With the Christmas party season in full swing, I’ve been unable to update the blog, or take many photos. So with the weekend upon us, here’s an update on the life and times of our border collie, Teddy.

His first milestone was passed yesterday with his vet visit. This is important when you purchase from a breeder, as we have, because any medical issues can mean he could be returned. Being the utter pessimists that we are, we haven’t ordered any name related stuff until he passed that test. We have also moved vets (to The Laurels in Bromley) after some issues arose around Jake’s death which dented our confidence in them as a practice and one of the vets in particular. We have moved to a new surgery where one of the past vets at the one we went to now goes. (I’m not going to name the previous vet, because I really want to be careful that I’m not tainting them due to grief).

Anyway, after 50 minutes with Brendan, all our concerns about going to a new vet were assuaged. I’m a grumpy so and so, and not easily impressed. He was brilliant. This was no in and out job, he talked through everything in great detail including treatments etc. He also faced a dog who, on the short 10 minute drive, got carsick! So while he was chatting away, Teddy was sleeping on the table. We were scared he’d be a mad dog, instead he was hang dog. Once awake he took his jab like a champ, and then, on the drive home, threw up all over the back seat. Happy days!

At home he veers from spells of utter carnage, to times when he is peaceful and sensible, to sleeping in a little corner by the bookcase and radiator….

 

Toilet training is going not too badly. He’s got the message that waiting by the door communicates to us that he needs to go. He wasn’t so great yesterday, but perhaps we have become a bit blase about it. The vet said we were doing pretty much the right things, getting a balance between him testing us just to go out into the garden, and to let us know he needs to go. He sleeps quite well, but does let us know overnight when he needs to go.

But he’s a typical puppy, into everything, chewing everything. running around, trying to sneak out of the house, playing, jumping, mastering the stairs. All those things. But the bit that means the most is when he comes out of his crate and showers me with kisses and goes slightly silly (and yes, he nibbles on my ear!). It’s the moment that makes owning a dog all worth while. It’s what I miss about Jake (today is the two month anniversary). As the beloved and I were saying last night, although there is still profound sadness, Teddy has brought a lot of joy back to the house, and to the neighbours who love him already (even if their dogs don’t!) and to my brother, who absolutely loves the little pest.

He will meet all my brother’s kids today, so this should be mayhem. Teddy hasn’t been very well behaved this morning, so he’s having a timeout session in his crate, chilling out for the maelstrom to come. Not that it’s the kids, but the number of people he will be encountering. He needs to socialise with people, which we have no problem with, but also with other dogs. Until he’s totally vaccinated we have to be careful. It’s why we couldn’t help out on a stray dog issue last night. So Teddy will probably go haywire, carnage will ensue, but it’s all part of the puppy experience. With the Christmas parties out of the way, maybe two of us can make the next couple of weeks go smoothly.

Teddy has definitely grown this week. He weighs 6 1/2 kilos, and the vet said he will be big for his breed. The one thing that strikes me with him is the size of his paws (look in the picture of him with his chew toy). The front paws are very big for a little puppy.

Other news – well, we’re not able to access his records as yet because the website we need to do so is stalling on membership. I’m not pleased. Kennel Club papers are also held up by Christmas. We do know his brother, Smiler, is now called Jagger, and he’s doing well with his owners. We also know his other brother, Dave, is being homed, which just leaves the female dog, Trouble. We are on the Facebook group, so we also know his other sibling Buzz is doing well too. That’s a nice touch, and we intend to keep in touch.

Enough for now. It’s nice to share some nice stuff, we are really relieved the vet says he is in great shape and that the breeder has gone beyond what others do (he has his views on some of the food used, but says they have not scrimped on cost), so we are happy with his first visit. Now, we just need to cure that car-sickness!

If I don’t do an update before, I wish anyone who reads this a Merry Christmas.