Things that go bump in the night!

Hugo doing press up with Toby

A couple of weeks ago Akita Rescue and Welfare needed a home check doing in our area so Martin and I took Hugo and Pip along one afternoon to see the potential adopters.   When we got there the lady of the house was in but her partner had not yet arrived home from work. We sat in their living room, Hugo and Pip making themselves at home and taking great interest in the tropical fish swimming around in the tank - a few nose smudges left behind as evidence . A few minutes later the lady's partner arrived and come through the door. Miss Pip barked loudly at him and we had to tell her it was OK, it was, after all, HIS house not hers!! Later on, we were standing in the garden chatting when, again, she suddenly started to bark at something but this time in the house. Was it some burglar coming through the window or an axe murder about to attack everyone in sight? No, she had seen her own reflection in a mirror and didn't like what she saw!! Typical girl.

Last Monday my parents came down for the day and, knowing that Pip is rather nervous of my Dad, they came armed with two big hide chews to try and win her round. Hugo did his usual greeting, all waggles and excitement and was very happy to receive his chew from Mum and take it off in the living room. Pip, on the other hand, took one look at who was coming in and dashed up the stairs. She stopped near the top and Dad held out the chew to her - she crept down a couple of steps, grabbed the chew off him and ran into the bedroom with it. However, towards the end of the day she actually sat by him for a few minutes so think she might be beginning to thaw out a little bit.

Pip asleep on her snake

I had a bit of a sort out our bedroom the other day and had left a carrier bag containing some old underwear on the floor, ready to throw out later. At 5 o'clock in the morning I was awoken by a noise and could see it was Hugo, trying to bury his chew in the carpet - stupid boy often does this and wipes his nose back and forth as if it will disguise where he has hidden his treasure. Usually Pip is watching and instantly goes and gets whatever it is he has buried. However, this morning he used a bit more cunning but it wasn't until I got up in the morning I discovered what he had done. He had pulled out one of my old bras and placed it over the top of the chew so it was completely hidden - clever boy this time!

Hugo looking worried - a fly has
 just entered the building!

On Thursday morning I was awoken at 3.30am as it was just getting light by Hugo and Pip running madly up and down the stairs, skidding along the hall (we have just had laminate flooring down there and in the kitchen so the skittering, scrabbling of their claws trying to get a grip is very loud) and charging back up. This wasn't their usual reaction to someone coming in during the night (Daniel or Toby) or phantom burglars, this was excited, we-want-to-get-it-and-play-with-it noise. By the time I got out of bed to investigate Hugo was hanging out of our bedroom window, having flung it wide open, and Pip was standing looking out the landing window which was also open. I can only assume that next door's cat had had the audacity to look in through the landing window. I suspect it won't be doing that again in a hurry!

Getting Rid of Intruders (imagined or otherwise)!

Pip among the buttercups

We are well used to being sprung awake by Pip frantically barking the second she hears one of the boys coming into the house in the early hours of the morning and, after the initial shock, normally manage to fall back to sleep within minutes. However, the other night was something different altogether. I was woken at about 5am in the morning by Pip making a low, menacing growl that rumbled under her breath. At first I thought perhaps she was dreaming but the ominous noise continued until she suddenly got up and sat on the top step of the stairs, still ggggrrrrreeeeerrrrrring so I had no option but to get up and investigate. I first looked out the front window - nothing, Pip continued to growl. I then opened the bathroom window to look up the garden - nothing, still she kept up the noise. I joined Pip on the top of the stairs who was peering over the bannister looking towards the kitchen - nothing, on she went and by now I was beginning to get a bit unnerved. In the end I sat on the stair with her  and gave her a cuddle, she stopped growling and mad a fuss of me then turned round, jumped on the bed and went back to sleep!! Needless to say, I didn't and kept listening out for suspicious noises. Still don't know what it was but I wouldn't have fancied it's chances if it had tried to get in.

Hugo is convinced the cows are giant Akitas!

This beautiful spell of warm weather has been perfect for Hugo and Pip and they have spent most of the days outside alternating between lying sprawled out fast asleep (Pip in the sun, Hugo in the shade) and absolutely tearing around the garden, leaping over the flower beds and digging up the lawn. We have been leaving their long walk till later in the evening when it is a bit cooler which has suited us all. As of last Bank Holiday Monday the cows are out on Selsley Common again so Hugo thoroughly enjoys himself, stalking them on the horizon - I am convinced he thinks they are bigger versions of himself, and we all know how little dogs like to challenge the bigger ones! Unfortunately, along with the warm weather and the cows come Hugo's nemesis - the dreaded fly! If one is in the house he cannot settle and charges around pretending he is trying to hunt it until he actually gets close enough to do something about it then chickens out and runs away! Madam Pip has no such qualms and will leap up, twisting round with all four feet of the ground and catch one in her mouth - she soon gets rid of the problem.

I made this little video a few weeks ago and put it on Facebook but I love it so much I thought I would add it on here too. When we walk on the Common, Pip often has a mad five minutes and charges round making Hugo run with her and inevitably tying him up in knots. In this shot Toby and I were in the middle going round and round in circles - needless to say, I had to add the music to drown out my shrieks and laughter as we got giddier!