weimaraner water baby

Hydrotherapy - much talked about fountain of youth! Here you can see me in action! 

And I shall show you soon just how floppy I am after those sessions. Bye, bye arthritis! Hello joie de vivre!

at least Doggy understands me...

wherever I lay my head had better be comfy and cosy. Frankly, I have had a bit of a stressful day. Full of leaks, plumbers, stress..... Pffffftttt. 

I do so hate it when the STAFF call intruders to the house. These people turning up with their tools and whatnot and I am under strict order not to kill them. Or bite them. Or take a nibble. Or even bark at them for an appropriate amount of time. 

It is very exhausting to engage in this counter-instinctual behaviour. So, once the excitement was over, I needed to find me a place where I could kick back and relax. A place where I could hang out with my buddy Doggy, who understands me. Not with the STAFF who, frankly, did not please me today. 

After my schnuzzle with my buddy, I may be ready to give THEM another chance for tomorrow. 

But for now, I am shutting the world out. Good night.  

rubber sticks are great!

I got myself a new toy. I am so full of energy now and no niggly aches and pains. Nothing! And it is all down to this wonderful hydrotherapy I get. Hydrotherapy = joie de vivre! Anyway, last time we were at hydrotherapy I spotted these cool new toys. Sticks, but made from rubber by ruff dawgs. Totally safe! I indicated to the STAFF that I wanted one, and, naturally, THEY bought it. THEY are soft as anything when I go swimming. Well, most of the time really. And one day, THEY will get me a pig's ear in the tuck shop, I just know it. But, yes, my new toy.

So, this morning we took it to the Best Wood, handed it to the STAFF who can throw slightly better than the other one, and offffffffff I went!
Overshot it a little bit on the first go. After all, I had been totally out of practice with the whole playing thing. 
So, we're having another go.
And - PERFECT! Got it in one. 
I also scooped up quite a lot of grass with that one. 
But I quickly got rid off that, so that I could pose with my kill! Hah!
But being in the Best woods is not all fun and games! There is also quite a lot of wee-mail that needs reading and replying to. Even though I wish the STAFF would have the grace not to take pictures during these private, er, conversations. 

And there's always quite a lot of exploring to do. But the key is to look non-chalant, whatever you are up to. That way I landed me a little rabbit the other week. The STAFF will claim that it was already dead when I found it. Pah! I caught it fair and square. Maybe it wasn't moving very fast, but still. Well, not moving very fast, in a not at all sort of way. I still chalked it up as my kill. So, there. And it was very tasty. Both the first and the second time I ate it. If you get my meaning. Although, I could have done with some Schnapps to ease it through the system a bit more...

Anyway, all in all, I am having a great time! Would you know it - I am a totally happy kinda guy right now!

All the activity has left me slightly tired. I am resting on my timeshare. A splendid arrangement I have with the STAFF: I get it during the day and THEY get it at night. Unless there are fireworks or thunderstorms. Then we all share. 

Night, night. See you later for evening patrol. Until then, be off! 

keeping cool, but not too cool, in the heatwave

Whoaaa. Heatwave. Too hot to type. Too hot to think. Can only lie in front of the fan.

But at least it means that my washing is drying fast!

Heatwave or no. When there is sun, you have to go outside and soak up the rays. It's a cultural thing!

And to cool yourself down - Astromarmite popsicles!

A whole tray full of frozen goodness. Yum!

It's best to have them in the shade. And they cool you down enough to return straight back into the sun. Excellent!

Mmmhhh, mmmmhhh, mmmmhh. Ice-cream!

And crunch, crunch, crunch it's gone! Sometimes the STAFF do have good ideas!

After Dinner Exercises

Every evening needs a bit of entertainment. I have my red ball. Filled with tasty snacks. I trained the STAFF into filling it. The deal is that I go out for a wee after breakfast and dinner - which I don't like (going out I don't like, I love breakfast and dinner!) - and the STAFF fill me my red ball with treats. Yum! 

Come to Otto Schnuff, little Biscuits! Come, come, come. 

When I first got the red ball, I believed the STAFFs' instructions and was running around with it rolling on the floor. But then I quickly realised that you can achieve the same effect whilst lying on the floor, on a soft and warm rug. Without moving much at all. As I have a keen interest in all nutritional matters I know that the fewer calories you burn whilst eating food the more calories you get to keep from the food. Economy of movement is, yet again, a key principle!

The instant the last biscuit has made its way out of the ball and into my chops, I lose interest in that thing completely. Boring! So totally yesterday!

And then the exercises begin. Essentially this training is 101 easy ways to tell the STAFF that you really would care for another biscuit, or two.  As you can imagine, the STAFF took a while to pick up on the general principles, but now it is going ok. 

Here I am demonstrating one easy way of getting a biscuit and exuberant praise: Lie on a comfy rug (couldn't lie on the hard floors, natch! Ordered those soft little wool rugs tailor-made for me!). Anyway, lie there until the STAFF call you. And get a biscuit. Easy.

What is devilishly difficult is a slight variety on the Do-nothing=get-biscuit. Here the STAFF cruelly put a tempting biscuit right in front of you. But you mustn't eat it, NO! THEY get very upset when you do. When you exercise supreme self-control and don't take it, you get that one AND another one. Leaving it is therefore the only rational decision.  

And then, THEY up the ante further by putting snacks on your paws! 

And with 3 tasty snacks, within reach, within sight and smell, you have to wait. 

Sometimes I have to lie there for days! I have the self-control of any Zen master by now.

And when your work is done, the STAFF are rightly proud! And I reward THEM by cuddling up on the sofa for a bit before I retreat to the peace and quiet of my own bed. I need my rest, so that I am ready for the next day. 

My days are filled with fun. 

Summer sun - and the livin' is easy...

Ahhh, summer's here. Time to go extreme sunbathing. Find a sunny spot. Stand in it. Look pitiful. Wait for the STAFF to come waddling out with your bed. Start extreme sunbathing. You don't know how? Well, let me tell you what to do. It takes a bit of practise, but I am sure you could learn.

To begin with: Lie in the sun. 

Start pre-heating very gently. Stay upright, in case you haven't the best spot and movement should be necessary. Economy of movement is of the utmost importance. Should an archenemy (e.g. postal worker) appear at the front door, then the rules of Extreme Sunbathing permit you to bark from the comfort of your sunny spot. Don't move, whatever happens!

If the spot is good and you are at a good angle to the sun, lie flat and expose as much surface area as you can. That way you'll get nice and toasty in no time at all. 

Perfect the art of panting whilst lying on your face. That way you can stay in the sun until you are just about to pass out from the heat. Now move into the shade. Stay there until you have cooled down by  a couple of degrees (this should not take more than 4 1/2 minutes). 

Repeat process all day. Or until the sun goes in. If that happens before dinner time, look at the STAFF in an accusing fashion. It probably IS their fault. Somehow. 

When Extreme Sunbathing is done right, it provides hours of exciting bliss. Sure, it is tiring, but the rewards are immense. Go on. Spoil yourself. Try it! 

PS: In the event of the Sun going in or the Wind picking up, switch to Plan B. 

If you feel even the slightest discomfort outside, say from a breezy breeze, retreat indoors immediately. Do not hesitate, or you may get cold!

Indoor Extreme Sunbathing can be conducted by the same principles as the outdoor version. 

You do however have to keep an eye on the STAFF, lest THEY get it in THEIR silly heads to close the blinds, which reduces the heat. Why are THEY so cruel?

But if the STAFF are nowhere near the blinds and you have a comfy spot, just go to sleep. 

Not a bad second choice, at all!

guarding the weak, young and flightless is tiring work

I am sooo tired. I have been guarding the fledging blackbirds from the cats all day.

Cats. Honestly. Huh!
I am extremely tired now and have put the STAFF in charge of any further guarding duties. I have already missed out on 4 hours daytime napping and I could not possibly forego any more. 

Let's hope the little fluffballs will make it through the night. AND learn to fly soon!