So much to do ..

I love it over the bridleway, so much room.  I am, of course, a real runner, and this gave me the opportunity to roam over fields - crops are all gone - and to charge up and down the path.  We went a long long way and I quite wore Mum out.  You can see how fast I can go by the way my ears are swept back by the wind generated by my sheer speed.

Also, there was a very interesting new scent.  Rabbits. and a smell I have found before - fox.  But this time I was so far away over the field that I got in a good roll before Mum caught up with me.  I really dont know why she objects so much.  When I got home I was brushed, sprayed with doggie deodorant - callled Grooming Spray - and all the delightful pong of fox was gone.  I ended up smelling like a powder puff.  Disgusting.

New day, new friends.  Met a baby mastiff and a rolypoly beagle. Its such fun when there are friends around, but this morning we were there too early for the others so I had to entertain myself. While investigating the undergrowth around the edge I found a bone. Well, I mean, a bone! It just had to be done. Mum did not approve so I took off with it. Mum followed. I think she must have been saying something but I closed my ears. Every time she got close I took off again. I must admit I did lead her a merry chase for quite a while. Then she got crafty and pulled out the treats bag. Now that was a bid of a dilemna.  Bone or sausage? Sausage or bone? While I was making up my mind she got close enough to grab me. For some reason Mum had a sense of humour failure, clipped on my lead and took me home.  She not amused - but Dad said "come on Georgeous, come and sit with me for a while".  Mum soon got over it though, no-one can stay cross with me, cos I am georgeous and I have such beautiful eyes .....

To change the subject, let me introduce you to Public Enemy No.1.  The cat next door.  When I sit up straight on our bed and look out of the window I can see the roof of our neighbours extention.  Its a sunny spot, and about as close to our bird table as you can get from next door (about 6ft away).  Its the enemy's favourite spot to do a bit of bird watching..... and the bed is my favourite spot to do a bit of cat watching ...

Mum says its called Tinkerbell.  I call it Lunch.


                                                                              
                                   

Its all go ...

 Its Saturday, and I have been here two whole weeks.  It seems like each new day I meet a new friend.  This whipersnapper of a boxer pup had lots of go in him.  Mum tried to get a photo of us racing around, but we were too fast and all she got was a blur ... so call me Lightening.  I do love playing with puppies and smaller dogs.  The big dogs I take a while to get used to ... except Roxie, I do love Roxie.

I like Mikey too.  He is fast.  Very fast.  He runs and I chase him.  I would rather chase than be chased. When Mikey and I run we are gone with the wind.





I'm getting pretty brave too.  At first I would only get my toes wet in the splash, now I am really beginning to get the hang of it.  I make a beeline for the river at every opportunity.  I dont mind the mud at all, and will wade in up to my tummy.  Its really good fun when there are a few of us in togetter.

 I met this Spaniel.  I like him.  He showed me the picnic area.  We had a good scavange around but didn't find anything worth eating.  We were hoping for a left-over half a sandwich or something, but only found a few empty containers.  Mum caught up with us just as we turned our attention to the rubbish bin .... drat!                                                                                                                  

Spaniels have a good nose for a left-over sandwich.  Not as good as mine, of course, but not bad.

 Mum takes me over the Riverside park in the mornings and then its home to my rice crispies, playtime and a nap.  Then its time for my afternoon walk over the meadows to the splash and back to a snack.  Later Dad takes me over the fields where the partridge and pheasants hide, then its back to dinner. playtime, and bed with Mum and Dad (and me in the middle) ... gosh its a hard life!

Have to go.  Mum is taking me along the bridle path ... haven't been there before so its a new adventure .....

Bored, bored, bored.

 GSP's (which, in case I haven't mentioned it, stands for German Shorthaired Pointer, i.e. me) are very intelligent, which means we need to have lots to keep us occupied.  We get bored quickly if Mum doesn't supply entertainment.  Then there is nothing for it but for me to entertain myself.  Its fun to see how fast I can de-stuff a soft toy and how far the stuffing will go.  The only down-side to this is that it doesn't take long.

Then Mum comes along and says "Oh Callie!"  But I am so good at just looking away and ignoring the mess, in effect letting her know that its nothing to do with me at all, that it makes her laugh.  Mum's not bad at that trick either, she leaves it for Dad to pick up.  As I can do no wrong at all in Dad's eyes, that is not a bad idea at all.

 Doesn't take Mum long to realise that I am bored and need to go over the field again.

I've found that not only is the field good for running and paddling in the river, there are places to explore.  Tunnels through the bushes and things.  I like exploring. You never know what could be hiding in bushes - could be a pheasant or two to scare, or maybe rabbits.  Anyway I have found a couple of very muddy entry points into the river where Mum cant see the mess I am getting into.  Now that is FUN.

Cjj

Dad has been poorly for a few days and hasn't been able to take me over the field.  I hope he gets better quick or he will have forgotten everything I tried to teach him about pheasant/partridge scaring.  Ah well, I shall just have to start all over again ......

Lazy Sunday?

Its Sunday - goodness gracious where does time go?  I've been here more than a week and my Mum and Dad say they cant imagine life without me.  Mind you, I reckon I've worn their legs down an inch or two in the last 7 days.

I meet a lot of dogs when Mum takes me to Riverside Park or along the path through the meadows to the Mill.  I'm still quite shy and it takes me a while to make a friend, but I really like Roxy.  She's a Newfoundland, big, black and very hairy - and she loves to play in the river.  When Roxy is there to give me a bit of encouragement I'm getting quite a lot braver - will go in almost to my tummy now - but only when Roxy is there.

Every morning I clear the park of crows.  I will get a tail-feather one day, I'm sure I will if I keep at it.  I know I'm a bird dog, and I have shown Dad how to put up pheasants and partridges from the crops a few times now, but I got a bit of a shock yesterday when I came across this one.  Well, actually there were 4 of them in gang.  This one stood taller than me.  So there are times when discretion is called for:
(a)  when the bird is bigger than me
(b) when its got back-up
(c) when it looks fierce and could end up chasing ME!
That is when its time to pretend I cant see it and go back to the car - and hope they open the door real quick so I can make a sharp exit.  Swans - even young swans - are not part of my job description.

Go Callie Go

Well, I think you can call me Action Dog today.  Met my mate the little cocker spaniel over the park.  She had a ball so I chased her.  Boy you should have seen us go. .... and this was after I had chased all the crows and magpies off the pitch, so its a good job I have plenty of energy.

I was a bit tired when I got home so, after I had polished off my rice crispies, I settled down for a snooze.  When I woke up I was a bit damp, okay then, I was wet.  Seems my other little problem had happened, but the folks didn't make a fuss.  Dad went on to the 'net and ordered two nice tartan picnic blankets to cover my beds.  They are nice cozy one side and waterproof the other so next time my little problem happens, it wont make my cushions all wet.  Mum went one better - she went on the 'net and ordered a giant size one to protect our bed of a night cos I do like to sleep in the middle of Mum and Dad.

Busy Thursday

Today I conducted a scientific experiment to see just how much stuffing they put into a large fluffy toy.  I was amazed at just how much stuff I managed to pull out once I had ripped its head off.  The second objective was to see how much floor space I could cover with the stuff.  I managed to recarpet both lounge and dining room.  Quite impressive, I thought.

I am making sure that both Mum and Dad get plenty of exercise.  Mum knows a lovely path through fields of long grass alongside the river.  Halfway along our walk there is a place called The Splash where the river is very shallow. I went paddling.  It was lovely and I'm going to go again tomorrow.

Dad took me out over the fields tonight, and I had lots of fun with a family or partridges.  I was trying to teach Dad how to circle round, gradually getting closer, then going in for the last dash.  Those partridges took off clacking their heads off.  I dont think Dad has quite got it, though, so I shall have to show him again as soon as possible.

While  I was out I had a fit - dont think I mentioned that I have something they call epilepsy.  It didn't last long Dad stroked an talked to me until I was ready to get up and going again.  When I got home Dad got out the soft brush and brushed all the dried mud out of my coat.  I liked that, and now I am all shiny again.

Ah well, time for a snooze before bedtime.

Wed 16th Sept 2015

Hi Folks, my name is Calypso, but you can call me Callie.

I have been here in my forever home, with a new Mum and Dad for 4 days now and I do believe they have settled down nicely.  Of course I had to quickly make a few rules - simple basic things like 'Callie sleeps on the bed' and if you expect me to come back when you blow that whistle you had better have a piece of sausage on offer.  They are fairly bright and caught on fast.  I dont think I shall have any trouble training them.


We have a reasonable routine established already.  I wake them up by the simple nose-in-the ear method in the morning and take one of them, usually Mum, out for a walk while the one left behind gets my breakfast - rice crispies and milk - so its waiting for me when I get home.  Mum took me to a field where lots of dogs run and play on my first moring here.  Now I take her each moning get to romp around and stretch my legs.  I love running really fast, and can get to the other side of a 30 acre field in no time flat,  so its a good job she has that whistle.  Without the whistle I couldn'd hear her call so I wouldnt know when she had a piece of sausage waiting.  I like sausage.

I also like smells, and there are so many fascinatng smells in that field.  In fact, I think there must be a fox somewhere near, because the new running mate I met this morning has rolled in something deliciously pungent.