Christmas 2014

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Why is it that someone always has to stick their tongue out for the group photo?

We’ve had some seriously rough weather over the last few weeks. It’s been so bad TV presenters have been using the term “weather bomb”, shoppers have been evacuated from the local supermarket by flood rescue services, and Beanie has taken to using the indoor toilet. Unfortunately, and contrary to one of my previous posts, that doesn’t mean she’s been hopping onto the porcelain throne. Nope, she’s just been trotting down the corridor near our bedroom and squatting for a whiz on the carpet. I’m pretty sure this isn’t because we’ve somehow missed her requests to go outside, and I don’t think they’ve been “protest” widdles either. I think she simply decided it wasn’t worth braving the raging storms outside when she could just “go” in the comfort of her own home.

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Is it really so bad to pee on the carpet? I mean, Mum & Dad always clean it up afterwards..

Thankfully all that changed on Christmas Day. The rain, hail & wind stopped and the sun came out, the carpet dried, and there were presents. This time around we went for a mix of actual presents, and left-over cardboard boxes wrapped and filled with treats. The boxes went down very well; what Beagle doesn’t enjoy a bit of wanton destruction every now and then?

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Wrapping paper was torn off in a flurry of paws and teeth

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Treats went flying and boxes were worn on heads

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And inside the boxes? Yet more boxes, also filled with nice edibles

Somewhere in that orgy of destruction and snacking, the actual presents surfaced. Both Beanie & Biggles are partial to chomping on plastic bottles, so we got a couple of bone-shaped chew toys which have a (hopefully) resilient but squishy outer casing with a crunchy bottle-like inner core. I’m sure they’ll be enjoyed once our pups try chomping down on them, but so far no-one has shown much interest. I think a bit of peanut butter might get smeared on them in the near future to get things started.

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Biggles briefly studies his new toy

Box demolition must be almost as tiring as consuming vast amounts of Christmas pud, because after dinner I was joined on the sofa by the Bigglet. We both dozed off watching the crap TV (do the channel chiefs deliberately put on tedious repeats because they know everybody’s going to sleep through them anyway?) and about half an hour later we played the traditional game of BattleFarts. It’s hard to say who won, but since we’d both had Brussel sprouts with our Christmas nosh, I can tell you it got pretty bad. In due course we headed out to nearby Portencross for some fresh air and a leg stretch. This normally quiet little hamlet was surprisingly busy, which was great for Biggles because he loves getting his ears fondled by passers-by. Beanie of course did her level best to mug everyone for treats, and while she didn’t actually get any, she did get to leave some muddy paw prints on people so her time wasn’t completely wasted.

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Finally, here’s a short video showing Susan’s abortive attempt to cover The Bigglet in wrapping paper. She’d seen a cute time-lapse video of someone wrapping their cat, and figured that if a wriggly cat can be wrapped up, surely the same thing can be done with a Beagle? Well, it seems not, at least not if that Beagle is Biggles.

Wrapping Biggles from Paul Roberts on Vimeo.

 

7 Replies to “Christmas 2014”

  1. Julie, JB & Cassie's \mum

    Happy Christmas and New Year to you all! Great video of trying to gift wrap a wriggly beagle – I think Susan did very well, we wouldn’t have got the first piece around our two! JB in particular loves tearing up wrapping paper and he helped all four of us open our presents! For the first time in the four years since we got her, Cassie actually got interested enough to half open a present! Such progress, we think she never did it in any of her former homes and its taken this long for the penny to drop that it’s fun. We’ve also almost got her to play with us too, which is something else she’s never understood. It just takes such a long time because she had three homes in three years before she came to us and we don’t know what life was like for her. She has a life of luxury now though and the good life is obviously having an effect – she even taps on the door now when she wants to go out, which she’s learnt from JB. Who said you can’ teach an old dog new tricks?!!!

  2. Paul Post author

    Happy Christmas and all the best for the New Year Julie, JB & Cassie!

    Cassie’s story really shows just how much those early years can influence a dog. Even Biggles who let’s face it has had it easy from day #1, isn’t quite as confident in play as Beanie, and I often wonder if that’s because Beanie (our first) had loads of dedicated 1:1 time with us, while Biggles had to share. Or it might just be that Beanie’s a stroppy, spoiled little madam while Biggles is more respectful :)

    Either way, it’s great that Cassie’s discovering the joys of wrapping destruction!

  3. Sue in Texas

    Ours aren’t interested in wrapping paper, unless of course it is over food. We did not get ours until they were around 2. Barney is not playful, and Jodi is only when she wants to be :) Typical.

    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. Thanks for all the smiles Paul!

  4. Paul Post author

    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Sue!

    You may be lucky that your two aren’t into wrapping paper. It’s a small step from wrapping paper to mail, and in our house we have to be pretty quick when the postman makes a delivery :)

  5. Susan in DE

    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! Gorgeous photos as always. And a brilliant idea with the boxes, wrapping and treats. Josie probably wouldn’t participate, but Lady definitely would. My husband used to “fight” our late beagle Jordan with the empty wrapping paper tubes, while making Star Wars light saber noises and saying silly things like, “Jordan, I am your father!” Jordan Skywalker always won. :)

  6. Sue in Texas

    Being a Beagle and to prove me wrong, Barney tore up a roll of toilet paper. hahahaha, well I thought it was funny, husband not so much :)

  7. Paul Post author

    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Susan! Love the image of the Beagle lightsabre duel :D

    @Sue: Good move with loo roll, Barney!

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