Bertie loves going out with the big dogs and observes closely as Jenna and Gus plunge into water or leap over ditches and into dense undergrowth in their eagerness to retrieve the Kong. He chases after them excitedly, stopping at the water’s edge – despite a couple of unexpected dips he’s still at the ‘toes in the water’ stage. He watches as Frodo strides in to bathe but is not tempted to follow. His time will come.
He is not such a little puppy any more. Now sixteen weeks old, he has grown in all directions and is a leggy small dog, more than half the height of Jenna. He has a good turn of speed, short-lived but impressive, and doesn’t have the rocking horse gait that so many pups display.
On Sunday Bertie was galloping after Jenna and Gus near the edge of the first forest pond – that’s not its official name, but one we’ve given it to clarify where we’re going or where we’ve been. We’ve numbered only the ponds in the forest that are most easily accessible to us, the lumbering humans. The dogs can reach all the bodies of water, wherever they are.
The ground surrounding Number One Pond is very wet and as Gus and Jenna charged past, Gus caught Bertie a glancing blow and knocked him into the mud. He gave a little yelp, more of surprise than pain, and came back to us. He had been transformed from a golden puppy to a black and tan dog. There was no lasting damage.
When we reached home the mud soon dried to powder that dropped off his coat to garnish the floors and furnishings of our house.
I don't think our home will ever feature in a glossy magazine unless as a warning to othersJ
"unless as a warning to others" describes our house, too, Janice!
ReplyDeleteBertie really is growing. He is still endearing, but not a baby any more. Gotta love him, though!
@Kay - we wouldn't have it any other way,though, would we?
ReplyDeleteOh, I've missed the news that you have a new puppy. Have to read back to learn more. He's absolutely gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteMy home featured in a glossy magazine once, but you don't want to know how much cleaning that involved. Never again! And to be honest; I don't really like the unlived in look of many of those glossy magazine homes. Give me a dog/cat filled house and couch anytime ;-)
@Carolina - my sister's mother-in-law's house featured in such a magazine. She was amazed (my sister) The house was unbelievably - well, normal - but it wasn't really.
ReplyDeleteI can believe your house featured in a lifestyle magazine - room enough to encompass dogs, cats - even people:-) and I bet you've got a boot room. (I'd love one of those - and a wet room - mind you, most of our rooms are wet once a soggy Labrador has passed through!)
Love what you said about your house. Bertie is getting so big and pretty.
ReplyDelete@Belle - thank you:-) He is pretty but not as pretty as his Auntie Foxy when she was a pup:-)
ReplyDeleteYour dogs look so happy and healthy, and what a wonderful place for them to roam and explore and get dirty. Then come home and get fed and fall asleep. Truly a dog's paradise!
ReplyDeleteI want to come back as a puppy who plays in the mud. So carefree, and they don't have to clean up their messes. Good deal.
ReplyDeleteI love your anthropomorphism here. You described the dog as a child, but it wasn't too cutesy.
ReplyDeleteYour dog is adorable -- they all are. And lucky to have such a great owner and cool places to play.
Ahh the life of a dog.
ReplyDeleteHe is soooo beautiful, dry or muddy. He still has a puppy face. I love him!
ReplyDeleteLovely to read how Bertie is growing - glorious mud but maybe a trifle chilly?
ReplyDeleteOur upholstered furniture is half shredded and looks quite shabby to fresh eyes - but then real people live here and their real pets ...
Isabel x
Goodness, Bertie is growing. Those last photos (with mud) really show how much he has grown.
ReplyDeleteWatching dogs and puppies frolic makes me happy. Bertie is a cutie.
ReplyDeleteIt might, at that - in a glossy doggie magazine... Interesting post - even for a non-doggie person!
ReplyDeleteWhen I had dogs they were always outdoor dogs. They hated it if I brought them in the house. I used to love taking my dogs hiking with me in the mountains.
ReplyDeleteLee
A Faraway View
It's far more interesting a life to live with dogs than to live in a pristine home. Well, that's the way I see it anyway. :)
ReplyDeleteBig bath time looks like it might be on the agenda.
ReplyDelete@all of you:-) Thank you for your lovely comments. You are obviously animal lovers and recognise that sharing your home with a dog (or dogs - or cats) is something special. Furnishings can be replaced (to be shredded all over again!) but our animal companions cannot.
ReplyDelete@Arlee - I understand. There are many dogs that prefer to sleep outdoors, even under a blanket of snow:-)but are no less cherished and respected.
Even little boy dogs like to stomp through mud puddles!
ReplyDelete@Kathy - indeed they do:-)
ReplyDeleteAnd they say "a dog's life"... :-)
ReplyDelete