Mathew has been coming home of a night quite late recently. He says he has been at work, but when he doesn’t have any dinner and just feeds me, I know he has also been other places without me. On Saturday he started packing his suitcase with lots of stuff. I didn’t know what was going on, so I stayed quite close not letting him out of my sight just in case he was trying to sneak something by me. He eventually loaded me in his car and off we went, however after a few minutes we stopped at the dog park. Not sure why he needed to pack his suitcase to come here. No matter of his strange ways, I still love the dog park, so if we want his suitcase he can have it. After a short play with the other dogs we met up with Mathew’s friend Valese and her new 15 week puppy Bodie and went for a walk around the lake. Bodie was quite energetic, jumping on my back and running between my legs, but I didn’t mind. Mathew even let me go for a swim in the lake, something I would later regret. We eventually headed back to the car and headed for home where Mathew proceeded to put me straight into the backyard. Eventually Mathew emerged from the house and chased me around the backyard with a bucket of water. He tricked me into lying down, and then pouring it over me. Apparently my swim in the lake, and a lie down on the edge, had covered me in dirt and slime. I don’t think he will let me in there again, but I did have fun. The afternoon consisted of sleep after my tiring day before Mathew fed me a very early dinner and then put me outside and left. I wasn’t sure where he went and what those suitcases still meant, but even though he didn’t come back for a long time, he still returned in time for my bed time.
The next morning he was up early cleaning the house, and as usual, I liked to get in his way for some attention. It’s a fun game sitting where he wants to vacuum. When he started loading the car again I knew he meant business, but when I saw my bag thrown in the back and my seatbelt harness come out I knew he wasn’t going anywhere without me. He would never leave me! All strapped in and we were on the road. When we start driving and don’t stop for a while I can only assume we are going to his Mum and Dad’s to see Hoover and Snow, and the lunchtime highway stop for our ritual McDonalds chicken nuggets also helped to confirm it. Mathew didn’t play fair though, as while I was going to the toilet, he ate half of them without sharing. Not fair! Back on the road and a few hours later we finally arrived. Hoover was Snow were both exciting to see me, but I was sad to see Hoover who looked terrible. He has just had an operation on one of his back legs and is stuck in a big cage to prevent him damaging it more. He really wanted to come out for a proper hello, but we had to make do through the wire. Sn0w and I went and had a play in the backyard with Mathew while his Mum and Dad took Hoover to Mathew’s Nan’s house who is going to look after him for a while. After a long day it was nice to eventually lie down and have a sleep for what I am sure will be another exciting visit with my best friends.
Finally! Mathew left his computer on overnight so I could get another post written. Sorry it has taken so long, but not too much has been happening anyway. The weather has cooled down a bit, enough that of a morning I get to play with the ice in my bucket, that is assuming Mathew remembers to break it up first. I have started going outside with him of a morning to start his car and allow it to warm up, but as much as I wish I could go with him to work one day, he has told me I am not allowed. He made something up about some people being allergic to me. I told him he could sneak me in, but he doesn’t think I would even make it past the front door as I would need my own security pass. When I do have to go outside I am glad I have this thick coat of hair to keep my warm, but when I am inside Mathew is forever vacuuming because it is always falling out. Sending him off to work with white hair on his black shirts or jacket is pretty funny.
Mathew and I have continued our weekly walks with Anneka despite the cold. We walked around the lake in Belconnen last week and we went back to Anneka’s house for pizza afterwards, however I was told I had to stay outside in the backyard. I didn’t think that was fair, and I let everyone know it too. I was in trouble with Mathew for making so much fuss, but I thought it was funny so continued. I eventually worked out I could slide Anneka’s door open so let myself inside, however I was soon told to go back out again. Mathew finally had enough of me and put me in the car and took me home. In my opinion it was a mission successful! He told me I probably won’t be invited back again though.
I found out yesterday that my friend Hoover has not recovered from his leg injury during our last trip to the coast and needs to go in for an operation. He has to stay off it for 6 weeks and will be confined to a cage. That would drive me crazy! Mathew will be overseas with his Mum and Dad during Hoover’s recovery period, so Mathew’s Nan is going to look after him. I was supposed to be going on my own holiday at the same time with Hoover and Snow, to some place Mathew keeps calling “kennel”, but it looks like it will now just be Snow and I. She likes chewing my ears and jumping on me, and now I am not going to have Hoover there to take some of her away from me. I think my holiday is going to be a long one while I wait for Mathew to come back and rescue me from her.
Today after work Mathew loaded up my stuff and we headed into the city again for our weekly walk with Anneka. This time though I was sporting a new coat which kept me a little bit warmer in this cold weather. Mathew said his mum sent it as it didn’t fit Hoover or Snow and she thought it might fit me. It is still a little short, but it’s not too bad. We didn’t go the normal way today and ended up at a burger place for dinner. While Mathew went inside to order I hung outside with Anneka who gave me lots of cuddles. I tried to give her a kiss too, but she wasn’t going to have any part of it. Some passers by even stopped to give me a pat. I love this place! Mathew eventually came back and I had a lay down on the ground while he chatted with Anneka. Eventually their burgers came with a large chips which they shared with me. I really love this place! A walk back to the car and it was time to head home. I am glad I had my new jacket, as it was only around 2-4 degrees according to Mathews car on the way home!
I helped Mathew pack his car this morning which included my bag, but then got very confused when he put me in the back yard again and left without me. Mathew eventually came home though, earlier than usual, and this time I was going to make sure he wasn’t leaving me behind again so showed him my harness hanging on the chair to indicate I was ready. He must have got the idea so he put on my harness, loaded me into the car, and we hit the road even though I never know where we are going.
First stop was McDonald’s for lunch. We both love the chicken nuggets, so Mathew orders a big pack and shares. I think its a bit unfair though when we eats 3/4 of a nugget and only gives me the last 1/4. He also sneaks in the occasional full one when he thinks I’m not watching, but I’m not that stupid.
It was a long drive, with lots of traffic and rain, so I slept most of the way and let Mathew concentrate on the road. A long drive usually means we are going to Mathew’s mum and dad’s house where I get to play with their dogs Hoover and Snow, and it turned out I was right. Hoover was the first to greet me, but I wouldn’t say it was a nice greeting. He didn’t want to let me up the stairs, but after he was yelled at I managed to get through to say hello to everyone else. After some dinner and game of chase around the house Mathew gave us each a doggy chocolate while the humans watched TV before we all went to bed. I spent most of the night in the hallway halfway between the bedrooms keeping watch.
Saturday was a pretty quiet day. Mathew went out with his dad while I hung out at home with his mum, Hoover, and Snow. When Mathew came home he spent the afternoon on the computer with his mum. I wanted to play, but they were busy doing something. I really wanted to go to the beach but when it started raining I realised I was now stuck inside for the rest of the night.
Sunday we got up and Mathew’s mum and dad seemed to be getting some food together and getting ready to go out. It looked like we were going too, so I went and got Mathew of bed. We ended going to the park for a BBQ breakfast where Mathew wore us out chasing the ball. When we finished both Hoover and I were very sore and had a sore leg. I think we both overdid it a bit trying to keep up with Snow. We are both a bit older than her who is still a little more agile than us. We later realised Hoover was a bit more sore than me as he was in pain and couldn’t even get up. I realised he wasn’t feeling well so Snow and I gave him his space. Mathew’s mum and dad had to help him around as he was only walking on 3 legs.
Monday was a quiet day. Mathew had promised to take me the beach, but he explained it was a bit unfair now as Hoover couldn’t go. Hoover was a little bit better but still hurting. We spent the day hanging out at home letting Hoover rest.
Tuesday morning everyone was up and off to work, so Mathew packed his car and we prepared to head home. We stopped first at his Nan’s house. I got a bit scared when there was a load crash when Mathew broke his Nan’s garage door, so I ran and hid in the house. Mathew came and found me and told me it was ok. After Mathew caught up with his Nan and I had a few cuddles we were in the car heading for home. I tried to make Mathew read my mind, and sure enough it worked as we stopped again for chicken nuggets at McDonalds on the way! Hopefully we can go back soon, and this time go to the beach!
I sit around all day waiting for Mathew to return from work, and hope, really hope, that when he get’s home he picks up my lead and his backpack because I now know that means we are going somewhere! I get very excited because I love going out, and I let Mathew know it all the way to our destination.
We have been walking around Lake Burley Griffin in the city with Anneka, a friend from Mathew’s work. She gives me lots of pats. I don’t like it when we walk over the bridges and the cars are speeding past, especially those big scary buses. I would love to go for a run off my lead, but Mathew tells me it’s too dangerous with all the bicycles. If he did let me off I might just go and jump off the wall into the lake as I heard him tell Anneka he would have to jump in after me. I think that would be quite funny!
Today Mathew took me on the Million Paw’s Walk. There were so many dogs, and even some other white shepard’s like me. I got so much attention and cuddles from the stall holders, but most of the other owners didn’t even look twice at me. Some of the other dogs were a bit scared of me, but I don’t know why, I only wanted to say hello. Going on the walk was fun, but I wish some of the slower dogs and their owners would get out of my way so we could go faster. We found a gap in the crowd and I took Mathew for a run to get past them. The best part was at the end when Mathew bought me a sausage sandwich. After sitting on the grass and listening to some music, we headed for home where I spent the afternoon snoozing on the lounge. What a life!
My new life has been good. I rule the house. Here is a summary from my first few weeks at Mathew’s house until now:
We have been to the coast to visit many more times. Mathew also left me there for 2 weeks when he went to Japan which I loved. I could have stayed, but thought I better go home again with him.
One trip to the coast we celebrated Snow’s first birthday. We got to eat cake and wear party hats!
Mathew had his 30th birthday in March at our house. I have never had so many cuddles!
I have my spot on the lounge. I hate it when visitors come over and I am forced back onto the floor
Watching TV with Mathew is fun. I usually bother him for pat’s until he makes it clear he has had enough and then fall asleep on top of him. He hates it when he forgets the remote.
I don’t like dogs barking on the big screen. I still can’t work out where they are
I have tested the water a few times to see what I can get away with. I have found that chewing furniture and stealing slippers is not ok. I still continue to sometimes steal Mathew’s dirty clothes and leave them in the middle of the floor though
I have some other new friends that I see now and again. I have been to Brendan’s house a couple of times and played with their little dogs Bailey, Tia, and Charlie. They look like a play toy and I could pick them up if I wanted to, but I think I would get into trouble. I have another friend Molly who also comes to visit me sometimes. Mathew, Denise, and Scott even took us swimming to the river on one visit. At Christmas on the coast my auntie (Mathew’s sister Alana) brought her German Shepard down from Cairns with her. We all got to go to the beach together!
Mathew and Scott started taking me for lots of walks before they went to work. For most of it I was allowed off my lead so I made sure I behaved or Mathew would put me back on. Scott is away for work now and Mathew has gotten slack. We need to go more.
Living with Mathew has been great. Our first few weeks together we got to know one another a bit more and I settled into his house. I remembered my training from my previous life that we don’t talk about and knew what was expected of me. I did have one accident inside, but that’s only because Mathew didn’t understand I was trying to tell him I needed to go out. He has since installed me a doggy door so now I can come and go as I please, that is while someone is home anyway. He gives me pats, gives me treats, takes my for walks, lets me play with other dogs, welcome’s me onto his bed, and even introduced me to the rest of his family. Mathew’s auntie Denise and uncle Scott, which I guess make them my great aunt and uncle, are in and out of the house all the time as they live in different places for work. Denise gives me some attention, not as much from Scott, but they look after me when Mathew is out.
When I came home I think Mathew was worried as he had a brand new expensive car and he thought I might destroy it. I hate it when he judges me before he gives me chance. I think that’s why they picked me up from the bad place in Brendan’s car. It wasn’t long though before we went for a drive to the vet as I had a bit of a cough. The vet examined me outside, giving me lots of pats and making me feel calm. Mathew put me back in the car while he went inside, and I could see him watching and judging me very cautiously through the window. The leather seats smelt so good, good enough to chew, but I thought I had better not or he might not take me anywhere again. I felt like a king riding in the back seat, I even asked him to take my photo.
Mathew bought me a new house for when I was outside, however I really didn’t like it. Every time he tried to get me to go inside I had flashbacks of my time in the bad place. He understood that I preferred lying in the rain and didn’t force me to go in, so he took it back to the pet store. He must have felt bad for me though, because soon after he built me a temporary shelter when we were having lots of rain. It did its job at the time, however it did get in the way, so he then built me a new shelter by hand. It’s much bigger and allows more light, so I thought I had better make an effort to use it as he had put so much work into it.
Mathew took me on a very long car ride to his Mum and Dad’s on the coast where I got to meet their dogs Hoover and Snow. They look like me! I had lots of fun, and was definitely spoilt. Mathew says it is because he doesn’t live at home any more and they miss him. They took all us dog’s to the beach which is the best place in the world. We are allowed off our leads, can run around like crazy, go swimming, and meet lots of other people and their dogs too. I like getting wet, but am still not sure about those waves, so will try to avoid them. Rolling in the sand is fun too! I couldn’t wait to go back and visit again.
My owner Mathew told me I needed to learn a new trick, so after thinking about what I could do to impress him, and realising how often I see him using his computer, I thought I can do that. I often disappear of a night after the lights go out, and little does he know what I am really up to.
So let me tell you a little about myself. I met Mathew in September 2013 in the most horrible place. I don’t know what I did wrong but my previous owners took me and my best friend to a place with lots of other dogs in many cages. Little did I know it would be the last time I would see my best friend or owners again. Over the next few weeks I didn’t get much sleep as it was a very noisy place with lots of crying dogs in the same situation as me. I really don’t like being locked up a cage either, and I let everyone know it. I would see people come and look at some of my new friends, and sometimes they would take them with them and they didn’t come back. I can only hope they they escaped this place. Sometimes the workers would also come and take some of my new friends and they also didn’t come back, but I never did find out where they went. Before one of the workers came to take me from my cage, I met Mathew.
I had already met many other people before I met Mathew, but they all came and went. When Mathew came and took me out of my cage he took me into the open yard but I was very scared. When he walked over to me I would curl into a little ball as I didn’t know what he was going to do, but he would then back up and give me some space. Mathew went and sat in the corner of the yard while he gave me some time to run around and do my business, and after some time when I see he had not left and was still sitting in the corner I decided to go and say hello. I approached quite slowly as I wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but I was glad when I did because he had cuddles and a belly rub ready for me. Mathew spent some time with me before he put me on my lead and led me out back to my cage. I really didn’t want to go back and I made a little bit of fuss to let him know it, but in the end I did as Mathew asked and went back inside. I watched as Mathew walked away, and over the next week people stopped coming to see me. I got very scared, but finally one bright sunny day Mathew came back also bringing his cousin Brendan. They took me out of my cage, and this time we got to go out the front door. I hopped into the car and we drove away, watching that bad place grow smaller through the back window.
I was very embarrassed riding in their car because I was very dirty when they came to get me. I was covered in my own pee, something I couldn’t help when I was locked up, and smelt very bad. Mathew looked like he was going to be sick. Mathew was one step ahead, and we went to this magical place called the pet store. Here I was treated like a king, with people all wanting to say hello and giving me treats. They even gave me a bath, or to be truthful more than one, sprayed some stuff on me to make me smell nice, and clipped my nails. Back into the car with a new bed, dog food, and some fun looking toys, we headed to my new home.
It’s sad to constantly think about everything before this point, so I have now put it all behind me, and gotten on with my new life. Mathew doesn’t know much about my past life as I refuse to tell him, but he did find out I was approximately 4-5 years old. We decided to call it 4.5 and give me a birthday in 6 months, which works out at the 15th March. I will use this blog to tell you about all the fun we now have together, but just remember, don’t tell Mathew about it!
