New Friends and Big Parks in Disley

It's been a happy and sad week.  John, who usually looks after me when Louise and Dave go out all day has to start going somewhere new every day called Job.  I think it's the same place that Dave and Louise go, and it means he can't play with me during the week, and I'm going to miss him and Sox.  I'm going to go somewhere new now though; to Tammy's house.  She has a garden with grass where the sun shines and I can sit in the warm and always has food which is good, and she lives nice and close in Disley too.

Sun bathing at Tammy's house

She took me to the biggest park in Cheshire which is Lyme Park.  I thought she might be worried that I didn't like her as much as John so I made sure I ran around and rolled in the mud a lot so she knew I was having fun.  Louise wasn't quite as pleased because when I got home my collar was very muddy but I know she's just happy that me and Tammy get on so well. 

Exploring at Lyme Park

Having a break from running and rolling

Me and Tammy even go drinking together now.  She took me to a different pub to Dave and Louise do called The Albert.  They have put tables out front just for me because they know I like to sit in the sun and then I can see people walking past and find out what's going on in Disley.  Louise says I'm being nosy which is silly because I don't smell people, just watch them.  Well, sometimes I smell them but only if I think they have food.  Maybe I'll cut down on sniffing people.

The best BBQ in Cheshire except for trampolines - they are not for dogs

I was very excited to go round Samuel and Lois's last night (Stephen and Helen live there too, kids can't live alone just like dogs can't.)  Stephen cooked a barbie queue for us, although because the shop gave it to him in a box he had to build it first.  He took some time so while I was waiting for my sausages to be ready I watched Samuel jump up and down on something called a trampoline.  It is something that helps you jump higher, I'm not sure why but Samuel loved it.  He let me go on it too but the floor didn't feel right under my paws so I got off again, they are definitely not for dogs.

Trampolines - not for dogs

Samuel and Lois are two of my best friends in Disley and so I thought Louise should take a photo of us all on her clever phone, but it didn't go very well.  The sun was in Samuel's eyes which he didn't like and Lois, because she's only a baby, didn't really understand that she had to sit still, even though I explained it quite clearly; maybe she doesn't speak dog.  She was more interested in drinking her drink.  To be fair I think Louise and Helen were too.  A bird kept distracting me as well, so I gave up in the end. That bird was plotting something and needed monitoring.  Birds in Cheshire are sneaky, you should see the ducks on Disley canal.  They are mean mean mean. 

I see a bird, it's looking at me, why is it looking at me?

The sun in everyone's eyes, where is that bird going, what is it plotting?

The bird has completely ruined the moment; Samuel celebrates as I give up and Lois continues with her drink.

Overall, it was a great night; I ate burger, sausage, chicken (but not the bones as they make dogs poorly) Pringles, cheese and bread that Helen calls muffins that are really buns.  Louise says Helen calls them muffins because she is a monkey from 'The North'.  Cheshire is in 'The North' which is where we live because you get gravy with everything and pubs serve dog biscuits.

Loons called Morris dancing In Disley - a stressful night in Cheshire

I have had a very stressful evening last night.  I was perfectly happy when I heard bells and banging so I looked out the window and there were some absolute loons out there dancing.  They were loons for several reasons.  For starters, they were all wearing matching clothes and even though I'm colour blind I could tell they were not nice colours.  They all had bits of bird stuck in their hats and their faces were all painted black.  They must have birds as friends instead of dogs, but you'd never see Dave with my dog hair in a hat, even if it is lovely soft ginger coloured hair.  They had sticks that they weren't even throwing to be fetched and they were loud.  I asked Louise what was going on and she said they all danced because they were called Morris.  Not liking your name is no excuse for making such a racket. 

Loons called Morris

I stood and watched them for a bit, hoping my steely glare would stop them in their madness or at least get them to throw one of their sticks for me to fetch but it was no good.  I tried my really grumpy glare, the one that makes Louise walk me when she has a bad head on Sundays but no.

Steely glare turning to grumpy glare

I began to get quite upset in the end and stood on the arm of the sofa, which I am absolutely not allowed to do, to get a better view of the crazy people.  I can understand why they were in the White Lion car park, if I ran a pub I wouldn't let that go on I'd kick them out too.  In the end they stopped and I tried to settle down a bit but all night I kept getting up to check they were definitely gone.  I no longer like anyone called Morris.

So upset that my eyes glazed over.  Bad boy, off the sofa.

I am BatDog!

It was a pretty good weekend, Dave's parents did come and although Jen forgot the treats (luckily I have my own!) I got lots of fuss.  I was a bit sad because my friends Samuel and Lois had gone away for the weekend but luckily because the banks gave everyone the Monday off again, I still got to spend some time with them, and Helen and Stephen (they're their parents, they have to go everywhere with them like Dave and Louise do with me although Samuel and Lois don't have leads).

Samuel has an awesome T Shirt with a cape so that he looks like Batman, who is what Louise calls a superhero.  Superheros are supposed to crusade against evil, and seeing as I crusade very well against ducks and the postman, Samuel let me borrow his cape.  I'm not sure about being BatDog because a bat is a different animal and they are a bit scary.  I'm hoping Samuel will get a Superman T Shirt with a cape because I would definitely like to be SuperDog; me and Samuel could fight against evil together.  Louise took a photo of me as BatDog; I am trying to look like a noble superhero, fighting against the injustice of mean ducks and junk mail posting postmen.

I am kind of BatDog

BBQs and Bank Holidays in Disley

It was Dave and Louise's birthday this week, and they got each other big boxes that they didn't open on the day, which was strange I thought.  Louise says she's opening hers this weekend when she's got time to put up her new patio furniture.  Furniture is normally inside and very comfie to sit on so I'm looking forward to furniture I can sit on in the garden and keep guard for Ollie, the mean cat next door.  Dave opened his last night and it's barbie queue, which I thought might be a queue of dolls but it turns out he can cook food for me like sausages on it outside.  It's so big he can't even get it out the living room and I didn't like the banging when he tried to move it.  Louise laughed a lot but I know Dave will move it when he's finished driving the bus; he's very strong.

My new barbie queue for my sausages

The banks have told everyone they can have Monday off, which is nice of them.  David, the man in charge of the country, must let the banks choose the holidays because they have all the money.  Dave's Mum and Dad might visit us in Disley which is nice.  His Mum is called Jen and she lets me sit on her lap to snooze.  I plan to snooze a lot this weekend.  Louise says we can visit her Mum and Dad again soon too; they live in Hampshire which is a long drive from Cheshire.  It's good there because even though I'm not allowed on the furniture they have set me up my very own outdoor dog toilet to wee in called a pond.

Snoozing on laps

Sharing and double standards when it comes to dogs

I have often been told by Dave and Louise how important it is to share, which is why I'm so generous with the Pringles that Louise buys for me; I let Dave have some, I even let him hold the tube.  BUT, I'm starting to think that there are double standards going on; why do I have to share my Pringles when Louise won't share her pillow?  She likes to sit with the pillow when she watches TV, but I like to sit on the pillow when I'm watching her watching TV.  She said it's her pillow because she bought it, but I more than pull my weight as a food disposal unit as well as a cat deterrent and junk mail monitoring system.  

I am going to try and get Louise used to sharing the pillow by looking so comfortable on the pillow that she feels really really bad asking to use it.  Let me know what you think of my 'I'm so comfie, why would you want me to move' look.  The stripey blanket next to where I'm sitting on Louise's pillow is my dog blanket, which Louise is more than welcome to share.

I'm so comfie, why would you want me to move?

A week in the life of Ricky; Disley's top dog, probably Cheshire's top dog but there are more dogs so it's tricky to tell

This weekend has been very relaxing, me and Louise just went for walks, relaxed on the sofa and did some tidying to stop Dave from getting something called a strop, which sounds a bit like a cold and we don’t want Dave poorly.  The weekend before was very busy though.  Dave and Louise had to go away for a few days for a funeral, which is a sad day, and so I stayed with Scrappy and Aaron.  I have lots of fun there, Scrappy is one of my favourite dogs in Cheshire, and there are always lots of other dogs to meet.  This time I met a shiny, black dog called Lucy.  The other Lucy that I know is our next door neighbor who I don’t think likes me very much, but doggy Lucy is very nice and she likes to run and play like I do.

Me, Scrappy, and my new shiny, black friend Lucy

Walking is thirsty work

I got to go in Aaron’s car for a drive; he called it the Little Happy Hound-mobile, which is probably because all his dog friends are all a little happy.  We went over lots of fields and played in the stream.  He took lots of photos, which is not surprising as me and Scrappy are probably Disley’s most famous dogs as we are always on the Internet.

Me and Lucy in the Little Happy Hound-mobile

 

Taking in the fresh Cheshire air

 It was good to have Dave and Louise back though; I was very tired and so were they.  I felt bad for Aaron, he was clearly sorry to see me go, he even gave me a goodbye treat.  When we got home, Dave gave me lots of fuss, he likes cuddles as much as I do.  He said I had smelly doggy breath which was a bit rude.  I tried to make it better on Saturday by eating some minty Polos, but all it did was make my tummy sound strange and Louise was a bit cross, she said sweets are not for dogs no matter how smelly their breath is.  Dave says Louise only tells me off because she cares; I wish she would care a little less crossly sometimes.  She said I was in the dog house, which is funny because our whole house is a dog house so of course I am.    

In the dog house, whichever part of the house that is.

  

Taking (photos of) the Ricky

Dave has been driving the bus at night this week.  This means that when Louise picks me up and we get home he's not there, although I always quickly check upstairs to be sure when we get home in case he's having a nap as I like to.  It's a bit quiet without him because he has such a loud laugh, but it's nice to spend time with Louise too.  She was looking on the lapcomputer last night and found some photos of me when I first moved in with Dave and Louise.  It was in another village before we moved to Disley or even Cheshire.  I looked so young and skinny!  I was worried this meant I had got fat but Louise said I was too thin back then and now I am just right.  This is good news; I was worried I wouldn't be allowed any more Pringles.

I look so little!

 This is a funny photo, I thought I must have been being helpful, but Louise said I had taken the brush to play with and wouldn't give it back!  I'm quite sure I was never that immature I'm sure she must be thinking of another ginger haired dog that lived in the area.  I am very helpful these days.  I always make sure that there is no food left on the floor in the kitchen and if someone leaves a wrapper anywhere I make sure there are no crumbs going to fall out of it.  I am also an accomplished bed, sofa and lap warmer, face washer and patio jet sprayer.  Overall seeing as all Dave and Louise have to do is feed me, wash and brush me, walk me and give up half their bed and sofa for me, I think they get a pretty good deal.

I am one helpful dog

Why snow and being a ginger ninja dog is cool.

It's very snowy here, which means walks are cold but extra fun.  Me and Louise went to the park yesterday, Cheshire's very pretty in the snow and I posed for Louise in front of a big old hill called Mount Kinder, which is a really high mountain near Disley where we live.  Mountains are hills that are so big that there's snow there more than other hills and they get their own helicopter.  We don't walk up that hill because Louise says she's getting too old for that (bad word) and I'm worried we'd get stuck up there and we'd have to use that helicopter and I don't have a passport (which you need when you fly anywhere). 

Me in front of a snowy Mount Kinder; my tail got cold

Helen and Stephen were in the park too with Samuel and Lois.  Stephen must like snow a lot because he played tig with me.  I won but I have 2 more legs than him; I feel bad for people only having 2 legs, one of the best things about being a dog is having 4 legs.  It means you can jump higher and run faster, although it means I can't do other cool stuff like play the piano.

Me beating Stephen at Tig

 

 

 

 

 

Samuel had a toboggan, which is a baby sledge like Santa has, although Samuel's doesn't fly like Santa's.  Samuel said I could have a play and I thought about it but decided against it, so I just checked it was safe for him.  It wasn't that I was scared, I mean Samuel does it and he's only 4 and I'm 5 and a half, but I thought that if I fell off I might mess up my hair and embarrass Dave by looking scruffy.  Dave puts wax on his hair to make it stick up which is weird because wax is what makes colouring crayons and his hair still stays ginger like mine.  Having ginger hair is what makes you a really good fighter because it rhymes with ninja, who are really good fighters.  I don't fight, but knowing I'm a dog ginger ninja is cool. 

Checking the toboggan is safe for Samuel

Vets are people too

It's been a very busy week.  On Monday I got to go and see the vet, which was great.  A lot of dogs I know don't like the vets, but I really like it there.  I get to stand on a high shiny table without getting told off for jumping up, and the vet and the vet nurse give me lots of fuss; they're both very friendly and not scary at all.  This time I had to have a couple of little injections but I was very brave and I could tell Dave was very impressed. Louise was impressed too when we got back to Cheshire (the vet lives in Stockport which Louise says is in a different country, which is strange because I though it was in England).  She was still asleep because she said something she ate made her poorly.  I had the same thing when I ate leftover stuff from the bin once; Louise said dogs shouldn't eat curry.

I was hoping for lots of treats seeing as I was good, and so I hung around the kitchen when Louise cooked.  I can sit on the stairs if I'm quiet, and when I sit there I can still hear what's going on upstairs; Dave can get into mischief if you leave him unsupervised for too long!

Looking for treats...

... but listening for trouble

Last night we went to see Helen when Dave was watching the football.  Helen must make Louise drink very slowly, because whenever we go there, Louise says she's only going there for one drink but it seems to last forever! 

I'm an Unofficial Seizure Dog!

Louise takes care of me a lot, so it's good when I take care of her too.  Dave is very healthy except when he gets the flu that is especially for men or hurts his leg playing 5 sided football (I have never seen a football pitch with 5 sides, it sounds very interesting).  Louise gets poorly sometimes though with something called epilepsy, which makes her fall down and get confused.  This makes me feel sad for her but she eats little white sweets that keep her well most of the time.

Today I could see that she was a bit ill but she couldn't tell and was walking around just like normal.  I was worried she'd fall down and so when she went to the stairs to go downstairs to feed me (which is normally good news) I was very worried, so I called her back into the living room and she sat down.  She seemed cross, like I was being silly, but then she looked very ill and confused.  After a short bit she breathed out and looked much better.  I laid by her feet to check she didn't try to get up too quickly, I figured breakfast could wait a bit.

Keeping an eye on Louise

Louise was very very grateful.  She sent Dave a message on his cleverphone to tell him too (it's a cleverphone because it takes photos and orders shopping.)  I hope that Dave will be just as happy with me. 

Louise says that she read that there are other dogs that can do this.  They're called seizure dogs and normally dogs need to go to school to learn how to help people and they earn a special collar and coat.  I learnt all by myself.  I can't have a proper collar and coat because I haven't been to the school, but Louise says I'm definitely an unofficial seizure dog.  I'm pleased with that because I don't really like to wear coats.

Louise took care of me back by taking me for a walk and buying me Rodeo treats, which are very nice treats.  She bought herself dieting cola and has eaten some lunch so she must be feeling better, I've eaten some Rodeos; life is good. I'm kind of tired from all the excitement so I'm taking a nice, long weekend nap.

Weekend naps - they rock

Squirrel Hunting and Splashing in Cheshire

I’ve been so tired this week that I’ve only just had a chance to look at all of the pictures Aaron took of me at the weekend!  There are so many, and he’s put them all on Facebook so all of my friends can see them.  There’s a lot of me and my friend Scrappy having fun.  We played on the meadow and did lots of running and hunting for squirrels.  Every time I thought I smelt a squirrel I would call Scrappy and he would come and give me a second opinion of whether it was definitely a squirrel or just a funny smell.   

Hunting squirrels with Scrappy

There were other dogs there too, and they all liked jumping in the river.  I’m not normally keen on the water, I don’t like it when my little legs can’t touch the bottom and the ducks on the canal in Disley are mean bullies.  The water on this river didn’t look too deep though so I tried it and it was very fun and all the other dogs were very impressed with my splashing skills!

Splashing

It was all quite tiring so I was happy to get back to Aarons house and hang out on the sofa with Scrappy.  We sat there and chatted all night until it was time for bed; I told him all about the problems I have with the local ducks and he was a very good listener.

Late night chats with Scrappy at Aaron's house

I could tell Scrappy was sad to see me go home, but it was nice that Dave and Louise were so excited to see me back again.  They were both feeling quite tired but we all had a nice cuddle and then went to watch the football, which was brilliant because Tottenham won.  Lois gave me lots and lots of Cheddars, and then Helen, Lois’s mum, says I can come round on Wednesday to hang out, which doesn’t really involve hanging, just sitting.  I’ll have to bring Louise too, as she gets very noisy if you leave her on her own too long and the neighbours complain.  She can be a lot of responsibility sometimes.