Something to smile about

Ok, press the panic button, all hands on deck, don't panic Mr Mannering...( only know that one cause I have been watching old tv!) the grizzly troll got his britches in a twist yesterday. Stop laughing, this is tres tres serious.( bit of French there just to remind you how handsome I am on my dads side... Brains from my mum, AWESOME. He phoned up work yesterday afternoon, to say either Ghostie of Freya was ill. Not a lot of difference you might think, one male the other female. One black, the other White, pointy ears on one, flaps on the other......ddduuurrrhhh but there were extenuating circumstances... He had been called out, and had come back to a tsunami of a tiddle in the dog room, heavily laced with red, both dogs being asleep in there when he left. He had the sense to take a sample up to our vets for testing the end result being an unknown k9 was far from well. So could she come home to take the victims to the vets? Duly home Freya and Ghostie were loaded into the van along with a couple of stout leads and an American footballers face mask. As I have explained before Ghostie is the opposite of brave but shows it through wanting to rip other canines heads off while shaking that much you struggle to hang on to this mobile jelly. Anyway on the way there he sang various operas, all from the sopranos score, and did his impression of the wall of death on the inside walls of the van. Once they arrived, the troll took Freya in, on the basis that hopefully it was her and the all in wrestling competition that Ghost had planned was never going to happen. Tough luck, a non starter, so it was Ghosties turn. All doors open, fly through the waiting room, and ignore all the startled faces of clients and owners in the split second it took from door to door. Then Ghost having decided that he hadn't created enough havoc went back into opera mode....this time as a falsetto. Loud, high and unending he went for it big time. Duets, both parts, the Pearl fisherman, La Boheme, eat your hearts out... He did it all. And what made it worse was the vet wasn't even in the room. Eventually he ran out of breath, and his temperature was taken, warm, hot, very hot, oops. Poor old dog, so now he has more pills to take than the average hypochondriac with a possible second visit on the horizon. I am so so glad I wasn't there. Can you imagine it...I would have dug a hole and crawled in rather than be associated with that performance. Any way, remembering the three foot needle they stuck in me, I have a certain amount of sympathy for him on the subject. On the plus side, he mentioned he saw a very pretty Bernese bitch out for a stroll on the way home, so things might be looking up as far as I am concerned. ( once a Frenchman, always a Frenchman! ) Any guesses as to more snow? Got to admit I loved the last lot, although you of the two legs do seem to struggle a little with it. Just proves that four are better than two and that is why you love your 4 wheel drives. Not that they have our cornering abilities.... Anyway time get a bit more work done, so I will say ttfn, Cool runnings Gryff

Someone I would love to have met

Well yours truly is now officially upwardly mobile..... I am now on Facebook. Not sure if that's a good thing or not everybody knowing what I get up to.... Will have to wait and see. Having said that, you will all remember that I am only fourteen weeks old and still having trouble getting my paws to fit the computer, so give me a bit of latitude if I don't get to talk to you straight away. Just had aunty Sarah join it.... Guess what , she had to do it on my computer herself. LOL. Anyway, last night after a serious amount of prompting I got she who must be obeyed to tell me of someone I would love to have met... Great uncle Finnigan. Now it's his first anniversary on valentines day, so he has been popping up in conversation and she has been wandering through his pictures with very red eyes. So I thought that may be like Trinity and Archie's mum and dad it would be good to hear stories of their doings. Finnigan was born somewhere around Nov 2008 to a St Bernard breeder who seemed to have lost the plot, the end result being that in excess of 100 dogs were taken into care by the RSPCA. After about six months and three eye operations it was decided that he might be fit enough to be homed if someone could be found who would be able to cope with his problems. He was small and nearly blind with any amount of problems yet to come. His mother had been starved while she carried her litter and he father could have been any other dog in the kennel, so his general health was questionable anyway.. Now She who must be obeyed has been known to take the odd rescue in, all on the big side, and one of the area managers knew her so she got a phone call from the centre that he was at. Infact she got four, but the first one did the job knowing her... Anyway on the May bank holiday, they both took a trip out to meet The Finnigan. Sufficient to say, she spent the Saturday, Sunday and the Monday with him , teaching him to play, and sitting in the little tea room with his so he got used to the chaos and confusion that any life with Berners is full of. On the Monday Finnigans eyes were really bad again, so she asked that as soon as the vet was available Tuesday he be referee again. On the Tuesday the vet rang her with an update. She had just finished surgery on his eyes and in her opinion there would never be any improvement and they would only deteriorate as he got older. She who must be obeyed asked what would happen if she didn't take him, and was told probably A SHORT LIFE EXPECTANCY. Guess what, she and Merlin picked him up that Friday and that was that. Now can you imagine this crazy woman lifting a part grown St B into a van with Merlin in attendance all the windows wide open cause he smelt so bad, and phoning the girls at work to go to the pet shop and fetch some shampoo and put the hot water on..... Poor Finny he must have wondered what the devil was going on. The good point was that he got three women bathing drying and massaging him and he loved every minute of it, and that was at work. When it came to going home , the performance was repeated but with the windows shut, and just Merlins delicate nose slightly wrinkled. I think it must have taken a brave or a crazy dog to walk into the house that I have come to know... In hind sight I would say an incredibly brave dog! Finnigans problems included cream in his eyes more or less every day as he not so slowly went blind, hip dysplacia and a very delicate digestive system , which meant he struggled to eat all the nice things that we canines take for granted. When it came to going for a walk, the van would come out and a straight lane would be found and all the dogs would get out together and have a mad few minutes....all except Finnigan. He would stand quite still until Freya found her way to his left shoulder, and she would take him up the lane by gently bouncing off his left shoulder. If he started going the wrong direction she would move one way or the other, so she either pushed him right, or he would come left till he felt her there again. The other dogs would stay close and guard against low flying pheasants and speeding rabbits. Which ever way you look at it, that was one amazing family Finnigan was part of. The Old Trout, would follow in the van and pick up the dogs one at a time as they grew tired, Finnigan always unfortunately being the first. He would lie in the side door way, with his paws hooked over the edge, and let the wind blow over his face and flap his ears and as each dog jumped in to join him he would give them a nudge. Now you know why a quiet straight lane was so important. When he went out on a lead either Merlin or Freya always went with him and he took immense pleasure in talking to other dogs and their people. When you think of what he went through, it makes you wonder where his courage and acceptance of people came from. When he was about two, probably because of his digestive problems he went down with bloat and was rushed to the vets. Their immediate solution was euthanasia, because of his background, but she who must be obeyed told them in no uncertain terms that it was her money and to get on with it. At about midnight the vets rang and said he had survived the surgery but was very very poorly. The following morning they rang again and said that they would be keeping him for the next four days to see if he ate or otherwise. SHE asked if there would always be someone there and what his medication was... The answers didn't suit her so they went and fetched him home... Against the vets advice. As far as my family were concerned Finnigan had spent seven months in a kennel through no fault of his own, and if he was going then he would be warm, comfortable and with the ones that loved him. Problem with her indoors is she can be so stubborn where we are concerned. We come first and that's it... Anyway, Finnigans first meal was all the chicken off the top of a Tandori chicken pizza, and his second was a third of a sausage roll. Not perhaps standard Hills but who cares if it works.? Anyway he slowly got through the worst of it, until his appointment two weeks later to have the staples removed. All was well until he went in, and then they found that he hadn't healed internally and had to do more surgery then and there. Poor old boy, your heart goes out to him.. He was so brave all the way through it. Eventually after weeks of tlc he seemed to be on the up, and enjoying life again, until Feb 14 th last year. Now that day is busy for the boss lady and with the exception of Merlin, the others got the day off. When she who must be obeyed walked through the door she took one look at Finnigan and realised that the bloat had come back... And rushed him back to the vets. The consensus of opinion was that it was gas as his stomach had been stitched in place so a full torsion was impossible.... So they released the gas and sent him home. Unfortunately for him all was not well. .... And sometime through the night Finnigan , with the dogs around him slipped quietly away, having reached the grand old age of two and a half. Freya was never the same again, and has only just started getting over his loss. Mum reckons that I am partly responsible for that, so I will continue to creep up behind her, and nip her leg and run away until she tells me to stop. So that is the tale of the incredibly brave and loving Finnigan, whose pictures decorate the walls at home, along with other family ancestors... All loved and missed. Since I was told his story I keep thinking that I would have loved to have met him, and what an honour that would have been. Sleep peacefully Finny, they miss you..... Cool runnings Gryff

What a day

What a day, woke up at half past four to a White world....MAGIC. All the snow I could have wished for. Thank you Aunty Kath and Uncle Mike. Bit of breakfast and straight out with the big man himself. Now I know why Theia loves the skiing on tv. Out along the river and had a ball running up and down and through the bushes making it snow on Merlin as he followed behind. There is nothing like a flat unblemished expanse of snow in front of you, and then running all the way through it doing ski turns, circles and bombing the adults. Never wanted to stop, but made the mistake of looking tired so we turned back for breakfast. She who must be obeyed cooked bone soup for us last night. Do you remember I said that the butcher sent us a load of bones? Well some of them she wouldn't give us, too small or sharp or something. Well anyway, she put them in a big saucepan with all different bits and pieces and stewed them for most of the evening. When we got back , while they took the girls out, she left us with warm biscuits soaked in the gravy juices and chopped bits of meat . Lovely. Must admit by the time they came back with the girls I was giving it zzzzzz's . Anyway the girls got their breakfast and Ghostie too when he had been out. Do you know the darn fuzz balls thought they could muscle in on the breakfast. No chance! Then about eleven o'clock my ears must have been flicking because the word Ferarri filtered through into my dream and I woke up with a jump. They were planning to take it out on to the land at the back of the house and do a photo shoot. Because Merlin was a bit tired and we had some quite deep snow in places it was decided that she who must be obeyed would drag it round and we would walk round with dad... Did it the other way coming back, she was bright red in the face by the time we got there and puffing like a dragon with asthma ... Don't laugh, she is getting on a bit you know!( It's the green rattly scales that give her away) but anyway I got to sit in the Ferarri and have my picture taken. It's even better than I thought. Sleek red and a total babe mobile , can't wait till I am big enough to pull it. The only down side is that the snow doesn't seem to stop very long. By about 1 this afternoon it was starting to melt, but then again we do have to go to work early tomorrow. Just have to hope it's not icy in the morning. And, and we got bone gravy on our tea as a bonus again. What a day, snow, bone soup and a sit in the Ferarri. AWESOME. Anyway, got to get back to my tea, can see fuzz balls approaching. Not good! Take care if you are out and about, cool runnings Gryff

Bring it on baby....

Bring it on baby, it's just got to happen.... Snow snow snow snow, I want snow!!! Today is shaping up as one of the best days I have had so far in my short life. I may not have mentioned this before, but my dad is French ( hence my good looks and charm) and this morning Mr Grumpy had to admit that he had forgotten to purchase our pate... Oops! So as a gesture of appeasement he decided to break out the Boursin ( frog cheese for the cats of this world). And to my absolute and total disbelief there was only three of us that liked it ( uneducated heathens if you ask me) so guess what..double quantities. BLISS. I ate my breakfast first of course Nanny Broels.... I can hear you even though you are fifty miles away, bet you say " eat your crusts it will make your fur curl " too. Anyway, when we stopped for our walk on the way into work, we noticed all the water birds were either sitting on the bits of ice or worse still as far as I was concerned, swimming about in the freezing water. Now our truck read minus seven this morning so who do you think is the sensible one? Anyway, we keep being told four to eight inches of that magical White stuff, late pm to evening, so she who must be obeyed decided to be a total wimp and leave for home early. It's about thirty five miles each way and it's all country lanes with huge dykes and drains every where so I suppose we could let her off, but there wasnt a water bird in sight.... Not even the two geese that challenge you down New Cut... It is getting so cold that they have taken shelter off the water, and out of this lazy wind. ( a lazy wind goes through your fur instead of around you). Makes me wonder how all the wild life survives when it's as cold as today. Add to that the White grey sky and it's pretty much got to happen... And all the main roads have already been salted... Probably saving overtime, no Sunday working. Anyway when we got home, Sir had been out doing the hunter gatherer thing. He was one of the people in the bakers who had bought twice the amount of stuff to put in the freezer incase we get snowed in. I ask you, four Bernese, not an ice-cream in hells chance of that happening! But on this occasion he had also been to the butchers to get his burgers for tea. Now being the lovely gents that they are they sent us a food parcel fit to bust. Five of the most stunning marrow bones I have ever seen. In fairness I have to say these were the first ones I had ever seen but they were so lip smacking that we couldn't wait. An hour later, including all the interruptions ( checking up I was ok...as if) I am totally shattered and in seventh heaven. ( and she won't make me clean my teeth again tonight) So you can see why my day is turning into an absolute cracker. French cheese, snow and my first marrow bone. Tell you what, if I get up in the morning and the weather men have got it wrong , I shall be so ticked off I will chase them off the tv. Anyway, I can smell beef burgers, so would you mind if I take a rain check till next time. Keep everything crossed because I mean what I bark......Snow or else you weather men....cool runnings Gryff

Playing hooky

If I say it myself, I played an absolute blinder today... Got them up early and on the move cause it had snowed a bit again and my tiny little grey cells went into overdrive when I heard somebody say that they had more snow in Norfolk, my home county. Now the other night She who must be obeyed was relating tales of visits to Sandringham woods and the beach at Snettisham and Heacham and I had been thinking how good it sounded and they of course are in Norfolk. Anyway when Aunty Sarah arrived, I suggested we needed some more milk, knowing that she would have to pass the fridge with the cooked sausages in. Bingo, two packets and the milk. Strike one for my plan. Then I chivvied up the pair of them till they had done all they needed to get sorted and by then the sun had come out. Freezing cold but a lovely day all the same. Next job was to get somebody who could drive into the van, with my lunch ,two packets of sausages and a couple of canine friends. Am I good or what? Anyway off we go and first stop is the woods. Awesome. You can walk for miles in there, and go in all different bits. Saw loads of different animals including some grey things called squirrels. If I could go as fast as them on the flat as they do going straight up a tree I could make some serious money. Met this guy in a big truck, who called us over... Scared her indoors to death. Thought we were in the wrong place or something, but he was a keeper out on the estate. He wondered what we were, cheeky so and so.... Anyway seems he thought the three of us were really cool, running around and digging up mole hills but not a breed he had seen before. Told you I was handsome ...... Mind you I suppose Merlin is reasonably smart, but not as cool as me of course. He told us where there might be some deer but we had to be on leads. That suited us, Merlin was getting tired and Theia has a front leg limp sometimes so we headed back down the path he suggested. One minute there was nothing there, the next they stood in front of us. Mum said that they were Mutt Jacks... Never seen a dog like them before. About the same height as a Berner, with greyhound legs and a brown colour with a round body. Looked a bit thick if you ask me, just standing there chewing stuff. Anyway them eating made me feel a bit sharp set and those sausages seemed like a good idea. Nice picnic guys. Can recommend it with a few biscuits of course. Then we headed off to the beach..... Wasnt sure what to expect but there was snow on it so it was ok with me. Merlin of course had to show off and go flying into the water closely followed by her ladyship. It was so funny, her face was a picture... She had never been on the beach either and didn't realise that it comes in two halves. Wet and dry! Don't think she will be doing that again. Got to say personally, I thought it was ok. Perhaps on a warmer day next time.... The water we took in the van froze while we were messing around, so that shows how cold it was. Anyway by this time she who must be obeyed is frozen too and in need of a hot drink. Remind me next time to pack something for her....felt a bit mean, but it was my first picnic.....how was I to know?? Anyway we found a little wooden hut thing and she had a bucket of chips with fish fingers....and I do mean a bucket complete with spade, so going to christen them next time. Can't wait to jump on a sand castle....awesome. Anyway we were all shattered by now, so we headed home. Got to say guys it's a great place to go, but just watch Sept thro to Nov cause they get that seasonal dog bug apparently. Don't know what causes it but it can be real nasty for us canines. Anyway, got to go and sort the domestics out, sand everywhere, must have stuck to her feet.... See you next time guys. Cool runnings Gryff

The White Stuff

Learnt another of the house rules this morning,..... If it's Snowing, Everybody Out! She got me out of a lovely warm basket where I was giving it zzzzzz's to go and play in the snow. She was running around telling everyone to get downstairs like a maniac,then as we all piled up to the back door she just stopped dead.... Now the back door off the dog room is reinforced glass and the outside light is always left on, but the one thing it doesn't have is a cat flap. Yes , you got it..sitting outside, noses frozen to the door and looking like two snow cats were Slice n Dice and non other than Fatcat. Now by my estimation, the Grizzly Troll let us out for the last time about nine thirty just before he disappeared upstairs to read his book. She who must be obeyed had already gone up and was fast asleep all curled up with an electric blanket, so they had been outside for about four or five hours, and when I say that they were White over that's exactly what I mean. WHITE WHITE. Now the average cat would cope but not these two idiots. She threw open the door grabbed them and rushed indoors wanting towels, hot soup, hot water bottles, brandy all the heating putting on, the works. Now I class Merlin as a sensible soul, and he turned around looked at them , and just walked straight out into the snow closely followed by all of us. The chances of the Grizzly Trolls survival were looking pretty small. He didn't do the head count did he? Anyway we just all cleared off into the garden and had a crazy ten minutes barking, practising sliding turns, grabbing lumps of snow and throwing them in the air for someone else to catch.... Well I tried it, but every time I got a mouthful it seemed to just disappear. I would grab it, head over to Merlin to show him, and by the time he took any notice it had disappeared . Got to find out where I was going wrong. Anyway after about ten minutes the noise levels must have registered indoors, because the tattered remains of the Troll came to the door and called us in. Tails wagging and starving hungry we hit the kitchen. Now usually I get a proper breakfast ( honest Nanny Broels) closely followed by hot toast for everyone but this morning the grill had only just gone on but my breakfast was ready. Now I know I should have been polite and offered everybody but I forgot (yeh yeh) so off I went into my office and got stuck in. What I didn't realise was, that as a stop gap for the others ,Mum was ferretting in the treats box. Out she comes with three bags clearly marked "Fish4Dogs". Now I may be young, but for dogs???? Norwegian or Japanese breeds well yes.. Sushi or fish pie, but Bernese Snow dogs.... How wrong can you be. There was chaos... The cats were wailing, Theia was dancing round the room on two legs, and I was extremely glad that I was in my office cause Merlins tail was like a piece of old rope wagging everywhere. Took the towels off the radiator,and tipped up the water bowl, it was manic. Anyway the Troll, anxious to make amends, let me out and made us all sit. Now why if we have to sit don't the fuzzballs? There they are standing on top of my office getting first go at the treats. It said for dogs, NOT FUZZBALLS! Anyway mum starts distributing the treats, till she gets to me. Well first time you are always careful aren't you. Had a sniff, took it gingerly from her fingures and dropped it. Well I thought I dropped it, only problem was it didn't hit the floor. Not sure who got it but I was not impressed! So the next one never touched the back of my throat. Still got to get the full taste of one, but needs must when the devil drives and I was not about to loose any more. One thing I do know is that somebody has got to teach the fuzz balls to read. It definitely said dog, I am sure it did and if they leave their food lying around then it would be rude for us dogs to let it go to waste wouldnt it? Anyway by then the grill has warmed up and the toast hits the rack. One thing I will say in defence of dad is he is an amazing cook. Can make something out of anything and it will be great, bless him. By now She who must be obeyed has calmed down because it's painfully obvious that the cats are fine and quite happy to make the most of being spoilt...As far as snow is concerned it's AWESOME and I cant wait till the weekend when we are supposed to get loads more. Anyway kettles on so hoping the biscuit tin will be out to go with her cuppa..... See I don't miss much already. Will say ta tar for now. Cool runnings Gryff

A sadder place

Today the world is a sadder place with the loss of two Bernese mountain dogs, Archie last night and Trinity today. To their families, and the families of any dog loved and lost , we say "our thoughts and hearts are with you" gryff