Teddy's Slideshow!

Mum's in love with me again!

Today has been a great day! I have been on my best behaviour because I didn't like mum being so cross with me. Mum herself had a coming and going, popping in and out sort of morning and I got very excitable and restless. Ben, on the other hand, seemed to be having a tired grumpy day and kept telling me off all the time for just being near him I think. Mostly he's active and fun but sometimes his age catches up with him. Anyway, mum told me that, if I really really behaved myself, I could go with her on the bus to her meeting and we'd leave Ben to get some peace and quiet. When she told me I sat there being oh so good and looked up at her making my eyes as big and puppylike as I could! I even put my paw up to shake hands and show how good I was and that sealed the deal!!

I was a bit restless on the first bus we went on because I was excited but it was nearly empty and mum took me to the back so I could look at the world out of the window. Wow, there was just so much going on: people doing their shopping, kids playing football, some men standing talking outside a pub, and dogs.....lots of them, and I could watch them without them seeing me! I did bark at them once when I forgot to be good for a minute but I kept quiet after that. Then we had to change buses and when we got on the second one the driver wanted to stroke me and even called me to jump up but I was keeping my promise to be good and didn't jump, even though I had to miss out on being patted by the driver.

Things got even better when we got off the bus because we popped into a little pet shop and it was like a sweetie shop for dogs with lots of different food on the shelves going all the way up the walls. There were so many tasty smells too and mum said my eyes opened so wide to take it all in. One nice man told me to sit and gave me a treat then disappeared into the back of the shop, the another man came and gave me a treat too! We went for a walk then on some grass called 'the Links' so that I could do a wee and a poo and stretch my legs until we got to where mum's meeting was. Everyone was so friendly there and loads of folk talked to me and told me how good lookng I am! While mum and some people talked away I chomped on a giant chew bone mum had secretly bought at the pet shop for me - my day was getting better and better!

Before we headed home on the bus again we met a little girl and her mum who asked if she could stroke me, so I sat nicely while she patted my head with her tiny little hand. Mum said to her to watch her crisps that she was holding but I wouldn't have touched them because I knew she was a human puppy - a wee sweetheart she was too.

Going home the bus was crowded and mum was a bit worried in case I wasn't allowed on but it was ok. We had to squeeze into the back of the bus though, but then a little bt of magic happened. A little boy, that mum said must've been about 5 or 6, with soft brown skin and a mass of curls, looked me in the eye and said "you're just like me!". Everybody laughed but he really was just so cute and gentle too as he ran his fingers through my curls. Mum gave him treats to give me and I knew I had to be as calm and gentle as I could be. The sweetest part, though, was when he asked my mum if I'd lived with her since I was a puppy and mum said I'd only lived with her for a few months. The wee boy piped up with "he's adopted then, just like me too!". Well, I'm not really a licky sort of fella but I could have licked his little face all over! He gave me such a hug too. I was quite sad when he got off the bus but then I got lots of attention from everyone else who all seemed to want to have their turn to stroke me.

Well, I'm tired now and I"ve had my tea, and mum has said she's so very proud of me. We both think it's been a very special day!

In the dog house!

I'm feeling very sorry for myself today because I'm in mum's bad books. She seems to be getting really cross with me when all I'm doing is playing. In fact one of my favourite games in the morning when we're out on the golf course is to go running up behind her when she hasn't seen me and do a kind of doggy 'boo'! I jump up at her back and bounce away so she can't catch me. I honestly don't mean to keep knocking her over though. I have fun with Ben too. I start running really fast and charge at him. Well it's not my fault he doesn't get out of the way in time and so gets knocked flat is it? I also love running away with mum's hat and gloves if I can get hold of them because she has to chase me and we have a great game then!

Yesterday mum told me off for playing chase in her bedroom (it was really fun!). It was Annie's fault, she's the really mad cat, because she was catching my tail from under the bed. I couldn't catch her from where I was so I jumped on and over the bed, then it was such fun it was like it was snowing bits of paper and I jumped all round trying to catch them (mum got really cross with me then - she said all the bits of paper were something to do with her work). Then Annie jumped out again and we had a great chase! Mum just didn't understand how much fun it all was - and I'm still just a big puppy (at least inside!)

Another thing she gets mad at me for is when we pass other dogs and I'm on the lead. It's so frustrating because I just want to play with them and, if they're a boy like me, I want to get into some rough and tumble, you know, boys stuff. She even told the dog trainer, Lynn 'the dog lady', on me at the class on Tuesday. That's just not fair. Lynn put me on two leads to show mum, one on my collar and the other on my halti, and walked around the hall past all the other dogs like that. Oh, the shame of it all for a young lad like me.

This morning though, she got 'steam coming out of her ears' cross! Mum hadn't got organised with the 2 lead thing so I was just on my normal lead when we passed Eddie, a big white German Shepherd. Well I jumped up to 'boy play' (he gives me the come-on that you humans never see) and we got tangled up and mum slipped over on the ice. I think she hurt her knee and I didn't mean it but she really yelled at me in the street. I sat and was really good, I even wagged my tail and looked cute, but it didn't stop her being cross with me though.

So that's me today - in the dog house and feeling very sorry for myself, sniff. Even Ben's not talkng to me. Think I'll go and find Annie........!

A funny old day....

Well it's been a funny old day today! It didn't start too well with me getting the blame first thing this morning for all but emptying a box of tissues all over the floor of the sitting room and pulling the plug on our internet connection. Well, I ask you, would I, MOI, do that? (like the French? It must be the poodle in me!) Anyway my mum and Kirsty had to apologise to me because it turned out to be those rascal cats having fun during the night (don't know how us canines missed the fun!). I think you can see from the pics that it's Annie (the tabby and white) who's the trouble maker!

After we'd been out to the garden for a bit and had breakfast our mum went out and left Ben and me for a while. Kirsty was there with Angel and Sam but Ben and I miss mum when she goes out. Today it was to church and she always tells us she's really sorry we can't come. Just sometmes, though, she takes Ben if she goes later on. Because he's an old man he just sleeps through it whereas I'd probably get bored and restless, she says. She's probably right but I wish I could go with her. She also says she thinks God would be very happy to see us in church too, but that a lot of people wouldn't agree. Anyway, before I knew it she was back again and getting ready to take us to the beach. It was cold but another lovely sunny day again. Sam came with us this time because Kirsty took Angel to agility (see the top pictures!). Angel's still a beginner but she's good at the jumps and loves it. She tells us all about it when she comes home, if she's not too tired that is.

Well off we went to the beach - me, Ben, Sam and mum, but when we got there I couldn't see any beach at all and giant waves were hitting against the prom. Sam and Ben weren't bothered but I jumped when the water splashed over - well, there was such a crashing noise! Mum told me all about the tides - I didn't really understand - but I got that this was 'high tide' and that the beach would come back again later. Weird though, I thought. Sadly it meant we had to stay on the lead for a while - Sam and me that is, Ben was ok running about - until we found a patch of beach further along. And then - once our leads were off - Sam and I just ran and ran and swam too. Sam is a really good swimmer and mum was throwing the ball out quite far so after a while I let him do the hard work and got the ball off him on the way back!! I had great fun then, once I was really soaked, rolling and rolling in the sand till I was covered in it and mum couldn't stop laughing! She said I looked really funny completely covered in sand and wshed she had her camera with her. Then Sam jumped on me and we wrestled for a bit and most of the sand dropped off again. Ben, of course just looks at me and shakes his head. I think he's given up trying to make me behave just like him! Anyway we all had a great time and were quite tired walking back home again. Now it's time for that snooze once again - until Angel comes back and we hear how she got on. We always get excited then. Anyway, that's all for now and mum says it's time to turn the computer off, so woofs, wags and licks from me, Teddy x

Exhausted!

Well it's me again - and I'm exhausted! My mum had me on the beach for hours, then we had a rest while she cleaned up the house, then she took us up Arthurs Seat - a very big hill in the middle of Edinburgh!! It was great fun but now I'm ready to call it a night - well almost! Me, Ben and mum took our neighbour Kerouac up to the beach too. She's another labradoodle and is Angel's half sister. It was quite a coincidence finding that she lived just down the road, especially since we all were born (me, Angel and Kerouac, but not Sam) at Jackie McLellan's kennels, http://www.tora-labradoodles.co.uk/, which is near Loch Lomond. Mum say's there's no such thing as coincdence but I don't want to start her off on that or she'll go on forever!! Anyway, I have to admit I was scared of her at first, even though she's smaller than me, and a girl! She barked non stop at me every time I passed her garden and when we first met she bared her teeth and lunged at me - what a girl! No wonder I was scared of her. But today, although we played rough at first and shouted at each other a bit we found out that we liked each other after all! We ended up romping in the sea and on the sand and had lots of fun together. Mum says it's just as well because Kerouac's mum is going to take me out twice a week when she's working and in exchange Kerouac is coming to the beach with us on Saturday mornings. Wow - lot's of fun times ahead! We haven't got a photo of Kerouac yet so I'll show you one of Angel - they're so alike!

Ben was happy today because I didn't jump all over him and knock him over like I usually do. He just paddled and sniffed at all the seaweed, carrying his ball the whole time. He wouldn't let either of us play with it but it didn't matter because we were having so much fun ourselves anyway. Poor old chap he's really out for the count now!

Angel and Sam seem to have had a good day too. They go to work with Kirsty and she takes them to the beach afterwards, often with all the other staff dogs,so they have a good chase. Angel was another one who scared me a bit at first but I was a bit rough with her I suppose. I forget how big I am sometimes! I wonder if I'll grow anymore? Mum say's I'll probably just fill out a bit more now I'll be even more of a big lump than I am now!! She always gives me a big kiss when she says it though. Anyway I'm off for a good long kip now.....yawn... zzzzzzzzzzz

Beach videos

Just a short note today as mum's been really busy but I wanted to share these videos of Me and Ben on the beach having LOADS of fun! This was taken last Sunday when, although it was cold, it was a beautiful morning. We were so lucky to get out and enjoy it because by the afternoon it was wild - cold, wet and windy! We met lots of four-legged friends too and had a really good chase with some of them. We actually met two dogs bigger than me - Ellie the deerhound and Moose the bull mastiff! Mum made such a fuss of them - especially Ellie - that I got quite jealous!! Later on, at home, when we snuggled up on the sofa listening to the wind outside blowing things around and having lovely cuddles, mum whispered in my ear "No need to be jealous, sweetheart, I love you very much!" (I have to admit that she followed it up with "Now get off my foot you big lump!" but never mind). I think I know now that this is my forever home!

The beach

Good morning! It's a damp blustery day today so mum was well wrapped up when she took us to the beach this morning - she had to hold on to her hat a few times though. I was waiting for the wind to whip it off her head so that I could chase it along the sand and shake it all around! I love the beach, I mean really LOVE it. Mum wasn't going to throw the ball into the water for me because I think she though it was too cold but I ran into the sea chasing seaweed anyway, just to show her it was ok. My curly coat is so thick I don't seem to notice it being cold and I'm running and jumping all the time anyway. Ben was playing in the water too. Mum worries about him ovedoing things because he's an old boy. Once, walking home from the beach his back legs gave way underneath him and he tottered sideways and nearly fell over. Poor old Ben. Mum said I was to leave him alone that day so he could rest but he was fine soon aftewards. I know my mum and Ben have been best friends fo a long time and sometimes mum gets quite sad about him being old now. I don't understand why but I clown about then to make mum laugh. Anyway, today we were out for ages and walked nearly the whole length of the beach and it was fantastic. I had a chase with a few dogs along the way but mostly it was just Ben and me this morning. Mum likes to think and 'reflect' she says, when she's walking with us, and she likes to look at everything - like the colours and textures of everything and the shapes in the clouds. Someday she wants to lean to paint but she's too busy at the moment. I hope she does. She told me today was an orange and green day, where the sand looked quite orangey and the sea was all shades of green. It changes all the time and that's one of the things my mum loves about walking by the sea, apart from all that space for us to play, that is. Mum says when the spring comes and it's not so cold for her fingers she's going to take lots of photos of me at the beach but she hasn't got many now so I thought I'd show you some pictures of the rest of the gang - Ben and the other two doodles Angel and Sam.

My Story

My mum always says I"ve got big nose because I'm always poking it into everything.....in the fridge (given half the chance), in cupboards under beds and tables, into piles of seaweed, puddles, poo...(oops, didn't mean to tell you that!!!). Just as well I like water, mum says, because at least my nose is always getting washed too!

Tonight I was poking my nose into how my mum knew I needed a new home......'Tell me, tell me mum how you knew all about me?' I asked, so this is what she told me:

she was going on a day out down the coast with Ben and was meeting our friend Linda near the shops to be picked up in the car. Well, by the crossroads near the church, Linda had said, but she didn't say which crossroads by which church - and there were two to choose from! So there was my mum walking up and down with Ben (his tail wagging with excitement) between the two crossroads, looking for Linda and her car, when she saw a lady she recognised from walking Ben and the other two doodles on the beach. The lady started chatting away and remembered mum had a connection with doodles somehow or other and said how sad it was that this person she knew of had to part with their chocolate labradoodle. That was ME by the way! Well that got mum's interest but she was in a hurry (and was still looking out for the car) so she said to the lady to phone Kirsty at her work (a local dog and cat rescue centre, so she could look up the number) and tell her, and that there was a chance that she might be able to help them find a home for me. Mum said she never really expected to hear anymore and went off to have a lovely day with Ben and Linda - though she said she couldn't get me out of her mind, hoping I would find a good home! However, this lovely lady passed on the message pretty quickly and Sylvia (my mum then) phoned up Kirsty who then told my new mum all the details and, before she new it, I was coming round to meet everyone in my new home! All I can remember then was being brought in the car and playing in the garden with Angel and Sam, and it was such fun. We tugged on rag toys, played with balls and romped around in the grass! I didn't meet Ben then because they thought it would be too much at once and he needed to meet me more 'quietly', mum said. Well that was it really - I stayed. And that was that! Actually mum's been telling me off a bit tonight because I've been being a bit naughty and won't settle down. Mum thinks it's because it's a full moon! Anyway, she still told me that when she first saw me it was love at first sight for her! I love her too and love lying down beside her - on the sofa if I can - or at least on the floor by her legs. Kirsty says I'm a real mum's boy now. I know this is a forever home and I love my whole new family.

Fun on doggysnaps!

My mum signed up to a Dogs Trust web site when she only had Ben, thinking it was lovely to show off Ben but also to see everyone else's dogs too. When she got me she put my picture in the Doggysnaps kennel too, and now me, Ben and mum have lots of fun on it.

The website is http://www.doggysnaps.com/ - have a look, it's great fun. Our kennel is called 'Jacqui&Ben' and you'll see pictures of Ben and Me, and Angel and Sam there too! We get up to all kinds of mischief and right now we're playing at being secret agents! Well, Ben isn't cos he thinks it's all silly and that we should just get on with being dogs. But I'm a LABRADOODLE and 'doodles just wanna have fun' as they say (don't know who says is but someone must!). So I'm having fun whatever Mr boss-me-around-Ben says. Also, my mum says I'm really just a baby still and I agree when it suits me. I mustn't be mean to Ben though cos he's my friend and sticks up for me when I need it AND he let me share his mum, our mum, MY mum!!!

My mum's daughter, Kirsty, is Angel and Sam's mum. They're jealous cos Kirsty doesn't play on doggysnaps anymore and so we're letting them play in our kennel a bit too!

This is a picture of me when I first came to my new family, by the way......bye for now, love Teddy.

Let me introduce myself.....

Hi, my name is Teddy the chocolate labradoodle and, I suppose, this is my story - kind of! I was born in Scotland and started out as a puppy with a lovely family. Sadly, when I got to be a year and a half, they couldn't keep me anymore but promised to find me a really good home where I'd have lots of fun and get loads of cuddles. So that's how I ended up where I am now. Although I was confused at first and missed my old family, I soon grew to love Jacqui (my new mum) and my new family. Now I am very very happy living with mum and Ben, the collie/spaniel cross (he's an oldie), and the two 2 year old black labradoodles, Angel and Sam, and their mum Kirsty as well as the cats Sophie, Annie and Crystal. Oh, and I nearly forgot - a rat called Zorro! We're quite a family so I thought I'd write (with a bit of help from mum) about what we get up to.