The Flying Beagle

Charlie and Merlin take Flight

Sorry that I haven’t posted for so long. Charlie has been as busy as ever but his biggest adventure was his first Beagle walk. We met up in Ely and went for a lovely walk with a group of dogs, four of which were Beagles. We were very sensible, keeping them on leads until we got to the river. As soon as we let them of it was total carnage, locals must have thought that the local hunt hounds had escaped because they tore off baying as they went! Charlie had most of his fun running around with his friend Merlin with whom he played the ‘chase me’ game for about an hour. As far as I can see, this game is a bit like tag except when you catch the other dog you have to bowl into it and have a bit of a wrestle before you switch over. I cannot believe what a brilliant photo Sally managed to get of them with their ears flying.

It would also appear that I have bought a water beagle, Charlie likes to paddle but he has never actually been swimming, it would appear that he has no fear, though that is no surprise! I just threw the ball in and told him to go get it – what a good dog! Although I did realise my mistake after this – I was going to have to take him home in the car. I need one of those towel bag things where you zip the dog in and it has to sit in the towel and can’t get the car filthy, I think that might have to come for Christmas. He does look a bit of a sorry state all curled up in the car on a horses exercise blanket!

Please don’t think though from this happy tale that Charlie has mended his destructive ways, the little monster spent Monday evening at my Parents house, systematically destroying the cushion to one of her arm chairs. I’m not sure how all of this stuffing came out because I tried to put it all back in but it doesn’t seem to fit. I think I am going to have to get the sewing machine out and perhaps learn to upholster furniture before we’ll be invited back!

 

Charlie B Beagle and the Christmas Jumper

Charlie lives with me in a very old cottage; as a result we don’t have any central heating. We do have lovely log fires but it can get a bit cold, especially mid-week when we haven’t had a chance to light a fire. Because of this I thought I ought to get Charlie a little jumper to keep him warm. Problem is that there wasn’t much of a range of plain jumpers, there was glitter and fur trim and diamante. So we go this little number, Charlie was not amused as you can see from this photo. I think it looks a bit like a Christmas jumper that you granny gets you, I was hoping he could pull off the Geek c’est Chic look but I don’t think he is convinced! In fact, when I released him he started trying to get the jumper off and carried the jumper, with him still in it outside to try and escape. What I missed on this video was that in one manoeuvre, he was so determined to get out of the jumper, he pulled so hard that he flipped himself over!  I am hoping that he is going to learn that this is the key to him being warm at home and he will stop trying to eat it!

No. We haven’t been robbed!

My friend was reminding me today of a story from over the summer. I’d been out partying the night before and being a little broken I thought I would have a nap on the sofa at lunchtime. Charlie hopped up and he got snuggled up under the blanket for a little sleep.  Off we dozed until I could hear voices calling my name. I’d forgotten that I had invited my friends and their baby over for coffee to meet Charlie and they had let themselves cautiously in having had no response when they knocked and were calling for me. However, it would appear that Charlie had not been asleep for the whole time, he had been having a bit of a party whilst I was asleep! There were cushions everywhere, toys shredded, he had ripped out the stuffing on the sofa – total carnage! The first question “have you been robbed?!” No I had to admit, this is just what Charlie does when I am not watching him!

So after this wonderful first impression, Charlie was not done, he promptly stole the baby’s rattle and hooned off around the garden with it, requiring me to chase him about. Not great when you are hung over and a little sleepy.

Luckily Charlie was pretty well behaved whilst they were visiting and spent most of his time in the garden. Thomas then pointed out that Charlie kept running in and out of the kitchen. That was when I realised that he was running in, stealing a packed of Smackos, running outside to snuffle them and then coming back for more, he ate five packets – naughty beagle!