Anna the dog

[Mendip]

Yogi seems to have stepped up his relentless pursuit of Anna. I don't know how she puts up with it, but he does seem to have a special 'way' about him.



He's even started to steal her chair at night in the hopes that she jumps up to join him. Poor girl.

But you can't fault his tactics.



Maybe I could learn something from him?

I walk past PJG's back garden most days and would love to get in there.

To let the dogs play with Moodeng.

Moodeng runs to the gate and squirms with pleasure every time we walk past. Mine are all all becoming quite friendly with her and show no aggression at all.

[DrWilly]

I walk past PJG's back garden most days and would love to get in there.

I bet you would.

[Mendip]

^ You bet. I wouldn't be in any hurry to leave either.

Anyway, today I was stroking Lola when I happened across a lump on her back, which on inspection turned out to be a largish tick (heb). I also found a tick on Max last week, so I decided it was time to give the pack a dose of Bravecto. And when you consider my sleeping arrangements last night (the wife was away) you can understand why I don't want any ticks or flees in the pack.



They say that the tablets give protection for six months but as it's so expensive I tend to wait until I get any signs of needing a new dose, such as this. I used to inject my dogs with Ivermectin but it is so much easier to give the dogs these tablets and I've found this Bravecto to be much more effective, it really is superb.

The cheapest way to use Bravecto is to buy the biggest tablets (for 40 to 56kg dogs) and cut them to suit. My dogs range from between around 12kg and 20kg, so two of these tabs is just about enough for the pack.



I had three tabs, so seven chunks of Bravecto for my pack and enough left over for PJG. I don't want any parasites up there either.



Bravecto seems to be made with a flavour that dogs like (and why on earth don't they make all animal tablets attractive to eat???) but Max, Coco and Anna wouldn't touch it until I hid the tabs inside pieces of the wife's Isaan sausage. Personally I'd rather eat parasite medication than that greasy sausage stuff, but there you go.

Job done.

Yogi has been exceptionally endearing lately and he continues to impress me. I'm extremely proud of the way he conducts himself after a slightly dodgy start to his residency here. After the first few weeks I actually regretted bringing him in, but he has turned into a really great dog, a pack pacifier and a lovely companion.



He's still awkward with people, maybe from some abuse before he joined us, and there are only three people in the whole wide world who he will allow to touch him. And those three don't include the gardener or the wife... they say that dogs have a good judge of character, although imho the gardener's OK!

Yogi allows me to touch him and he often searches me out and sits next to me for some petting when I'm outside. He absolutely adores my daughter... as shown by our fishing trip tonight.



She has a special way with dogs and Yogi is just putty in her hands.



And bizarrely enough, the third person in the world is Ootai.

Yes, I just cannot get my head around it.

Ootai, FFS.

[DrWilly]

Well, he is an Aussie.

[Edmond]

Happy Valentine's Day Mendy, you great big sexy beast of a man.

And Anna too.

[Troy]

This is Pepsi, the stray I mentioned in my post. I'm not that good at working out age, but I'd guess at around 4 months. Wife has done a good job getting him cleaned up and he's feeding well.

It didn't take him long to work out that sitting down gets a treat.

[cyrille]

Those are some striking paws.

[Mendip]

^ They gave me paws for thought as well!

Ain't it great to give a dog a home Troy, nice one. Pepsi looks lovely.

Do you have any idea of his parentage to give some idea of how big he'll get?

Happy Valentine's Day Mendy, you great big sexy beast of a man.

And Anna too.

Thanks mate, but as I told my wife this morning, I'm not really into these newfangled fads.

And as for Anna... I saw Yogi get in a sneaky Valentine's Day kiss earlier, tongue and all.

Any excuse for the old dog.



This morning I bade my farewell to Lola's 'outside' family. I have to be in Peterhead by Saturday and am waiting for flight details, and may have to start travelling tomorrow.

I can't say that I'm really looking forward to visiting Peterhead in the middle of February (or any other month for that matter), but it's not all bad... a few hours in Peterhead will make me realise that Korat ain't so bad after all.



I gave my dogs an extra long walk today as well, in case it's their last for a while.

I don't put Anna on a lead but she chooses to happily walk along with the other girls and sniff at the same smells. Anna has been happy with the boys for a long time and is now finally accepting (and being accepted by) the girls. She really is becoming part of the pack.

Dare I hope that they will all eventually be friends?

[Mendip]

Happy Valentine's Day Mendy, you great big sexy beast of a man.

And Anna too.

Thank you (from Anna)...

[Troy]

No idea of heritage Mendip. Wife told me she heard yelps coming from the rice field for two nights before puppy appeared outside gate. Could have been someone roaming their cows that left him behind.

He has long legs and a long tail for his size, a bit of a bambi when he jumps around. Very good nature and seemingly can't believe his luck. Was very scared to come close to anyone to start with. It took an hour or so before he'd take food from my hand.

[Mendip]

^ Anna still cringes at times if I surprise her or approach her too quickly. I think that many of these dogs have been subject to some abuse in the past.

Yesterday my pack was going mental around the snake house. I assumed there was squirrel in the mango tree so after yelling at them to quieten down I paid no further attention.



The same thing happened today and I noticed that their attention was focused on the snake house roof, not the tree.



So I went to investigate.

I discovered this golden tree snake (I'm pretty sure) curled up inside one of the snake house roof metal rafters. I've noticed before that the dogs can detect snakes in the most unlikely of places. They must give off a strong scent (to a dog).



A snake living in the snake house roof... is that ironic? I'm never sure how to use that word.

[cyrille]

Stupid name for a snake anyway.

[Edmond]

Pretty amazing senses and response.

[Troy]

^^^ I looked that up and several sources state that dogs can't smell reptiles. However, other sources state that some snakes emit a bad smell to ward off predators.

I don't know, but my main dog has dug up snakes, not sure if it has spotted them going into a hole. The front dogs trashed a large golden tree snake yesterday. Too badly damaged to photograph.

[Mendip]

^ Strange, I've seen a lot of evidence over the years for our dogs detecting snakes by smell. Sight or hearing just hasn't accounted for many intances.

If the snakes do emit a bad smell to ward off predators it would seem to have the opposite effect with our dogs. I rescue the snakes where I can but am often too late. Yogi in paricular is a ruthless predator.

[Troy]

My observations are inconclusive. I've seen my dogs walk straight pass a snake. Although unless it's moving I guess they don't recognise it as a threat. After being attacked several snakes have played dead and slithered off afterwards.

It could be the ones being dug up are in a mouse hole and that's what the dog smells.

[Mendip]

^ Troy, I've watched our dogs hunting a snake in the reeds by the pond, watched the snake swim off, and the dogs continue to sniff around the reeds.

Maybe one of the dogs saw the snake move beforehand and somehow communicated that to the others, I have no idea. I have often seen how the smallest of grizzles or whines seem to trigger a big reaction from the other dogs. One thing for sure, there's an awful lot we don't understand or even detect about the communication that goes on between dogs. I find it all fascinating... they're domesticated dogs but once in a pack they seem to revert and become semi-wild.

[hallelujah]

Some lovely, heartwarming photos on this page.

And a picture of Mendy's arse crack.

Not so lovely.

[Mendip]

^ And a Happy Valentine's Day to you as well, mate!

[hallelujah]

^ And a Happy Valentine's Day to you as well, mate!

The shorts look nice though.

[Mendip]

^ £24.99 only.

I'll send you a link!

[Mendip]

The front dogs trashed a large golden tree snake yesterday. Too badly damaged to photograph.

Yogi was very vocal last night but I couldn't be bothered to get up and investigate. In the morning I sadly found the rear half of a golden tree snake... Yogi shakes them with such ferocity that they just break apart. I told him off, but what's the point. I can stop him if I catch him just before the act but if I'm not around, no way will he stop killing snakes. Despite a search the front half is still missing... unless Anna ate it, I guess it will have landed in a tree somewhere and will be discovered from the smell when it starts to decompose.

I checked the snake house and that golden tree snake was still at home. We must have a lot.



I'm still waiting for flight details to Aberdeen and I think most likely will be a day flight with KLM on Saturday. Despite working offshore for over 30 years I get a strange feeling before I leave on a work trip, more so now that I've become so close with the daughter. I've been home since the beginning of December and have become accustomed to an easy routine.

The dogs will miss me as well, I reckon.

Anna will miss her morning relaxation by the pool while I do my gym stuff.



No-one will walk the dogs while I'm away and Yogi will certainly miss his daily lust over Moodeng. Tem now stands guard at PJG's back gate until we pass.



The dogs will also miss our daily badminton matches. They tend to congregate at the daughter's end of the court and despite the local 'dog let' rules, I can usually win by aiming the shuttlecock towards the dog obstructions.



They'll also miss our evening fishing sessions. They love some company.



And Tommy especially will miss rib nights. He absolutely loves ribs and can't control himself while waiting for his bone.

[Edmond]

PJG's back gate

Any photos of this?

[Mendip]

^ Not for public display.

[DrWilly]

You keep it in the wank bank, I suppose?