Lessons for the 'Sweet Hooligan'...

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

It's the 'Sweet Hooligan' TOBY here...

Woof! Woof!  Hello there to all my fur-buddies across the world!

Maxmom said I should write the blogpost today.  Aint that wonderful?  I have so much news to share! Guess what?  I have a new neighbour…. meet 'Jeanie'!  This sweet doggie is going to be living next door to me forever...in her new 'forever home'.

Welcome Jeanie!

....but first I want to tell you my other news...

I am a happy doggie…a very happy doggie!  You see, I am getting more attention lately. Now that Maxdog’s book is “done”,  Maxmom has a lot more time for me. Woof! It’s seems to be becoming a regular thing – each day I am linked up on a leash.

“HEEL Toby!” Maxmom calls, 

...and then she marches me down the road WITHOUT my special ‘Aunt Tam’! 

Poor Aunt Tam is left whining at the gate, while King Toffee barks up a frenzy in grave solidarity.

“You need individualised training,Toby, “ Maxmom insists.  
“ Aunt Tam' has become a bad influence!” A bad influence? My 'Aunt Tam'?

It’s been a while since Maxmom barked out orders to me.  My ears are whizzing somewhat.

 “Toby, HEEL! … Toby, SIT!... Toby DOWN!...STAY!...COME!  …and all that!” 

Maxmom thinks I’m rusty with all my commands.  She says that I’m becoming more of a “Sweet hooligan” by the minute.  To tell you the truth, I’ve not missed the training much. 

For the past six months, I have mostly been hanging around Maxmom’s feet, getting up to mischief and playing with Aunt Tam.  Sometimes we've been on walks, but not as often as I'd like.  Maxmom has just been too distracted.

  

I’ve learned lots of fun things from ‘Aunt Tam’ – like pulling up bits of grass, barking at the neighbour’s cat, creative landscaping and chasing birds in the garden.  I’ve also given her a roll for her dogfood (if you know what I mean) and sometimes I just sit on top of her. 

In the mornings, I sneak up onto Maxmom’s bed….  She doesn’t seem to mind that much because that’s the time I get an ear-rub and a reminder in my ears that she loves me.  Then I roll on my back again for the tummy rub.  Bliss!

There are times when I simply take over the couch...

Maxmom also reckons that I am usurping the visitors.  

Usually I try and wrap up the visitors in blankets (to welcome them, of course). 

My "visitor’s welcome routine" is quite complicated.  When they arrive, I fetch a blanket or a loose carpet and wrap them up, snorting softly at them with my tightly screwed up eyes.   My cuteness is a pushover – they always smile and laugh.  

Also, if I roll on my back, I am likely to get a tummy scratch.  Miraculously all their worries disappear.  I know how to deal with humans, so I can't understand why I need more training??? 

Eventually Maxmom shouts

 “Toby, go to BED!” 

Then I slink into my crate in the kitchen and watch them all from a distance, and then fall asleep.  There are often treats hidden in my crate, so I don't mind going in there.

Well, yesterday during the ‘free time’ of my personalised training routine, my pretty new neighbour – ‘Jeanine’ came out of her garden with her human to meet me.  

We got to romp and play in the grassy patch near the park.  She is a happy little thing – I think she has some Golden in her too.  Jeanie tells me that she has just found her own ‘Forever Home’ – next door to mine!  Apparently her previous humans abandoned her, but now she has been adopted from the SPCA.  Why would anyone have abandoned her in the first place?  What a cutie Jeanine is!  We romped like lunatics! 

 Welcome to the neighbourhood, Jeanie!  Woof-Woof!

Tell me…am I a ‘SWEET HOOLIGAN’ or what?

Lotsalicks

Oh BTW, Maxmom says that I must also tell you that the two personalised copies of ‘Maxdog’ 
(for the winners of the Maxdog –give-away competition)
 are now on their way to their “Forever Homes” too.  
Bark out loud!