Canny Collies & Photos

Having four dogs on the farm is such a pleasure. I sat on the kitchen floor the other day with Molly by my legs, Bonnie and Meg on my legs and Sparky snuggling up to me under my arm. A camera would have been good at that moment but of course there was no one about. Molly is slowly getting used to the puppies now, she doesn't mind so much when they go in for a kiss, or try to suckle from her rather flat chest. It's quite comical to see, and hilarious to watch Sparky run away in the hope that she won't be accosted next. Molly gives off the odd growl and puppy moves away but on the whole, it looks like all four dogs are getting on very well indeed. We are obviously still having the odd accident, usually wiped up by me, but as we have got them into the routine of going straight outside after a meal, they are beginning to learn that once dish is emptied, so should bowels. And it generally works. I jump up and down on the lawn, praising each pup as they crouch amongst the grass, while they look at me as though I'm a woman possessed.

I can honestly say it hasn't calmed Sparky down at all. She's still mad. But I see her in a different light now; she's a mummy, like me. She might be a four-legged-furry-mummy, but she's still brought new life into the world and nurtured it beautifully, and for that she deserves our respect. I haven't worked out yet which puppy is the quieter one. Meg seems a little more like Sparky in the way she runs the other way when we shout her name, whereas Bonnie always comes running towards us, excited at the prospect of having a cuddle, or perhaps something to eat. She's definitely the greedier of the two. We've had to tell her a few times about pinching Meg's food only to dash back to her own dish when Meg moves away.

I haven't worn clean clothes for weeks. I put something fresh on and within minutes it's full of dirty paws and puppy drool. Of course I don't mind in the least. Here's a few photos taken recently:-