Claire L
Well-known member
Cara Mia and Minnie Moo.
Everybody has been very supportive of us in our New Adventure. Our sincere thanks go to all of you, who have shown such a keen interest in our girls. This is a little progress report on the two reprobates:
Health. They are in great nick – the vet checked them both yesterday. They have lovely shiny coats and are very lively (particularly when food is in the offing). Minnie is 6.8kg
(15 lb) and Cara is 8.6 kg (19 lb). Cara is not clinically overweight (the vet says she is within healthy limits, given her larger frame), but I feel she could do with a little further slimming down. She is less energetic than Minnie and is inclined to wolf her food. Tight food control is called for. The Vet also detected a slight heart murmur but we’ll keep a tight watch on her.
Relationships. They get on together like a house on fire. There have been no dust-ups and they sleep and walk happily together. Cara is top dog and Minnie often licks her to reinforce this point. Cara occasionally pushes Minnie aside when we are having cuddles, but they both manage to cope very well. They are very sociable – with both neighbours and other dogs.
Food and diet. We limit them to 1/3 cup of kibble each at breakfast time and again at teatime. For variety, we often reduce the evening feed and supplement it with a little fish.
Both of them love raw carrot and turnip as a treat (and of course Pizzle sticks).
They perform a mini version of Riverdance, when the food is being prepared.
It is a real pleasure to feed such appreciative doggies. Their noses are incredibly sensitive – chicken carcasses have to be disposed of immediately or the pedal bin would be knocked over in no time at all. We can’t let them sniff around the garden for too long at present. The weather has been so wet that slugs and snails are common – the girls would consider them the ultimate delicacy.
Behaviour. They are very easy to handle. They now respond to their names, when called. They are safe to let off the lead on beach walks and do not stray far from me. Minnie is an absolute treat to watch in action – she skips around and squeals like a rabbit. It appears to us that she never had this sort of freedom before. She fetches sticks and toys. We have not succeeded in getting Cara interested in this pursuit, so far. We will try tempting and rewarding her with treats on future walks. At home, their new-found confidence has a down-side. We have to deny them access to the bathrooms and computer room, when we are not present. Otherwise, soap, paper, bits of plastic or any other interesting object will be stolen and chewed. Only yesterday, we found a coaster (that had been in the lounge) behind a bed. They are both shareholders in this enterprise.
Conclusion. They have mended our broken hearts – we will never forget our Rudeepoohs :lotsaluv: :lotsaluv: , but these spanners now consume all the oxygen around here and demand constant attention. Even after a short few weeks, I cannot imagine the house without them. We are already planning to take them on long day trips (when this accursed winter ends). Another bonus – they are great in the car. As soon as the wheels start to turn, they settle down and get a good kip.
:flwr: :hug:
Everybody has been very supportive of us in our New Adventure. Our sincere thanks go to all of you, who have shown such a keen interest in our girls. This is a little progress report on the two reprobates:
Health. They are in great nick – the vet checked them both yesterday. They have lovely shiny coats and are very lively (particularly when food is in the offing). Minnie is 6.8kg
(15 lb) and Cara is 8.6 kg (19 lb). Cara is not clinically overweight (the vet says she is within healthy limits, given her larger frame), but I feel she could do with a little further slimming down. She is less energetic than Minnie and is inclined to wolf her food. Tight food control is called for. The Vet also detected a slight heart murmur but we’ll keep a tight watch on her.
Relationships. They get on together like a house on fire. There have been no dust-ups and they sleep and walk happily together. Cara is top dog and Minnie often licks her to reinforce this point. Cara occasionally pushes Minnie aside when we are having cuddles, but they both manage to cope very well. They are very sociable – with both neighbours and other dogs.
Food and diet. We limit them to 1/3 cup of kibble each at breakfast time and again at teatime. For variety, we often reduce the evening feed and supplement it with a little fish.
Both of them love raw carrot and turnip as a treat (and of course Pizzle sticks).
They perform a mini version of Riverdance, when the food is being prepared.
It is a real pleasure to feed such appreciative doggies. Their noses are incredibly sensitive – chicken carcasses have to be disposed of immediately or the pedal bin would be knocked over in no time at all. We can’t let them sniff around the garden for too long at present. The weather has been so wet that slugs and snails are common – the girls would consider them the ultimate delicacy.
Behaviour. They are very easy to handle. They now respond to their names, when called. They are safe to let off the lead on beach walks and do not stray far from me. Minnie is an absolute treat to watch in action – she skips around and squeals like a rabbit. It appears to us that she never had this sort of freedom before. She fetches sticks and toys. We have not succeeded in getting Cara interested in this pursuit, so far. We will try tempting and rewarding her with treats on future walks. At home, their new-found confidence has a down-side. We have to deny them access to the bathrooms and computer room, when we are not present. Otherwise, soap, paper, bits of plastic or any other interesting object will be stolen and chewed. Only yesterday, we found a coaster (that had been in the lounge) behind a bed. They are both shareholders in this enterprise.
Conclusion. They have mended our broken hearts – we will never forget our Rudeepoohs :lotsaluv: :lotsaluv: , but these spanners now consume all the oxygen around here and demand constant attention. Even after a short few weeks, I cannot imagine the house without them. We are already planning to take them on long day trips (when this accursed winter ends). Another bonus – they are great in the car. As soon as the wheels start to turn, they settle down and get a good kip.
:flwr: :hug:
