Friends

Our morning walk takes us past the home of Zelda the guide dog and even if we're on the other side of the road Mortimer insists on going over to see if she is in. He gets very excited if she is as she always comes up to say hello. He doesn't mind if we don't stay, it's just good to have a quick morning exchange.

Is she in today?

Yey! She's home.

Bennett's first Sunday meet

Last week was the first time Bennett was allowed free running with the Sunday pack. They all got on famously and Suki in particular took a shine to him. He ran around trying to keep up but did get easily distracted by muddy puddles!

New member

Big dogs!

Looks interesting

Tasty

So you're Suki

Mortimer tries distraction

But Mortimer - it's just too big for me

He's always like this Bennett

Back to the puddle

Will you protect me?

Whoa! more friends

And not a cross word barked

Inevitable!

Meet Bennett III

We've mentioned David & Patricia before, a generous couple who are Guide Dog Puppy Trainers. They get potential guide dog puppies and keep them for about a year, introducing them to all sorts of conditions, getting them used to public transport and generally basic training. Then they give them back to the Guide Dog Association to complete training. Bennett is their 26th puppy!


A little while ago we went round to see him (aged 10 weeks) and for some reason Mortimer was not at all comfortable. Maybe he thought Big Ted had come to life.

What's this?

Mortimer just loves Patricia but even she couldn't tempt him over.

C'mon Mortimer

Then Andrew tried.

He's not that bad Morts

Outside Mortimer was a little better and decided that maybe Master B. could be a playmate after all.

Chase me!

Unfortunately puppies flake quite quickly.

I need a quick nap

This blossom is pretty

Defending his corner

We visited a couple of weeks later and yes, he'd grown, and Mortimer was a little more comfortable.

12 weeks old

Please can we play?

Another couple of weeks and he can join us on the Sunday morning meet. Can't wait.

New friends

Mortimer's life seems to be one long social whirl at the moment, we're not sure we can keep up. Last Sunday he (with us in supporting roles) were asked to lunch by Patricia & David. They are puppy trainers for the Guide Dog Association but are currently waiting for their next puppy and felt the need for some doggy company. However they are gluttons for punishment as they had a friend staying who brought with her two Golden Retrievers (Sheldon & Hugo) and they also invited Jim with his guide dog Zelda (or was it Zelda accompanied by Jim?).


First however was the normal Sunday morning meet but with even more dogs as Mary, another guide dog owner came along. Now I confess to getting a bit of name overload and I keep wanting to call her dog "Quidditch" which I know is wrong, it may be Quizzie but I've lost the plot!

Hey Mortimer! New dogs arriving!

Anyway they all played beautifully together, the younger ones tearing about and the elders (Sheldon is 13 and has arthritis) looking on, although they did seem to be there when the treats were handed out.

3 dogs 3 paws on the ground

I'm not sure but I think they're all mad

Please Miss, can I have some more?

Planning trouble

I'm not going with you - I'm staying

Anyway after playing we meandered back to Patricia & David's. As soon as you walked into the kitchen you could tell it was the home of dog lovers as there was a huge pile of canine toys in the corner, as each dog went past they grabbed a toy. Some (Mortimer) ran into the garden with a 'chase me,chase me' look.

C'mon - chase me!

While others, like Zelda, decided to disembowel.

Zelda in shred mood

Judy (owner of Sheldon & Hugo) was immense fun and with a wicked sense of humour which, I'm pretty sure, she'd passed on to her dogs. Andrew was sitting on the sofa with a coffee and one of them, I don't know who, put his nose under the cup and with a quick flick managed to upend it in Andrew's lap! When I say I don't know who it was definitely one of the dogs not Judy.


At one point the dogs were milling about and they looked like caged sharks, circling us for treats.

Someone must have biscuits

Think it's you!

Have you got more than me?

Needless to say Mortimer spent the evening flat on his back, completely exhausted.


Update


I wrote this post last week and saved it as a draft waiting to publish. Sadly since then Sheldon has passed away. We only met him once but he was such a nice old fellow and not at all bothered by the young pups tearing round him. We'd like Judy to know we're thinking of her.

Fairweather friends

Sunday 4th March was a horrible day here in the Fens. Cold, grey and raining and in the afternoon wind driven wet snow. But we put on our foulies and off we went for our 10 a.m meet in the orchard. Mortimer was keen, he always seems to know that it's Sunday and he'll meet up with his friends but he was disappointed,nobody came.


Forward to Sunday 11th March and it was a glorious day, we were first in the orchard and Mortimer sat patiently.

Waiting patiently

First Zelda arrived.

In hot pursuit

And then Suki.

Nothing like a good scrummage

We did question as to why nobody had come out the previous Sunday and apparently neither Zelda nor Suki like the rain. Zelda (remember she is a guide dog) wouldn't leave the  shelter of the car port but Suki wouldn't even leave the house! Both big girls blouses!


But the beautiful weather brought lots of dogs out including this chap who is 15, deaf and partially blind,

Game old chap

his kennel mate wasn't quite sure of all the attention.

Mmmm you're a bit bigger than me

All the running around tired Zelda out but Mortimer was keen for more,

C'mon then guys!

but when he did stop it was only to see who might give him a biscuit.

Patricia's usually good for a treat

Friends reunited

The last couple of Sundays have been without Zelda, the guide dog, as the weather has been just too nasty for Jim to venture out much. But today was glorious, chilly but sunny.

Gang of three

The only problem was that as Zelda hadn't been in the orchard for a while she did keep stopping to have a bite or two of apple, leaving Mortimer and Suki to charge about.

Come on Zelda!

Just us then Suki

New friend

Because we are spending so much time working on the house our Sunday morning dog walk has become the highlight of our social life. The usual suspects are Zelda the guide dog and Krispin the trainee. The last few weeks have also given us Hamish who is a retired guide dog. This week we were joined, much to the delight of Mortimer, by Suki a Japanese Akita.

Introducing Suki

Suki is only a month older than Mortimer and has the same energy so it wasn't long before they had made acquaintances and were off.

Plotting

Complete obedience

Why does Mortimer always look so dishevelled?

And the best thing is Mortimer spends the rest of the day like this…

Exhausted