29th July



Bully and Simon

 I knew I shouldn't but I just couldn't resist. I sat down in a gap on the sofa to watch a TV programme with my family. Khan was next to me with his head on Dave's lap, Lexus immediately crawled over inflicting agony on my inner thighs before exhaling a deep shuddering sigh, as if to say,"At last, now I can rest."
There is something very soporific to have a deeply slumbering dog lying across you so it is impossible to move even if you wanted to! "I can't get up, I've a dog lying on me." has long been an excuse in our house.
The dogs, too, seem so deeply settled I wonder if they feel as they did as puppies, kicking and stretching and jostling with their litter mates their mother's warm protective presence close by.
We do not allow dogs upstairs or on the bed (officially anyway) but I know many of you do sleep with your dogs on the bed.
I remember hearing research found the majority of pet owners did have their dog or cat or both on the bed at night.
Despite all the advice from behaviourists when asking new  owners where they intend the dog to sleep, I am always secretly pleased when they answer sheepishly,"Well, we'll probably have him in with us."
Dogs, and particularly Staffords, are meant to be companions not shut away in a separate room.

We took Marley for his second vaccination this evening. All is going swimmingly and he is now called Taz! So I don't think he will be coming back! He really is amazing, 9 months going on 9 years!


Dolly with her young owner.

 We wish Bev and Ashlyn and the rest of the family many happy years with him.