I love Fly school

I'm so enjoying my time at doggy school these days. We go to an indoor riding school now that it gets dark at night. It is such a great place to go. It smells of all different horsey and doggy smells. Mum says my spaniel brain has kicked in, as I spend the whole lesson wagging my tail and sniffing things while I ignore her. She doesn't really mind though as the main aim is for me to be able to be nice when I see other dogs, and as I'm so busy sniffing I keep forgetting to growl at the other dogs. I even have a little friend there, she's called Treacle and because she is a spaniel she reminds me of Poppy. She helps me find the best smells and then we bounce around together.

A calm chilled out Fly

Mum learnt something else interesting while she was at school with me. Apparently in my diet I should only have 20-25% protein. And it turns out that silly mummy has been feeding loads more protein than she realised so I've been getting about 45% protein! And protein makes me full of energy and a little bit hyperactive and snappy, so mum says no wonder I'm a pain sometimes. Unfortunately it means that me and Poppy don't get any tinned food now, we just have fish and rice flavoured biscuits. But I suppose it will be worth it if we feel calmer and happier.
Mum brought us both a present last week.We have matching purple coats now for when it gets cold. I promise I will post pictures soon, but I refused to keep it on for more than a couple of minutes as no self respecting sprollie should have to put a coat on when its 30 degrees outside.
Big cuddles
Fly xxx

Mum says I'm naughty

In my cosy snuggy nest

Firstly I'd like to report the good news that I am a slightly happier sprollie than I was. In the end the pheromones made me a little bit odd so I have had the collar taken off and I'm off the drugs and now I feel slightly more happy. The nesting has all been down to a bizarre phantom pregnancy, it turns out they run in our doggy family, Poppy used to have them badly. Mum says that when she is paid I will be taking a trip to the vets for neutering. I don't know what neutering is, and haven't been to the vets since I had my vaccinations when mum adopted me. I hope it's nothing to worry about.

However despite the fact that I am a little happier, mum says she is very cross with me. I did bad today. You see I didn't get a walk until 4pm today as it has rained a lot and also because Poppy has hurt her foot and can't walk (honestly, that dog's always injured). And not getting a walk displeases me. I know that I don't like rain but it would be nice to be asked. So this morning when mum popped in to town I ate dad's walking boot and shredded the remains all over their bed. That was a protest against mum for not walking me sooner, and dad for going out to work.

Mum, I'm bored, walk me

Then when mum went to pick dad up from work i felt a sudden bowel movement needing to happen. In all honesty I could have held on, but how was I to know I was only going to be left for half an hour, they could have been staying out for ages for all I knew. So I considered that if I were to poo anywhere I should do it in the spare room mum uses as an office to make a protest. I think my protest was heard, she said bad words!

But it worked! I have just got back from an enjoyably muddy walk with mum. Who I'm sure will think twice before making me wait all day for a walk again!

Aren't Sprollies loveable!

Big cuddles

Fly xxx

Slightly happier Sprollie

Happy, rolling Fly

The funny things that my mum said are called pheromones are working now and I feel all funny and calm most of the time. It has had one strange side effect, I keep wanting to build nests. I have nests all over the house that I've made out of cushions and beds, and I've even dug a couple of nice holes in the garden that I can nest in. Mum keeps shrugging her shoulders and sighing when she sees the nests but says it's a small price to pay really for a calm Fly.

I went back to school on Monday and it was nice, if a little worrying at first. There are some new dogs, and most of the old dogs have stopped coming, and I found that ever so slightly worrysome. There is a cocker spaniel that I have met before, and there was a springer spaniel that looked a bit like Poppy and I liked her, but there was also a black labradoodle. I think everyone knows how scared I am of black dogs so you can guess how that went! I'm not proud of this but I lunged at her and tried to bite her. She was ok though and I'm hoping that with time we can make friends.

Happy Fly again

I've been having a lot of fun with Poppy this week. Mum and dad have being training her to come back so that she can be let off lead out on walks like she used to be. She still has a little bit to learn but manages to concentrate if there are squeaky tennis balls.We have had fantastic walks across fields on the levels, and we have even been to the beach. I had to be put on lead at the beach a couple of times because I like to chase the steam train that goes past, but even being on lead couldn't stop me enjoying myself.

Herding my sister Poppy dog

I would quite like to have a play with the squeaky ball myself but I know how much Poppy loves a squeaky ball and it wouldn't be fair to her to take it. So I have to be content with doing what Fly dogs do best and just chase and herd Poppy while she runs after the ball. I'm not sure Poppy enjoys that so much but I had a chat with her and told her that it was either that or taking the ball, and she agreed that my herding was possibly the best option.

I do love having Poppy back as a running and chasing friend outside. I may beat her up and chase her sometimes but I really love my sister.

Big Cuddles
A less worried Fly xxx

A tough Sprollie time



I had a bath. That worried me lots!

I'm sorry for not writing for a while, but unfortunately my confidence has taken a bit of a dent. I have been a really scaredy Fly and just haven't been happy. In fact I've been a bit scared of life in general. I'm so lucky that mum and dad have been really lovely and have helped me a lot.

Firstly I got scared of going in cars. I got all trembly when I went near a car, then I got all shouty and angry when I got in a car.

Then I got bad about going in to kennels at work, and I got quite aggressive with mum and with Poppy. So she took me in to the office but I started being aggressive with the office dogs.

Then all sorts of things became scary. Walks were scary, the back garden was scary and passing cars became things to lunge and growl at again. Things finally got very bad when I bit a Saluki on a walk. I'm not proud of this but I did it because I was so scared.

Stalking Jiggy during happier times

Mum has given me weird things she calls pheromones. I am wearing another collar which makes me feel calm and relaxed. Then mum plugged something in which smells funny but relaxes me. And she has been putting a powder on my food. She says all of these things are supposed to relax me and make me calmer while she does a lot more training. And I think it might be working.

I was kept away from the car for a week, and now mum is making sure I have had a nice walk and am tired before I get in the car, and it's working. I still get scared but nowhere near as bad as I did, and mum gives me sausage which makes me enjoy the car ride a lot more. Dad has been taking me and Poppy over the field with a ball and throws it for her. She chases the ball and I chase her so everyone's a winner, and we're so tired out that I forget about the fact that the world is so worrysome.



Rolling still makes me happy

I really don't know quite how I got so scared about life again. I think I got a little bit worried about things after Jiggy went home because whilst I hate to admit it I miss the little Shi tzu. But the pheromones are starting to work now so hopefully life will be much happier from now on.

Big cuddles

The worried Fly Dog xxx

Yay, the Fly Dog is back

Yay,I'm happy to be back

At last I'm back on the computer. As I'm sure my sister has told you mum has been very busy lately with an open day raising lots of money. Then when she finally finished that, Poppy got first go on the computer as she is the oldest.But it is finally my turn.

I have been up to so much in the last month. I have finished school for a few weeks over the summer, but before we finished I did some rally obedience. It is where you do lots of different obedience things in a course. Mum was so proud of me, we had never done this before and I got 9 out of 15 things right. I was as good as some of the dogs that had done this lots before. We have a fun day coming up soon where the agility people get to compete against the obedience people. I am so looking forwards to it, it is my chance to prove that I am so much better than Poppy, as mum is taking us both.

Waiting for Pop to come out of the sea

I have been on a few nice outings with mum, dad and Poppy. We went back to the beach and I found out that I am still scared of the water. Poppy goes in it, but I have found I can have as much fun standing on the edge and barking at Poppy when she gets out. I did have a couple of cheeky ear tugs as she came out but then mum spotted me and told me off.

Our fluffy house guest Jiggy

Poppy has probably told you already but we have a house guest called Jiggy. He is a fluffy old shi tzu who needs a new home. I was feeling very sorry for him as he doesn't have anywhere to call his own, but today he has annoyed me. I think he thinks he is staying with us permanently, which mum has said can't hapen, and he has got rather confident. He told me off today for going near his bed, and he barked at Poppy for walking past him. Mum has told him off and put his bed in the corner of the room. She says being old and needy is no excuse for being grumpy. I love mum for sticking up for me, I pretend to be brave but I'm a scaredy Fly really.

Mum is making me sad though as she says I need a bath. I hate baths and I will not be pleased if she forces me to have one. I spend so much time selecting the right horse or cow poo to roll in, and then making sure I have the perfect amount of coverage. But mum says I am disgusting and smelly and the shampoo alone is not good enough, I need to get in to the bath.

I feel now might be a good time to run off and hide.She will never find me under the kitchen table!

Big cuddles

Fly dog xxx

I won a rosette and had a birthday

Muddy after a birthday day at the beach

I entered a class in a dog show this week and I did really really well. I came second in best rescue dog. Mum says that's a really big achievement. There were about 15 dogs in the class and all of them had sad stories just like me. But because I have learnt such a lot in a short space of time and because I managed to behave well in the ring, the judge gave me a very pretty rosette and a goody bag of tasty snacks. Mum did pin the rosette to my collar but it flapped a little bit and worried me so I tried to eat it. Mum took it off me then because she said my first rosette is something that needs to be looked after and not eaten! Poppy also came second in her class, where she had to have a waggy tail. Mum said she was very proud of us both, but I'm sure she must be proudest of me because of how worrysome things are for me normally.



Waiting for a birthday sausage



I have also been back to school for a couple of weeks now and I'm doing really well. Last night we did road walking and none of my normal things made me scared. I walked nicely past cars, tractors, bikes, scooters, horses and even children without getting scared. Who would have thought a funny little dog from a farm like me could do so well at things. Apparently in the autumn I might be ready to do my bronze award. I don't really know what a bronze award is but mum sounded pleased when she told me so I'm happy.



Mum said it is my birthday this month. I am one year old. The farmer didn't remember what day I was born so mum and dad said I could have a birthday whenever I wanted in July. We have had lots of amazing walks and some really nice days out over the last few days so I think that was probably to celebrate my birthday. Especially since I ate sausage twice, I'm sure dogs only get sausage when they have a birthday. So I'm a grown up Fly now, I'm not a puppy any more.

Grown up Fly's still need their sleep though so I think I may have to go to bed now, I've got to go back to work tomorrow and I need to look my best for that.

Big cuddles

Fly dog xxx

p.s sorry about the lack of rosette photo's but even when mum put it back on me the ribbon worried me again so I chewed it again. Whoops!

Out in the Big Wide World

Mum has been taking me out in to the big wide world and making me meet new people over the last couple of weeks. I have started going out to local shows so that I can represent Heavens Gate as a lovely ex rescue dog. Mum stands at the homing boards and talks to people about the charity, while I sit there and look cute and show what lovely dogs people can find in rescue centres. I have found it a little difficult sometimes, because all kinds of people  want to stroke me, and we all know I'm a little worrysome dog. My first show wasn't too bad because Poppy came along to help me, but because it was too hot this week she was left at home so I had no doggy friends that I knew, which made me a little more worrysome than usual. But mum says I did ever so well, I was fine with children stroking me, I did very little growling and only a few dogs scared me. I hope Poppy comes with me next time though.

Mum says I might be going back to school again tomorrow. I only went once and then I came in to season which is a nasty scary time for pups like me. But it's nearly over now so I'm hoping that I can go back to school this week because I really enjoyed it. What's not to like, I got lots of sausage and because I did well I got lots of fuss and praise. Fuss makes a Fly happy.

I'm a little bit sleepy from todays show so I'm off to snuggle my reindeer teddy and maybe have a little snooze. Being a Fly dog is hard work.

Big cuddles

Fly xxx