Stubbylee Blog

A lot of people know that pedigree dogs have two names - their posh kennel name and their pet name  which may or may not be connected so a dog’s owners can confidently stand in the local park and shout for Fang rather than Foo Foo Tinkerbell the Precious.

Our dogs though tend to have at least three names. Firstly there’s the pedigree name - we don’t usually have a theme for our litters we try and choose a name that matches the pups personality, look and colour although this could just finish with most of them being called Stubbylee Bundle of Mayhem. The pet name can be part of the pedigree name so Jazz After Dark is simply known as Jazz, others take their pet name from their markings Zorro had a Z shaped marking on his back, some are just names we like Stubbylee Aine is called Isa.

Then though they acquire other names over time - usually used when they are not at the peak of their good behaviour. Isa is typically she’s reddish in colour and likes to sneak around getting into mischief so she acquired the name of Weasel a name she answers to better than Isa. There’s also S. Morning Star or Star. Her name was chosen because she had a white star on her back as a puppy like Venus in the morning sky oh and because morning star is a leathal weapon that can cause a lot of mayhem and damage. But she had a habit of slithering around on the floor so started being called Slithers. Andrew took this and in his best Mr Burns impression started refering to her as Ah Smithers so now Smithers has stuck.

At times a dog’s name seems to define their character S. Jazz Diva or Diva certainly lives up to her name she can out Diva Shirley Bassey. Then there was William or Stubbylee Enchanter to be posh. William can have so many different connotations, there’s prince William or Sweet William or Just William. Guess which one ours was (I’ll give you a clue it wasn’t Prince or Sweet). If ever a dog lived up to his name it was William a totally naughty schoolboy he’d get in all sorts of trouble but then at the end you would forgive him anything (well almost). And he’s passed his character on to his son Jazz or as a lot of people seem to know him Oh Jazz, usually accompanied by a sort of humerous smile

Its been a busy weekend with Andrew’s 21st birthday on Saturday 10th, following on from Liz’s on the 9th. Liz is away though at the Keswick Jazz Festival where she’s acting as a bouncer (steward really but bouncer sounds more interesting). There again in past years she has been known to not allow the main organiser in to a venue because it was too full. Poor Andrew’s birthday mainly consisted of bathing dogs for the Birmingham Champ show but he did get the chance to take Leo out for his first walk. I took Magic for her first one as well and Adarka to give them reassurance. They both went really well, Leo would happily strut on then sit down to have a look around and wag his tail before going on again.  They met people who made a fuss of them so they enjoyed their venture into the big world. Its really difficult to find a decent 21 st card most are either a bit pathetic or the joke ones about going out getting drunk and ha ha don’t do anything we wouldn’t. Who are they kidding - most 21 year olds have been going out getting drunk for the previous 3 years at least.

Birmingham show was very hot, we just tried to keep the dogs under cover but even so the heat got to them. Diva and Rush both won their classes but Diva had a mood on her - her emu face as Liz calls it - I think she was affronted that I’d shown her and that her mum had deserted her.

The trip home was slowed down by a bad accident on the opposite carrigeway - why do morons have to slow down just to see whats happening it really is a pain. Still I suppose it was better than the south bound where the motorway had been closed and traffic was backed up over 10 miles.  People were out of their cars we even saw a couple of people laid flat out on the tarmac between cars sunbathing - there’s nothing like making the best of a bad situation.

By the time we got home Andrew & I were shattered - sort all the dogs out then collapse. All the dogs were just too hot and wanting to flop around - we’d got no problems with that.

Last night I took Luka & Diva out for some roadwork. It gives them a change from running and helps keep their feet tight. Diva likes her walks, she can go out somewhere different and relax - Luka is different though, Luka absolutely loves going for a walk.

She starts before we get out of the door with cat leaps 2 feet in the air non stop; I attempt to open the door whilst avoiding being hit by a low flying borzoi. Then we set off. Do you remember the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoons with Pepe Le Peu - the amorous French skunk. He used to bounce along with four straight legs and his tail arched over his back. Well that’s Luka for the first few hundred yards. We reach some grass so she switches to sniff & mark, worse than any male dog. Diva just stands and waits with the occassional stiff whilst I try to move a seeming immoveable object. Off down the road again Luka switches into scenthound mode as she trails for discarded chips, burgers, kebabs or other fast food - all whilst straining madly on her lead so it pulls and she’s wheezing like she smokes 40 a day.

Eventually after a steep hill or two everything settles down into a nice steady walk but then joy of joy a whole slice of bread. Diva makes a half hearted lunge but too slow mum’s there first and starts strutting down the road with it sticking out either side of her mouth. I’m doing a sort of hopping sideways shuffle until I finally wrestle the bread off her - surprisingly still intact. Not too far from home and everyone’s settled down again then there’s  a bloody cat - just strolling across the pavement in front. Luka spots it and starts barking, straining and bouncing as we walk - then mid bounce she lands on a polystyrene take away box. Oh decisions - cat - takeaway - cat - takeaway which to go for can I manage both??. By the time Luka’s made up her mind the cats gone so it will have to be the take away - damn its empty. Life is so unfair.

Time for me to make the most of the disappointment and we’re off walking again just stopping for another burst of sniff & mark before we’re home and time for Luka & Diva to tell the others about it all.