend Hans April 2012.

Hans lives up the road from me so he walks in the field too. We have a great time chasing and wrestling whenever we meet up.

Little and large...

Me and my friend Thunder going for a walk in February 2012