Wordless Wednesday

Family Portrait

Sparky: "I'll get you back for this!"
Kota: "Ooh, shiny!"

Small Successes

Kota's terrified of the bath. He always has been. With the help of lots of treats and praise I got him happily coming up to the bath and happily standing in the bath to be washed but he couldn't/wouldn't jump into the bath himself. He had to be lifted up and put in. It's not that he couldn't scale the height, he can, he just seemed to have a mental block about jumping into the bath. He'd put his front paws on it and peer over the edge and then jump back off again.

And then, a few days ago, we were playing Indoor Fetch and the ball bounced off the toilet and into the bath.

Kota put his paws on the side of the bath, peered over and jumped down. He ran to me, he ran back to the bath, he peered over the side, he tried to grab his ball without getting in, he ran back to me again.

After 5 minutes of me helpfully laughing hysterically Kota took the plunge. He scrambled over the edge of the bath, grabbed his ball and jumped back out again. When the ball went back in the bath 10 minutes later (Moi? Do it on purpose?) it took him 2 tries to get in and out again. The third time he jumped straight over.

Today after our first walk the dogs both came home chest-deep in mud (snow, all is forgiven! Come back!). I shut them in the bathroom whilst I removed my jacket. When I went in I took hold of Kota's leash, led him to the bath and said "Hup!". After one false start he jumped in to a TON of praise, lovings and treats.

After our second walk the dogs came home even muddier than they were this morning. I, again, shut them in the bathroom whilst I took my jacket off.

I went back in to find Kota already standing in the bath.

I don't think he's ever gotten a bigger jackpot.

If you weren't aware

The UK has been covered in quite a bit of snow recently. See?



Kota gets very excited by the snow.

This is my excited face.


Well, to be completely honest, he gets excited about snowballs, rather than the snow itself.

Will you please stop taking pictures and just THROW THE DAMN SNOWBALL!


*CHOMP!*


Sparky doesn't get the whole catching snowballs thing.

It makes my teeth hurt. I can't help having sensitive teeth.


Although, somehow, he doesn't have the same reservations about snow-covered-sticks. He is enjoying the snow though. It's the perfect backdrop to his favourite activity: chasing a bit of tail.



Kota's tail to be exact.



Don't you go worrying about poor Kota though, he's a Ninja in disguise.

Ha, missed!


And, if that fails, he can stick up for himself.



Almost.



Are you sure there's nothing on my face? I'm sure I can feel a little something just *there*...

My, what big ears you have.

All the better to hear you with!

1st July 2009 - Yoda ears:


9th July 2009 - Uppy ears:


15th July 2009 - Tipped ears:


23rd July 2009 - Sticking out ears:


Kota's ears then stayed pretty much sticking out.

11th August 2009:


3rd September 2009:


UNTIL... recently when Kota's ears starting having a teenage rebellion.

20th November 2009:


22nd November 2009 (early hours of the morning):


22nd November 2009 (evening):


8th December 2009:


His ears seem to have settled down again (for now). We''ll see what happens in the future!

Home, Home on the Island

Sparky, Kota and I recently went to visit my parents on their island. Sparky's been up there before, Kota never has. Both dogs had a brilliant time and made a few discoveries.

Kota discovered my Mum's Rayburn.



Sparky discovered a new dog toy.



Yes, that's the broken top of a buoy. No, I don't know why he wanted it either but he insisted on bringing it all the way back to mine.

They also discovered roadkill. I thought I'd spare you and not take pictures of the half-rotten rabbit corpses they decided to try and eat.

Sparky tried to help my Mum collect firewood. Surprisingly enough, it didn't work very well.

I found one!


Almost there...


Do I get a treat for trying?


Uh, nope.


We met my ex's young JRT. Last time I spoke to him he was saving up for a Bernese Mountain dog pup so to see him with JRT was a surprise. Turns out his neice bought Molly whilst pregnant and then didn't want to keep her with the child. People suck.

Molly's fast.



Far too fast for my camera.



And she's cute. But she's not as cute as Kota's belly-scratch face.

You mean this face?


How about this one?


Oi! Why did you stop? Did I say you could stop?