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DOUGIE’S DIARY
 
SATURDAY 23RD AUGUST 2008
 
Collected by a couple I had seen a couple of times before and their dog Coco.
Taken to Morecambe for a very long walk and chips and water - sat on the front at a café – some lovely juicy pigeons to eye up!
 
When after what seemed like hours and I was beginning to get a bit tired (but would in no way show it!) they took me back to the rescue centre where I saw my friends again and then Di said a very peculiar thing that they could take me home with them – mmm this has happened before and it did not turn out well!!
 
So off I went to what I thought would be my new home. But after a couple of miles we arrived at a kennelvan I think humans call it a caravan – not quite what I had expected for my new pad!!
 
Got fed well and so decided to be on best sort of behavior – even got to sit on the seating with them but the lady got a bit too close for comfort so had to put her in place with a bit of teeth bearing and a snarl – she soon moved!
 
SUNDAY 24TH AUGUST 2008
 
Looks like we are on the move – they have attached the car to the kennelvan but neither will move and the grass is turning to mud and the wheels of the car are spinning round – looks like we will be here for a while so Coco and I curl up on the back seat of the car and have a nap – after ropes and men pushing the kennelvan we eventually started our journey all the way to Yorkshire!!!
 
I like cars so I kept having a nap and then put my nose to the slightly opened window to catch the wind – all good fun.
 
Then we arrived at a house – the lady took me in and the first thing I saw was a blue blob with a dragon fly on it - it looked frightening so I had to bark and bark at it to make it go away – it wouldn’t (later heard that it was a prized tiffany lampshade – so?). Had a good sniff around – seems ok.
 
Then followed the lady upstairs – did not quite manage all the steps one at a time as I’m not used to stairs but when I got up there, there was this massive, humongous dog bed – I leapt straight onto it and thought wonderful – and sat there as proud as anything – but the lady wanted me to go downstairs again – surely she was joking, no way Jose I was staying put and no amount of Dougie calling or dog biscuits or even Burns food was going to move me an inch – I had made it to the top of the doggie world – my own bedroom!
 
Ok so eventually curiosity gets the better of me and I creep (well it was a bit more undignified actually the front door should really be further away from the end of the stairs to give me more landing space) down to see what was happening and I found Coco out in this massive paddock having a pee – so I followed and I think by Wednesday I managed to pee on every flowering plant in the paddock!
 
There is a crazy dog next door making a terrible racket and trying to get her nose under the fence – apparently she likes to eat other dogs! I’ll stay away and keep quiet although apparently there is also a black lab that lives there who comes to stay and is Coco’s girlfriend – we’ll see what the totty is like round here!
 
I think the house will be ok but I am very wary of the two people and if they come too near they get a warning by way of a bit of teeth showing and a snap – can’t let them get too close – look what happened last time I let humans in a home get close!!
 
First day in new house and so we are told it is bed time – Coco and I have beds downstairs upstairs so I have to climb the stairs again – this time I try and look as if I am in control of my legs. One point though, if this is to be my house I need to put my mark on it – so far I have managed to pee twice in the living area but I also need to make my mark upstairs but the lady just manages to stop me in full flow (even though I had just done one in the garden - I have a large reserve tank for times like these) I am stopped with a ‘Dougie No’! Wow that was quite firm and authorative – maybe I should listen? I thought I would get more of a telling off – but I think they were too busy changing the duvet and the sheets to say anymore!
 
First night kept waking up and having a wander around the room – it is not fair that they get that massive high up bed – still mine is very comfy and fur lined must get some sleep now absolutely shattered – Mental note Coco seems very chilled, well fed and very happy and he has only one eye – maybe just maybe they will keep me and know how to look after me, maybe I will give them the benefit of the doubt, maybe yawn, yawn I keep counting and seeing sheep or maybe they are on my bed cover zzzzzzz.
 
MONDAY 25TH AUGUST 2008
 
Breakfast was good – new lady took me out for a wee at 6am I think she thinks I can’t hang on to it!
Things are looking a bit brighter there is a toy box with two of everything in it and Coco wants to play with me and the garden is great, one thing though there are some very big noisy birds in the air here in Yorkshire, they keep making me jump. Coco tells me he used to bark at them and they went further away but now he is used to them apparently they are called aeroplanes. 
 
Still very edgy and jumpy because there are a lot of different sounds about and I do not want to get too friendly with the people here in case it all goes wrong so I try and keep my distance.
 
This afternoon went for a walk and instead of a halti I was put into a harness – it felt quite comfortable so I decided to walk to heel with the lady – I actually did better than Coco (I think so anyway) but half way round our walk I spied another dog I heard someone say that it is kept on a lead as it is not friendly so I decided to make a play for it, the lady had all on to keep hold of me.
 
When we got back Coco and I had another play in the garden – there is even a paddling pool for us dogs – apparently the lady bought it for Coco and their Golden Retriever, Lucy, one hot summer – yes it has been hot in Yorkshire – but Lucy would not go near it even though she loved puddles and Coco uses it as a big drinking bowl – Jess next door loves to lie in it when she comes round to cool off and have a splash (sounds like my kind of girl – but don’t tell Coco). 
 
Feels like I am starting to settle in here (ok so it looks like it may be fun to live here) but don’t think I should show it yet.
 
Even had a bit of a training session this afternoon, rather enjoyed that as I got four times as many treats as Coco each time, I don’t think he noticed and I also think they are trying to build me up a bit. But if mum, I mean the lady, wants me to do things and asks so nicely, she seems to know how to deal with dogs then I will do as I am told.
 
I think the people here are wondering what sort of dog they have brought home – I really do not mind if Coco goes to my blind side but people are really a bit different and I have to watch out in case suddenly some little children appear from nowhere! I have to be wary don’t I??
 
Early evening now and the people have been home all day with me and I have to admit it has been quite a bit of fun – they are watching television now so maybe, just maybe I could venture across the floor for a cuddle – they do really deserve it as they have been very good to me so far, maybe if I just edge across slowly – yippee it worked – ooh it is good to have my tummy tickled and would you believe it but just like they do for Coco they will rub my back legs for me. Maybe they could be my new mum and dad?? I think I have put my mark on the house now so there is no need to pee inside anymore.
 
TUESDAY 26TH AUGUST 2008
 
My new Dad has gone out – to work I think – dogs don’t cost that much to keep do they? 
Anyway as soon as Dad has gone, out come the harnesses and we are off down the road. We meet someone who has heard about me and they say ‘Isn’t he gorgeous’ I am not too sure and give a little bark and back off but then I realize she has a good voice and I can smell her dog on her so I decide to give her a greeting by jumping up at her – mum did not expect that one!
 
So back we come to the house and into the garden where Coco and I have a play. Coco likes mum to throw a ball for him to chase and then I like to chase Coco, but it gets a bit hairy because I like to stand behind Coco and it always seems to be his blind side so we end up colliding – it will work out!
Anyway I found a lovely new toy in the garden , apparently it lights up at night, it was a gigantic green garden snail, I had all on to get it into my mouth, when I picked it up I tossed it into the air and it came down with a big thud and then I teased mum with it – she did not mind but after a while we got the serious ‘Dougie No’ and so now I have decided I want to please her so I dropped it as soon as she said it. I don’t think it will be of much use in the dark now as it’s light has gone out!!! Oops!
 
The lady, well I mean mum had run out of milk so went to the shop – she was only away for 10 minutes but I decided to show her how good I could be and just lay on the floor and when she looked through the window there I was a good as gold!
 
We had a bit more training – boy was I good – and then it was lunch time and Dad came home for his at the same time Mum went out to work – maybe it is because they have two dogs they both have to work??
 
I do not know how long we were left for but I know that when Mum arrived home she parked on the other side of the road and peeped through the window and she told Dad how she was so pleased that I was curled up in bed and Coco was on his usual place on the sofa – why when you have a perfectly good dog bed?
 
Another walk, good food and more play and tonight I let Dad brush me, he was very chuffed with himself that he had been able to do that so I took it a step further and allowed him to hold a nylabone while I had a chew of it – no it is not lazy just allowing him to get used to me!
 
So another busy day with walks and play – I could get used to this!! 
 
Slept a bit better tonight.
 
WEDNESDAY 27TH AUGUST 2008
 
I keep hearing Mum and Dad saying what a change there is in me and what a lovely chap I am and how well behaved and do as I’m asked even though I have been in kennels for a year! – I really must keep this up!
 
One thing I have noticed is that although Mum vacuums round the house quite often I come across bits of dog hair from either me or Coco that she has missed and I do not like mess so I have to gobble it up to get it out of the way! Maybe I will train her to vac up properly one day. But humans can be hard to train. 
 
We were all awake at 6.30 this morning and so Coco put his head on Mum and Dad’s bed and was told to jump up – well I thought I would try as I wanted to please them and do as I’m told!!! I tried it and it worked – it is a bit squashed with all four of us but it was lovely to snuggle up to Mum and Dad.
 
I hear we are going away to Scotland in the kennelvan on Saturday and it is near a beach so that should be fun – Coco says he goes a bit mad on holidays and wears himself out and has to have a rest when he gets back!
 
Maybe, just maybe Di knew what she was doing when she said I could go home with my new mum and dad lets give it a good few years and see what happens!! You never know I may be able to have Mum and Dad trained by then!!
 
Here are a few snapshots of me enjoying my new life!!