I know I have said it many times recently, but yet another week has gone by so fast and I am now writing my 31st blog about our puppy experiences. Once again, Margot has shown that she is mostly continuing to learn to follow our commands when we are out and about. The whistle has become more reliable as a fail-safe option to call her back whenever we encounter other people, dogs or horses, working over 95% of the time. (Lots of people have said how good she is in her response to this.)
This week I have continued to work every day (although I did have an afternoon off to attend my goddaughter’s confirmation last weekend which was not only a wonderful occasion, but also a very welcome break from the screen). It’s been tough at times, but Margot has been very good at pleasing herself, taking long naps and popping in every now and again to check I am okay.
With the warm weather continuing, Margot has found a way to keep cool whilst walking in the forest this week: by ‘swimming’ in the stream that runs alongside the trail. Most of the tracks are now dry and dusty after the long spell of sunny days, but at least the water in the stream looks clear. After we encouraged her to take a dip, there was no stopping her! She still takes sips from the stagnant muddy pools she can find rather than from the fresh water we offer her – surely the water from the tap tastes better?
Doing the Laundry
We know people with dogs who have to be really careful not to leave their dirty washing lying around. When a sock or a pair of tights is ingested, a trip to the vet is often on the cards. With this in mind, I have always been very cautious with our washing, either when filling the machine or hanging it out to dry on the line in the garden.
Fortunately, Margot hasn’t been that interested in our laundry hanging outside and has left it alone. However, this week, J wasn’t so fastidious and our pup ran off with a sports sock in her mouth, daring him to chase her around the garden. Unfortunately, neither he nor I had our camera at the ready to catch her cheekiness. Instead there are two pictures of Margot avoiding the washing and chilling out in the shade.


Greetings
It’s fascinating how Margot greets different people in different ways. With me, she mainly keeps her paws on the floor and circles me while I stroke her back and tickle her chin. When P comes downstairs for breakfast in the morning, she is met with a sloppy wet tongue all over her legs and feet.
But Margot is definitely still J’s dog – he is met with complete overexuberance every time he comes through the front door. Jumping, mouthing and trying to cuddle him with her paws happens continually until she calms down. After that, one of her favourite places is lying as close to him as possible on her mat. (Saying that, she does like resting her head on my feet in the evening whilst dozing in front of the television.)





Games & Treats







One of my favourite games to play with Margot is hiding pieces of carrot inside cardboard packaging. With frequent Amazon deliveries, there are plenty of opportunities for this type of activity. As you can see in the pictures above, she loves finding the treats at first, followed by tearing the paper or cardboard to pieces.




Last week it was the Yakers bar; this week I tried a meat filled bone from Morrison’s as a treat. The first time I gave her half of one portion, she trotted out to the garden and chewed on it for quite some time. Again she wouldn’t let me near her, perhaps thinking that I was about to take it away. This afternoon she had the other half, but it seemed much softer this time and disappeared within a couple of minutes. Note to self – keep the open packet in an airtight container so that it stays harder on the outside and takes longer to chew on.
Shake it off…
Last week I wrote about Margot’s shaking when dry. Well, this week I managed to get some photos of her shaking after wading in the lake. I hope you get the picture from the frames below.




Margot says…
I don’t think the big people have worked out quite how much I understand about their actions and their emotions. I can’t help worrying when they sneeze and cough as it’s so loud and such an odd noise.
I’m still enjoying time in the garden and the sunny weather. Jumping about in the lake and the river is such good fun when we are out on walks. I do get a bit muddy at times but I don’t mind having the bits brushed out of my fur. In fact I find it rather relaxing.

Next week… trialling other treats and back to school again for P & J.
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