Noodles

Down at the park there are quite a few small fluffy dogs, and to be honest I don't know whether they are a pedigree or a bitzer. Like Gary, they all look the same to me.

Check this little fella out. I believe his name is 'Noodles' but if anyone can tell me what breed he is, write a comment below.

Ta.

Puppy-sitting requires patience

Boy, another blisteringly hot day in sunny Brisvegas. To think, it’s going to be like this all the way until March or maybe longer. Yikes!

The sub-tropical heat is all very well for you humans. You can slop around in tees and shorts but us Shepherds are stuck with our thick double layered fur coat.

Anyway, guess what I’ve been doing today? Puppy-sitting! I’ve spent all day keeping an eye out on Shelley, my little cocker mate.

When Gary told me she was coming over, I had to do a spot of yoga beforehand just to ensure my patience level was boosted way up to eleven. The first thing she did when she arrived was to throw herself at me, and then after half an hour of hassling, she promptly took over my sleeping mat - see below. Notice how comfy and chuffed she looks. I was relegated to sleeping on the floor!

As usual, she’s been full of beans. At one point Gary had to kick her out because she was making too much of a ruckus, and he couldn't focus on his work. See pic below. That's the little blighter sitting on the naughty mat waiting to be allowed back in.

Late in the arvo, Gary took the both of us down to the doggy park. Gary reckons walking Shelley is like walking a motorbike that's just lost its driver.

Tonight at dinner she ate most of my food so I was left to eat her puppy biscuits. I've gone from eating food for seniors to puppy stuff. What's that all about? 

Anyway, it hasn't been too bad I must confess. If truth be told, I do enjoy her company, just don’t tell her that. She might get even more excitable.

Half-dog high and a dog-and-a-half long

Recently, a little miniature Dachshund has come to our park. His name is…bugger…I’ve forgotten but he’s a funny little thing.

As you can see by the photo he is sort of tan and greyish with a dappled pattern. He’s only a pup so he’s full of beans and scared of no one and no dog even those three times his size, which given he’s only a couple of inches off the ground includes pretty much every dog at this park.

The standard Dachshund was originally bred to hunt badgers, and that’s what their name means in German: “badger dog”. The smaller variety, called the miniature dachshund, was bred to hunt smaller prey, like rabbits.

They come in short hair, long hair and wire-haired coats, and I guess this little fella is a short-hair.

Because of their funny shape, dachshunds are often referred to as ‘sausage dogs’. Like all breeds, their body shape was developed for a purpose; that is, to burrow deep into holes after badgers and rabbits. They have a deep chest which enables them to store air in their lungs for long pursuits. They also have unusually big paws for digging and an enlarged nose area all the better to sniff out prey in dark burrows.

Someone famous once said "a dachshund is a half-dog high and a dog-and-a-half long". Quite funny and spot on!

I like him even though he can get a bit too ‘in your face’. He’s constantly licking my chops, and launching his wee body at me. I reckon he must run on supercharged Everyready batteries.