Sniffer, Diary of A Dog In Isolation!
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Only a local walk this morning, Noisy One up for it, chariot employed. Lots of flowers coming out now. Hardly saw a soul, only half a dozen in distance. Lounged around most of day, watching humans being busy, busy. Pond is starting to look inviting...........might “accidentally” fall in at some point in future. A second walk with Quiet One once he emerged from his man cave. That giant wasp was around this afternoon again...
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Hi to Sniffer and all you others with restricted walks.
I've got my Man keeper trained to kick a ball up the garden – he thinks it's for my benefit but he gets tired first and on occasion sits down with a small bottle in his hand.
I retrieve the thrown ball and drop it at the top of some steps and the ball rolls down them to his feet ready to give him more leg exercises.
Sometimes he claims he can't reach the ball near his feet but I'm very patient and he eventually has to get up and get the ball.
We can't go to the park any more for three months and all my work at identifying my visits on the trees and bushes will go to waste.
On the plus side the Man keeper has cut the grass, which apparently helps him find my deposits a little easier, and it's much better to lie on and roll about on.
We've been digging today – they've replanted the strawberries and I've just been digging – how long that bone had been buried I'll never know !
Have to go now, it's time for the Man keeper to exercise with the ball again.
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Sounds like you have a good plan Merl. My two are untrainable really, I’ve tried, but it’s just not going in. About the only thing that has stuck is Quiet One is easy to blag a biscuit or a carrot from, I only have to give him the “poor me” look, and the tin is open. Not the noisy one though, hard as nails that one. But she’s great at massage, hits all the right spots, gets that old uncontrollable back leg going.......
I am taking time out to sort out my soft toy collection tomorrow . It’s quite extensive, as us retriever types like to practice carrying things, and one of my human’s best friends manages a large pet store, so I get lots of presents. Some of them smell delicious at the moment, but it won’t be long before Noisy One interferes, and they get “washed”. They get a good dunk in pond every now and then , surely that’s all they need really!🙄
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Hope that you managed to get your toys sorted Sniffer, pal. I'm not a great one for toys but do have one favourite ball on a string with which I annoy t'old fella, banging it against his leg and then not letting go of the string when he tries to take it from me which results in us having a good old heave ho!
I had a good run on the beach today, well away from anyone else, although a little Yorkie did try to join me in my run, but I soon got rid of him by running in the tide. It was just a shame that we had to head home just as I was getting ready to go and hide in the dunes....they know me too well, me thinks. Well time for a snooze now and a dream or two of more seaside adventures.
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I have got my pair into a good routine now Flyte.👍 Noisy does the morning walk, it’s close, so we take my chariot and we roll along nicely with me hopping in and out. She likes to take photographs of all the flowers, so I get lots of easy sniffing time. I thought we might have been heading for my old favourite spot, the ornamental pond, this morning, but she swerved off last thing, muttering about “stinking like a Swamp”, might just catch her out tomorrow though. Millie and me spent some happy times in there, it was a great way to cool off in Summer.
Toys got a reprieve, they were too busy today, but they are heaped in a box at the moment, looks ominous........🐶
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Good evening, This is Sniffer’s Mum tonight. He’s gone to bed early, I can hear the snores from his basket, so thought I would do his diary tonight. No staying power I am afraid, and I read he has been calling me names as well, Noisy One indeed.🤨
We had a nice local walk this morning, only saw other folks a very long way away, so everyone being well behaved. The big lump loves his chariot, but he has to do the walking, it’s important for his joints and his condition, but equally so that he gets the sniffs, the scents, it’s all part of being a looked after dog. We had hoped that he might start some water treadmill therapy this week, but that’s on hold obviously at the moment. He’s quite busy at home as well though, likes to potter around, play with his toys, and he gets some good doggy contact with the girl next door.
Spent a good part of day snoozing in the lovely sunshine we are enjoying at the moment, had a trample round some of the flower beds, as you do. Thankfully, he’s not a digger, only on the beach usually. The Airedale’s were prolific excavation artists, it wasn’t uncommon to find all three of the little blighters in the same hole. The pond has been trashed a few times though, Sniff/Rieves does love water!
Second walk is teatime with his Dad, again only local at moment. Then it’s back home for a snooze in front of stove.
Hopefully, he’ll be back online again tomorrow, with a tale to tell........😘
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Hi I'm Arbuthnot, a hedgehog I hope that's ok.
Woken recently and delighted to find that the box my gardener built for me has been cleaned out - we can be lazy critters when it comes to hygiene but it worries me not, and put in some nice fresh hay, needs a bit of a shuffle around but that takes time. They'd even put out some nice dried small biscuits in my food bowl. Well they did for a couple of nights then it stopped. Apparently the fussy one feared there was a long tailed 4 legged visitor she didn't want calling harrumph. So I had to make it plain I had returned by showing myself plainly in the sensor light 2 evenings ago!
The fussy one spotted me, watched while I ate some dried bread on the grass, how things have gone downhill in the 2 years I've offered my presence, more about that in a mo. Anyway I allowed her to get a good look from indoors, she kindly pulled up the blind so we both knew who was who. She disappeared I continued on dry bread. She carefully opened the door, thought she'd fooled me, oh how wrong, she thought it was the other sensor light going on alerted me 😂. Sadly I admit to being a little frightened and stupidly gave away my over wintering place in my panic, it took longer to find the entrance - the fussy one insisted the side went right to the ground only leaving a space for the garden canes to slide under, as she had suspected under their very posh shed. She says I'd hold several families and is bigger apparently than a caravan whatever that is. Best of all she scattered some of those lovely small biscuits that she has labelled as kitten food all over the grass whilst I watched from my safe place - but I made them wait until I was ready before I went to try them. Since then my food bowl has some in but I hear mutters of plenty of natural food around at the moment, they even watered the ground today to save in biscuits 😱🤔.
Back to my arrival. In November 2015 I was on their grass as a tiny one, winter was coming and I wasn't big enough to survive a without help. Luckily the fussy one had spotted me a few times, but couldn't get the other one to move fast enough from his chair to get me. Eventually I gave him a fighting chance and allowed him to catch me.
At the time I fitted in the grand dogs water bowl. I'll try and add a photo but I understand its tricky. Anyway after a comfortable night I was whisked away to the local hedgehog folk, who apparently have more knowledge on feeding me - didn't think that was difficult! It was agreed I would be returned but it would be a while as they took themselves off to Thailand and New Zealand for several months to celebrate a birthday and see their daughter and her family, as if that was more important than raising me!!
Anyway I was duly collected by the fussy one, she said they had to have the garden checked over to see if it was suitable for my return - like I didn't know how to choose a good garden myself! They have lots of shrubs and places for me to snuggle, log piles and gaps under the fence so I can explore so it was agreed I could return. I was put in a small box for the the journey and I was allowed to leave it at my leisure 😀. Then it disappeared, but was replaced by a posh house with a detachable roof. Not sure about the latter as they have a habit of lifting it when I'm eating or snoozing jolly cheeky if you ask me. I suspect that there is at least one of not two others who call in, but not when I'm there, but they've not been named - so I'm still the chosen one.
Boy this is hard work I need to rest up, maybe I'll pop back another day.
Edit I'm cleverer than I thought. Changed devices, found the photos and added.1st is me when they first saw me out in daylight in November! I look a little bigger than I really was as you can see in the bowl.
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Photos didn't appear 😤
I'll try again
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How brilliant, a very different (sort of) pet. My human’s will be very interested in your story, as they want to encourage more hedgehogs if they can. In fact only today Dad was cutting holes in wire fencing so that they can trundle through if they want. I have seen a few, my garden does have hedges, log piles, lots of leafy piles, and there’s plenty of shallow water up and down, ‘cos Mum is brilliant at making garden drinking bowls out of old dustbin lids.
Perhaps it’s time to get them to make a proper hog house. Dad keeps looking at how to make on on something call Dougall, or Google, whatever it’s called. The kitten food sounds a great idea........yum yum!
I hope you can post a photo, I am like you, two left paws when it comes to posting photos.
Thanks for saying hello. 🦔🦔🦔🦔
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Got the fussy one organised earlier today and she's already topped up my food bowl for later. I left it on its side last night, got to ensure she knows it's me!
Anyway instructed her to take photos and put them on here so you know what luxury I live in. Apparently the walls are part of an old bookcase. They kindly put some waterproof material on the roof but put a handle to lift it off - so they can gap at me! But I think the fussy one puts food in that way so I begrudgingly except the intrusion.
I have lots of friends in the area - in fact one garden I visit 6 fences up, more titbits there too, I'm one of at least 3. Alledged down the road they have film of 7 or more in the garden at once! See we city dwellers have all we need and plenty of those 2 legged folk to train.
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Great photos thanks Arbuthnot! Dad is really interested. We all had an early night last night, so sorry for not doing my diary!
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Had to brush up on my acting skills this morning, starring role in a short video for Grandma Cheese, keeps the old dear happy and she knows I am doing ok. Then I caught up with the family dogs, Bella the Beagle, Selsig the Sausage, and Murphy the Mutt. He’s a real big softie, half pointer, half Curly Coated Retriever. They are all doing well, sterling work exercising their humans. Haven’t caught up with Bee the Bull Terrier yet, or the six pack belonging to Dad’s brother. Lots of nice photos, mainly of lounging mutts, but one or two action shots as well.
Night all, I leave you with some toast action......
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Hi, I’m another hedgehog 🦔. I don’t have a posh name but maybe I should ask for one. I’ve been asleep 💤 for a while but I’ve felt the warmth of the sun on my wooden box (hedgehog hotel) and it’s woken me enough to want some food.
I’ve got two hotels in my garden to choose from. In different locations so I can have a different view if I want. I think I’ve really got my feet under the table here, as last month I got my own hedgehog gazebo.... It’s a wooden house to protect my food bowls from the rain. I don’t like soggy food and refuse to eat it if it’s been rained on. Call me fussy. It’s also a way to stop the neighbourhood cat from helping itself to my food before I get to it. It’s been caught on camera so I know it’s him. It’s been very quiet around here recently, I think the humans have taken a leaf out of our books and gone into hibernation........somebody needs to tell them they’ve got the wrong time of year though.
Hello to all the dogs out there. I like the toast pictures. May I be your pen pal Arbuthnot? I’m off to sleep now after trying to show you some pictures of my hotel and gazebo.2 -
Here are my pictures....
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Oh hello fellow hedgehog, you'll have to be a penpal too far, even for me, to your place.
Wow right posh living you have and a choice of 2 human built ones not counting the gazebo. I'm not jealous cos I have one here and my food is in there so I can eat from my bed if I choose. I also have a really big under shed place, extremely safe, and there's log piles and until before I last went to sleep lots of ground hugging shrubs, but the fussy one got someone in to prune and tidy - why I have no idea! Which means I have less if a choice than I did.
Yes we had trouble with pesky cats thinking the kitten food was for them 😤. I like it when the granddog comes cos they stay out of this garden and she just follows my trails through the garden. Fussy one gets cross with the dog cos I go through all her plants.
Must take myself to hide away dont want to let them see how much I like this garden, they seem to be about earlier today, muttering about a lost hour - whatever that is!
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Mornin all, me not bin on ere for a week, bin busy winding mam and dad up 😳. It appears as if I was goin to have my hair cut with Aunty Paula but couldn't go coz of some bug or other ☹️ Phew wat an escape, hate avin me hair cut and I have to behave 😖🤓 went in the car wiv mam and dad to the shwaps and to the pet shop.... Whoopeeeee time for treats 😋😬😋 got home and waited for my pigs ear.... Ummmmmmm mam then pulled out a wierd device that made a funny noise and I went into the kitchen for a treat ... Nope. Got a bath in the sink aaaarrrrgggh hate water and washin😩😩😩😩😩😩 but then mam started up this fing and she started to cut me hair off noooooooooo. Even worse, dad said to mam 'let me have a go' oh nooooooo disaster time. Dad started and ad a go at me tail, now it's a stick!😡😱 knew it, wreck it yourself strikes again! Dad says it will grow out... Yeah right! Mam said words to dad that I did not understand 😳 Oh well got to ave a doze now after getting dad up at 4.15am 😅😄😀 JJ
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Oh yeah and thus is me
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Hey up all!👍 I see we have had a “spike” in hedgehog posts😂Brilliant. Some great hedgehog boudoirs by the way, look very cosy and comfortable.
BATH............seldom happens in this house. I am usually toted off to seaside and given the salt water treatment, although it’s been a while, since Christmas🤔
When they had Airedale’s, three of them, the clippers never stopped apparently, but I am low maintenance, usually. Mind, there’s too much grumbling about dog fluff, moulting, Hoover, blah, blah, blah for my liking. And I find the term “minging old carpet” most derogatory! They have a very kinky little tool called a Furminator as well that appears every so often. I like it really, gets the old back legs kicking and the skin creeping.
Tara for now, walkies calling🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾
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Hints for fun in the garden by Tallulah the whatsit. Keep your owners attention by taking as many of those flat while sticks that you find in pots, trays and borders. They've usually got writing on them, but who cares, it's good fun to run around with them.....
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👏👏👏 Mum’s Airedale called Lily once reorganised her embroidery silks, you know, those that only have numbers, for doing cross stitch!
Very chilly walk this evening. I spent ages Sniffing, just ambling around very slowly. Apparently, it was “bl**dy freezing”, but can’t say I noticed in my super thick, waterproof fur coat. She should have put a jumper on under that coat, Dad did tell her.........🥶
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Arbuthnott here again. I put in my appearance earlier and there's no food in my bowl. Not sure how to draw their attention to this but I hope it's corrected swiftly.
Reading about the doggy experiences made my smile - unfortunately I can't join in with such jolly japes!
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My Mum and Dad have rescued a few Hedgehogs, Arbuthnot. There’s a sanctuary not too far away luckily that they have used in the Autumn. They have special heat mats so the little ones don’t fall asleep and hibernate, they stay awake in the warm and manage to keep eating until they become round balls of spikes, not long balls. Or something like that, Mum says.......
Dad will rescue anything, he used to go into burning buildings and fetch dogs and cats, and hamsters out. Mum just rescues kittens..... although it’s been a while.......
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Hi all, Iggy cat here again.
Been a bit busy the last few days to pop in. Being a cat I don't have to be walked so have been doing my rounds, making sure all those hedgehogs are not eating my food
The old one still hasn't been out the house but the young one has done her shopping for her so she has plenty to eat. The fish man came the other day so I had a nice bit of salmon to eat that night.
I was out in the garden today lots of work going on, young one on her hands and knees while the male was up a ladder making a right old noise banging away at a bit of wood. Took a walk next door to where I'm supposed to live (but don't) thought I would go and say hello to the kids, didn't get far before this bl***y big dog came charging at me. Didn't get me though I'm far to fast for it.
It wasn't me honest Arbuthnott
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Hi, it's me, Tinker. I'm no longer a visiting dog, I have to work from home, such a lot to do!
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Hello Tinker, you look busy. Aren’t you sharing with a Chihuahua pup? At least you have company, these humans are ok, but there’s nothing like a chum of your own to share sniffs with. My mates Eddie and Toby came round this morning, shot under gate while the Mums weren’t looking, good to say hello. I think Petal was out as well, somewhere, and there was a bit of barking going on.
Mum’s just done the Grandma Cheese medication run, so lots of love sent from them. I will probably have to do another video later. It’s all go. And the stove isn’t lit yet, so basket it will have to be.....
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I know how you feel, haven’t seen a Grandma Cheese for over a week now.....😥
But we do videos, and photos.
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Arbuthnott back again, well the fussy one wasn't impressed this morning and I can't say I am either!
Been a bit chilly over the last few nights so I stayed where I was and didn't come out exploring. Fussy one wished she'd paid proper attention to the overnight lows as the items she removed, as part of her tidy up -that's cos she's fussy! From the cold frame and popped in the sun by the conservatory caught the frost. She's asked the the slower one to listen carefully to the forecast and alert her if it's going to be frosty so she can cover them. I digress.
When she came out to get breakfast items etc from the freezer, that's always first BEFORE feeding the birds and checking my situation😲. She was greeted by what the photo shows. Heap of fox poo and my bowl well out of my home and empty 😤. Hope she's sensible enough to put it round the corner in my house tonight so it can't get at it. There's only a few bits of dry food right in the corner which must have spilled out as it helped itself 😤.
Fussy one only remarked the other day she'd not seen the fox for ages. She needs to be careful about thoughts and comments.
Quite a big sensation on the local 'care and share fb page' about hedgehogs - newish arrivals didn't realise we have a very healthy population of hedgehogs in the neighbourhood. Much good advice shared about checking g under things and not using strimmers or slug pellets. Also a photo of one of my poorly mates in the cordoned off play area in the park during the day. Again our local friendly humans have put them straight - it shouldn't be out during the day and to get it into a box and consult the local hedgehog rescue. Fussy one would have gone straight off but realised she couldn't because of total self isolation for the sake of his health!
Right fussy one of to vac things hope she doesn't go near my house!
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Some good hedgehog thoughts there Arby. Humans here don’t use strimmers either. Not good for frogs, and talking of which.........
Noisy is doing my giant drinking bowl out at the moment, and things were hopping madly in there yesterday. Being a lover of nature, I refrained from getting involved, although they do hop temptingly at times. Sadly my chasing joys are limited nowadays, the odd poddle after a squirrel, a flick of the ears at a rabbit. I am still (apparently) not trusted in the vicinity of any passing cat, but that’s just a nervous reaction they simply don’t understand.
I thought we had settled into a routine here until yesterday, but found myself climbing the car ramp yesterday, off to the vets. Deep joy though, it turned out to be “woods, not vets”. All they did was off to a different vets to pick up some of my “happy pills” and because the woods were on the way home we stopped off there for a walk. Haven’t seen it for weeks, but there were some faint Sniffer threads from mates. Bluebells coming along nicely, trees starting to green up. We sat and gazed at the views from the top hill, but it was strangely quiet, except for all the twittering birds. Anyway, that little bit of “stick therapy” was wonderful. It will be back to the local park from today.
Had a visitor yesterday, my mate Toby from next door but one came calling unannounced. He’s great fun, bit of a tyke, but great to see him.
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