5th August

Thanks Val for covering the blogs and looking after Tara whilst we were away. Thanks also to David and Pat Bennett for taking Angel, we had a lovely  and much needed break as well as having a bit of a think and taking stock, but more of that another day. 

Val did get something very wrong when she said the pup was being good, it must have been a bad signal on the phone because nothing could have been further from the truth! Yes 'That Dog' was up to his tricks but it was like a double act with 'That Dog,' and his apprentice!

Here are some thoughts I penned last week ..we'll get back to reality tomorrow.

As our holiday drew closer the idea of not taking our little pup, who had taken up our every waking thought since his arrival a few weeks earlier, seemed unthinkable. However he was growing and changing rapidly.

As it happened events overtook us with Chance taking his Chance and it paying off, so pup was with us anyway, despite now having changed from that vulnerable little thing into a robust and demanding youngster.

I emailed the owner of the cottage asking if it was ok to bring the pup promising that we would not let him chew anything!

How easy to write how hard to fulfil!

Within minutes of our arrival Lexus had chewed a hole through the base of the wicker sofa in the conservatory because his ball went underneath! Lexus! Who has been here for four years with no problems. Seconds later he and the pup were playing tug of war with the driftwood feature from the beach garden! Noooo! Removed from their jaws and what was left of it, hidden.

 Then they turned their attention to the lobster pot, those ropes just too tempting.

 And he could squeeze through the gate at the bottom of the garden which had to be blocked with a folded up garden chair for the rest of the week.

 Keeping an eye on the pup was a full time occupation as it only took seconds to inflict damage on things that just would not matter at home.

I watched him like a hawk. 

He found areas of the garden  no one else knew existed and Lexus could not keep out and lie quietly, oh no, despite sore paws and being ready for a quieter life he just had to join in and steal the pups toys and generally get involved, meaning the pup started hanging off his face, biting his ears, sitting on his head. So much of this went on it became pointless to take yet another photo, but they still had to be watched.

Holiday, relaxing?

Rather than settle down, by the end of the week Pup had extended his misdemeanours to ripping the lower leaves off a rubber plant, digging holes in the lawn and digging up the liner under the stones! I began to look forward to going home for a rest.

Once back.

I had looked forward to this break for so long it was going to be so tough coming back when the week ended ... and yet, it didn't matter when the pup chewed the trees in the garden, I didn't have to pick up every bit of poo, the house was a mess but it was our mess, the routine worked and there is nothing quite like a cup of tea in your own mug and sleeping in your own bed.

 Coming home wasn't so bad after all.