Cavalier Story

Showtime

2007-03-24T19:23:00.000+10:30

I can't believe over three weeks have gone by since my last post. I was excited to get a comment on my last blog from Tin Tin BlogDog who lives in Adelaide. Thanks Tin Tin. You can visit his cool site at http://tintinblogdog.blogspot.com/ Also, if you visit Dogs With Blogs (link below on right) during March and scroll down you will see a great photo of Tin Tin swimming.

Probably the biggest news is that I have been to some dog shows for the first time in six months. We had three shows over one long weekend - all together they were called the Autumn International Shows and were run in conjunction with a big Animal Expo which had Dr. Harry as one of the VIP's. The shows were held in an enormous pavilion which was really noisy and it was strange being put through our paces on carpeted concrete instead of on green grass. There were lots of Cavaliers there but I manged to win 3rd place in my class on the first day, 1st on the second day and 2nd on the third day. The best part was getting lots of attention and pats from the people who came to visit us at the show. Jenny took lots of photos of other people's dogs but she couldn't take any of me because she was in the ring with me.

The worst thing about the show weekend was that I must have picked up a germ which upset my tummy and gave me runny poos and a dirty bottom. Jenny put me up on the grooming table to clean me up and then gave me some horrible medicine which was supposed to make me better. (I did get better, but it tasted revolting). As a warning to all other dogs here is a photo of the medicine. If you see any humans with it I'd advise you to hide. It is called Peptosyl.

And here is a photo of me sitting on the grooming table, all unsuspecting, before I was given the medicine.

That's all for this time. I'll try and post again soon.

Woof woof.

First Day of Autumn

2007-03-01T18:14:00.000+10:30

Today is the first day of Autumn in Australia, not that you'd know because the temperatures are still in the high 30's (centigrade) and it still feels like summer. It is also VERY dry. We are having one of the worst droughts ever and because of water restrictions Jenny is not allowed to water the back lawn except for one day on the weekend. So our lovely green playground is mostly dry and dusty and all the grass is gradually drying off and disappearing. I hope it all comes back when we finally get some rain.

I have been looking at some of the sites on Dogs With Blogs and lots of them have heaps of photos so I told Jenny we need more photos on my blog. Jenny takes lots of photos but they are often for the photo library, for special occasions or for other people. Yesterday she was busy taking photos to submit to a jigsaw publisher and some of them were of my daughter, Dizzy, so I asked her if I could have one of them in my blog and here it is.

Dizzy is 15 months old and she didn't mind posing with all those cute fluffy toys. She didn't mind the extra treats she got for doing so either!! Here's a couple more photos of Dizzy taken 12 months ago when she was just a cute little pup. She's got one ear inside out in the first photo.

Dizzy's show name is 'Cooinda Dizzy Miss Lizzie' but her call name is Dizzy because she was a bit of a whirlrwind when she was a pup. She has won some prizes in the show ring and has been awarded quite a few points towards her Australian Champion title. At home she loves sniffing around the backyard and gets so engrossed in what she is doing that she forgets to listen when Jenny calls us all. Then, when she suddenly realises the rest of us have gone inside she will whirl around and tear inside with her ears flapping, her tongue out and a big laughing smile on her face.

I've just found another photo of Dizzy in Jenny's files. This one is not so flattering and shows her wearing her drying coat after having a bath on the day before a show. She is also wearing her snood ready for tea.

I've enjoyed putting all these photos in my blog (with Jenny's help) so I think I will introduce you to other members of our family over the next few weeks. But for now, I just have time to go outside for a run and a game before bed, so "Woof Woof" until my next blog.

Dogs With Blogs

2007-02-17T15:36:00.000+10:30

I wish I could work this computer on my own. Trouble is, the keyboard is a bit hard to manage with my paws. I think it should be compulsory for all dog owners to get really large keyboards with nice big keys which are suitable for paws. It's been three weeks (plus) since my last post and this is because Jenny has been busy and hasn't had time to help me with my blog. But she promised to help me this weekend.

I must admit I have had a bit of time on the computer in the last three weeks. But instead of writing my blog I was reading other blogs. We found this great site called 'Dogs With Blogs' (you can access it from the link on the right) which lists dogs from all around the world who have blogs! At last count there were 356 - can you believe it! Well, it's really interesting reading about other dogs' lives, especially those who live in places where it is now winter. Here we are sweltering in 43 degree (centigrade) heat (that's what it is today) and at the same time there are dogs on the other side of the world who are sitting by warm heaters and fires and romping in snow when they go outside. I am number 335 on the list, which is a real coincidence because my (Jenny's) phone number ends in 335 and our Post Office Box is 335!

There are only two other Cavalier blogs on the site and one is the one after me - number 336! (Another coincidence!) This blog is written by Momo, a Blenheim who lives in Toronto in Canada. She was born on 2nd September 2005 and her favourite foods are chicken and cheese. Her birthday is another little coincidence because September 2nd 2005 was the first anniversary of my arrival here (which I told you about in my first blog).

The other Cavalier blog is written by two Cavaliers, Baileys and Maen who live in Singapore. (Jenny has been to Singapore and she said it is a lovely city and very clean). They are both Blenheims too. (Is that another coincidence?)

Well, coincidence or not, I am starting to feel hungry and I notice it is past time for our afternoon chicken necks, so I will finish off now so we can all have our tea.

Great Weekend

2007-01-24T20:17:00.000+10:30

We had a great time last weekend. Bentley came back on Friday with Zachary, Angelica and Elton, the three Cavaliers who live at his other home, and their special person, Sharon. Zachary and Angelica are actually Bentley's canine parents and Elton is his uncle.

Lots of rain fell before the weekend so the grass was damp and fresh and some patches were a bit muddy. Bentley and I had heaps of fun racing around together and playing with the other Cavaliers and we all received a few extra treats over the three days.

On Sunday two people, Terry and Ben, came to visit and had lunch with Sharon and Jenny. So we all received lots of extra cuddles and pats as we vied with one another to get the most attention.

Sadly, on Sunday afternoon, Bentley went in Sharon's car with Zac, Angie and Elton and they all went back to their home in Adelaide.

Soon after they left Jenny went out in her car and when she came back she brought two more people with her; a lady, also called Jenny and a man called Graham. They stayed for the night and, once again, we all got extra pats and cuddles. The next morning Graham filmed us with a video camera while Jenny put our snoods on and fed us all. Then he took some more video as we all ran out of the back door to play in the yard. About lunch time Jenny took these people away in the car and when she came back she was alone.

This morning we were all running around when Jenny went to feed the ponies. We are not allowed to go into the feed shed, but several of us went to the door with her. When she opened the main door, there, sitting half way up on the screen door, was a mouse! Before any of us could react the mouse leaped off the door, ran between Delta's legs, much to her surprise, and disappeared through the fence! We all rushed to the fence to catch it but of course, we were too late.

Bobby is barking now to tell Jenny it is time for us to have our bedtime treats and go to bed, so I will sign off.

Time Goes By

2007-01-14T21:18:00.000+10:30

Time goes by when you're having fun! Not that we've been doing anything special but Jenny has been rather busy and hasn't had time to help me with my Blog.

My best mate, Bentley has been away for the last week. He has two homes and although he spends most of his time here, he visits his other home from time to time. His canine mum and dad and uncle live at his other home with their special person, Sharon. I miss having him around and I think he misses me although he's able to do some special things in his other home, like sleeping on the bed with Sharon and the other three Cavaliers. They have a double bed so there's plenty of room for them all. Our Special Person, Jenny, only has a single bed so she only has room for one bed dog, Lexie and also Topaz, who is a cat!

There are, in fact, two cats living here with us! Topaz is cream and brown Balinese female and Minta is a black male. They actually get on quite well with all the dogs in the house and don't mind curling up with us in front of the heater on a cold night. If any of the youngsters try to take too many liberties with the cats they are soon put back in their place with a hiss and a smack on the nose.

We've had quite a bit of really hot weather recently and on hot days we mostly just lie around on the cool lino with the air conditioner on. Then, once the sun has gone and it's cooled down a bit we go outside for a long run and play time. We are usually allowed to stay up later on these nights after our inactive day and often don't go to bed until after 9.30 instead of our usual bedtime of 8.30.

Two of our girls, Shirani and Shelley, have been in isolation for the last two and a half weeks and the rest of us haven't been allowed to see them. Sometimes when this happens I am taken in to visit one of the girls for some special fun and games, but that didn't happen this time, even though I suggested it to Jenny every day.

We had two extra people in the house for three days this week. Jenny's niece and nephew, Rachael (aged 11) and Mitchell (aged 6) came to stay. They like playing with us and helping to feed us. Mitchell especially likes putting our snoods on for meals and taking them off afterward. Rachael often grooms us and on Thursday she took me out on my own on a lead for a walk. We did some show training and then she led me around a circle of tree stumps and I jumped on and off them for her. It was good fun and she gave me lots of reward treats for being so good.

Well, Jenny says it's well past my bed time so that's it for today.

My First Blog!

2007-01-02T22:04:00.000+10:30

Being a well bred, Champion Cavalier (of Royal descent) I have decided it's time I joined the technological revolution and became a 'blogger'. My key boarding skills are not outstanding so I will be helped out in this area by OSP (our special person), Jenny, and I will also be using her computer.

I will start by telling you a bit about myself. I was born in New South Wales and when I was 10 weeks old Jenny visited my breeders and chose me to take back to South Australia. She says her first memory of me is when my breeders put me and my brothers in a puppy pen and I immediately escaped before they closed the door!

After I was chosen I was put in a blue and white airline crate with some soft bedding and a toy and taken away in a car with Jenny and her friend. After what seemed like a long time we stopped and I was taken to a big shed. Jenny gave me a drink of water and sprayed some stuff in my mouth to help me stay calm. She told me I was going on a plane and that she would be on the same plane and would pick me up at the other end.

It all happened as she said, but it took a long time and was a bit scary when I was in the plane because it made a lot of noise. Eventually the plane stopped and I was taken to another shed by a friendly man who talked to me and patted me with his fingers through the bars on the crate door. Jenny and her friend soon arrived to collect me and I was taken to another car for another long drive.

When the car stopped Jenny said we were at my new home. I was let out to run around in a big grassy yard and given a drink and something to eat. The other Cavaliers who were to become my family and friends made quite a bit of noise when we arrived but I didn't meet them until the next day.

Since that day in September 2004, I have had lots of fun and adventures and I will tell you some of them in future blogs. I have been trained as a show dog and have been awarded the title of Champion because of my good performances in the show ring. Going to shows is good fun, but most of all I like being home, racing around in the yard and playing with my best mate, Bentley and the other Cavaliers.