HOW DO YOU SCRATCH YOUR TUMMY..?.

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

MAXMOM here...

It's Friday!

 Spring is nearly here!

The mood and ambience is upbeat!

...It's the perfect opportunity to do something fun for today's blogpost!

So, let's ask the question...

HOW DO YOU SCRATCH YOUR TUMMY?

In TOBY's case, he simply lies on his back. 

He doesn't even have to beg!
We oblige him with...

TUMMY SCRATCH freebees...

mostly on demand!

Sometimes, however, when we are not around, he'll lie low and try to forget about it.

It's often more convenient to ...

DREAM ABOUT TUMMY SCRATCHES INSTEAD!

If he can't get to sleep, because of the urge, he may sit up and

wonder how others do it...?

Everyone has their own technique!

When MAXDOG was still around,

he'd invite Aunt Tam' to play with him...

...and by so doing, would have his TUMMY SCRATCHED for free.

(Above: MAXDOG - 18mths old with PUPPY TAMMY)

Nowadays, a much older AUNT TAM, roaches in the sunshine and enjoys...

HER OWN, personalised TUMMY SCRATCH...

But there are others, who do it a different way...

...and we should recognise them too...

...and then, of course,  there is always the method of...

"THE KING",

whose approach is:

Sit on the floor,

splay your legs and hope for the best...

But perhaps we should give credit to the methods of some of

THE REALLY BIG GUYS ...

Photo: AFRICA GEOGRAPHIC

Don't you think the African way is best?

Sending lotsaluv and hoping your doggies get a good, weekend...

TUMMY SCRATCH!

Have a happy weekend!

(We're spending ours at dog shows where there are plent 'tummy scratches' available)

Sending lotsaluv

SPRING IS SPRUNG...

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

MAXMOM here...

"Spring is sprung,..."

"...the grass is ris...."

"...I wonders where the birdies is...."

"...They say the birds is on the wing...."

"...Ain't that absurd?..."

 

"... I always thought the wing was on the bird."

As you can see, it's early Spring here in Johannesburg, South Africa.  We've had a snap of cold weather, but if you go outside, there is so much happening.

"Spring is sprung, the grass is ris.

I wonders where the birdie is.

They say the bird is on the wing.

Aint that sound absurd?
I always thought the wing was on the bird."

I have always loved that poem.  I remember my mother reciting it to me as a child.  At the time, she told me that it was written by an 'Indian Chief'.  I've done some research but can't seem to find out who the author is.

Does anyone know who wrote it?

Sending lotsaluv

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY: The KING in action!

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

 

THE YOUTHFUL SIDE OF DOG SHOWS

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

TOBY here...

Hello there to all my special fur-buddies around the world!

I hope you are having a happy, barkful day. 

As many of you know, I attended two breed shows this past weekend.  These shows are essentially doggie-beauty-pagents - and there are many, many dogs:

There are Veteran doggies...

(14 yr old Golden Retriever, who won the Veterans class)

...middle aged doggies...

...Younger doggies..

...and pretty young puppies..

(16 wk old 'Reilly')

Mostly, the shows are about the dogs, but I personally adore the children I get to play with...

Generally these children are sweet.  They don't pull my hair and they simply sit and pat me, or brush my hair.  I adore these little miniature humans!

I am so happy to tell you that these shows often offer a special, usually unhighlighted competition:

THE JUNIOR HANDLER competition.

It is a category of competition which is reserved for the miniatures of our world -

human miniatures!

 It is one of the unusual times, during the dog show, where the judge looks at the small handlers, (as opposed to us doggies)

 Geesh, they can run, those little ones!

 ...and they have such fun doing it too!

Maxmom thought both the dogs and their Junior Handlers were adorable.

The winner of the competition...Superman?

 

These are all pictures from the

GOLDEN RETRIEVER OPEN SHOW

 which was held on Sunday at the Guide Dog Training Centre, here in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Although this little guy (above) won this competition, there were prizes for all the little participants.

 HILLS DOG FOOD

and the

GOLDEN RETRIEVER CLUB

went out of their way to make the experience a happy one for these young contestants.

I know that they really enjoyed their day.

I also enjoyed mine..

Sending lotsalicks to all my buddies and wishing you, too...

HAPPY DAYS!

.

HOERSKOOL RANDBURG says 'THANK YOU' to TOBY and ME...

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

MAXMOM and TOBY here...

Hey there everyone!

It's been a very hectic few days and we have so much news to share.  Unfortunately, it can't possibly fall into one blogpost, so I thought I'd start with our most recent news - a very special event -

Toby and I received an invitation to attend the school assembly of

HOERSKOOL RANDBURG

This is the high school that presented the production of 

 ANNIE 

three months ago

  You will recall that TOBY played the role of SANDY in this stage musical and spent three months training for this special event.

Well, the school asked us to attend the assembly, this morning,  so that they could formally say 'thank you' to us for our participation.

We gladly accepted the invitation...

So, early this morning, I piled TOBY up into the car, collected my friend Lorraine

 (Who graciously took today's photographs - Thank you, Lorraine)

 and joined the early-morning traffic.  I wanted to get to the school early so that I could settleTOBY before the start of the assembly.

He remembered the school and the minute I put on his blue bandanna, he adopted his

 'well-behaved, working dog demeanour'.  

Everytime I do this, he understands, instantly,  that it's

 'working' time!

  He'll calm down totally and give me his undivided and totally- focussed attention

Outside the hall, he delighted in offering his paw, in greeting, to some of the children.

I took him inside the hall - before the children arrived - to familiarise him, once again, with the stage.  He was totally comfortable and at ease. We went up and down the steps a few times and practiced his bow, his handshake and his 'talk'. Then we went back outside to wait for the assembly to start.

Once the children were in the hall, we were invited onto stage.

First, TOBY shook hands with Santi van den Berg

(the producer of ANNIE)...

Then he greeted the audience with a 'bark on command'.

After a short speech by Santi, we were presented with an amazing gift...

I was pretty choked up...

They presented me with a beautiful portrait of

TOBY ON STAGE

It was lovingly painted by the Art teacher of the school -

GESIE MARSHALL

What an incredible and thoughtful gift!

It took me totally by surprise.

Then they handed the microphone to me...

 I got to say my own special thank you to the assembled audience..

When the little presentation was over, TOBY gave his old familiar

'Bow on stage' 

(The children loved it!)

Lorraine and I joined Gesie outside for a short chat and an opportunity to take a special photograph...

I would like to extend my sincerest thanks, once again,  to Gesie, Santi, the teachers and the whole cast of

 ANNIE

 for this beautiful gift.

You are an amazingly talented bunch of people and it has been an enormous privilege to have been able to work with you and to be part of your production.

THANK YOU! 

 THANK YOU! 

THANK YOU!

What a way to start a week!

Sending lotsaluv