And so it came to pass that on 21 December Prince Jake and his faithful retinue drove south. Strapped into his usual position on the back seat, Jake found himself rather higher than usual. The car was piled so high with dog blankets and other lurcher-coddling gear that he lay on his fleecy seat protector like the princess and the pea, at just the right height to lick Gussie's neck as she drove. Prince Jake was his usual dignified self in the car, and slept most of the way south, pausing only to bounce like a mad fool on the snow at Tebay.
Jake graciously received presents from his Stockport subjects, including a fancy Wittard dog bowl, and a cuddly reindeer with many squeaks. He allowed Mary to share her bed with him, and was delighted to see Stephen too, though the pack remained a distant memory, their scent wafting on the grasses at Myrelees. At Lyme Park, in hot pursuit of a labrador, Jake fell into the lake and had to pulled out by his elbows. He was none the worse for this, in fact, rather cleaner than when he fell in.
In Nottingham, Jake successfully masqueraded as the best behaved dog Gussie's mother had ever seen. We were pleased, if a little surprised. He coped dogfully with wheelchairs, toddlers, aeon-long meals, no telly, and organic beef scraps. He explored the canals near Kinoulton with Pixie the springer spaniel, found some glorious dung to roll in, then resumed his guise of Lovely Dog in a Kinoulton living room.
Best of all - getting home after a day's driving (pit stops at Borobridge, Scotch Corner & Jedburgh) to find that his home and his den were still intact. Harrison Park appears to be here still too, along with all his doggy friends.
Next stop - Gairloch!
Jake graciously received presents from his Stockport subjects, including a fancy Wittard dog bowl, and a cuddly reindeer with many squeaks. He allowed Mary to share her bed with him, and was delighted to see Stephen too, though the pack remained a distant memory, their scent wafting on the grasses at Myrelees. At Lyme Park, in hot pursuit of a labrador, Jake fell into the lake and had to pulled out by his elbows. He was none the worse for this, in fact, rather cleaner than when he fell in.
In Nottingham, Jake successfully masqueraded as the best behaved dog Gussie's mother had ever seen. We were pleased, if a little surprised. He coped dogfully with wheelchairs, toddlers, aeon-long meals, no telly, and organic beef scraps. He explored the canals near Kinoulton with Pixie the springer spaniel, found some glorious dung to roll in, then resumed his guise of Lovely Dog in a Kinoulton living room.
Best of all - getting home after a day's driving (pit stops at Borobridge, Scotch Corner & Jedburgh) to find that his home and his den were still intact. Harrison Park appears to be here still too, along with all his doggy friends.
Next stop - Gairloch!
Labels: Family
Jake’s last day at Dog School this year. No notable end of term delinquency, just endless thwarted play fighting with Ria the Staffie pup when not trotting between bollards. We’ll be back in January for the clicker training class.
And then on to the park, where Sam the black mongrel was as bouncy as ever. His owner got him on the lead… he did a runner after Jake & I … I got Sam to sit for me while his owner caught us up… Jake promptly grabbed his lead and tried to take Sam for a walk… Didn’t know whether to laugh or scold. Bring on the clicks.
And then on to the park, where Sam the black mongrel was as bouncy as ever. His owner got him on the lead… he did a runner after Jake & I … I got Sam to sit for me while his owner caught us up… Jake promptly grabbed his lead and tried to take Sam for a walk… Didn’t know whether to laugh or scold. Bring on the clicks.
The ears, my friend, are blowing in the wind
0 Comments Published by Gussie on Tuesday, December 14, 2004 at 12/14/2004 03:21:00 PM.
I can report that Jake appears to have sustained no serious psychological
harm from being left this morning. He's all talk and no trousers.
Where were all the dog walkers this afternoon? Was it the driving rain &
gale force winds that put them off? Jake & I had a happy walk down the
canal, followed by an eye-popping walk into the wind on the way back,
watching the swans rocking on the choppy water.
harm from being left this morning. He's all talk and no trousers.
Where were all the dog walkers this afternoon? Was it the driving rain &
gale force winds that put them off? Jake & I had a happy walk down the
canal, followed by an eye-popping walk into the wind on the way back,
watching the swans rocking on the choppy water.
Labels: Park life
This morning we had the usual excitement as Gussie and Roderick play the don't let the lurcher out as you go to work game.
Gussie made a swift exit when Jake was distracted by his ball. Roderick faced the larger challenge.
Once alerted to departing humans Jake is very careful to lie gracefully across all points of house exit to ensure there is no further escapees. Bribery was required - the application of a favoured dentastick was made, sniffing ensued and finally Jake accepted it as a reasonable bribe for exit. The dentastick was removed to the new fancy travelling bed, bought for Jake's forthcoming adventures at Christmas, and Roderick was allowed to exit for work.
To ensure Roderick understood how abandoned Jake felt, Jake decided it was necessary to whine and scrape the door as Roderick donned a coat and fled the house.
Gussie made a swift exit when Jake was distracted by his ball. Roderick faced the larger challenge.
Once alerted to departing humans Jake is very careful to lie gracefully across all points of house exit to ensure there is no further escapees. Bribery was required - the application of a favoured dentastick was made, sniffing ensued and finally Jake accepted it as a reasonable bribe for exit. The dentastick was removed to the new fancy travelling bed, bought for Jake's forthcoming adventures at Christmas, and Roderick was allowed to exit for work.
To ensure Roderick understood how abandoned Jake felt, Jake decided it was necessary to whine and scrape the door as Roderick donned a coat and fled the house.
Labels: Whimsy
A festive problem today - how to juggle two huge jiffy bags, my purse & Jake in the Post Office? Especially tricky when Jake spotted the packets of jelly babies at nose level. Amazing how much power can go into NO when needs must.
And so onto the top deck of the 44 to Craiglockart Dell. Jake travels by Lothian Buses for free, though he much prefers the car. Much scampering through the woods, followed by a brisk walk along the canal back to the park, where he was still full of beans after 40 minutes of running around, vaulting a Westie a couple of times just because he could.
He is now having a post-prandial nap, sulking a little because I stopped throwing Swan for him.
And so onto the top deck of the 44 to Craiglockart Dell. Jake travels by Lothian Buses for free, though he much prefers the car. Much scampering through the woods, followed by a brisk walk along the canal back to the park, where he was still full of beans after 40 minutes of running around, vaulting a Westie a couple of times just because he could.
He is now having a post-prandial nap, sulking a little because I stopped throwing Swan for him.
Labels: Whimsy
