Monday 22nd June
Jay got Dembe out early at around 5.30am and they had a really good walk on the common. They have been seeing lots of deer and rabbits. Dembe doesn’t know what to make of either. Mollie our Weimaraner would have immediately gone into stalking pose but he just seems to want to play with them rather than hunt and is so slow off the mark they are long gone by the time he takes an interest.
I did a bit of machine embroidery in the morning for the first time in ages and it made a nice change. Dembe spent the morning relaxing on the sofa
He was out for the count and didn’t even notice me coming into the room and taking his photo.
In the afternoon we played on the bed for an hour or so. It was then I noticed that his left ear was inflamed – outside of the ear rather than the canal. So I rang the vets to get him seen the next day. I was worried it maybe mites, the Weims used to get this when they were young but he hadn’t been shaking his head or scratching but it was clear he wasn’t happy with me touching it.
He lay on me for ages just having a cuddle. I swear he would lie on me all day if he could.
Tuesday 23rd June
Dembe had the vets at 9.15am this morning. As Jay is working overnight the plan is he will take him to the vets and then go back to bed and see if he can sleep. Dembe had us up stupidly early this morning, so Jay hasn’t had enough sleep to get through a night shift.
Due to Covid-19 and safety precautions owners are not allowed into the veterinary surgery. When you arrive at the vets you have to park up and then call them from your car to let them know you have arrived. When it is time for your appointment a vet nurse comes out and takes your animal into the surgery. Dembe was having none of it so Jay had to follow at a 2m distance behind Dembe to make him think that his daddy was coming with him. I am glad I wasn’t there as I think I would have probably cried with the stress of it all. Unfortunately I still have flash backs of the day that Frankie and then a week later Mollie died at the surgery. Although it was for the best they were both suffering, I don’t think I will ever get over the trauma. The vets is a hard place for both of us to go.
When Dembe was returned to the car Jay asked the vet nurse if Dembe had been a pain in the ass. Apparently he had loved every minute in there. He had one feeding him treats whilst the other cleaned his ears. His ears were very waxy I had noticed that on the Sunday and had given them a clean. They said there was no infection they wondered if it was a reaction to the wax on his skin or perhaps an allergy. I am wondering if it is his body detoxing from kibble as we have changed his food. It doesn’t contain anything he hasn’t eaten before. The only thing that has stopped is the kibble. I know myself with my allergies things can flare before they get better. He has come home with some ear wash which we have to do every 2 weeks.
He has had three walks today his early morning walk, his afternoon walk and then Jay took him out at around 9pm as he is working overnight and Dembe will have to wait until Jay gets home before going out.
Dembe was really unsettled when his dad left the house just before 10pm . It is the first time in Dembe’s life that his dad has worked overnight. So he can’t understand what is going on. Dembe kept going downstairs and barking out of the window so I had to get him upstairs with me and shut my bedroom door so he didn’t annoy the neighbours. I am worried it will be a very long night.
Wednesday 24th June
Thankfully Dembe did settle down after about an hour last night and we slept well. Jay got in at around 8am and took him for a walk around the block.
We have booked Dembe in for a day time walk with Happy dogs, this will be the first time Dembe has been out with other dogs. I am sure he will have a wonderful time as he loves all other dogs and loves to have a good game of chase.
Dembe got picked up just before 10.30am and he is with 2 other Labradors so it is the Lab squad today on the walk. Happy dogs posted some lovely photos of them out on the walk. Dembe was so good today there was no running away or having to be dragged over the threshold. I got the lead clipped onto his collar and off he trotted to the van. That made me a lot happier as you always worry when a dog is reticent that there is something he is unhappy with but this isn’t the case. He couldn’t get in the van fast enough.
Due to Jays change in shift Dembe is really unsettled. After his walk he went upstairs and slept on the bed with Jay. He spent 5 hours upstairs with his dad.
On Wednesday evening I was getting something out of the cupboard when I came across a collar I bought Dembe last year but it was too big for him. It now fits and must be slightly cooler for him than the leather collar he usually wears.
Thursday 25th June
Jay took Dembe out early, it was already 16 degrees just before 6am. He bumped into Dembe’s mate the Great Dane and the chocolate Labrador. Jay found out that the Great Danes name isn’t Rufus but Pluto! He is crap with names. They ran around like crazy and had a good play. Apparently Pluto looks for Dembe every day on his walk.
It was unbearably hot all day
Dembe and I spent the majority of the day hiding indoors as it was just too much being outside.
Jay came home at lunch time and checked the temperature of the pavement and it was too hot to walk Dembe on without the risk of burning his paws. I don’t think Dembe was that interested anyway.
We had a bit of a play Thursday evening, nothing too energetic as the heat was still way too much.
Dembe’s new bed arrived yesterday, he refused to go anywhere near it last night but has been sleeping in it today.
Friday 26th June
The little bugger had us up at 4.30am. Jay took him out just after 5am, they didn’t see Pluto even though they went to their usual spot. It was still really warm out at 13 degrees. It was so hot last night Dembe was sleeping out on the landing to find somewhere cool.
He has now suddenly decided that the raw food is ok after messing us about at the start of the week. He went a day without eating properly and us having to remove his bowl after 20 minutes because he wasn’t eating. When he realised their would be no sardines or cheer-leading to get him to eat he suddenly scoffed the lot and wanted seconds. We had cut back on the amount of raw he was having with the food I had prepared, so he was now having 1/4 of a pack ( warmed up) and mixed with his usual food. Then he was eating the rest of pack I had prepared for his dinner later without mixing it with anything! What a bloody nightmare he is.
It was a slightly cooler today but Dembe still wanted to stay indoors and just have lots of cuddles.
On his walk this evening Dembe was playing with an 18 week old puppy. Jay didn’t recognise the breed so he asked the owner what it was…..it was a double doodle. WTAF? apparently a double doodle is a Labradoodle crossed with a Golden Doodle, no doubt they have paid through the nose for nothing more than something that is a cross breed. It is crazy. Mind you dog prices have gone crazy since lock down. Labrador puppies are going for well over £1500 – not KC registered and over £2,000 for KC registered. I feel very sad for all these dogs that are suddenly going to be hit with separation anxiety once people start returning to work.
Saturday 27th June
What is up with Dembe he keeps waking up at 4.30am. I had to keep him entertained until after 5am so that Jay could get some sleep. Jay is on a late night so after walking Dembe they went back to bed. Dembe is really good at going back to bed now and will settle immediatley.
I didn’t wake up until 8.20am and Dembe was ready for his breakfast. He polished off half a pack of raw food and a tiny amount of his old food ( the stuff I was cooking) mixed in. He isn’t messing about any more and eats what he is given which is good. His favourite variety seems to be anything chicken or beef based.
Dembe had a quick walk around the blog before Jay went to work at midday, he then played with our neighbours dog Skye a small Jack Russell terrier. They love having a game of chase. Dembe was a bit unsettled after his dad went to work. He decided to have a bit of a bark out of the window and then bark at me silly sausage
In the afternoon Dembe and I played his favourite game Nudge
As Jay was on a late night he popped home at around 5pm and took Dembe up the common for a walk so that he got out before Jay got home after 10pm. Dembe was a really good boy and ate his dinner with no issues at all. We went to bed at around 7pm.
I was just settling down in bed when I felt something jabbing me in the leg. I felt under the duvet and discovered this
Dembe had stolen a wooden peg from the garden, chewed it up and then buried it in my bed for me!
Sunday 28th June
Lazy day today as we are all shattered!
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