Monday, July 25, 2011

Thelma And Louise Got New Jerseys

The black and white jerseys I bought for them last winter have gotten so stretched that they now sit uncomfortably round their "shoulders" or slide right off at night!
We are again expecting some severe cold weather, so today they got new ones, and whilst I was very tempted by grey jerseys with neon orange or pink dots on them, I could not resist the animal print!
Here are pictures of the girls modelling their new jerseys for me while lounging on their inside cushion.



Louise now wears some uber flattering zebra stripes to match her black coat, and Thelma is sporting a very sexy leopard print to compliment her brown fur!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Update On My Guide-dog Puppy Raising Adventure...

Last week the representative of the South African Guide-dog Association finally had a chance to come and see me in connection with my application to be a guide-dog puppy raiser!
As I mentioned before, raising guide-dog puppies is something I have wanted to do for many years. My situation was never ideal though- working full day, living in a flat, raising the knucklehead, etcetera- and now that I work from home and my knucklehead is a grown up its something I can actually focus on.
I am so excited!
Its quite a process to become a puppy raiser let me tell you.
I sent my application in a few months ago and their rep, Monica, could finally come and see me and check out the house and chat to me about the program and what they expect from us for the year the pup will be living with us. She liked the way we handle our pets now, that our dogs are well behaved and treated like dogs, as much as we love them.
I think the interview went very well, and within a few weeks we'll know for sure whether we will be receiving a puppy or not. There's a long waiting list, with people who have raised puppies before getting first "dibs" and then the people who applied before we did and so and so forth.
Once the pup comes to live with us we'll go through a 10 week training and socialisation program with SAGA, and the pup must spend time at their kennels every month. The pup will be going everywhere possible with me, and I will have to introduce him to people of all ages and colours.
Then once the pup has grown up he will go back to SAGA's kennels to get the rest of his proper guide-dog training with their professional trainers, and that takes about 6 months. Then there's a bit of a graduation ceremony where we will be able to meet the pup's new "person" and tell them how the pup was whilst growing up. Then when the pup retires after about 9 years service, the family who raised him can have him (or her) back to live out his retirement as a loved family pet.
I will be blogging about the whole adventure right here so you can read all about it, and I intend to make full use of blogging and social media to create awareness of SAGA's cause as well.

Some Greebo History

I was going through some old notebooks and I found a little Greebo story dating back to 2006 or so...

I bought a Pick 'n Pay roast chicken for Damien and I and whilst I was cutting it up at home Greebo was all over the kitchen begging and waving and asking nicely for a piece- but since he throws up so easily he can't have any.
I walked out of the kitchen and into the passage to find he's already thrown up there!
When I fetched Damien from gymnastics I was telling him about it and he told me Greebo is trying to prove a point! Chicken or no chicken he's going to throw up anyway so I might as well give him some!


I had to giggle.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Diva!

Diva remains the queen of our household. 
She doesn't come running when food is served like the other cats do. She doesn't clamour for a treat or a piece of chicken like the other furbabies do. In fact, she'll wait on the stairs until we take the treat to her!
She and Minx have races up and down the stairs and the passage, sliding to a halt at the top to the stairs as if they're trying to see who can brake the latest!

Sleepy Turk

How cute is my blue-eyed boy! 
This is Turk, fast asleep on my bed this afternoon.