Our Christmas

Hi hi, before big Harry be telling you about Christmas, me wants to say "Happy New Year!". Me be telling you about Christmas pressies another day, bye!


Hello all! Phew, we have recovered from Christmas and now the New Year festivities are upon us. Bad news for me as I just know those darned fireworks will be back with a vengeance, grr!

Anyway, we had a very pleasant Christmas. We actually celebrated our Christmas on Boxing Day when E & J were here. On Christmas day we just had a quiet day and lazed around.

Boxing Day certainly wasn't quiet! E & J were very excited about all their presents. They had obviously received lots on Christmas Day too so we heard all about that too.

E & J both like their craft, so they loved playing with these beads. Cassidy had to stay in her crate as there were lots of little pieces which she would have loved getting in her mouth! Oh, and excuse the window. every time ma or pa clean it, we slime it with our juicy noses or jump at it with muddy paws, har har!

J got a new baby. It does lots of giggling and crying and sounds very like a real baby. I had to check it wasn't actually alive!

Pa was having lots of fun playing, big kid that he is!

The whole living room soon turned into a pink, girly paradise!

Ma, pa, E & J had a big traditional dinner of turkey, parsnips, potatoes, stuffing and veggies, and we both got a mini dinner too.

I had hoped for a slightly bigger portion as you can probably tell by my face, but never mind. What I did have was jolly tasty and certainly didn't take long to gobble up!

Slurp, chomp, lick and it was gone! Ah well, we have both had plenty of turkey mixed in with our dinners for the last week!

Cassidy had never had anything like this before. Ma was a bit worried it might upset her tum after Oscar having so many food problems but she was fine, and she really enjoyed it! She even ate her broccoli up like a good girl!

I think she'll be hoping for lots more roast dinners.

After I'd finished mine I went to see if any of hers had miraculously jumped out of her crate, but alas she'd scoffed the lot, greedy piglet.

Look how much pink girl toys there are in our living room!

I took refuge in the only free corner and watched everyone playing happily which made me feel all warm and fuzzy.

But after a while all the pink was a bit too much to take, so I asked if I could go and have a nap on my bed!

We had a lovely Christmas, and from reading all your blogs, it seems that you all did too. As Cassidy said, she'll post in the next day or two to show you all our lovely presents.

All that remains is for me to wish you all a happy and healthy 2008!

Toodle pip,

Harry x

Happy Christmas

We wish all our friends a very happy and peaceful Christmas. Thank you for being our pals. We hope Santa Paws is kind to you all. Look! We risked a tree and so far it's still standing!


We'll tell you about the very dapper bandanna's we're wearing soon.

We hope you get to share some Christmas din dins!

Toodle pip Nibbles

Harry x Cassidy x

A Great Honour

What ho. Well, we had a wonderful evening yesterday. Earlier this week ma had a telephone call from Tracey who runs the training class where oscar used to go to say that it was their Christmas party and awards night on Wednesday (last night) and that all the trainers had agreed that they all wanted ma and Oscar to win "Best dog and handler". Ma was astounded. There are lots of very good dogs that are still attending the class, but Tracey said they were all unanimous that Oscar showed more promise than they'd seen in a long time. Ma was so thrilled. She was obvously upset that oscar wasn't here to receive his award himself, but so proud of what they had achieved together.

Tracey invited all of us along to the party to have some fun and collect Oscar's well deserved award.

Before the award giving, we joined in some of the games. Here ma and Cassidy are playing "pass the parcel". Well, Cassidy was actually trying to get the other dogs to play bitey face. Bear in mind that this is the gorwn up class, not the puppy class. Was she scared of all the big dogs? Not in the slightest! She's one firecracker of a girl I tell you!


Here she is trying to get Jasper to play. He was actually quite accommodating, and he doesn't usually like puppies apparently! Her and ma won the game! We haven't unwrapped the gift yet, but it feels like a toy.

I then had a go at musical chairs.



I think by now some people must have been wondering who these two Airedales were that had turned up and were winning all the games! Some class members knew Ma and Oscar, but quite a few didn't. I won some tasty treats, yum. They are rather delicious, and ma says they may be too rich for Cassidy so I get to eat them all myself. Topper!

We sat out the next game as it was a recall game and, erm, that isn't exactly one of our strong points!

Cassidy was already getting tired! A suppose a party when you're 14 weeks old, all the excitement can take it out of you. Young ones today, no stamina!

Then it was time for ma to receive her and Oscar's award. Lorraine and Tracey told everyone about Oscar and what a star he was, and ma went up to collect the award along with the photo of Oscar. Ma was worried people who still attend would be a bit miffed that ma and Oscar won, but quite the reverse. They were all really pleased for us which was smashing.

We kept watch while the humans had their drinks and food, but none for poor old us. I mean, isn't it a bit silly to serve chocolate yule log at a party for doggies?

As you can see, we wore bandannas in honour of dear Oscar. I hope he would have approved.

After the party, pa took some more photos of ma with Tracey. We can keep the cup for a year, and we also received a glass trophy engraved with ma and Oscar's names to keep forever.

And one where we got in on the action, har har.

When we got home, ma took some photos of the trophies. Her camera hasn't been able to pick up the engraving all that well.

Here's the award which we can keep. We will treasure it.

And here is the cup which we can keep for a year. We will find somewhere to display these with pride so we can look at them every day.

We are all so very happy that Oscar received this award, and it has made Christmas without him a little easier for ma and pa to bear I think. Well done Oscar, we love you!

Toodle pip,

Harry x

Some Of My Family

Hi hi everyone! Me hopes you be well. Me is getting excited about Christmas! Me hopes Santa Paws has a pressie in his sack for me and Big Harry.

Me be 14 weeks old. Me weighs 7.9 kilos (17.4 pounds). Me is getting big and strong!

Me thinks lots of you know that the photos underneath be my brother Angel Oscar. Mummy telled me that we be exactly same age in these photos, but he weighed 9 kilos (19.8 pounds). This be Oscar's first day with mummy and daddy. He be even fluffier than me, me thinks! Me no understand why his first family no wanted him, poor Oscar.

This be me on Sunday. Me went back to where me be borned to see D & M my breeders and my brother Mick! M pulled lots of my hairs so me not so woolly woolly girl now. They said me be very pretty and me has very nice shape - good neck, ears and eyes. Mummy want to try me as show girl.

M try to make me stand proper. Does me look good? My face be all fuzzy cos M brush my hair all forward to strip it.

This be my brother Mick. He be show boy. He has better furs than me, more wiry so is easier to pull his hairs. Me will be OK, is just more work for mummy, tee hee!

Mick be good at standing. He practice more than me! We play for 3 hours. Mummy no have many battery in camera so there be no more piccies, boo. I be so tired I sleeped all way home in car, and all afternoon and all evening!

This be my sissy Roxy. She has a sissy she live with, a Border Terror who be called Izzy. Looks like Roxy be a Crocodale too, tee hee. Run away Izzy, whee!

Roxy had glue put on her ears. Mummy telled me is because her ears we all sticky uppy. They be good now. Roxy have very good wiry coat, so her daddy be hand stripping her already and me thinks she looks pretty and all grown up.

Roxy have big paw paws! And she has nice long leggies. Roxy going to be show dog, like me. Me no want to have to compete with my sissy, but me no mind if she wins.

And this be my sissy number two! She be called Lottie. Me think me looks more like Lottie than Roxy. Lottie be living in Wales still, and she be living very near my Uncle Richard, Auntie Michelle and cousin baby Leo, so me hopes me can visit Lottie lots, whee!

Lottie be an only girl, but she has lots of doggie relatives and friends to play with. Like me, she go puppy playschool, and like me, she no be good at recall!

Looks like Lottie be an Airedale clown, tee hee! Or is her mummy and daddy using her to play hoopla?

Me knows my other two brothers be called Chester and Harry. Yes, me has two Harry brothers, my Big Harry, and Little Harry! My mummy has their mummy's pee mails now, so me hopes we can keep in touch. We can have big family reunions, whee!

Nibbles,

Cassidy x

Exciting Walkies and Skating Parties

This morning we went on a drive in the car. As I told you in my last post, I do enjoy being in the car as long as I can have a bit of fresh air blowing in my face, and today I did. I know you can't see it, but I assure you I was safely strapped in with my car harness even though I do look like I'm doing a bit of back seat driving.

Cassidy was being a Miss Goody Two-Shoes sitting all nicely. When J's car seat is in the car she adores sitting in that, then she can just about see out of the windows, but today it was in the boot. She did grumble a bit about that, but soon settled down to enjoy the ride (minus a view!). Looks, she's got a little car harness too. I think she'll soon grow out of it, so anyone who is about Cassidy's size and would like a car harness, let us know and you can have it once she needs the next size up.

When we got to Nightingale Wood, pa was being annoying and he clipped Cassidy onto my lead, so I had a crocodale beside me no matter which way I tried to go!

I tried going this way and that but to no avail. She was well and truly attached!

I know these photos are a bit blurry, but we were moving pretty fast! See, she's lining up for a crocodale attack here!

I asked pa to take pity on me and he did. But he went one huge step better than that! Now I was never allowed off lead by my previous owner. A lot of people say Airedales are very unreliable off lead, so maybe the breeder told her that. Ma and pa let Oscar off from being a young whippersnapper, and he was generally a very good boy. As Nightingale Wood was quiet and is a safe place, pa said I could try going off lead! Ma was nervous, but pa said he reckoned I trusted them enough now not to disappear.

This is me first going off. It's really not representative of how well I did. Yes, I ran off this first time, but when I realised ma and pa were calling me to give me cuddles and liver treats and that I could then go and explore again I did really well and had about 20 minutes off lead. How fabulous is that?!

More blurry photos because I was running up and down like I was the puppy. I was so, so happy, and ma and pa said it was lovely to watch me having so much fun.

To quote my little sis, look at me go, whee!

The young miss stayed on her lead today as ma and pa wanted to concentrate on me, plus you've heard about her (lack of) recall at puppy class. She is improving lots though, so hopefully in the new year, we'll both be able to romp with gay abandon!

We came home and had a snooze and some food, then it was time to get ready for Butchy & Snickers' ice skating party! Gosh, we're going to sleep well tomorrow!

Cassidy is wearing her very pink padded princess coat. I have to admit that she does look rather sweet.

I look rather less chic, but at least I'll be warm. I'm not planning on doing to much skating in case I break my hip or something. I don't want to be in hospital in traction for Christmas!

I took my hat off while we waited for Air Ruby as I wanted to feel the benefit of wearing it once I was in chilly climes.

Hope to see lots of you at the party! You can all check out my improved but still nicely bushy brows!

Toodle pip,

Harry x

My 7 Annoyances

Hello all. Thanks for all your kind messages about Flakes and our friend Harley. I am feeling a bit better and trying to be cheery as I know neither of them would want me to be sad, but rather rememebr the happy and lovely things about them both.

Have you seen the state of my eyebrows?! I am reliably informed that ma is trimming them for me shortly. I know I am becoming well know around DWB and my neighbourhood for my big bushy brows, but they have reached critical mass I fear, and they are flopping in my eyes the whole time.

Oh, and excuse the state of my beard. Just finished my dinner you see, and hadn't yet had time to wipe my mouth.

Look how big they are! I think they need some thinning as well as shortening. Shame Stanley's competition isn't a brow growing rather than beard growing competition as my beard is decidely wimpy in comparison.

I think I'll look much younger once they're trimmed. Pa likes the fluffy Airedale look, so he is letting me grow my coat over the winter as long as I agree to be regularly brushed. I'll look ever more like a big teddy bear! As Cassidy will have her coat stripped, she is already starting to be plucked of her puppy curls. She doesn't seem to care though, and she actually gets sleepy while ma is doing it!

Anyway, on to the job in hand. Young Finni tagged me to list my 7 main annoyances so here we go.

1. When friends are poorly or pass away. I wish we didn't have to have this sadness, but sadly, such is life. Doesn't mean I can't get very cross and annoyed about it though.

2. When ma and pa make me sit and wait once my dinner bowl is on the floor. I never used to have to wait at my old house, and at first I used to bark and bark and keep trying to get at my bowl, but ma and pa are tough and never gave in until my derriere had been planted on the floor for at least 5 seconds. Now I can wait a decent amount of time without hopping and barking, but I still get annoyed that I can't just dive right in!

3. It annoys me that I can't go and say hello to every single dog we meet when out walking. I like to go and have a friendly sniff and pass the time of day, but ma only lets me if it's a dog we know or she asks if it's OK. She won't cross the road so I can say hello to random dogs on the other side. Annoying!

4. I'm a tad peeved that the grass in the garden has been fenced off. Yes, I know it's incredibly boggy and that I don't actually like getting my feet wet all that much, but there's a big area of the garden that I can't patrol now. I have been allowed on it the last few mornings as there's been a hard frost and the ground has been solid, so I've had a quick recce of the perimeter to ensure all is well.

5. I can get annoyed if Cassidy is continually pulling my beard/ears/tail/private parts. Trouble is I bark at her and she pays absolutely no attention. I think I need to work on my communication skills as it keeps falling to ma and pa to tell her when enough's enough.

6. I don't like being in the car with the windows closed as I feel much happier if there's a breeze on my face, but now it's getting chillier ma and pa aren't so keen on fresh air racing into the car. I think they need to toughen up, they think I need to make do with the air blower, harumph!

7. I get annoyed with myself that I still haven't worked out how to successfuly empty a stuffed Kong! I had never even seen one before moving here. I love having one, but I'll be darned if I can get bits of biscuit/banana/apple or whatever out. Peanut butter, yes. Marmite, no problem. Soft cheese, easy peezy. But anything solid and it's a no go. Rather frustrating as I love my food, and very embarrassing as Cassidy can get most stuf out of hers in a very short time. Any tips?

Play along if you want and let me know your annoyances!

Toodle pip,

Harry x