CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => General Cocker Spaniel Discussion => Topic started by: clairep4 on October 25, 2007, 12:20:15 PM
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We're taking the dogs to stay with one of my best friends this weekend. I checked and checked with her that she was sure about the dogs coming, "they're muddy, they're lunatics, they jump on everything" etc etc, but she was insistent, "it'll be lovely to have them, we can go for a nice long walk".
So the big weekend is nearly here and I'm getting a steady stream of slightly anxious emails, "will you bring their beds? will you bring their food? where will they sleep? I'd rather they didn't jump all over the furniture" ph34r :lol: They don't have a door between their kitchen and lounge so we're going to bring the baby gate so that we can confine them in a safe space. I've also asked if I can bring recreational bones for them (need to check because she's veggie) as that would keep them quiet for a while.
So for us we are bringing:
- jimjams
- spare set of clothes
- toiletries
- wine for our hosts
For the dogs we are bringing:
- two dog beds
- a baby gate
- several huge towels
- their food
- potentially two big bones from the butcher (if she agrees to it)
- poo bags
- food and water bowls
- tennis balls
- plastic bones on a string
- latex squeaky chicken
We can't take any of their fluffy toys as they've all been ripped to bits, poor blue monkey who we bought when Zorro first came home has been torn limb from limb and Zorro now parades around with an arm or leg dangling from his mouth, I don't think our hosts will appreciate that...
Oh and maybe some valium for my friend. You forget what it's like to not have dogs, don't you, the days before everything was always covered in muddy pawprints, bathroom sponges were left in the bathroom instead of being nicked and shredded on the living room carpet, the doors didn't all have those brownish marks at cocker height where they've pushed past you...
Wish us luck! :lol:
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You are brave - very brave :))
I think this is when you find out how close your friends are ;)
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How dare you have a weekend away when you have 2 bowls to make for me!! ha ha only kidding!! :005: :005:
Seriously, I hope you have a nice weekend away and your friend doesn't get too stressed out.
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How dare you have a weekend away when you have 2 bowls to make for me!! ha ha only kidding!! :005: :005:
Seriously, I hope you have a nice weekend away and your friend doesn't get too stressed out.
:lol: :lol: Yes, my first weekend off from bowls in absolutely ages although tbh I reckon I'll be up and sneak a couple in before we leave on Saturday morning. I've been asked to try to make some GOLD bowls for a shop I sell through (couture collars and posh bowls) so I might have to sneak the kiln on as well... ;)
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I've now got used to having to take twice as much stuff for the dogs as us whenever we go away!
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You have my sympathy! Pretty much the same day we got Dyl and were in the '2 dogs rough and tumble over absolutely every inch of the house' phase close friends of ours moved into their first owned house, kitted out with cream carpets in every room...
Plus, ours always scrap when we're with these particular friends...they do like dogs, but there are limits! We're gong to stay over Friday night, and I'm already planning what I can take to stop Dyl making use of the bed, and practising my arms flung wide to stop them jumping up onto everyone sat on the sofa :005:
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Blimey :005:
What you worried about anyway, when you really need to count on a cocker to behave they ALWAYS come through for you :rofl1:
May the force be with you... (and HUGE amounts of luck! :D)
Hannah x
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I agree with Caroline - very brave :005:
I would wish you a relaxing weekend - but that is unlikely, so make sure you have a fun weekend, anyway ;)
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I would also take a crate just in case they are very muddy etc. I always take mine with me if we take the boys away.
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Wine. Bring more wine.
No seriously, I think your friends will have a LOT of fun with the two! We once left Jerry, when he was quite a terrible teen 7 month-old, with my parents (totally dog-inexperienced) for 10 days and all parties survived really well. My dad made a few home videos of Jerry, which still crack me up. In fact, my dad actually used to be a little scared of dogs, and in the videos you can see my dad cradling a very content Jerry in his arms like a huge furry baby, dreamy smiles in both faces.... :005: My parents adore him now, and Jerry luuurves them, too!
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Well, off we set for Goring, having worn the dogs out in the park with a bout of squirrelling, brushed all the rubbish out of their feathering, piled the car up with their worldly possessions and one little bag for us, and two hours later we arrived and got the baby gate up immediately. The dogs were very happy to see our friends (especially Bella who has a thing about trying to plant a smacker on Michelle's face and makes it her mission each time she sees her), and within minutes they were playing tug with their new string of plastic bones.
We went for a lovely 2 hour walk up some big hills and through some beautiful woodland (and lost Bella briefly which was a bit of a worry, she just disappeared for a while, Zorro didn't know where she was and all 4 of us were searching for her then she eventually appeared looking very relieved, so god knows where she'd been… ph34r) and by the end of that the dogs were absolutely knackered. So then we just spent most of the rest of the day sat round the kitchen table chatting while the dogs snoozed in their baskets.
Later on we moved into the living room and the dogs were allowed in with the proviso that they stayed on the floor. Bella was a little angel and just went to sleep in front of the fire, but Zorro was on a mission with his new hero, Mike, who he had attached himself to during the walk and kept nudging as we trekked up and down hills. So Mike sat down on the sofa and Zorro came and put his paws up on his lap and did his best soppy face, waggly tail, you can't resist me act, which worked a treat. Several minutes of petting later, he went for goal number 2, climbing into Mike's lap, which was met with smiles and an "okay, you can sleep on me but NOT on the sofa" warning from Mike. A glass of wine later and Zorro had niftily slid his body onto the sofa and was snuggled tightly into Mike, using his thigh as a pillow. Mike looked down at him, raised his eyebrows but clearly couldn't bear the thought of turfing this cosy, comfy little silky-eared dog off the sofa :luv:, so he stayed put. By the end of the night, Zorro had won his cause paws down, and was stretched the full length of the sofa, snoring away, with Mike sitting on the floor. How's that for dogged determination?! :lol: :shades:
So, lots of nice walks and not too many disgraceful moments later, we came home leaving their kitchen covered in muddy pawprints and bits of leaves and twigs from the woods, but with a definite invitation to come and stay again soon. Hurray!
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Aw glad to see it all went well. How could anyone resist the hunky Zorro!
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So glad it went well.
Well done Zorro!! :005:
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Aw Zorro. Typical cocker character. :005: Glad it all went well. Maybe your friends now realise that a dog-house is the best type of house to have :D
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Aaw, glad the Muppeteers managed to make a couple more converts to doggy love :luv: :luv: Sounds like your friends might have seen the light :005:
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Heh heh... give it 6 months they'll be looking for a cocker of their own :005:
Well done Zorro for your hard work on the cause and Bella, don't you dare do that again! Us owners age 3 years everytime we loose our dogs!!!!!!!!! (But well done for sleeping so beautifully in your basket showing that cockers can do sofa OR their own beds if needed :005:
Hannah x
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:lol: :lol: Love the bit about Mike & the sofa :005:
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What little angels they were for you. Bet your proud of them :luv: