Week Commencing 25th October 2021

 As we suffered a bereavement this week there won't be much of a Dembe's Diary this week. I will after this post be having a break for a few weeks whilst we sort ourselves out.

This week was significant for Dembe as he started his hydrotherapy this week.

He enjoyed it once he worked out that he needed to walk and not swim!

He has been a really good boy for us all week. 

We bought him a new bed to make it easier for him to get up after sleeping

W/C Monday 18th October 2021

Monday 18th October

As usual Dembe's daddy is on an early shift, Dembe is absolutely knackered as he hates an early start! 

I haven't been very well so Dembe has been following me around everywhere. He is giving me lots of cuddles and affection as he always does when I am feeling rotten.

This afternoon Dembe wanted to play nudge with his favourite ball, his glow in the dark one that was a present from Bev and Harry.

 I love this face I managed to capture.

He was very happy when his dad got back and his pack was all back together.

As you can see from his smiley face!

Tuesday 19th October 

Jay took Dembe around the block first thing this morning, he bumped into a lady he works with walking her dogs. Then at around 8.30am Jay took Dembe down to the beach as a treat.

Dembe really loves the beach in all weathers. He was running around amusing himself, carrying his ball.

When Dembe came home we gave him a quick hose off in the back garden as he was covered in sand! Dembe was so knackered after his trip to the beach he slept for the rest of the morning.

Dembe's new supplements arrived today so I was able to start him on those when he had his dinner this evening, 

As usual on Jay's day off it was the daddy and Dembe love in!

Wednesday 20th October

Dembe woke me up barking at 7.40am, Jay had left him asleep on the sofa when he went to work. Now he was barking out of the window in his dads bedroom. Shock horror Dembe's daddy is on an early shift today which will throw me and D out all week!

We are having another sofa day today, thankfully I am starting to feel better now. Dembe was very excited to see his dad when he got home from work. Thankfully on both his walks lunch time and after work they managed to avoid the rain! 

At 17.30 Dembe wanted his usual after dinner stroll. The rain was so unbelievably heavy, Jay got changed into his walking gear, put Dembe on the lead and opened the front door. Dembe took one look at the rain and hurtled back into the house. That is the first time he has ever done that as usually he will go out what ever the weather!

Dembe is cracking us up at the moment. Jay has been having Chicken drumsticks a few time which he heats up in the microwave. Dembe loves chicken drumsticks, he obviously doesn't get given the bone, just the flesh. Dembe now stands in the kitchen looking at the microwave and barks at it until the drumsticks are done!

Thursday 21st October

Well this is a shitty week of Jays hours as he is now on two late shifts back to back.  Dembe had a quick walk around the block at 06.30 and then at 8.30 he had a walk up on the common. He met lots of dogs on the common and covered them all in his slobber. He was particularly happy to meet Max a black Labrador who quickly got covered in Dembe's excited slobber.

For the first time in a week I was able to do some sewing. Dembe decided he was going to sit out in his favourite chairs in the garden. That would have been fine had the temperature not dropped significantly over the last few days. It is now feeling much more Autumnal, it took some food bribery to get him to come inside!

Jay popped back at 5pm and walked him around the block. Dembe was a really good boy and settled down early. He stayed upstairs with me until Jay got home just after 10pm. He didn't bark but you could hear his tail thumping against the wall on the stairs. Jay took him for a walk around the block and he surprised him by doing a poo! Normally on his last walk of the night he just has a few wee's. 

Friday 22nd October

Dembe has always had this thing where he may not play with a toy for months and then all of a sudden he digs through his toy box and finds a toy that he then becomes obsessed with. Today he found his Sprout, he hasn't played with his sprout for around 6 months at the very least. Obviously carrot is still a favourite along with find it bunny, blue dinosaur and Aubergine. In the photo above he is waiting for me to throw him his sprout back. He will hit it with his nose back to me and we play this strange game of catch for a while!

Dembe slept most of the afternoon whilst I had a play on my embroidery machine. He woke up shortly before his dad popped back to take him out for a walk around the block. Dems and I sat on the sofa and had a nice cuddle for a bit. Dembe went to sleep really early, for a change I was late going up to bed (19.30). Before I went up to bed Dembe was sprawled across the little sofa snoring his head off.

It made me giggle that he was sleeping with his front legs crossed so daintily. He woke up as I was taking photos of him.

That is the glare from a dog that really didn't want to have a camera shoved in his face!

Saturday 23rd October

Well all change again as Dembe's daddy is on an early today. Dembe had a very early walk and then came straight back up to bed with me. I woke up at 8.30am to the sound of Dembe snoring away!

Dembe is a very cuddly boy today!  Whenever I have a long stitch out on my embroidery machine I go into the lounge and have a smooch with my boy. He loves lying on my lap whilst I hold one of his chews.

Tomorrow we are going to do a recky to find out where Dembe's hydrotherapy is ahead of his appointment on Tuesday.

W/C 11th October 2021

 Monday 11th October

Dembe was not at all happy when the alarm went on my phone at 7am, normally we sleep in until around 8.30am most mornings. This was his face on watching me get out of bed. He cracks me up constantly as he is so expressive. I had to get up early as my hairdresser was coming over to sort my hair out after last week's photo cruelly revealed all my grey hairs! 

Dembe was really well behaved when the hairdresser was here, apart from trying to climb up onto my lap a few times. Since he had his day at the vets he is very clingy and if there is someone here that he doesn't know brilliantly well he is wanting under my skin. Poor sausage. 

He was very excited when his dad came home for lunch, bringing him his carrot and squealing with delight as his dad gave him a cuddle. Dembe was knackered this afternoon as he hadn't slept all morning.

When his dad got home just after 4pm he took him for a walk on Woodbury common. They went up to the airfield and Dembe had a fab time having lots of sniffs and meeting other dogs. As you can see from the next photo he was very happy after his walk.

Tuesday 12th October

Although Jay was day off today he had to get up early as he had to travel to his mums house an hour away and then take her a further 30 minutes away to receive her booster Covid vaccination. Dembe had an early walk on the common and another walk around the block before he left just before 7am. Dembe came back to bed upstairs and went to sleep in his dads room.

We had a knock on the door and I thought it was the postman as I could see a red jacket, it was Martin from Happy dogs. He had brought a present for Dembe and a refund for me as Dembe can't go on walks for the foreseeable future. The present was a kind of wobble treat dispenser, Dembe loved it because he loves treats.

The only problem was that as soon as the treats run out he barks at it non stop! 😂😂😂

Dembe was very pleased to see Martin and he had a cuddle with him. I am just glad Dembe didn't try to make a break for it and climb into the back of Martins van as I don't think I would have got him out again.

Jay was home by around 11am and Dembe acted like he hadn't seen him in weeks. We took Dembe out for an early Woodbury Common walk as Jay is working overnight tonight and he needed to get some sleep in the afternoon. When he went up to bed Dembe went with him and snuggled beside him with his carrot - the big one.

Whilst the boys were having their nap, Petra from the Hydrotherapy centre rang. I have booked Dembe in for his first appointment on 26th October. Unfortunately due to us only being able to attend on a Tuesday that was the first opening. 

When I went to bed at 19.30, Dembe came with me. I was expecting him to stay downstairs with his dad but he wanted to go to bed. Jay came and got him at 10pm so that he could take him around the block for a walk. Dembe came straight back up to bed with no fuss and was an angel all night.

Wednesday 13th October

Jay came back at 5am and took Dembe out for a walk around the block. I was expecting Dembe to bark with the front door being unlocked but he didn't. Later on that day Jay told me it broke his heart having to put Dembe back in the house and then go back to work. Dembe tried to give Jay his carrot and he had to tell him to "go back to bed with mummy". 

We slept in until 8.30am and yet again I found him in his dad's room asleep. 

Jay came in around an hour later, he was exhausted and Dembe was thrilled to see him. Jay walked him around the block so that he could go to bed and not be disturbed by Dembe needing out. Dembe was more than happy to go back up to bed with his daddy and stayed there with him until he got up at around 1pm.

Whilst the boys were sleeping I did some sewing, as usual when I finished Dembe had to get in on the action.

Thursday 14th October

Jay is on a late shift today after working the night shift on Tuesday. Dembe had a walk around the block first thing and then another one on the common at around 9.30am.

Dembe was really unsettled today and barking at everything. Which was unfortunate as I was on a video conference call with Facebook this afternoon. As soon as I went to speak Dembe ran to the window. I managed to talk for a few minutes and then Dembe had to make his presence known. It was a bit embarrassing! Thankfully the other participants found it funny.

I was really unwell today, Dembe picked up on that and was stuck to me like glue. He wanted lots of cuddles and kisses. Even when I feel terrible he is a huge comfort.

Friday 15th October

It has been another rough day today. Poor Dembe was stuck to me like glue again! It must exhaust him looking after me. I do love a Dembe cuddle when I am feeling rotten.

This evening he couldn't make up his mind what toy he wanted to bring me.

He brought me Cleo ( the caterpillar ) Carrot, Find it Bunny and then Crocodile.

Saturday 16th October

This week has been a bit of a write off with my health. I am poorly again, even I am getting fed up with it now. Yet another migraine this is the 3rd in the space of 24 hours. Jay was on an early shift at 5.50am I gave up trying to sleep and came downstairs. Dembe was making a huge fuss wanting his breakfast. Now this week Dembe has had two days where he has barely eaten, we have remained firm and he has been offered his food for 20 minutes, if he doesn't eat it gets picked up. He gets no treats either if he hasn't eaten his food. Yesterday morning he ate his breakfast, last night he ate his dinner. Both those meals contained raw beef mince with 1/4 pack of raw food ( Chicken and Lamb variety ). So when he was making out he was STARVING this morning, I just thought oh yeah, what's the bet you leave it? 

Well.....

He polished off the lot, with this meal I added in more raw food and reduced the beef mince a bit. Tonight I will push it a bit more and give him more raw again. It has taken us a month to get this far. We have had to be persistent and consistent with our approach. I am really proud of him for eating his dinner. He gets lots of praise when he finishes his meal. When he has cleaned his bowl he looks up almost smiling as we tell him what a clever boy he is!

We decided to go back to bed at 06.30am my migraine was getting worse and I really wanted to try and get some sleep. It didn't happen, Dembe went off into Jays room and I listened to a podcast about the Salem Witch trials until 08.30am. When I got up I was fully expecting Dembe to try and make out he hadn't been fed.

Weirdly Dembe wanted out in the back garden and he went and sat on his favourite seat. He is so well camouflaged that you can barely make him out. I had to bribe him with a cocktail sausage to get him to come back in.

He is so knackered from his early start today all he has done is sleep in various places around the house.

This suits me fine as I really am feeling rank today.

See you all next week!

Week Commencing 20th September 2021

Monday 20th September 

Jay was on an early shift today so Dembe was knackered after his very early morning walk. As usual Jay took Dembe out twice before he left for work, one up on the common and another around the block.

Dembe is coping really well with not having the walks with professional walkers and has stopped staring out the window for hours on end waiting for them to arrive. I feel really bad that he can't go out with them but he really needs to rest this leg.

I noticed this afternoon that Dembe has a small irritation on the left side of his face. It is possibly an insect bite that he sustained last week. Having gone through the photos I took of him last week I know it was Friday when this happened. I remember that Dembe came back from his walk around the block and kept rubbing his face on my legs. That isn't unusual for him but the reason it sticks in my mind is he was doing it for much longer than normal. The area is a bit red and swollen. I have washed it twice with Hibiscrub and I have gone online and got some cream to treat it. I will be keeping an eye on it to ensure it doesn't develop into a hot spot.

Tuesday 21st September

Jay was day off today but was out all morning so it was like a regular weekday for Dembe and I. Dembe was really settled and happy enough playing some brain games and of course having cuddles.

When Jay got back we took Dembe straight out for a walk at the Model Airfield on Woodbury common. There were lots of model aeroplanes flying today and some of them were really noisy but it didn't bother Dembe at all. He is really good with loud noises and is so totally different to all our previous dogs who freaked out at the wind and heavy rain, let alone thunder storms and fireworks.

Dembe was very happy indeed to have his daddy back home again, he practically sat on his dads lap whilst he got lots of cuddles. He behaves like he is a giant puppy.

His raw food arrived this evening, thankfully we got that all in the freezer and took 2 packs out ready to start introducing it to him slowly.

The area on his face that I think is an insect bite has gone down massively and is no longer bright pink. The cream I ordered arrived so I have been able to apply that twice after first washing the area with Hibiscrub.

Wednesday 22nd September

Jay was out most of the day today taking his mum to a hospital appointment. He walked Dembe several times before he left. Thankfully Dembe was a very tired pup today and spent the majority of the day asleep, so he was very low maintenance. 

Dembe's new bed arrived at around midday. Dembe was of course very suspicious of it. He spent ages sniffing every square inch of it and then he pawed it and dragged it into a huge ball, he then lay beside it. I went and laid it out flat again in the hope given time he would accept it! He eyed it with concern from the small sofa.

As you rarely hear him when he moves around the house, it had all gone quiet when I looked up and realised he had got off the sofa and was now lying on the new bed.

We ran out of Dembe's favourite treat Dentastix yesterday, we are making him go cold turkey and no longer have them. They aren't very good nutritionally speaking and they don't fit in with the B.A.R.F. diet. We are trying to get him switched over to more natural treats. We are giving him puffed pigs snouts instead of Dentastix.

Dembe's face is looking a lot better the area is back to its normal colour and is no longer swollen.

Dembe was very excited when his daddy got home. Jay took him straight out for a walk on the common.

Later in the evening Dembe christened his new bed!😂😂😂😂😂

Thursday 23rd September

Fusspot Dembe refused his breakfast this morning, it is my fault I pushed the raw food too quickly as I am always trying to run before I can walk. This will now impact us for a few days as he will be deeply suspicious of anything that is served to him. Bugger! 

I also managed to convince him that he didn't need a Dentastix this morning replacing it with a puffed pigs snout which went down a treat.

He is loving his new bed and every item that he gets to chew is taken back to his bed. This is the first bed that he has been like this with since he was a tiny pup.

Jay is on a late finish today so this afternoon Dembe and I have been having some short sessions of training teaching him to go on his bed. He is picking it up quite quickly probably because there are some scrummy treats involved.

As we are both knackered we go up to bed very early. Dembe is fast asleep when his dad gets home.

Friday 24th September

It is very warm today, normally the weather would have started cooling down by now. Me and Dembe are struggling with it. Jay is on an early shift today so Dembe has been out twice today before he has gone to work. I decided to have a go on my embroidery machine this morning and Dembe wasn't very happy with me. He went off and sulked in the garden where I could see him and he could keep an eye on me.

Back on his favourite garden chair!

We had a panicked phone call from Jay at midday. Due to people panic buying fuel Jay wasn't going to be able to get home at lunch time. He would have got out fine but he would never have managed to get back to work as the traffic was queuing all the way down the road outside his work. However one of our friends was up there shopping so he asked Uncle Paul if he would take Dembe out for a walk so that he didn't have to worry about Dembe all afternoon.

Paul turned up at around 1.30pm, it was boiling hot. He said can I take Dembe up the common so I said yes. I went with Paul so I could show him where Dembe normally goes. Dembe was an angel for Paul. He was really good in the back of the car, he just lay down like he does in ours. He also walked like an angel for him on the lead. Paul said he had no idea Dembe could be so well behaved. I did say to him you only see him when he is going mental with excitement as you have arrived. I told him Dembe only goes mental like that when he see's you. no one else. He was so impressed with Dembe he said that if we are in a situation like that again then we must ring him and he will take him out for us as he really enjoyed it. I am so proud of my baby boy.

Dembe was knackered after his walk with Paul and went to sleep,

Saturday 25th September

Today is Dembe's mummy and daddy's 21st Wedding anniversary! Dembe sent them both a lovely card.

Dembe had lots of cuddles today and we did some more training to get him learning the bed command. I shot a very poor quality video but here it is!

We have had a quiet day as I wasn't feeling the best. Dembe always seems to sense that and just gives me lots of cuddles.