I did really well at agility today but I wish Rumple would try harder to remember to tell me where I am supposed to be going. I try to follow her arm movements as best I can, if she would only remember to say right or left I would know where to go. I keep grabbing hold of her arm to let her know that I can’t understand what she wants. She’s not the only one of course but I would be so proud of her if she could get at least one round right. I had to do the tunnel and lots of jumps in different orders which was good fun.

I believe we started some clicker training in Obedience Class today. I did notice a slight noise and a delay in getting my reward. I’m learning to lie down and get up again when Rumple tells me. I worked out that I could lick the treat in Rumple’s hand without bothering to lie down but Rumple persevered and I got it right. Trudy says I have got Rumple very well trained but I’m not sure that that is a complement. I love doing the recall and managed to completely destroy my pink tuggy toy so Fiona had to collect up the feet and legs from round the field for Rumple.

We did some more clicker training today in the house. Of course, I know very well how to lie down when asked, but if Rumple really wants me to lie down in that wet field she will need to take a piece of carpet for me. Would she like to lie with her naked tummy on that wet grass? Does she not realise how little hair there is on my tummy and how horrid it is for me when it’s wet?

I quite enjoyed the quiz this week as we were in a nice big room with a comfy carpet to sleep on and a nice log fire. Highlight of my evening was trying to grab hold of the waiter taking the empty food plates away. I’m afraid this is a bad habit of mine and I can’t even remember why I started doing it. Most waiters are very nice about it but Rumple is ALWAYS cross when I do it.

Think Rumple is losing the plot a bit this week. She looked really surprised last night when she found my breakfast still on the work surface. It’s a good job I’m so easy going.

We’re training every day now and have run out of tuggies. I’ve cottoned on to the tuggy recall thing now and just ignore Rumple again. She'll have to try harder at making my tuggy more fun while I am having a good sniff round a field. I think Rumple is hoping I will impress Trudy on Saturday; I’ll have to see how I feel about that on Saturday!

Next week I might tell you about some of my favourite things.

  Badhairday!! . . . 22nd January 2014

                                  Why are you taking my photo when my hair's a mess? Well?

Obedience - Merryn’s view

Just had to tell you - just been to Porthmeor beach for a walk. A short legged terrier’s owner foolishly threw a ball for him and of course I had no problem getting to it first.  What fun I had teasing the owner.  Poor old Rumple got a real soaking from a wave while she was trying to get the ball from me.  Then I was off to have a look at the digger moving all the sand from the wall.  Panic, panic, from Rumple as I got closer and closer to the digger.  At the last minute I went back to Rumple, but, silly me, I forgot my ball.  The nice man in the digger told Rumple where I had left it so she was able to fetch it.  On to Bamaluz where I got tied up while Rumple went and got a little pot of sand.  She does some odd things.  Apparently it is to go in a memory book for a holiday maker who used to visit the beach with her dog who has just died. RIP.  We both studiously ignored the two young men sitting on the wall smoking herbal tobacco.  Rumple was able to walk down off the platform at the bottom of the steps onto the rocks as the council have put in three new steps.  Shows all those letters Rumple writes have some effect.  The steps don’t go anywhere but they are a nice gesture.  

I was such a good girl in agility today and flew round in spite of interesting scents to sniff.   Rumple still makes mistakes but I can see she’s doing her best.  Then I went to Obedience Class.  Rumple says she wants me to do as I’m told.  Has she forgotten that I am a terrier and can think for myself?  I had a lovely play with a fluffy tug that Trudy said looked like one of my legs – cheeky! I can’t see the point of a lot of it.  What’s all this fuss about recall?  Obviously I always come back.  I’m still here aren’t I?  OK, so I often come back when I decide to, but I’m not stupid and can tell when Rumple is going to go off and leave me.

Rumple obviously trying out what she had learnt at her Obedience class on Porthmeor beach today.  I’m afraid I fell for it every time she squeaked my pink tuggy toy and rushed straight to her to have a play.  She let me run off again and I got a treat so I still enjoyed my playtime.

This week Rumple has actually let me have a little run on the broccoli field with some of my friends in spite of the mud.  Today I went off with Max and his owner into the next field but I am so proud of myself, as I ran back to Rumple as soon as I realised she was walking home with Spot and Peter.

                                                                        Gallop on Porthmeor

Today after another fabulous run on Porthmeor beach Rumple took me to see her friend Laura in her pottery.  Laura looks after me when Rumple is away and you would have thought she would understand my taste in music.  Laura noticed that my tail was so far between my legs that I could almost lick it.  Eventually the two of them worked out that the horrible screechy violins on the CD were upsetting me and Laura put something more cheerful on.  That other dog was in the pottery too.  Its funny it looks just like me and always copies exactly what I do.  I can’t make it out at all as I can’t smell it either.

If you are wondering why everything happens today in my blog its because time doesn’t have much meaning for me apart from dinner and bed times, so why bother?

Hasta la pasta!  It must be nearly dinner time!

Merryn   

  My Typical Week by Merryn . . . 16th January 2014

Just like dogs, humans need a name, so I’ve decided on Rumple for mine. This week I’m giving you the low down on my typical week with Rumple so that later I can just stick to the funny bits. 

Saturday was my agility class and the less said about that the better as I just got soooo over excited. Poor old Rumple was just ignored and I behaved as though I had no manners. I’m so sorry, Rumple :( Rumple pulled herself together and in the afternoon we went for a 6k walk to Carbis Bay including some free time for me on Porthminster beach. After that I was cream-crackered.

Sunday was off to a good start with a jaunt up the lane. I wandered into a field with a big horse in it but I was really good and went back to Rumple when she called. Rumple spent most of the day writing letters to try and get us dogs back on the beach again so I just mooched around and piled up the zs. This is a photo of me and my friends enjoying our first day on Porthmeor beach after the summer ban. You can see me flying!

Monday started with our usual walk up the footpath and past the church. A lot of my friends go that way so the smells are interesting. Rumple won’t take me into the fields as she says she doesn’t like getting up to her armpits in mud. In the afternoon we walked down to town via Porthmeor for a little sniff and run. I could see Rumple looking at everything I sniffed to make sure it wasn’t palm oil – she can be so neurotic. Then we went into the Arts Club so all the nice ladies could stroke and pat me. Just can’t get enough of that! More patting and chatting from random strangers on the bus home too.

Tuesday was off to a good start with ball games on the nice field we’re not supposed to go on. We did a bit of obedience training too – yawn 000000. Then we went to work in Penzance in the car. I spent the entire morning asleep under Rumple’s desk. It’s lovely and warm in there and now I know everyone I just curl up and snooze. Rumple took me to the park at lunchtime and then round the shops. Thank goodness she bought her sandwich in the Speckled Hen this week. A very sensible shop that allows nice dogs like me to go in with their owners. Last week I was tied up outside Rowes and got called vicious by a woman because I barked at a passing dog to warn it off. In the afternoon I lay right across the middle of the office floor so everyone had to step over me. I did chuckle as they were all so obedient. Got very wet going home.

Wednesday – hurrah we went round the broccoli field this morning. That meant I had some time off the lead and I was very good and went back to Rumple every time she called me. Had a little chat to Max but he wouldn’t play so I left him to it. Route march down to town in the afternoon while Rumple delivered some of the letters she had written. Home alone in the evening – Rumple was going to a film so I couldn’t go:( 

Thursday – a very quick walk this morning – I thought Rumple was never going to wake up so we were late for the studio meeting. I hadn’t seen everyone for ages but they were all too busy talking to pay me any attention. Still raining so no walks but this evening is my favourite night of the week as we walk to a pub in town for the quiz and I get lots of attention from Debbie and Matt.

Looking forward to my agility on Saturday – I am going to be star pupil this week. Let’s hope Rumple behaves herself! 

  Hello!! . . . 10th January 2014

I am an Irish Terrier and my name is Kerrykeel Grainne but my family call me Merryn. I have red hair and long graceful legs and yes, I am a little vain. My Daddy lives in Germany and my Mummy lives in Gloucestershire. I was born in June 2011 but stayed with my Mummy until I was 4 months old as I had to wait for my new human to be well enough to look after me. It took me ages to get used to my new home and i think I was a bit of a pain for quite a while. I used to eat or chew everything in sight – plants in the garden, fences, door frames – it was such fun. You can see me doing a bit of gardening in these photos when I was 5 months old.

When my human finally realised that I needed real bones to chew on, not just bits of plastic, things got a lot better. It took me quite a while to realise that my new human was special to me and I would go off with anyone who looked interesting. This really stressed my human and she didn’t seem to appreciate that I had had a lovely walk with the other people and their dogs while she was standing feebly saying Merryn, Merryn. I wouldn’t do that now, though she still doesn’t realise that I know the best walks with the best smells. Sometimes I wait for her to follow me for ages and then I have to go back to her just because she can’t manage to climb a 6 foot wall and wriggle under barbed wire. I make the best of it as it’s not her fault she’s not as clever as me.  

Then, my human went to Africa for a week and left me in kennels – she said she was working but am I to believe that? I think she was having a good time. The kennels people were very nice and I had my own little room and run but it really wasn’t the sort of place I wanted to stay in for ever. How was I to know she would come back and get me? . I must admit I rushed into the kennels without so much as a goodbye as it smelt so interesting but when my human didn’t come back at once I decided to make sure I wouldn’t have to stay there any longer than I had to. I won’t tell you how naughty I was, but the humans did their best with me. Well, I will tell you, but don’t tell anyone, but I kept weeing in my room and then throwing my bed in the puddle. I was so pleased to see my own human come back that I decided that my new home really was my proper home now and that I should cooperate a bit more.

Now, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else and when we go away I keep a sharp eye on her to make sure she doesn’t leave me again. When she has to go away without me now she gets her friend Laura to come and look after me or I go and stay at Lisa’s house with her dogs so I think my dirty protest was quite successful!

Next time I’ll tell you a bit about my life now, especially the fun I have doing agility training every Saturday.