Tuesday, May 18, 2010

That hour glass figure.





Wilf is waking up to the fact that being the only dog in the house has some advantages. He receives 100% of our attention, he doesn't have to share the soft toys that are strewn around the garden, and most importantly of all he can sit in the kitchen watching the food being prepared without a little brother distracting him. All in all it's clear that his deep depression is lifting and he's gradually returning to being his happy, carefree, clowning self. The daily routine of pre-bedtime rug surfing and mid-afternoon swing biffing is once again firmly in place. He doesn't know it yet but being the sole object of our attention has some downsides. After a month of being spoilt rotten his decidedly non-hour glass figure is about to undergo some focused weight loss therapy.

The improvement in Wilfs demeanour means that the rush to find a new companion can be conducted at a more structured pace. We'll see how he adapts to his new 'sole dog' position over the next week or so - who knows he might enjoy it. In the meantime we'll continue to do our homework on breeders, pups and rescue dogs. We spoke to the Ministry of Agriculture in London yesterday about the requirements for exporting a puppy. European Union bureaucracy makes it impossible to transport a puppy before 12 weeks. An additional 3 weeks is needed to get a British pet passport that records all the vaccinations etc that are required. If my math is right that means that any new companion would be at least 15 weeks old before we could pick them up - not an ideal age. The obvious solution is a French, German or Belgian breeder. There is also a rescue dog in Germany that one of you kindly e-mailed us about. We're checking it out. Later this week we're going to drive him up to a PON breeder near Biarritz to meet some young 'uns.

The secret of the disappearing coffee cups has now become apparent . Madame Bay. For some reason known only to herself she came into the house while we were out walking Wilf and moved all the mugs from the upstairs kitchen to the summer kitchen on the ground floor. The rationale for coming in at eight thirty on a Sunday morning to put all the mugs in the downstairs dishwasher defies explanation. She must have been awake in the small hours thinking about rearranging the kitchens in readiness for the move onto the ground floor to escape the summer heat. We take it as another sign that while we think we own the house in reality we are just its guardians until the next owners come along .

31 comments:

  1. We used to have a cleaner who constantly reorganised everything....we just learned to live with it. Glad you found the cups.

    Be sure to photograph your puppy investigations. We love pictures of pups.

    XXXOOO Daisy, Kendra & Bella

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  2. Hey there Mongoose...
    I know the story about the hour-glass figure...Tammy has lost hers in her undercover stealth around the food bowls. Of course she's more than happy to help Max out when he has turned his back on his own bowl.
    Im so glad to hear that Wilf is on the emotional mend. I suppose humans have the same dilemmas: One child or two.
    Take care of yourselves, your Mongeese and your wonderful coffee-cup monitor.
    MAXMOM IN SOUTH AFRICA

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  3. ha, Madame Bay the gremlin! how funny is that!?
    yes, Wilf, i can see in the last picture the expanding waistline.....you are still the most handsome guy to me!
    going to see puppies?! we went "looking" at puppies and ended up bringing one home....(our first golden)
    hope your week is peaceful and you get lots of low cal treats and some nice walks!
    xoxo

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  4. Our Molly developed an hour glass figure during her first few months with us, infact put on 6 lbs during her first six months. Pleased to say we have now managed to remove that six ounds from her and is back to her delightful self, who presently is watching squirrel tv!! http://thatbritishwoman.blogspot.com/2010/04/happy-anniversary-to-us-and-another.html

    Gill in Canada

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  5. Goodness Wilf! What a round little dumpling you've become. Adorable, but we know you'll soon rug surf off some of that extra weight. Hugs to your parents too.

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  6. I'm sure Wilf is adjusting well to being the only dog. But if you want dogs in your life, and it appears that you do, I would advise you to try to get a puppy within the next year or so. Because one day Wilf will need to join Digby and you will need another dog to help you bear the grief.

    ((HUGS))
    Lynn

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  7. Ha ha! I have this vision of you in your Sherlock Holmes hat, deducing the answer to the mystery! I'm a little let down that the answer was so mundane. Think how much more exciting things would be if you had a haunted house!

    Oh, poor Wilf! Not the dreaded D word! I hope that it's not too painful for you! I'm glad to hear things are getting better.

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  8. 'Way to go' Wilf! Sounds like he's settling in to being the sole dog for a while. Good to hear.

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  9. "guardians until the next owners come along ." i laughed out loud at this!

    my prediction is the beautiful shapely boy will fall for one of the puppies as will you and the font? hugs.

    i am so glad to hear about the surfing and biffing.

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  10. Wilf, Tell your adoring humans that it is only natural to either gain weight or lose weight during a time of stress. Some folks stop eating altogether; others can't stop eating. And we think the same applies to dawgs.

    xxx Jake and Just Harry

    That hourglass figure may just have to wait a bit...

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  11. Woooos Wilf! we tried posting yesterday, but blogger was giving us fits! Mum suggests getting apuppy younger too, she teaches puppy class and says they are much easier to work with and train right from the start at a younger age. Mum love PONs too,( she had been looking into one fur her next dog) but are are so very few breeders, and we only have had 2 in doggie school with us. We had a puppy PON in class and the owner said she had to wait 6 months fur her!
    I know woo will do what is right fur both Wilf and yourselves. Good luck with the search.
    ~husky kisses~
    -Kira The BeaWootiful

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  12. Ha ha poor Wilf! I guess being lavished with attention does have some downsides :) Maybe more swing biffing will cure some of the extra pudge...

    That's tough about the importing restrictions....especially since you have a rare breed. :(

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  13. Bonnie is adjusting to missing Puff too. She started doing her normal zoomies around the house this weekend and bringing us toys to toss or pull. Her appetite is returning slowly, whereas before she raced to get done so she could try to snag some of Puffies food, now she nibbles some, leaves, comes back an hour or so later and nibbles the rest of her food. It must have been some kind of competition thing.

    We are also thinking of another dog as she is only 2 and already enough of a Princess. We're afraid with no competition for affection, she will become incorigible.

    Glad you found your coffee mugs, MB sounds like an adventure herself!

    Pam, Bonnie's support staff

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  14. Madame Bay...I just love her! What a great character for a novel! Cyber hugs to Wilf!

    Liz

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  15. It'll be difficult to just go look at some "young 'uns" and return home empty-handed. I'm just sayin'.

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  16. Madame Bay reminds me a bit of a French version of Mrs. Flack in the series As Time Goes By. Do you remember that, or her? She had a penchant for rearranging as well.

    That last photo of Wilf looks so much like Edward. How I'd love to see them together.

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  17. Glad the mystery of the missing cups is solved! Sounds like Wilf is doing better - that must be a relief, although he doesn't look pudgy to us with all the fur! The "comment" poem is wonderful - that is how it was strung together? Beautifully done! And lovely thought about houses and "owners."
    Hugs xoxoxo
    Sammie

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  18. Madame Bay and the case of the missing coffee cups. Title for a hysterical novel methinks.
    And to think I jumped to the same conclusion as "the font" Mea Culpa, Angus, or mongoose as Madame Bay would say.
    Honestly, for me, I am rather like the Royal family . An heir and a spare. Meaning, I could not stand to have a home without a dog in it. And I do think they enjoy having a bud.
    The thought of an empty house would crush me.
    I think your idea of finding a pup is great, and would bring much laughter. No dog ever can be replaced, the hole remains for the one lost, but the newcomer finds a place of it's own in your heart and as time goes by the new one settles into his/her place.
    This is just my opinion, of course. For Wilf who has never been an only dog, I picture him showing the kid the ropes as he will be the boss still. Just my 2 cents. And, as someone else mentioned, when Wilf's time were to come, a house without a dog in it just something hard to face.
    Y'all will do what is right for you. Going to look at puppies is always a treat!
    Abgus, the "font and Wilf remain in our hearts.
    (I am on pins and needles to see what happens when you go to see the puppies)
    Hugs all around to all 3 of you.
    Jamie and the Texas Sundogs

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  19. Wilf~so glad to hear you are more your self. 100% of the love is a good thing, but so are playmates. So hopefully your search will be successful.

    Wags!

    Mr. Nubbin'

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  20. What wonderful pictures of Wilf and his toys...

    Oh MY - the D word? Much more walks and much more playing - and maybe someone to chase and play "BITEY FACE" with...

    The rescue pup might need you as much as you need him...

    XXoooXXooXxo

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  21. Oh my dear friend Bilf, I am so happy to hear that woo are rug surfing again! It will get easier, I promise...

    and hey, no worries about the hour-glass-shape, that just means there is more fo woo to love!

    Wags and woofs,
    Mack and Mia

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  22. The second photo w/Wilf smiling with the duck is my fav this go round.
    I totally understand the lost waistline - I just brought in a "double Beagle" girl. Lady Bug is sweet as can be but someone loved her way too much as she weighs about twice what she should! Wish I could send a pic. She who never used a crate before quickly learned food = crate and now goes into hers ASAP in the morning. Her diet as well as more exercise in the yards/field with the pack is helping, I think. She is a sparkly thing.
    So glad to hear Wilf's understandable depression is lifting; prayers cont. for you all as you most probably see or expect Digby out of the corners of your eyes.

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  23. We are thrilled to hear about Wilf on the way to (hopefully) finding his balance. I have observed in three dogs now that lost their companions that it really does take awhile when they are (now) an only dog. Some blossom, but they all seem to endure and become what WE need them to be. However, when just the right companion is introduced, it can take them to heights previously unknown to all. Best of luck to you. Look forward to seeing where this goes. Hugs to Wilf.

    Best from - KT and Lady

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  24. we are so happy to hear all is starting to settle for you and thoughts are happily placed in future delights - we also have to say madame bay sounds like a real hoot to have around arf arf arf loves and licks

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  25. i went through something similar last year...one old boy died and left the young pretender....i resisted the need to replace quickly and The Lodger soon adapted to being the only dog about here....sometimes i think its the dog who finds you?!..sympathies to wilf on his enlarging figure..i have the same problem!!!

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  26. So glad that Wilf is rebounding sooner than I had thought! He is not going to be happy with the "D" word.

    We got Jill from a foster home, as a companion for Jack, when he was 3. She was supposed to be a Chihuahua mix. Now she is half again his weight and twice his size. Not quite a year old, she is terribly hard on Jack. Not to mention what she is doing to our yard and plantings. I wish she had the same disposition as Jack had as a pup. Who would have thought? I should have...........

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  27. we're glad to hear that Wilf is adjusting to his new life as an only dog. we still think that dogs like friends though - we do - there are 4 in our pack.

    woofsl

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  28. Oh we're so glad that dear Wilf is recovering a bit...how did he get his name? Dear sweet boy!

    We loved the image you constructed of the mugs moving downstairs...

    Keeping you in our prayers as you make your journey of healing...

    Scruffy, Lacie and Stanley

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  29. Madame Bay may be my mother! Hmmmmmmmm.....have to think about that for a bit...good for Wilf and take your time deciding what to do!
    Hugz, Nancy & G-dog

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  30. Sometimes the chance to see what evolves in a sole pups personality is a gift. Things that may have been hidden before rise to the surface.

    I keep my kittens til they are 16 weeks of age and they are starting to head off to their new homes now (slight setback last week...)and I do something called Early Neurological Stimulation which began with pups and I think it truly makes them more social and well adjusted cats as adults.

    You might find this interesting and something to ask your prospective breeders about...

    www.lowchensaustralia.com/breeding/ensp.htm

    www.papillonclub.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=633:the-best-dog-in-the-world-how-to-make-one-puppy-stimulation&catid=61:breeder-interest-articles&Itemid=99

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