Pippadogblog

Not at home

2012-01-23T14:51:00.003+01:00

Or rather - moved home.

All Pippadog posts now over on my wordpress blog here. Please note, blogger pals, I have asked you to let me know if you have any problems commenting over there. Thanks for visiting.

Blogger or Wordpress? - a Pippadog review

2011-12-24T09:56:00.006+01:00

Here, is the tale of my Blogger tribulations.

There I was happily minding my own business, blogging away peaceably, when Nasty Horrid Blogger told me I couldn't get into my own blog.

Hello NHB. Why not? Apparently there was 'unusual activity'. Uh? What did that mean? There was no spam. We were using a different Browser so that Misery Mistress could be schizophrenic and log in to different blogs with all her millions of identities but so what?

We sent in a support request (or whatever it is called). And another. And another. They wanted a telephone number but Misery did not think she should have to do that.

One of her friends told her that she had been locked out of FB and had to do the same thing.

In the end Master took pity on poor blogless Pippadog and told Misery to give out his work number.

Surprise surprise. They sent a message immediately with a code to unlock the blog.

Well, we don't think this is necessary. At all. Just because it is free doesn't mean people should invade a dog's privacy. It is like that bad Facebook which Misery wrote about on her blog here.

So Misery went off to investigate Wordpress for me. She investigated it many years ago and didn't like it. But when she gets a bee in her waxed cotton hat she takes things seriously.

Actually the truth is she had already been dabbling with Wordpress for her own boring blog. Since she stupidly took up Blogger's offer to try their new look, decided she didn't like it, and switched back, she has had problems with fonts and layouts. Even when she upgraded her editor or some such jargon.

Now, I love my blog very much, there are so many pictures of handsome me on there. But I thought if Misery could have a new Wordpress blog, I could have one too.

So she made me one, and she imported all the posts over too. The photos haven't blown up so big, but that's not a huge issue. I didn't want it to look as though I had only just started blogging when I have been doing it for nearly Five! Whole! Years! And twice as many Pippapix floating around the web seemed like A Good Thing to me.

My favourite Wireys - Jake and Just Harry, The Barkalot Boyz - asked if I might write up about it all.

So here we go:

1 Setting it all up is pretty easy. The first step is like Blogger and just involves getting a name and a URL.

2 Then you get into the admin which is not at all like Blogger. It is a different dashboard, and the controls are down the side instead of across the top, so that takes a bit of adjusting.

3 Importing the old posts is probably one of the easiest bits of all. It is just a flick of a switch. I have no idea if you can make your imported pix bigger, but Misery is not prepared to go through a couple of hundred of my posts trying to find out. She is still busy going through the posts on her Clouds blog sorting the text out after Blogger stuffed that one up too and took away her paragraphs. She is obsessed with short paragraphs. Although this one is a bit long.

4 There is a HUGE choice of templates. One hundred and forty something the last time we looked. You can pay for templates with extra twirls options. We haven't done. The customisation is not as flexible as Blogger (unless you pay I guess) but with that sort of choice it's not too difficult to find something you are happy with.

5 Writing posts is pretty straightforward and easy.

6 Loading photos is easy. You can either upload a bunch at once or insert them where you want - I think Blogger has started doing that now.

7 Posts are allocated to a default of Uncategorised which we think is annoying, so best to either categorise them all with the blog name eg Pippadog, or actually think up a few categories which Misery has done on her blog.

8 There is a wide choice of comment settings and fortunately no ghastly word verification string. You can moderate or not - and you can set it so that people don't have to submit their email address which we consider to be an invasion of privacy. Best to make it comment mod rather than ask for pups' pawsonal details. You can also have embedded comments if somepup wants to reply to a specific comment.

9 I don't think the blogroll is as good :( It doesn't seem to come up with piccies or updates like Blogger does. So that one is a PippaPawDown.

10 You can set favicons or avatars or gravatars or whatever you want to call them so that they come up when you comment on a wordpress blog (but not on blogger) and you can have one next to your url in the top bar.

11 You can have little stars at the top so that people can rate your posts. That's very nice if people give you five stars, although I guess if they only give you one that's not very good.

12 You can also have stars so you can rate people's comments which is nice I think.

13 And if people can't be bothered to comment they can 'like' your posts. Which is better than nothing.

14 What else - well you can post to twitter, google, facebook, all the mainstream social network sites with a flick of the paw, although we haven't done that.

15 The summary statistics are neat, and I think, better than the Blogger ones. Plus the spam filter seems pretty effective - according to Misery who seems to attract spammers :D

Pippa's Summary
Is it easy to use? Yes
Is it different to Blogger? Yes in quite a few respects
Is it easy to import the old blog? Yes
But we recommend NOT getting rid of any old blogs - just in case.
Is it worth a try? Yes
Can you spend hours in front of the computer trying out different options? Almost certainly

A couple of Misery's pals have said they like the look of the Wordpress blogs, and one said they found the clean lines attractive. We think they are too, although we tried to keep our Blogger blogs pretty clean and simple.

Basically the overall package is not too different to Blogger, but there are some tweaks where the two companies do differ. Most of our friends use Blogger, and we have been pretty happy with it over the last five years. But over the last few months it has annoyed us very much and the insistence on demanding a 'phone number - and not responding to three support requests - when we had done nothing wrong was VERY annoying.

To us, over the years, Blogger has not improved. There wasn't anything wrong with it when we started, and any changes they have made have not been for the better. Misery thought Wordpress was terrible when she looked at it a zillion years ago - but it definitely has improved which is why it gets a PippaPawUp. And Blogger gets the PippaPawDown.

So I may write the odd post on here. But I will keep up to the new WP blog out of principle. If nothing else, it's often good to change and try something new. Us pups need to keep up with things.

I'm cross posting this on my other blog here - so comment, if you wish - on whichever blog you find easiest. I'll read them both. Any questions - ask away.

Here is a picture of me, for those of you who can't be bothered to read all that techy review stuff. Or for those of you who have and need some light relief.

Happy holidays whether you are celebrating Hanukah, the Winter Solstice (which I guess is over now), or Christmas. Or anything else that I have missed.

Checking out at my finca

2011-12-06T10:26:00.006+01:00

We went back to my finca.

I checked out my gate.

My gate, letting everyone know I am back and on guard

I checked out MY spinach patch (not yours Misery).

Lying by my spinach patch

Multi-tasking - lying in my corner and looking at the gate too

I checked out Misery cooking in my kitchen.

Always best to lie in the doorway I find

Give me food, Misery

I checked out the dining room for food.

Waiting patiently, as ever

Looking sorry for self - where is the food?

I checked out the spinach patch more closely.

Getting right into MY spinach patch

I checked out the cat up the street.

There he is - stalking me

Keeping my eye on that CAT

And I went to the VET to check him out too but that's for another post.

Editor's note: for anyone who didn't get chance to follow the riveting saga on fb - Misery and I got very annoyed with Blogger so we have gone over to the dark side. You can find me at (natch) my other Pippadogblog address now. I shall write up the long and exciting tale when I have recovered from all the stress.

Pippa goes into politics (briefly)

2011-11-25T17:55:00.006+01:00

As there is something called elections happening all around the place, I thought I would go into Poorly Ticks.

[No, Pippa, Politics. You were poorly when you had tick disease. Not the same, although....... there could always be something rotten in the state....]

Haroo, Paw-lie-ticks then?

[OK, near enough]

Now, seems there was an election in Spain the other week. The party in government was the PSOE.

Hmm, I thought to myself, what could that stand for?

[Partido Socialista Obrero Español - Spanish Socialist Worker's Party]

I'll ignore that. Thank you Misery. Now, it could be Pippa's Super Omelette Eatables.

[Pippa, it needs to be vaguely about politics not food]

OK, then well Powerful Siberians Overcome - er Elephants? Nope, maybe not. Powerful Siberians Overcome Everything.

Yes, that one is OK, I think. Except the PSOE didn't win. Or overcome anything at all.

Instead the PP - Partido Popular (Popular Party) - won the Spanish election. They have right paw politics.

That's easy isn't it? PP? Pippa's Pawty. Pippa's Pups. Pups' Party. Pawfect Pups.

[More than enough Pippa]

Oh well, moving onto Gibraltar. Our election is in a couple of weeks' time.

We have the GSD, the GSLP (Lib Alliance), and the PP too.

GSD is an obvious one isn't it? Clearly the German Shepherd Dogs. Or the German Siberian Dictatorship? That's good isn't it?

[No, Pippa, we aren't really into that sort of dictator idea at all].

Oh. Disarm? Direct? How about German Siberians Discuss? That's good, I think, we can be all touchy barky with that.

How about the GSLP? That's another super one. German Shepherd/Sibes Lead Pups (and People in my dreams). I'm running with that one. I hope they get in. They are the Slightly Left Pawty. Perhaps that is what GSLP stands for. Gibraltar Slightly Left Pawty.

Now, PP.

[Thank you Pippa, we had enough of Pups' Pawties in Spain, no more suggestions for that one in Gibraltar].

Haroooooo!! This is too difficult.

I think I will leave paw-lie-ticks to Turbo, who is much more astute and experienced than me in this sort of rough tough paw-lie-tickle world. I shall go back to my pharma studies.

What else? I still haven't told you the cockroach tale, but that's for another post.

And, because so many pups on my blogroll no longer update, I had a little lookie for some new pals.

So next time, I will post up some linkies to some new dogblogs I have found because it is always nice to share new friends. If I remember of course.

Now, in other news, we have pawed out of the DWB card exchange because Misery is useless at it (and the truth is, as you all know, it costs so much to send abroad). We have however, sent some cards to the pups (shock horror and a pesky cat too) who exchanged with us last year. If you want a Pippacard by email or snailmail, please let me know before the end of the month and I will try and paw Misery into action. Unlikely, but hey, I'll try.

But, I did manage to get her to put a pic of me for submission in the DWB calendar.

So here are all my pics from our rubbish shoot-out. Hehe!! Such fun. Which one did Misery choose? If any?

I am asleep. Go away.

No. Not interested in photos. At all.

Ha! Laughing, and, wolf look-a-like time.

Thinking (not about paw-lie-ticks). My studious side.

Cultivating the mean and moody look, aka I really need to go to sleep again

PippaPawUp for Wagg

2011-11-19T14:17:00.006+01:00

I have seen some pups do product reviews. I have decided to do a few, although not many. They will either get the PippaPawUp, or the PippaPawDown. Easy huh?

So, today when Master and Misery went out I guarded the flat in my normal fashion. You know, asleep, under my table den.

Misery came back, panting and puffing up the stairs. But what did she have with her? - A HUGE sack of Wagg dog food.

I love Wagg. It is yummissimo.

This was a beef and veg sack. The other one I eat is chicken and veg. Misery thinks it is good because it comes from Yorkshire. But Misery thinks everything that comes out of Yorkshire is good because she did too.

Importantly, it has no added sugar or artificial flavourings or colourings. And any meat apparently is suitable for humans to eat. No ground up hooves there then. Good eh?

Cost: A 15 kg sack is £13.65 - works out at 91p a kilo. On the sack it says it is enough to feed a large dog (20-40kg) for a month at about 500 grammes a day.

There are small bags too, which are only 2.5kg but work out dearer, approx £1.30 a kilo. That's why Misery was panting and puffing up the stairs with the better value big sack.

I can happily recommend both varieties. Available from Morrisons and probably loads of other shops too, but we only have Morries in Gib.

They have a cool website, where you can buy their stuff on-line (cheaper too), and one of their dogs even has his own blog.

No, I did not get a single free Wagg biscuit for writing this up. Just thought it would be an interesting diversification for my CV. Or DV. Or whatever.

But for any pups living in the UK with a blog, they have been offering free treats in exchange for a review. Hey ho. You can't win 'em all (or even a lot, get the joke? winalot? all I can manage today) so I can't get those treats but other pups may be interested.

Anyways, here are some piccies of me out on my walk with Master. And then I go home for my lunch.

How embarrassing. Why is Master hopping?? Look at my sedate and graceful walk

A dog has to sniff

And more sniffs....

Hmm, there is another dog approaching. Always got to check them all out

And don't forget to check out Bolo's Nosevember contest where you have to guess whose nose belongs to who. Here is the post for week two.

November round up

2011-11-10T07:46:00.011+01:00

Here I am with my ~~weekly~~ monthly update. Well I live in hopes. It used to be weekly.

Of course, Misery being the technologically incompetent person that she is, has been messing around with her blogs again. So then she decided to start another one. I ask you, how many blogs can a person have? How many neglected blogs does a poor sad Pippadog have? Huh? One. A measly one. Anyway, it is a new wordpress one - roughseasinthemed for anyone interested in reading about her utterly boring life.

Oh, but she has made me a favicon - can you see it next to my blog address in the top bar?? And I have added icons on the right in my blogroll so you can have a look - hardly any of us have icons, most have an orange B for Blogger. Come along pups, get your pix out there on your favicon, you don't even need to mess with HTML now, you can just upload a tiny pic max size 100 x 100. So go do it.

Now onto ME. I had a fine time on gate duty at my finca as usual. Then it rained and I wasn't allowed to go out and lie in the wet. OK, so maybe I didn't really mind too much, so I took me under my table den.

Table den with my head under Misery's pretentious stool

Then I thought I might practise a little for my friend Bolo's Snosevember Contest I mean Nosevember. I think these are good fun. The trouble is you have to guess the dog belonging to the nose, so now you will all know which is my nose. Maybe I need to take different piccies.

Nose and face - nope, too much of me showing there

That's better - my ~~snose~~ nose

Next up, I tried to eat my friend Mango. That would be silly wouldn't it - I think he is a bit too big for me. I really tried to eat Misery's mango that she had for breakfast. Look at that plateful - far too much for a person to eat without sharing with a poor starving Pippadog (well I had already had my breakfast but I had forgotten about it by then).

Yummy mango. Far too much for greedy Misery

Waiting for MY mango

I've already posed once - you want more pix?? I need mango

Haha even I can't keep a straight face forever

I could be waiting a while. I decided to lie down

Here I am later on patiently waiting for brunch

I don't know why there isn't a place set for me

Thank goodness for kind Master - he always shares with me

And in other news, I had a super cockroach tale for you, but I will save that one for next time.

Don't forget to sign up for the DWB card exchange if you like to exchange cards or emails - details on Ping's blog here. And you need to send your piccy for the calendar too. Deadline for these is November 15.

I'll finish with a sad comment - seems my scary eyes didn't scare enough to keep the lovely Claudette with us. I came back from Spain to find she had gone to the Rainbow Bridge. (Misery wrote her tribute here if you haven't already seen it.)

We had been blog friends pretty much since she started some four years ago (I was a bit surprised to discover that when I did my research), and she was always one of my first and most frequent commenters, first with Lacy Lulu, and then with Rocky.

RIP Sweet Claudette, and if you see Prince over there (he's a barky GSD) - please give him a paws up from me. Tell him you are my pal, and he won't bark too much at you :)

Pippa the Pharma

2011-10-09T20:01:00.009+02:00

Here is some more info from Pippa the Pharmacologist about my cox-2 inhibitor, Cimicoxib (generic). Or Cimalgex (brand).

Misery is always very keen to read the information leaflets about any drugs, well they are usually mine, as she doesn't take any.

In fact she thinks it is so important, she wrote about it on her Clouds bloggy, which is not as good as mine because there are no pictures of me. But if you are interested in pharmaceutical and pharmacological issues, check out her paracetamol post.

Back to me. As we didn't get an information sheet for my tablets, she looked up the info on the tinties for me.

They come in three varieties. Cimalgex 8mg, 30mg amd 80mg. Each tablet has the same quantity of active ingredient cimicoxib, ie 8mg of cimicoxib in the 8mg tablet, 30mg in the 30mg tablet and 80mg in the 80mg tablet. The tablets are chewable ones and tasty. I can vouch for that.

Here are the other ingredients:

• Lactose monohydrate
• Povidone K25
• Crospovidone
• Sodium laurylsulfate
• Macrogol 400
• Sodium stearyl fumarate
• Pork liver powder

Misery wasn't very pleased to see the last one on that list. And she thought sodium lauryl sulphate was something you got in shampoo.

Big dogs like me need to take one tablet a day of the 80mg version, ie that's 20.1 - 40kg dog weight. You can take them with, or without food. I started eating them with my food, but when Misery was helping me research, she read something about taking the recommended dose without food.

So then I ate it before my breakfast with some tasty fake beefy slices. After a couple of days though, I began to feel a bit lethargic and couldn't be bothered to jump up and down for my breakfast. And when we went out for my walks, I didn't want to do anything. I even had a few tiny retches although nothing came up.

Misery looked at the internet again and checked out the adverse reactions. Here is what she found:

• Mild and transient gastro-intestinal disorders (vomiting and/or diarrhoea) were very commonly reported.

• On rare occasions, serious gastrointestinal disorders such as haemorrhage and ulcer formation have been noted. Other adverse reactions including anorexia or lethargy may also be observed on rare occasions.

• In very rare cases, increases in renal biochemistry parameters were noted. As for any long term NSAID treatment, renal function should be monitored.

Well I certainly didn't have diarrhoea, quite the opposite, but I had been trying to vomit. And I was not my usual perky self. I'm not even sure if I could have been bothered to chase a cat.

I'd had about ten tablets at this point out of my two week supply and my paw was much better. So Master and Misery decided to stop the tablets immediately, as advised, and I was soon back to my normal cheerful self. I even found a cat that I thought Master might want to look at more closely so I tried to pull him over. He didn't. Want to look at it I mean.

So, as Mango particularly asked about side effects, I thought it was worth making a separate post for you all in case you get arthritis or a trophy. Perhaps I will win a trophy for my pharmacological research?

In summary about my tablets:

1 They are tasty

2 They made my paw get better very quickly, and so far it has not hurt again

3 They are better taken with food, in my experience

They are not expensive at 19.20€ for 16 tablets and because I stopped taking them before I had used them all, it means there are some in my medicine cabinet in case my paw starts to hurt again.

Thank you all for your very kind comments about my pawly paw and I hope I don't need to put on my pharmacological hat again in the near future. Although I am happy to do any research for any pups who need it.

And here are some piccies. After all this is a dogblog. Finally, I end with a special pic for my friend Claudette where I am doing paws crossed and evil eyes to ward off bad things. Thinking of you, Claudette, big Pippahugs to you.

Pippa the Pharmacologist resting after research

Busy morning with a yoghurt pot

The obligatory boring old tablet shot

Breakfast time. So happy. Bread from Misery and toast from Master.

One of my favourite positions. Front paws on the floor, back ones on the sofa, ready to turn whichever way

Oh! Yes! Toast!

Eyes wide shut? while crunching toasties -
I hope Nicole Kidman appreciates my eyes wide shut

Licking my lips but I look drunk on here. Drunk on toast!!

Paws crossed for my lovely friend Claudette, and sending evil green eyes to help get rid of her pawlinesses

Pawly paw

2011-10-04T12:17:00.005+02:00

I had a pawly paw so off we went to see my favourite vet, Doctor Pedro.

Master and Misery thought it might be arthritis because I am old. They bought me some glucosamine which I wrote about last month but it didn't seem to make any difference.

We have learned two things about going to see Pedro. Not to go on a Monday morning because it is full of people who have waited over the weekend, and not to go first thing when there is a queue.

So we went about half tennish (he opens at 10) on a Tuesday, and walked straight in. Pedro walked over to see us in the waiting area. Unless I am going for my jabs, he likes to see us in the public area. I like that too, it's sort of friendly and informal.

He moved my leg backwards and forwards and I didn't even do the tiniest little yelp. Then he went out the back and came back with some tablets. Hmmmm. Would they taste nasty? Would I get them wrapped in tasty slices? :)

Misery asked what was wrong. Was it arthritis? Pedro said it could be arthritis or atrophy. A trophy? Does that mean I won a prize? Seems not.

Later Misery was puzzled. She spoke to Master about it. She couldn't understand why Pedro had said I was wasting away when he said I looked healthy and a good size.

'Muscle wastage,' said Master intelligently. 'Ah,' said Misery, realising that Master had hidden depths of cleverness.

Anyway, I am allowed to write about my tablets myself this time instead of Misery pretending to be clever and stealing all my interesting info and putting it on her blog. Pippa the Pill Popper. No, I don't think I like that image. Pippa the Pharmacologist, yes, that is much better. Serious and thoughtful.

So, I got Cimicoxib - generic name, brand name is Cimalgex. I got the 80 mg version. It is made by Vetoquinol.

It is a cox-2 inhibitor like the Previcox I had when I was poorly with erlichiosis. Now here comes the techy bit. Cox inhibitors are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS, or AINEs in Spanish). They work by inhibiting ie suppressing or turning off, an enzyme called cyclooxygenase (COX).

Now, there is COX 1 and COX 2. There is also COX 3 or 1B but that doesn't seem to be important. Just thought I would mention it in case anyone thought I hadn't done my research properly.

NSAIDs like aspirin and ibuprofen inhibit all cox enzymes. But cox-2 inhibitors only go for the enzyme that causes inflammation. It seems cox-1 is a good cox that looks after our stomachs so we don't want to inhibit that one.

There now, I think that is it. Cimalgex is a new tablet that only came out this year. It is chewy and tasty which is always a good thing in my dog opinion. Like all tablets it has side effects. I think I will write about that later as I am tired now after my pharmaceutical research.

My paw is better.

Even though I was on sick leave, I thought it was important to make sure I supervised the painting. And to ensure my table den did not disappear under all those sheets.

Here is my friend Perro Blanco who lives at the finca across the road. Actually he is not my friend at all as we always bark at each other. But he has a pawly paw too - he needs to go and see Pedro the Vet.

Here he is laughing at Misery. Perhaps we have something in common. In fact I think we look similar in some ways? What do you think?

National Day and holidays

2011-09-12T11:54:00.014+02:00

As everypup knows, 10 September in Gibraltar is National Day and we all parade around in red and white clothes. Even me.

Master went to one of his paint suppliers and they gave him a red T-shirt. 'Please can I have extra large for my extra large tummy?' he asked.

Then he asked for an extra large one for Misery too. Not that she has an extra large tummy but she likes loose T-shirts.

HELLO MASTER - WHERE IS MY T SHIRT??????

It's no good getting one for you and one for Misery and leaving me out.

For those pups who haven't seen my earlier photos, I did adorn myself in one of master' red vests in a previous year - here.

People celebrating National Day with Gibraltar and British flags

This display shows when Gibraltar became British in 1704 and celebrated the tercentenary in 2004

Balloons are released at 1pm for everyone who lives in Gib. I wonder which one has Pippa written on it?

Well, anyway, Pippadog did not have a stunningly successful National Day this year.

But at night, Misery went upstairs to watch the fireworks with our neighbour. And when she came back down, I went out onto the landing to say hello to her. My neighbour, not Misery. I know who she is.

Then, thinking, no-one was watching me, I eyed up the staircase, or rather eyed down it, and decided to go out on a quick cat hunt. Oh! Yes! Escape!!

'Where do you think you're going?' said Master and caught hold of me rather too quickly.

Not downstairs. Obviously. Poor sad Pippadog.

Anyway today is yet another holiday. We are having a Bank Holiday for National Day because that was on a Saturday. I am not sure why it is good but Master and Misery are home and we are eating lots of yummy goodies. Omelettes, and fake lamb steakies, and stuffs. Yogs goats too of course.

Breakfast in bed. Er, I have finished now, take the tin away. Thank you.

More about National Day on Misery's blog here.

In which I get confused ...

2011-08-30T02:48:00.005+02:00

First, a couple of news announcements. The first one is a very sad one. My beautiful girlfriend Mati went to the Bridge in June.

She was such a very sweet girl, looked after her brother Rocky, and I thought she was gorgeous. She will be at the Bridge now, reunited with Rocky who went there two years before her. I didn't realise it was so long ago until I looked back.

Both Rocky and Mati couldn't have found a better home than with Mike who gave them a super quality of life and made sure they got the best treatment possible. We send him our love and also hope he is ok after Irene passed through Virginia. We will miss their presence in dogblog world.

My second piece of news is totally different. It's about a blog that has been quiet for years and has come back again. I always keep pups on my blogroll for just this reason. Doesn't matter if they don't post for months or even years, but if one day they come back, then it is good to read their blogs again. So, if you have time, please visit Snoop, Lily and Tuppence over at Tales from the Midget Circus. They are nice dogs and they have some good pix too.

Now, onto me.

So I have discovered some new treats.

A beefy dose in fact.

[No Pippa, it is not a beefy dose - it is bifidus]

Well, that could explain why it didn't taste very beefy at all. Not even like my vegetarian beef slices which smell and taste yummy.

OK, so it seems it is yogs goats.

[No, Pippa, no goats involved, only cows, apart from when eat we goats milk yoghurt I suppose]

Go away Misery!! Whatever it is, it comes in little cartons, and Misery has been eating it ever since she got a pawly tummy a few weeks ago.

First she takes the top off and I clean that off for her. Then she eats nearly all the yogs goats herself - greedy Misery - and I get to lick out the carton. Better than nothing I suppose.

We eat the beefy dose one in Spain, and in Gib we eat one called Yeo Valley which is an organic model. Apparently this one contains beefy doses and some other bacteria. None of that is remotely interesting in my view, enough to know they are yummy and get the PippaPaw of approval.

Speaking of my paws, I have been limping a bit with my front right one so Misery went off to buy some glooky stuffs. [Glucosamine] They are not very nice looking tablets so Misery wraps them in my beefy slices, or a piece of cheese. First I get a plain treat, next I get one with the tablet inside, and then I get a reward treat. Misery thinks I haven't worked all this out - but if I get extra cheesies and beefies, who am I to complain?

OK, that's it for August. Catch you all next month.

A dog needs to rest on master's dust sheets

And a close up, yes, I can recommend dust sheets for pillows

Hard work licking out the carton, I can tell you

What am I supposed to do with this? I need it to be held for me

Taking the evening sun at my gate

Vet visiting

2011-07-24T12:01:00.010+02:00

Hello everypup and their peeps

Well, I've just managed to squeeze in a July post. Well done to Momo and Pinot for not expecting another one until this month! You were right.

Where to start?

Well first I am allowed to be serious, as Misery is too busy writing her own stuff to write serious stuff about me.

Remember my tick disease some six or seven months ago? If not checky out Misery's link to the top of the sidebar.

My nice vet Pedro said to check back with him in six months time about a blood test to see if the nasty illness had gone away.

Master and Misery called to see him - WITHOUT ME - to ask about when to go, and he said, oh, when you are passing with Pippa. Which is sometime never in summer as it is too hot for them to take me shopping or geocatzing or stuffs like that and leaving me alone in the vehicle for even two seconds.

So last week we made a special effort to go and see him. I was very excited because I like Pedro. He has a very gentle manner and is softly spoken and is nice to pups and peeps alike.

We arrived for opening time at 10 am and there was a huge queue. In winter we turn up mid-morning because it is cooler and it is usually quieter. And this was Monday too, so bound to be busier.

Master and I sat away from the other dogs because I would have wanted to go and say hello to them all, and they might have been frightened because they were little. Misery had joined the queue and was listening to them talking about me in Spanish and calling me wolf-dog.

When it was our turn, the surgery was almost empty. Pedro checked me over and said I looked much better and my eyes were bright.

But I have some nasty sores again and Master has been spraying them with Ado Eqmina. This is an antiseptic for ulcers and wounds in general, and the active ingredient is chlorhexidine gluconate. It is also used to kill bacteria such as Streptococcus and E-coli. And other Grams, whatever a Gram may be. It's not absorbed into the system so it can be used as many times as required. No prescription needed.

There are no contraindications listed, and side effects are rare, occasionally photosensitive reactions may occur and prolonged use may cause dermatitis.

Pedro opened a new container of Eqmina and instead of using the spray he chucked it on liberally and told Master to apply it three times a day and rub it well in. Now, how did he know that was not a job for Wimpy Misery?

Next, Master told him that when I am excited (eg meal times) I drip peepee. I am blushing here because now my girlfriends will not love me :( He didn't need to say much more because there was a tiny pool where I was standing.

For this I got some tablets - cefalexina (cefalexin/cephalexin) which is an antibiotic. Cefalexin is the generic name, but there are a lot of branded versions too. It seems to be used to treat a number of infections including urinary tract infection. It does have potential side effects though - there is a huge list here on wiki - so you need a prescription for this one.

We got two tablets a day for five days. They don't taste nice but at least it meant I got lots and lots of treats to disguise it.

Total cost - 30€, including 11€ for Eqmina, and the rest for the tablets, and his consultation time. There was no blood test for canine erlichiosis as Pedro was happy with my progress.

I bet you did not know I was such a pharmaceutically orientated pup.

I haven't posted a pic of my sore but if you want to check out what I am talking about there is one here from back in January.

Now onto even more serious stuff. Master and Misery have not been eating bread for weeks and weeks. So I have had NO TOAST.

But today however, Master decided to have toast with his breakfast. So here are some toasty pix.

Hoping for toast. Wait!! Oh no!! Misery has forgotten to wipe my eye before she took my pic!!

Looking soulful - and she still hasn't wiped my eye. Not good enough. Pups - always make sure your peeps wipe your eyes for camera shots.

Things are looking up. Master has his toast and I have my eye wiped at last.

Crunching toast with eyes shut to savour the deliciousness.

I am patience itself waiting for the next bit.

Such a happy smiling Pippadog.

Taking my toasty nicely and gently.

Bliss. Waiting for even more toast. I could do this all day.

Finally, Misery was meant to post some arty pix of the views of Gib from my favourite peepee spot on the way home that I wrote about last month and she never did. I might as well have posted them in the first place. So I am posting them now instead and we stopped there yesterday too so it is vaguely relevant. It looks rather like a watercolour don't you think?

Gib rising out of the haze in the distance and the long winding road down El Higueron.

A closer shot of The Rock with all the development around the lower levels.

Here I am!! We found blogger again!!

2011-06-04T15:46:00.009+02:00

Hello Misery!! No posts for May!! No visits!! What's going on?

Cleaning?? What's that?? Doesn't normally happen around here.

Oh, and Misery is spending too much time on a Facebook Page called Everything German Shepherd.

Hey! How about a blog called every Pippadogblog?

Still, she has posted a couple of pix of me up there so I shouldn't complain. GSD lovers, get yourselves over there. But don't abandon your dogblogs.

So, apart from the puppy who is now out of bounds - see me checking him out here ..

What else? I have been busy taking part in the Joe Staines cheeseburger thingy. Except we don't eat those whatever they are, so I was told toast would be acceptable. Toast is ALWAYS acceptable. So here is toasty Pippa.

Eye on the toast - evil eye

So patient .. for a while

Mine - give me - NOW!

And on another tack, here we are stopping at one of my favourite peepee spots, with a lovely view of Gibraltar. Me, my Landy, Gibraltar and Master. The arty Gibpix will be on Misery's blog. My blog needs to have pix of ME. It is a dogblog not a giblog.

Master and I. Happily.

Oh, such a nice quick bonding session

And Master trying to open my Landy whatever else you may think he is doing with his arm

No puppy pal for me

2011-04-22T12:24:00.011+02:00

Now, the other day at my finca, the little puppy was standing on MY path. 'Puppy! Puppy!' called Misery. 'Come here Puppy!'

So puppy ran up the path and stopped at my gate to say hello. Well I could really have done without that, thank you Misery, but you know what a friendly dog I am so I sniffed noses with puppy.

Misery looked carefully at puppy and shrieked. Puppy had a tick on its face. 'Go away Puppy!' said Misery. 'Go home.'

Saved from a not-remotely-cute puppy by a tick of all things. Can you believe it? Master went on full tick alert after that, and later found one on me. Nasty, nasty ticks.

As well as some Advantix drops which they had given me earlier, they decided to try out some of the natural therapies that Misery discovered when she did her tick fever research.

So now they put cider vinegar in my water. I suppose I shouldn't complain as they do buy organic for me. And if I'm not smelling of vinegar, I am smelling of lavender as they put drops of lavender essential oil on my harness.

Whether all this will deter the ticks is anyone's guess, but so far none of them have hooked into me. More importantly I hope it doesn't deter my girlfriends that I smell rather oddly these days.

What else?

Misery seems to think I was spending too much time on facebook. I ask you. So she is not letting me play on there any more. My farm is fallow and I don't know what people are up to. She's also thinking about deactivating hers. Hey ho. Perhaps that means we will get to visit more of you.

She was too slow to get a pic of me sharing snoses and ticks with not-remotely-cute puppy, so here I am contemplating my feeties. I'm not really looking for ticks. Honest.

Oh, and it seems I am looking forward to a blood test soon. In June they say, to see if all the nasties have gone out of me after my poorliness with canine erlichiosis.

Misery is going to add a link to my sidebar so that if anyone needs a reference to her blog post about tick disease and the links that are on there they can click on it. I suppose she has her uses.

And a quick PS - Please visit here - Schnauzer and Schnauzer to help in a good pup cause - need to visit by 29 April. Ta.

Busy, busy, busy at my finca

2011-04-07T09:40:00.007+02:00

There I was. At my gate as usual. Master spotted it. A tiny little thing. A new pup on the block in fact.

He called Misery. They both gushed over it and said how cute it was and how irresponsible it was of the owners (for lots of reasons that we won't go into).

Would you believe it??? Misery went to talk to it and called it in silly soppy tones and it puppied up to her and lay over and laughed.

Bah!! Or Bark!! Now listen Misery, I do not want other cute little dogs jumping on my path. Leave it alone, even if you do think it is sweet. I do not. It really looks rather like a cat, or a rat. Go away puppy. Leave Pippa's Premises and Paths alone.

What else? Oh yes, they cut down another tree and found what they thought was a locust.

Master painted his stepladders and I supervised.

The bueys came past so I inspected them. They were in good order so I lay down again.

Another hard week at the finca for a working dog.

At my gate

I have spotted something

I am watching you

Pesky little puppy

It was boring and now it has gone

A locust. We think

Supervising

My other gate

Moving down a step to get a closer sniff

What do you want? I'm busy

Bueys - I can sniff them coming

Look, here they come

Aren't they handsome?

Phew, time for ~~a rest~~ checking out my spinach

An exhausted Pippa in my tableden

Busy doing nothing

2011-03-17T13:02:00.006+01:00

I have been busy.

Looking after Misery's sock in fact.

Nice comfy sock full of Pippafur

I'm not sure I have been busy doing much else though.

I haven't logged in so I haven't visited anyone, Misery is even cheating now by using her log in occasionally because it has a pic of me on it and she thinks that is acceptable. It is not. I need to comment on my friends' blogs in my own right Misery, so there.

Oh, but for those of you non-Facebook pals, she has actually, finally, after only a few months posted about the nasty tick disease thing.

The link is here to her blog. It is not as boring as I thought it would be as she writes about ME! as well as boring pharmacology and the disease and prevention and all that sort of stuff humans are interested in. Anyway I feature first in the post so that is good.

Another reason I haven't been around is because she went to work with Master. She discovered a C.A.T. called Oscar. He was rescued from the cattery place here in Gib. They became friends, sort of. Until it bared its teeth at her. You should have taken me to work Misery, I would have sorted that little black monster.

Oliver supervising the decorating - hey Ollie! get off my dogblog!

But I was busy guarding my flat.

In my undertable den

My nose, I mean, my news.... or maybe both

2011-03-11T20:34:00.005+01:00

I felt rather out of sorts. I lay on my sofa and watched Misery making my breakfast.

'Master' she said, observantly. 'Look, Pippa is not doing boundaround for breakfast, he mustn't be well'.

I have to hand it to her, that on occasions, she can be quite bright.

Eventually, I staggered off my sofa and ate my brekkies. It was ok, nothing wrong with it, but I didn't feel well. I left a few bits just to show how poorly I felt.

'The last time Pippa was so poorly was when he had the nasty tick thing,' she said.

Gently she felt my beautiful snose.

'I think there may be cat claw in there,' she said. Not that she had a clue how to get it out.

Clever Master wandered over and fixed it. Pulled out the nasty offending piece of C.A.T.

And then by lunchtime, I was doing boundaround again.

Pawly me, actually not so pawly here, on a toast hunt I think

Now, Misery wrote about Andalucían day on her blog so I want to write about it too.

It is the annual day to celebrate our communidad in Spain, by which I mean, my communidad, seeing as I am Spanish.

And guess what? In my village, they decided to hold a race and bring it past my gate so that I could watch it. I must be a very important Pippadog.

But it was tiring watching all that running. So I went to sleep.

What else happened while I was in Spain? Oh yes. They cut a tree down because it was pushing the wall out. It fell on my spinach patch.

What is going on?

Can't say I was impressed with that. So I got it moved.

Keeping an eye on this - from my spinach patch

And another thing. When I google my blog name, why is it linked to porn sites? Huh? I am not interested in porn, and I don't like my blog being associated with it. Horrid people, stop using my very nice blog for your very nasty purposes. I do not like porn, just like people abused me as a dog, I think it is abusive to women. But how do I stop being linked to such garbage?

Attacked

2011-03-04T16:27:00.017+01:00

There I was, peaceably taking Master for a walk at lunchtime or thereabouts when I was attacked!!

We were wandering leisurely up the hill, to turn around at the middle gates and go back home for my Lunch! or Master's lunch, or somebody's lunch. But this horrid spitting, hissing, swirling thing threw itself at me and thought I would be lunch.

No. Pippadog is not luncheon meat. Even on a lead. What is a dog to do? Oh it was a C.A.T. by the way. All C.A.T.s may wish to skip a few paragraphs here ...

Anyway, I grabbed hold of it and chomped. Chomp, chomp, went the Pippajaws (note to Misery, if you groom me any more, you too, will feel the Pippajaws) but the huge pest was clinging to my snose. My beautiful snose.

Master told it to go away. That was pretty useless and he realised it. Luckily he carries a stick to ward off wild animals, wild dogs, wild cats and wild people. So he pushed the cat off my snose with his stick. He may have also hit it a tiny little bit.

What else was he going to do? Feral cat, no doubt fed by well-meaning people, attacks innocent dog. Without the tiniest bit of provocation. I am the first to admit that a good cat chase is often in order, but this was totally unreasonable. Master did not want to see me with my eye taken out, or lots of claws stuck in my face, so he stuck up for me. Or sticked up for me.

Well, then we went back home and kind Nurse Misery looked after me. I must say that one of her better traits is looking after poorly doggies. She put some yellow stuff on my snose and said nice things to me. There are times when I love Misery, even if she does paint me yellow.

One side

And another

A close-up

My paw. For a change. Investigating outside my gate.

~~Wrecking~~ Checking out my spinach patch again. Note the yellow snose still.

A new surprise

2011-02-19T17:00:00.008+01:00

It seems there is a new breakfast around.

It is called scrambled eggs on toast. Or with bread. And butter. Either way, I think it is appropriate for a Pippadog.

They have scoffed this for the last few days. The only thing wrong is that while I may have got some bread or some toast, I don't seem to have had any of those nice eggies. Why not?

Please Misery.....

Please Master.....

Saussies used to be for breakfast but now they seem to go in casserole. I want that too..

Glare. WHERE IS MY SCRAMBLED EGG ON TOAST?

I think I will go to sleep

Fundamental flaw

2011-02-13T17:24:00.009+01:00

I have a plan for my days.

Normally this involves getting up to go and wake master. I have learned that 4am is not acceptable.

In Gib anything after 5am seems ok so I usually aim for 5.30am. Spain however seems to be a land of later risers so I add an hour on before I start the Pippalarm.

I run in and out of their bedroom. This is fun. Sometimes they play at dead lions and don't move or talk but I know they are really awake.

Misery will call me and say 'Hello Pippa' so I ignore her. That is fun too. As only master and I go out first thing I consider her not to be worth bothering with.

But when I come back in - it is of course, Breakfast Time! - and she gets my full attention then. If Misery is still in the big bed in Spain I will stick my head around the door, glance briefly in her direction, haroo quietly, and stare meaningfully at the sack of my biscuits. For some strange reason they live on top of the wardrobe.

In Gibflat she is usually up by breakfast time so I go to lie by the cupboard where they live. Another strange out-of-reach place. Myself, I would put them next to my table-dens.

Then I have my second and third breakfasts, ie we share theirs.

Second breakfast with master - toast time!!

Next I like to bound out to my gate (Spain) or bound onto my sofa (Gib).

Gate time.

The morning is spent busily watching the street or guarding the flat with a few changes of position for variety.

We have a walk at lunchtime and then we come back for - Lunch! The afternoon is pretty much a repeat of the morning, and there is another walk before bedtime. There are probably one or more walks that I have missed but as they are not linked to food or bed, they are not so important.

Now, here is the point of my post. Where in my plan do I mention grooming? Quite right, I didn't.

Grooming is for monkeys I think, and I am not a monkey. Gratuitous pix of monkeys grooming each other.

If I want to groom myself, I can contort myself into an interesting doga position and then have a good scratch, scattering lots of pretty fluffy Pippafur all over. What I do not want, is for Misery to pounce when she sees a tiny piece of tuggable fur just waiting to gracefully fall out. It does not need help. Similarly, I certainly do not want her to grab a comb and attack me in order to get shedloads of fur from me. That was a joke, by the way. Shedloads and shedding. Hmm, need to work on these jokes I think. But you all have to laugh because Ammy said so. So even though it's not too funny I expect a little teeny smile - for Ammy, because she said she wanted us to smile and be happy.

Where was I? Oh yes, complaining about Misery, and her antics with a comb. Do I comb her messy fur? No, I don't - and it seems to me she doesn't comb it either very often. So there is no reason to comb mine. At all.

Thank you Misery, please take note. Forthwith grooming is a thing of the past. For me any way. Seems to be a thing of the past for you too, looking at your fur. Anyway this blog is about ME!

Now, I was going to end there - but I have something unbelievable to share!! Can you believe there are dogs? on Facebook? Really, Misery tells me it is true. They have signed on with names and surnames and proper birthdays and write just like people. I can't believe it myself. What sort of dog would do that? Some of them (no dognames mentioned) even play silly games like F***V****.

Who could imagine dogs would be so clever as to type on keyboards, set up accounts, and come up with witty posts on FB and chat with other doggies, and, oh! it's rather like writing a blog isn't it?? Anyway, all you naughty little doggies who are on FB (not me! oh no! not innocent little Pippita!!) you should abandon your accounts right now, 'fess up, quit your doggie farms, and as punishment - no more toast/pizza for at least a week, no more chasing catz, and go and lie in the corner for being so utterly naughty and putting the state of the universe in peril. Well, I think that was what Misery said.

And even more interesting - and slightly in advance, but I just can't wait. Happy Valentine's Day to all my beautiful gorgeous girlfriends, those of you who are still interested in me - and to those of you who aren't as well. Pippa xx PippaNOTaFacebookdog (much).

A few answers

2011-01-26T12:35:00.004+01:00

First up - a response to some of the questions from my commenters.

Inquisitive WFTs the handsome Floridians J&JH want to know how I am doing, as did the gorgeous husky Op Pack, and M&B sent their good wishes for my health too.

So, the tablets have finished which is a shame in a way as I was getting extra tasties before my breakfast to - supposedly - disguise the tabs. But Misery had the bright idea of adding slices to my food anyway even when the tabs were finished. Kind Misery.

But for some reason I seemed to develop a nasty sore at the top of one of my back legs and tried to yank out my fur around it. Master and Misery put some anti-septic spray on it and yes - promptly drove me back to nice Pedro.

He cut off my fur, sprayed the icky bit, and then rubbed some cream on. He gave Misery the spray, and sent her off to the pharmacist with a prescription for a small tube of ointment. It is drying up now I think, but I have included some pix of it looking nasty. And of me looking nice of course.

Pedro said I was looking better and had put on some weight, so he seemed pleased with my progress. I will have a blood test in a few months time and see if those nasty e-things are gone.

Quick reply to JB - seems HULA operatives can be any breed. Or, gasp!!! even - CATZ!! So go for it. But you have to provide evidence that you fulfil the criteria. I bet you don't. I ask you, CATZ get everywhere!

Now Randi asked if I got her holiday card. Well, I hadn't when she asked but it arrived only the next day. What a coincidence. And in the same week, I had received a card from JB and her feline family, and the last one to arrive the other day was a wonderful one of Santa Umbrella in Florida from Jake and Just Harry. That was two cards in one as it had a pic of them inside it too.

Now, I have a theory. I think that cards posted to me from America go to Gibraltar in America. Gibraltar is in Michigan on the Detroit river, I didn't know any of that. But I think my cards go there first and then when there is no Pippadog in Gibraltar MI, they get sent on to me in Gibraltar, Gibraltar. If any of my pals want to send me cards again, perhaps they should add two Gibraltars to my address.

Misery did not print any cards this year so I did not send any. But I would like to thank the friends I have mentioned above for thinking of me and remembering me, (Misery and Master too) and those friends who sent cards that arrived earlier.

Hola Pippa - Hula Pippa

2011-01-17T17:14:00.008+01:00

Off we went in my Landy to my Spanish finca. As we approached the frontera (frontier), Misery turned round to ask me: 'Do you think your nice Guardia Civil friends will want to say hello?'

'Of course,' I answered. 'They always do.' This has nothing to do with the fact that there are no windows for them to see what we have in the back of the Landy, it is because they want to say hello to me, Pippa.

But as we were going through the frontier, no-one seemed interested in us. They were looking at a Spanish car, and two vans. Then! Just as we were about to go through without greetings, a Guardia Civil officer said 'Hola!'

Master promptly stopped. He jumped out of our Landy (his seatbelt was undone waiting for the call to say hello to me) and walked around to the rear. I was very excited and jumped towards the rear door.

'Abre abajo' said the officer. Master opened my door.

"Hola!"

'Eeeeek!!!!' said the officer, or something similar in Spanish.

She jumped back ten yards. Why didn't she want to say Hola! to me and stroke me?

Then she told master to close the door and to go. She didn't seem to want to look for tobacco or alcohol or whatever they seem to want to find that we never have anyway.

Poor sad Pippa. Most of them say Hola! and give me a pat. It's not as though I am a frightening sort of a dog. Even if one did once call me a leon, or a tigre or something like that.

"Hello friends, where are you?"

Now I have some other wonderful news. My secret operations as an undercover HULA operative can finally be disclosed as I am retired.

I am so proud to have my certificate. Of course Misery didn't complete my application correctly so I thought I should add a few comments. Well, maybe not today. Another day ...

Disguises and invasion

2011-01-07T10:52:00.010+01:00

Master thinks I am stupid. Every morning he feeds me my tablets disguised in something tasty in a bid to get me to eat them. He thinks I haven't noticed.

Waiting - and watching

One morning I chucked one out on the floor and thought I had got away with not eating it, but he spotted it and gave me it again. He even kept my mouth closed and stroked my throat to make sure I swallowed it. What I have to put up with!

Here is a list of tasties that I have been fed before my main breakfast as supposed tablet hiders:

orange
seitan
tempeh
pasta
runner beans (master thought these were very clever as he could pop the tablet inside the split bean)
cooked (dried) beans
carrot

I nearly got pineapple but Greedy Mistress was too busy getting it down her neck for it to become a tablet disguiser. Just as well she gave me a few pieces anyway.

But my very favourite is beef slices. Actually they are not beef at all, they are some veggie slices that Master and Misery eat, called beef style slices.

Master cuts one slice into three and wraps a tablet inside each one. I tell you I would eat twenty tablets every morning to get more of this yummy stuff. It does not touch the sides I gobble it down so fast.

Yummy slices

Lip-licking yummy in fact

More, more, I want more

Thank you to all my FB pals who wished me a happy barkday. Trouble is Misery has forgotten when it was, just that it was Jan 2004 when I found them, so she picked an arbitrary date. I have made her look it up on my blog from years back. It is the 14 January. I wonder if I will get to celebrate two got-them-days this year?

Now, I have a very bad piece of news to impart. My sofa has been - INVADED!! Master and Misery claim they have been poorly. Have they got tick disease and are they taking millions of tablets? No, therefore they are not remotely poorly IMDO.

But nevertheless, first Misery invaded it for a little nap claiming she was tired and poorly - and then look at this. Master was on there all afternoon. I kept walking up to him glaring - waiting for him to jump off - but he just kept snoring away.

Zzzzzzzzz

A dog's sofa is his very own personal space, only to be occasionally and very generously shared if someone is sitting next to him with food. Otherwise - paws off.

Now normally, like most pups, I keep my tail tidily curled round myself when I am asleep. But after the recent surprise invasion - I have decided to stretch right out, and that includes my tail taking up the final third of the sofa. Perhaps they will get the message.

Mine, I tell you, all mine

Poorly Pippa

2011-01-04T09:51:00.009+01:00

Happy New Year everypup. I hope you all had lovely holidays or howlidays if that is how you bark. Not that I ever bark, apart from when it is breakfast time, but it is always more of a Ha-Roooooo than anything else. Today it was a Haroo followed by a RUFF!

Now I like to do a review of the past year. Misery does one on her blog so I should get to do one as well I think. But as I've not posted much this year there is nothing to review. Sad Pippadog.

Instead I shall tell you about my poorlinesses. I didn't tell you when I was very poorly, but I am feeling better enough now to say a little bit. But not much, Misery can write vast boring reams about it on her blog for anyone interested in techy detail. Or in this case, ticky detail. Haha!! I hope Ammy likes my joke.

Last month I was feeling a bit listless, but one day, I really couldn't be bothered to go anywhere. I didn't even want to go down the stairs to go out in the mornings. Not even to chase cats.

Poorly me on my sofa

Master and Misery were so concerned that she even got out of bed early, and they bundled me into my Land Rover before 8am and we shot off to see my nice vet, Pedro. I had only seen him the previous week for my jabs and I seemed ok then.

Pedro gently felt me, and said I had some pain. Clever Pedro. While I was lying on the floor with my head flopped in Master's hands, Pedro and his assistant took some blood from my front paw (just like Skye had at her vet's), and then they cut some of my toenails.

We had to go back in a couple of days time for the results of the blood test but in the meantime, Pedro gave Misery some painkillers for me. Previcox. I can recommend those to everypup. They are chewy and taste of caramel and smoke.

My cocktail cabinet

When we went back to see Pedro I was already feeling a bit better, but he gave me some more painkillers, and some new tablets. I wasn't very keen on those, they don't taste nice. They were called doxycyclin. He hadn't got all the test results through but he told Misery I needed one of each every day. A couple of days later he emailed us and said that the test for erlichia canis was positive. I had very high readings of this and Misery had to double the dose of the little yellow doxycyclin tablets for me.

I have erlichiosis. It is a nasty tick disease. I will say no more except that I am still eating those nasty tablets for the next few weeks to try and get rid of the horrid organism and its effects. I will let you know when Misery writes about it, and you can read all the ticky detail then.

Not having my photo taken. Don't like nasty tablets

Here is something more interesting. We all went geocatzing to Comares before I was poorly. Master and I decided to admire the view while Mistress was sent off to hunt for the geocache. Master thought there might be catz near the castle so that's why we didn't go. I must say that puzzled me, I thought the whole point of these expeditions was to find catz. Geocatz or otherwise.

Here I am standing and thoughtfully sending out radar to detect nearby catz

Yes! I found one. I would have had him too but Master didn't want to go diving under the car with me. So we set off back for my Landy to avoid anymore catz. But on the way down, I found another one and nearly had him too. Mistress didn't find her cache. I found two catz but didn't get them. I think my expedition was the most successful though.

[They went back on New Year's Day without me and found the real cache. Master did anyway, Misery was her usual useless self. She reported back that there were no catz around - huh, a likely tale]

Back in Gib again and feeling better after my tabs.

One of my nice Christmas cards with doggies on

Looking for my friends - the monkeys

My corner

2010-12-14T15:13:00.007+01:00

Let's be clear. This is my corner. Not my only corner because all corners are mine. But when I bark my corner, I mean mine, not someone else's.

Someone who is trying to grow spinach. And do I care about that? No.

So it is not important if I lie on, or at the very least, put my delicate little patitas all over the spinach bed.

My new raincoat and other stuffs

2010-12-01T11:56:00.005+01:00

I have a raincoat.

Those pups on Facebook will know this, but others of you who are not addicted to that silly website will not.

Misery ordered it from the Internet from doggiecoats.co.uk. It is olive green (Master insisted on that to match the Land Rover) and has a nice warm lining too.

But when it arrived it didn't rain so we couldn't try it out. I couldn't see much point in wearing it in the flat even though Misery seemed to think it was a good idea.

One evening we all went out for my walk and it started spotting. I didn't have my coat on. What is the point of having a coat if persons don't put it on for one and then it starts to rain? Huh?

Since then we have had torrential rain. Misery put her paw, I mean foot, down very firmly and has insisted I am coated whether it is raining or not. I am still not sure whether I like wearing a coat though. But at least I don't get half as wet as I did. And some people we have met have told me I look very smart.

Getting ready

Out. In the rain.

Master and I with our bare wet legs

Water everywhere. Wet pavements. Wet people. Wet Pippa.

A couple of other snippets.

I received an award the other day/week/month from the lovely Islay. Remember Charlie from Australia who left us on Anzac Day for the Bridge? Charlie's person has jumped halfway across the world and been taken on by Collie pup Islay. Islay is a Scottish Island in the Hebrides which Misery assures me is very beautiful and has lots of nice single malt whisky. Whatever that may be.

Islay has given me the Versatile Blogger Award. Perhaps that is because sometimes I blog and sometimes I don't. So therefore I must be versatile. Anyway, seven things about me....

1 I have a new dog coat
2 I don't like going out in the rain
3 I like chasing cats
4 I like to eat my breakfast on the sofa
5 I am a cross husky/GSD (I think)
5 I found Master and Misery on the streets of Spain
7 i love toast (you all know that but I thought it was so important I would mention it again)

And the last thing I want to write happens to be from something we saw on Facebook last night. Normally I would not be writing about Facebook, because I am sure I would be busier on my blog without silly Facebook, but we read a link that Khyra had posted, and thought it was worth repeating.

Facebook dog linky thing

Every year, millions of people consider adopting shelter dogs or cats, but many don’t follow through because they assume there’s something wrong with shelter pets.
Those of us who share our lives with adopted and rescued pets …. know that shelters and rescue groups are full of great pets – dogs with one ear up and one ear down, senior dogs content to cuddle on the sofa and watch TV with you, and frisky young kittens with a passionate interest in your computer keyboard.

Er, ~I think we will ignore that reference to pesky kittens, but otherwise anything that alerts people to the fact that rescue dogs are as adorable as me is worth doing. So we posted a linky on FB, and here is another one. Only a day late too, quite good for me. Happy December pups and lets hope some more shelter pups are rescued this month.

Girlfriends - yet another take

2010-10-12T13:18:00.007+02:00

I was thinking about all my lovely girlfriends the other day. As my older pals (in terms of been reading my blog for some time, not in years) know, I was quite the dog about the Internet a few years ago, happily seeking girlfriends all over the place.

Being a happy-go-lucky sort of dog, if they were pretty and nice, I would invariably ask them to be my girlfriend. I lost count when I acquired more than 20. Didn't matter if they were big or small, pure bred or crossed, rescue dogs or from distinguished kennels, if they were happy to be my girlfriend, I was happy too.

Naturally being a husky/GSD cross I asked lots of huskies and a few GSDs. Some of those young huskies were little minxes though and went gallivanting off with younger pups leaving me in the lurch. Well I would have been had I not had a zillion other girlfriends to soothe my aching heart.

But some of my older girlfriends were much more faithful and remained by my side. The lovely Ammy at Ao4 of course, who faithfully comments on my infrequent posts or one of the pack does, Randi the cross Lab/Newf, even Sophie La Flirtador who sent me a note on FB the other week telling me she still loves me. Ah!! Sigh!!

Then there were the ones who looked a little bit like me - Misty who fostered at the Stoutino Inn, and Mati, who looked after handsome Rockstar. Some of my earliest and smallest girlfriends were Bella from Aus, and dachsies Roxie and Lorenza.

And I have to mention my first GSD girlfriend - Guinness also from the Stoutino Inn, but Guinness has gone to the bridge. I was very sad about that. Two other lovely girlfriends are no longer here but they are still in my heart, Kelsey Ann (Kapp Pack), and Tasha - who was Eva's older sister. Eva was also my girlfriend at one point, but that was before the young and handsome Brice bounced onto the scene. Pretty much like Ethel of the long legs and pointy teeth who suddenly fell in love with her new bro look-a-like, Oscar.

Back to GSDs, I added the lovely Lola Smiles to my list. Not sure if I ever asked her, but she is so gorgeous I just swoon at her beautiful face. And the equally lovely Narra from Tracing Lucky Skies is another GSD heartstopper.

OK, who does that leave? Penny of course, the beautiful boxer from Jackman Ave who had probably as many beaux as Sophie La Flirtador, but still accepted me as one of them. And my exotic girlfriends in Asia - Jazz and Dixie in Japan, and the lovely Cleopatra in Malaysia.

I really thought I was getting a bit long in the tooth for a new girlfriend but how could a dog resist the lovely Skye from Moondance Huskies? Well I couldn't.

Now the reason for reminding you all of my long list of long-suffering girlfriends is because I have become rather close to one in my village who lives near my finca in Spain.

She is - or was - a street dog like me and was rescued by our wonderful Swedish neighbour who lives just down the street. Ms Swedish has taken in lots and lots of homeless dogs and cats and is a fine person with a very big heart.

I don't know what my girlfriend is called. Sometimes she is behind the gate so Misery goes to say hello to her (Misery thinks my girlfriend likes her but we all know she is only interested in ME). But if I am very lucky, she is sometimes out to play and she comes to give me kisses. Isn't she gorgeous? :)

Oh and that other pesky little pup is her street bro. He was also adopted by Ms Swedish as they were wandering around together. He thinks he is her protector but she just nips him and tells him to go away when I am around. Exactly the sort of assertive girlfriend one wants I think.

I still love the rest of you too though. Of course. xx

Here she is, telling that little pest what to do

And again

I'm in on the action here, see that assertive paw on that silly little dog's back from her?

Oh what a flirt!!

Isn't she lovely?

And a side view

Here is that pest again. What is he poised to do now?

Facebook friends

2010-09-27T10:53:00.005+02:00

Master and Misery went to see my Facebook friend Fiona.

She is my Facebook friend too so I don't see why I couldn't have gone as well.

I would have been very good and nice to the dog who lived in her hotel, and just really lay around and gone to sleep. Pretty much like I usually do.

But I had to stay at home. So here I am thinking of my friend Fiona and wishing I had got to see her. I would have given her a big Pippahug, or at least a Pippapaw to shake.

And here is where she was staying up in the mountains in Andalucia in Spain. It was a cloudy day. I hope she had a nice holiday and maybe if she comes back I might get to see her too.

2010-08-19T18:51:00.002+02:00

My poor darling Misery (she is my darling of course because she has just fed me so therefore I love her very much. Well, I did just before I was fed) has been so stressed that she didn't realise for days that our camera was not stolen. It was in a different bag to the stuff that was stolen.

It is past its best (as are lots of us) but anyway, I have retrieved some piccies for you all. Well, not many really, but something of our last trip.

And you can see why, when we are all in the back, drinking water and eating our sandwiches, that the world and their dog could sneak into the front.

So Top Pippa Tip - never ever leave your front doors open and go round the back even when you have a super dog like me with you. After all, water and sandwiches are more interesting than thieves.

Never leave anything at all - make sure to lock it up, or take it with you. Master and Misery should know better as they have been doing this sort of stuff for years, but everyone gets it wrong sometimes. They did. Don't let it be you next time.

Heh! I sound like a public service advert.

Ah, this one is when they snuck down the beach without ME! And look there is a special doggy seat to give us all a shower. I am not sure that is a good idea.

Not the best picnic ever

2010-08-07T14:39:00.003+02:00

Misery has told me that sometimes, our pawsome thoughts just don't work out. I am sorry to say that Blaze went to the Rainbow Bridge in spite of all our thoughts and love for him. Thanks to Mango who left a message to let me know while I was off line. We send all our love to Joan and Skye and all the other Moondance Huskies.

I was going to post a nice photo of me in the back of my Landy when we stopped for a picnic break on our way to Spain. But as some of you know via Misery's FB page, on our picnic break coming back down to Gib, someone stole our bags with the camera and the iPhone and all our money and passports - even mine!! - and ID, and bank cards and all the rest of it.

It wasn't my fault. I am not a guard dog, and I was happily drinking water and chatting to Misery in the back while it happened. You see, there is a screen between the back and the front, and there are no windows in the side, so Misery didn't see the bad people who snuck into the front of the vehicle. She thought she heard something but when she hopped out and looked around there was no-one.

So here I am, just before we left for Spain, on the toast hunt.

I think Misery needs to get us a new camera, so I can post some new pictures of me though.

Blaze

2010-07-24T16:31:00.007+02:00

This post is for my friend Blaze.

Blaze lives with my beautiful girlfriend Skye. I think Blaze is exceedingly handsome. He looks like me. Jake and Just Harry think he looks like me too. Not that I say he is handsome because he looks like me, well, OK, maybe I think that a little teeny bit. Beautiful Misty looked like me too, and Mati and Rockstar, and even Canyon looks similar, and nearly all the OP Pack - except for Phantom - look like bits of me as well.

Back to Blaze. He has been poorly for a few days, and Skye and Joan have been updating us on their FB pages. (You can see why I am in love with Skye - she is savvy enough to have her own FB page, as well as being stunningly beautiful. As are all my girlfriends, I add hastily.) Anyway, poor Blaze has been having problems with his pee pees, so we have all been sending lots of good wishes and keeping our paws crossed. And hopefully he is on the mend, as he managed to pee at the vets the other day. All over the floor. What a good dog.

Us dogs need to pee lots you know. But we are still keeping our paws crossed for him until we hear he is 100 or maybe 200%. Please send him your good thoughts too.

You can see a piccy of blaze on the Moondance Huskies blog post here. Well actually you can see his tail and his back legs but they still look like mine.

Updated to add - Skye has now written a super post with lots more pix of Blaze on their blog - here.

Thinking about Blaze

Master and I sending our Power of the Paw thoughts to Blaze

Get better as quickly as poss Blaze, and Skye, look after him please.

The Tardis

2010-07-11T19:36:00.004+02:00

My Landy has turned into a Tardis methinks.

Well it transports me all over the place and time just seems to disappear and jump forwards so that is perhaps right.

But this certainly looks different.

Where is my sofa and all my windows?

Huh.

Still a picnic stop is always welcome, whatever the Tardis.

And speaking of food, here I am resting my head in my tin. Waiting for it to refill as we all do. I wonder if any pup has ever been successful with the automatic refilling tin?

My new Superchef

2010-05-23T14:38:00.005+02:00

I have a confession. I have promoted Misery Mistress to the position of Super Chef de Cuisine.

Or something like that. So the reason is, much as I love master, he was not very imaginative with my food. After all I am not in prison, and a dog needs tasty goodies with his food, not just boring old biscuits and water.

Misery, on the other hand, cooks delicious pies, lasagna, casseroles and all manner of wonderful smelling things. And I need more of those tasties in my dog dish.

I decided to leave the odd biscuit in my tin as a subtle message.

'Master,' said Misery, 'Pippa needs tastier food.' Yes, Misery, of course I do.

She surprisingly quickly swung into action, and stock suddenly appeared with my every meal. Very nice stock I must say, low salt organic vegetarian stock no less. Much nicer than boring old water. I have another tin that is always full of water anyway.

Extra large portions of lasagna were made, and pie, and casserole, and every other type of goodie.

My food suddenly became gourmet quality. This is what a dog needs. Not the same tedious old stuff day after day. Some tasty extras on top of my biscuits, and that delicious stock to go with it.

Right now there is a pea pilao on the go, so there had better be some for me for my breakfast.

But in case anyone thinks I love Misery more just because she does a bit of cooking, here are some pix of me and my very favourite Master.

Monkey time is here again - la la la la la la la la la

2010-03-14T17:15:00.018+01:00

It is monkey time again here. Off I went with master on my afternoon walk and look, here is a fine monkey wanting me to go and climb a tree and play with him.

I think that's what he wants. Maybe not. I am not quite so agile as that.

Master took a rather reasonable video, although I think there should have been more coverage of ME, although I do look rather cute in some of the vid. Perhaps he couldn't get Senor Monkey and me in together. You can hear his strange Spanish at the end too :D (Master's I mean, not the monkey's).

We are video amateurs so here is the youtube link which you can blow up bigger to see more of ME :)

Well anyway, any tips on how to improve links and vids more than welcome for Misery and Master.

Different day, different monkey, same place.

Misery found a different monkey, contemplating the state of the world. Or whether she had food for him. She didn't.

Here I am looking for them, I know they live here.

Come on Master, let's go in.

Me, and my shadow.

Oh, I should add, since I posted this I had a quick scan down of my list of friends to see who is still posting. My friend Mati (from Rockstar and Company) is no longer there, and - beautiful Guinness Grrrrrl from the Stoutino Inn - has gone to the Rainbow Bridge. Guinness, you were one of my loveliest and most consistent faithful girlfriends, I'm so sorry you have gone, I will miss you so much. And Mati, wherever you are, the same goes for you. Somehow there is always some sadness on our dogblogs. My heart goes out to everyone whose dog has recently gone to the bridge or who is suffering any health problems, paws crossed especially for Snowball. Pippa xx

Edited to add - sorry I am late with this, but I was so pleased to see a post from Mati a few days ago. For those of you who don't know, beautiful Mati has oesophageal cancer, so when I didn't see her I got very worried. Anyway, she is ok, and her blog was down when I visited. Phew!! She is a very beautiful husky mix so if you have time to go and pass on your good sibe vibes and any other good wishes I am sure she would appreciate it.

Mid Jan round-up, no not cats, news .....

2010-01-19T15:32:00.004+01:00

I don't seem to have managed a post a week, but I suppose more than one a month is something to be grateful for.

Anyways I have some pix that I wanted to share with you all, although why Misery didn't post them at the time is beyond me. Busy (doing nothing) or something she claims.

Here am I. Busy. Doing Snoozing.
How small a ball can a large husky/GSD curl up into?

One morning when it was raining Misery had the bright idea of wrapping me in a plastic bag. I ask you. The indignity. Fortunately Kind Master had the brainwave of putting me in a down vest so that I looked rather more suave and dapper. I also tried out a fleece jacket which was rather nice and very toasty (mm toast toast), although Misery didn't fold up the sleeves far enough.

A sandwich. That sandwich must be mine Misery. You can't possibly eat all of it. Look how nice and Pippa-ish it is. Chewy wholemeal bread, who cares what is inside, and nice tomatoes. Yum.

What is this? A cat on my blog. A lucky black cat? Not on here it isn't. Go away black kitty and Master, stop stroking it.

Pizza. Aaaah!!! I love pizza. I hope that horrid cat didn't get any. Come to think of it, I don't remember getting any either. Greedy Master must have eaten it all.

And a quick acknowledgment to my friend Pedro who must be feeling very sad at the departure of his bro Ziggy to the Rainbow Bridge. Thinking of you all, and so very sorry it was time for him to go.

New Year .... and stuff

2010-01-06T12:39:00.006+01:00

Haroo New Year everydog, every pup, your people and even the odd kitty.

Well, according to my facebook page, today is my barkday. Or GotThemDay. (Well, it would have been if Mistress actually posted this yesterday when she wrote it). And I should like to thank my Facebook pup-pals and their people for all your lovely wishes.

What this really means, is that I rescued Master and Misery all of six years ago some time in January, but Misery can't remember the exact date so thought today would do as well as any other.

I ask you.

For those of you who don't know the story of how I found them, it is somewhere on my sidebar there. And for those who can't be bothered to click, I found them wandering around the Spanish streets in the pueblo looking rather forlorn. They had two dogs, but I figured they needed another one to adopt them. A large furry Spanish dog. Me. So that is it in a nutshell. I went home with them and Misery nursed my battle scars and I became a real house dog instead of a street dog.

Six years later on and I am still looking after them. Sometimes they forget to share their toast with me and they need the sad eyed reminder and a very loud HA-ROO. They still don't let me chase after cats, but that doesn't stop me trying. I am a determined PippaDog when it comes to cats. The little terrors used to steal the food that people left out for me when I lived on the streets. On the positive front I have won the battle of the sofa in my Gibflat with Misery and she knows to keep away from it. Ha!!

Now, normally I do a review of my year. But as I have so few blog posts to review, I shall break with tradition and not do one this year.

For New Year we went back to my finca. It rained a lot. When it didn't rain, I guarded my terrace, stood at my gate and walked out with Master and Mistress in the countryside.

Warning all street dogs and cats away.

Lying on the nice wet terrace.

Patiently waiting for Master to share his food.

In my patio with Master.

Sharing a joke with Master (about Misery I should think).

At Christmas we stayed at my Gibflat. It rained here too. I got some nice cards from some top friends, including some of my very favourite girlfriends - you know who you are.

And here, for a laugh, are the photos of me not wanting to play silly poses for Holiday cards. I did do a nice one in the end. Well, I thought it was nice. I hope those of you who received it thought so too.

No. Not playing.

What is this silly ornament doing here anyway?

Oh this is so boring.

Very best wishes to you all for 2010, and thank you for staying with me, even when Misery has not kept up to her blogging duties.

Here I am!!

2009-11-28T14:51:00.006+01:00

Quickly, quickly, I need to make a post before November ends.

Now I have some good news. The other Sunday I dropped by DWB chat (thanks to Snowball for giving me the link which Misery lost in her computer messing abouts) and I found a beautiful new girlfriend. Sigh. I mean, Skye. Her name is Skye not Sigh and she is a gorgeous husky over at Moondance Huskies.

I know, I know. I have far too many girlfriends but she was so irresistible and before I knew it the words were barked out of my mouth, and she agreed.

Oh, and barking of girlfriends which I haven't done for some time. Well, that is obvious as I haven't barked for some time....... I was also chatting to Sophie La Flirtador in DWB Chat too.

She doesn't change of course. Still has a string of boyfriends drooling over her - and why not? She is nearly as nice as toast, or pizza. And she reminded me about my film project. I have all on to keep up with my blog, let alone my film project, but there is always the new year. Thank you for keeping me in line Sophs.

Oh and speaking of holidays. I have not signed up for the card exchange because the last year I did, I was soooooooooooo embarrassed to receive a zillion cards and couldn't send any because Misery's printer stopped working. :(

But we may try and send some to those of you who sent some to me, and to those of my adorable girlfriends whose address I have - and any other good friends too. If you want a card, please let me have your address, Facebook or DWB forum is probably the easiest and most private way. I'm not guaranteeing anything though because Misery is so unreliable.

Oh, and I am around on FB even though Misery seems to have abandoned my blog. So pups can always catch me on there. I have also discovered it is a cool way to make new pup friends.

And although I haven't posted for a while, I am sorry to end on a sad note. Rocky's mum Claudette went for a lung biopsy and did not get good news. Misery, Master and I are all thinking of you Claudette and sending you lots of support.

Although we haven't known them long, lots of you follow the Painter Pack, and I am so sorry that handsome shepherd cross Doodle has gone to the Rainbow Bridge. Thinking of you, Sherri, and your pack.

Because I haven't been around for a while, I also missed the departure of Snickers - who with Butchy was one of my earliest visitors, and Hana - who with her beautiful smiley face and lively attitude was always such a bundle of energy.

Wait, wait. I have found something nice to say. Phew!! The absolutely gorgeous Nala won DWB's photo of the month. She always has lots of lovely photos, and she is such a beautiful dog so that is well deserved. Good one Nala.

I hope December brings some good news and good cheer to the DWB community. And possibly even some cards from me!!

Nearly forgot. Some nuisance seems to want to sell prescriptions for something beginning with v..... - so I have had to put on comment moderation. Sorry about that.

Just relaxin'

Ah, a comfy chair rail for my head to rest on :)

Stretching out on MY sofa in case Misery decides she thinks she can invade my space

That pesky marmalade cat Harvey, stalking me again. Snarl

Where has my head gone? :(

Just another new enterprise

2009-10-21T14:41:00.009+02:00

Poor me. Pippa of the abandoned Pippadogblog.

But here I am at last - making what is beginning to be my once a month appearance.

However, I think you should all know that in my absence I have taken up a new career.

Yes. Pippa the Painter and Decorator. After the success of supervising the repainting of my finca terrace, I decided it was time to organise a repaint of my Gibkennelflat.

My nice clean finca

I made sure Master got out all his nice dust sheets for me to lie on and supervise. Shazam! It was done in two shakes of a Pippadog's tail. It was hard work mind, keeping a sleepy eye on Master to make sure he didn't slack.

Working hard

Laughing - they are so useless

Getting rather tired with my hard work - notice all those buckets and tins I have to keep an eye on too?

I think we all need a rest. I need a rest anyway.

Barking my orders

My clean curtains

In charge

A little smile

Just me

And my other adventure of note was a rather neat little escape the other day. Our neighbour had come across to ask for some help with his water heater (Pippa the Plumber coming up next perhaps) and so I wandered onto the landing when he called me to say hello.

Naturally after the cursory greetings I bounded down the stairs to see if the front door was open and then I could chase some cats. But it wasn't. So my neighbour found me sitting by the door waiting for someone to open it and I had to go back upstairs to my kennelflat. It seems I may not be allowed to socialise with my neighbours on the landing again.

Busy, busy, busy and National Day

2009-09-16T16:15:00.013+02:00

I have been sooooo busy, what with printing my business cards, decorating my GibKennelFlat and - National Day. Anyway, more of the other stuff later, here are my National Day photos.

Oh for any pup who doesn't know, Gibraltar celebrates National Day on 10 September and we all dress up in red and white, which are our national colours.

Normally I don't dress up. At all. But I don't like to be upstaged and it seemed that rather a lot of pups were getting into the swing of it all. So not wanting to be left out, I donned a rather macho vest of master's.

I think I will have something more discrete next time though. Perhaps a red harness, or a small red and white scarf tucked into my harness. Wearing vests indeed.

Ah yes, discreet, this is what I like. Subtlety. Nothing over the top. Tasteful too.

A flower - of course, any excuse to put flowers on my blog. Even if it is red.

A car seems to have found its way in here too, just because it is the right colour is no excuse.

Idle

2009-09-08T13:09:00.008+02:00

Yes, that's right. Idle Mistress. She has now decided that posting rather nice photos of me is much easier than writing up my busy activities aka sleeping. Chasing cats. Or at least dreaming of chasing cats.

First off, it is not true that my delicate soft skull made this rather large dent in a very strong paint tin. Despite what some people have been saying.

Off out with master.

Favourite folded paws. Or Tuck as Sophie says.

At my favourite gate.

I wonder if anyone has ever thought of cleaning my window in my Land Rover?

Just enjoying the ride..

.....

....

What was that? Did I miss something?

Oh, and I am now on Facebook IN MY OWN RIGHT. With my very own farm too, sadly bereft of cats. I am searchable but if you are on too as a dog just leave me a message on here and we can catch up somehow:) Well, possibly, given all Misery's flaws and inabilities.

Random PippaPix

2009-08-23T12:01:00.016+02:00

Well I can report that there was no trace of that Feral Cat at my finca so perhaps it has really gone.

Misery now has her Hal Apple back so perhaps that might mean she might update my blog more and visit my friends. I am surprised I have any left.

Anyway, here is a random selection of Pippapix.

First ones are at my finca, and the second lot are from Gib.

Here I am in my patio, looking at silly Misery with her camera toy.

But here, in this direction, there is toast, which is much more interesting.

Glare. I am more interested in toast than silly photos.

Happy and toasted.

That's enough now. Bored.

I'm not sure I like this photo. Misery seems to think I look funny with my eye all scrunched up. None of her business if I am comfortable lying like this.

Looking thoughtful and pensive in this rather ethereal light.

Checking out the leaves (not sure what for).

Best paw forward - home for food.

Just chillin' in front of the fan.

Ferals and fans

2009-08-05T10:38:00.004+02:00

I decided to make a stand. I informed Misery that I was not going back to my finca until she got rid of that Pesky Feral Cat and its Pesky Feral Kitty.

So off she went, and I can report it was a successful mission. Well, it was successful inasmuch as Misery said there was no longer any trace of the Pesky Feral Family. Of course she would have made so much noise clomping around that the Peskies probably just ran away when they heard her.

The next time I go back I will have a good sniff around and a proper investigation will be carried out by Detective Pippa.

In the meantime I am chilling out in front of my fan on the floor, or lying underneath my ceiling fan. What else is a dog to do in hot weather?

All stretched out

A good position for ignoring Misery

Someone, is getting up my nose

Time for a stretch....

.....And outta here

Picnic .... and guests!!

2009-07-13T15:36:00.007+02:00

We all went for a picnic. Master and Misery Mistress do class picnics.

Master parked over by the grass for me to have a short walk, and near a rubbish bin. He parked as far away as possible from the shop so that Idle Misery could get a bit of exercise.

She bought two tortilla and pimiento sandwiches, cokes, a beer for her, and we had packed our own crisps/chips/patatas fritas.

Master got his dust sheet out and put it carefully on the floor so they could lean against the rear wheel.

Misery kept waving our sandwich around. I kept lungeing for it. Nearer and nearer I got, every time she looked away.

And then - Yes!! I had it in my mouth. I was just about to chomp my PippaJaws down on it when it snuck back out. It wasn't the sandwich at all, it was silly Misery's finger and she didn't want to lose it. She didn't want to lose the sandwich either. A bit of a failure there on my part I must say.

Still, I had plenty of yummy chips, and Misery did feed me the ends of her sandwiches.

It was very peaceful and tranquilo. We all thought Misery was never going to get off the dust sheet. She gazed around at the mountains and dreamed of camping.

And then remembered how much it costs a night at camp sites whereas it is free at my finca, so we jumped back in my Landy and headed off up to my finca.

At my finca Master discovered uninvited guests. Apart from the four dead cockroaches in the bathroom that Misery screamed at.

When he was working in MY corral, he sensed a movement. Then he looked down and what did he find?

A C-A-T. A pesky cat. In MY corral. And not only a cat, curled up carefully on one of Master's boxes with a few rags, but her kitten too. She is a feral cat so there was only one kitten, hiding underneath her (on the left). Master and Misery tiptoed around them, and Mistress took some poor pictures without a flash so she didn't disturb them.

When I lived in my corral not a single cat would dare come in there, and any rats that got near were quickly dispatched with a smack of the PippaPaw and a slight shake. Was I allowed in to get rid of uninvited guests? No.

Behind bars.

Really. I swear the world is going to the cats.

Back from hols

2009-06-29T13:23:00.007+02:00

We have been on hols. But actually I don't think I understand what that means. Master took a week off work, Mistress took a week off faffing around on the computer, and we went back to my finca.

Life seemed the same as normal to me. Walks, no cats to chase, food, and lying on my terrace.

Master and Mistress spent all their time tidying the garden and painting the outside walls. Now Master normally paints during the week, and gets paid for it, so why would he do that on 'holiday' for free? Humans are beyond me. Mistress even mopped out the house.

They went geocatzing one morning. Apparently it was too hot for me to go so I stayed inside my cool house. Mistress may write about it on her own blog. She is still toying with starting a new one.

Oh, and it was their birthdays too. There were some nice messages from some DWB friends on FB so Misery says thanks for that.

Now we need to spend the rest of the week visiting friends and catching up. I was so sad to read about Dakota and our hearts are with the Op Pack. JB and her family are also in our thoughts with their sad story about Bear. And to end on a good note, my good friend Randi had some good results with her surgery. I guess there is more to read on all your blogs so this is a short post today with a few pix from my 'holidays',

At my gate with some of Misery's pretty flowers. No more flowers on MY blog - the rest will be consigned to hers.

Me again, happy.

Me supervising Misery painting while Master was out.

Oh, look, my walls have been painted here. About time too.

A rather nice profile shot I think. (I look even better bigger)

Gosh, it is so tiring lying on my terrace.

Just surveying my terrace and feeling important.

Having a good sniff to see who - or what - is around.

Come on Master, give ME some cheese on toast.

That friendly face didn't work. A more assertive one was called for.

Lying inside my cool house while they clear off cycling, or geocatzing or something.

Stopping for chips/crisps/patatas fritas at the rest area on the autovia on the way back to Gib. YUM!

Chasing pirates - I wish

2009-06-17T10:52:00.010+02:00

I was going to make some announcements but it has taken Misery so long to get around to writing this that I have forgotten some of them.

1) Misery is considering messing around with some of her blogs. I think instead of considering that and doing nothing about it she would be better off employed writing on mine. Anyway I know that some of your humans have a looky at her blogs, so if she ever gets round to doing anything I will put up a new linky. The Landy one will stay as it is, it is the other two she is thinking about revamping or maybe combining. Or something.

2) One of my favourite and most loyal girlfriends Randi the Lab/Newf has some nasty lumpies that need to come out, so paws crossed for Randi that everything goes smoothly. Randi also gave me a wonderful shout out on her blog the other week, so thank you for that Randi.

3) I met some super Americans the other night. They were on a coastguard ship chasing pirates around the world. How brave of them. They told master it was not an easy job at all. They knew straightaway that I was a cross-husky and immediately came to give me big hugs and kisses. They even asked if they could take me home with them, but Master was having none of that. Shame though, just think how many dogpals in America I would have been able to visit. And I would have been able to join in the pirate chase too – what an adventure. I think Master was rather grumpy not to let me go with them.

Here I am looking at a map of Africa and thinking about chasing pirates.

Here I am looking at a map of Africa and I appear to be falling asleep.

4) Speaking of huskiness, I gave a very big HAROOOOO the other day. Mistress was very surprised because I don't usually bark or woo or haroo. But she had such a nice sandwich with sage and onion slices, and artichokes and beans in mustard dressing, and lettuce that I wanted it. So I thought the best way to demand it was to Haroo. Loudly. Silly Misery said 'Was that a haroo Pippa?' Of course it was. Now give me the sandwich. And I gave another quieter but very assertive haroo. I got a little bit of sandwich, I usually get the end bits when she starts getting fed up with it. Not enough for my excellent haroos though. So I shan't haroo any more unless I get reasonable rewards.

And here is a silly picture that Misery took of me in my table den. (Note to Misery - I think you should polish my table den before you post pictures of it on the internet).

Edited to add: We have just started to go and visit some of our friends and sadly see that our friend Rocky died at the weekend. Many of you have already visited but if not you can find his blog here - RockStar and Company. Our condolences to Mike and the beautiful Mahti.

On the road again

2009-06-04T07:59:00.007+02:00

I have been a busy Pippadog travelling up and down to my finca again. I knew we were going because Misery was carrying bags with her when we went out for a walk, so I quickly pulled Master towards my Landy so we could get in and set off.

When we got there I did boundaround.

I bounded through the house, through the sitting room, and the dining room and into the kitchen. Then I bounded back through again, and back once more.

And when Misery opened the kitchen door for me, I bounded out onto my terrace and bounded up and down there a few times. Then I went to lie down at my gates.

I don't really have any space to play boundaround in my Gibkennelflat, the most I can really do is a few leaps into the air to help myself to food in people's hands or from their plates - although sadly I don't seem very successful at this.

It was very warm at my finca, so mostly I lay on my terrace in the mornings and the evenings. When it started getting towards lunchtime I went inside and lay in my den under my table. And sometimes I went to my sofa.

Misery and Master seemed to be busy doing something each morning called Paying Bills, but when they came back home from that we all went on my terrace again.

And that's it really. We didn't do any geocatzing, and I didn't manage to chase any ordinary catz either. I did eye up one of the local pups and warned him off my path. We went for some walks up the hill and said hello to the horse and foal.

It was very hot on the way back down to Gibflat. At my finca there was a sea fret and everything was very still and quiet, but as soon as we left the coast and went slightly inland onto the motorway, the sun was shining brightly in a clear blue sky. Master and Misery have started to take a couple of the toll roads as well, and they go further inland, cutting through the high mountains. It was windy too, so even though we had windows and vents open, the breeze was hot.

We stopped at one of the rest areas for a leg stretch, some sandwiches, and my favourite crisps, Lays Artesanas made with olive oil.

I howled and jumped around because Master and Misery weren't giving me enough. Misery had bought two small bags of crisps, I think she should have bought three. One for me on my very own, and then one each for them that I could have shared as well because I eat faster than them.

Then we all had a drink. But it was too hot for my feeties on the pavement so I started dancing around.

Master quickly opened my Landy door so I could climb back inside and Misery brought my little water bowl for me to drink on my Landy sofa.

When the toll road finished, we took the coast road for the rest of the journey, and the breeze was much fresher, so we all cooled down a little.

And then we arrived home in Gib.

The great escape

2009-05-21T12:51:00.004+02:00

The other night, Master and I went for a nice late walk.

We had all cruised off to our beds nice and early, deciding that we would go out for a later walk when it was quiet.

Misery, as usual, was lying in her bed (ie on the floor), and suddenly she heard a loud bang. And then another one.

Fireworks! she thought. And wondered if there were going to be lots of them.

Meanwhile, I heard the first nasty loud bang and started. The next time, I decided it was time for action. I pulled in the opposite direction to Master – and as luck would have it – my chain snapped.

Off I skipped. First I ran onto the road, but then remembered there are nasty vehicles on there so I quickly jumped back onto the pavement.

I ran up the street in the opposite direction to Master so he could chase me. But he didn't. He called 'Pippa' and when I waited for him to chase me he just turned and walked in the other direction. I was so disappointed. And I didn't want to be left either, so I quickly ran after him, and he clipped my lead to my collar. Not much of an escape really.

The next day Misery went to the shop to look for a Strong Harness. Hmmmm. She spoke to the man in the shop and agreed to go back with Master and I.

The shop man brought out a very strong looking harness and put it over my head. Then he wanted me to lift my left paw through. But I always lift my right paw first. Perhaps I am right pawed? So Master put my left paw through.

But I think it is rather nice, and it is blue so it matches my blue collar. I wonder if my husky blood is showing through here as a harness-wearing dog?

Here is a top view of my new harness

Down the monkey steps we go

I think there were monkeys here.....

.......Or maybe they were here?

In the swing of it here with Master - walking jauntily

A quick pee-mail

WHO added that silly flower?

Geocatzing

2009-05-15T12:17:00.005+02:00

I said in my last post that I would write about our geocatzing adventures so here they are.

Some of you may remember that many months ago Misery Mistress went geocatzing on her own - unsuccessfully. You can read about it here where I pointed out it was clear that she was unsuccessful because she did not take ME.

She has decided that we need to get out exploring and walking more, so came to the conclusion that geocatzing would be just the right thing for that. Master is always happy to buy new toys, so on Saturday they went to buy the GPS unit needed to find the little pots of hidden treasure.

Off we went in my Landy, and we were stopped at the frontier by the Spanish customs police. They are usually nice and friendly and smiley with me, but these two seemed very dour. I was disappointed.

After they had peered and poked all over my Landy, we set off to the location of the cache. It was in a very pretty park on a headland, with lots of spring flowers. And, there were lots of new dog friends to meet and greet and sniff.

We wandered round the nice paths and master and I posed for photos. There are more photos on Misery's other blogs (you can see on the sidebar), including a very good one of my ears.

Then I stood around patiently waiting for Master and Misery to find the cache but they didn't. Makes no difference to me whether they find it or not. I am sure if they had let me off the lead I would have found it. Well, I would have found something, although maybe not treasure - maybe a few nice female dogs would have been interesting. There were no catz to be seen anywhere so I am beginning to think this geocatzing is not about catz at all.

After that we drove to a nice place called Tarifa and Master and I sat in my Landy while Misery took photos of the beautiful beach.

And that's it. So the Pippa verdict on geocatzing is that it is ok from the perspective of going for a drive and a nice walk, but it was rather short on the catz.

Master and Misery went out again in the evening to look for the one up the Rock that Misery could never find, but they didn't take me so I can't report on that.

I have forgotten to thank everyone who voted for me in the GSD Adventures competition April Showers, May Flowers. I didn't win, but I was very pleased with the votes I received, and as Misery only voted for me twice, lots of you must have gone over there - so thank you very much.

Next up - The Great Escape.

History and monkeys

2009-05-11T10:51:00.009+02:00

Well, Misery seems to have a problem with her computer. Hal, the Apple.

Anyway, I am not interested as she has bought herself another one called HP, the Sauce.

So long as my blog is updated and there are Pippapix, that is all I care about.

If you are interested in Misery's computer woes (and I tell you – there are plenty of them) you need to look at her blogs. I think the Land Rover blog is free of them.

Now. More interestingly, I was on Monkey Duty the other day.

Sniffing, looking

We had a nice walk up our back streets and came around the top of Trafalgar Cemetery. People think lots of British sailors are buried here from the battle of Trafalgar in 1805, but actually there are only two. Most of those who died at Trafalgar were buried at sea, and Lord Nelson was taken back to the UK for a state funeral. Many of the graves are for people who died from yellow fever in the early 19th century.

Cemetery entrance

Sign about the history of the cemetery

A peaceful spot

Anyway the history lesson is over. As we all know, next to the cemetery are fig trees, where my friends the monkeys come to sit and eat. So yesterday, when I walked past the cemetery I could sniff the monkeys had been there. But I couldn't see them. Only smell them. No monkeys in sight.

Poking head through wall to look for monkeys

I know you are there - or you have been there

Come on monkeys - talk to Pippa

Update -
She has also been too busy GeoCatzing to post this before now, so I will write about my geocatz adventures next.

Finca fun and sofa sequel

2009-04-29T14:00:00.010+02:00

I should like to thank everyone for their support in my sofa campaign.

First the good news is that Misery took her sleeping bag off the sofa during the day as even she can't lay down for 24 hours solid, so I got it back for 50% of the time.

The next news is that we went back to my Spanish finca at the weekend. Misery was going to go back on her own, but Master thought she was too poorly so we all drove back together.

I promptly jumped onto my sofa to make sure she wasn't going to steal that as well, but I needn't have worried as she has a bed there and spent all night (and half the day) in that.

We had a good time there, but it was raining slightly when we arrived so I wasn't allowed to go and sit in the wet at my gate. Just as well I had my sofa, I thought to myself.

And the next day we went back. Here I am in my Landy. On my Landysofa. Mostly I lie down for the whole journey.

Until we get to San Pedro Al-CAT-ara - where I need to look for cats, or why else would it be called that?

Here I am checking out for cats at San Pedro Al-CA(n)T-ara. Sniff, sniff.

Mistress took this photo so you can see the name of San Pedro. I don't know why she took it when there was a huge truck in the way.

I didn't see any cats. But I enjoyed looking down on all the other cars from my Landy.

This is a very silly picture. I don't know why Misery has included it. I think I had just finished yawning but I look almost fearsome.

Misery seems to think we need a few photos of her garden at the finca. I don't think we do at all. One will do, Misery.

Anyway, when we got home, she seemed to be feeling a bit brighter - AND - decided not to sleep on the sofa. So now it is all mine again. Everyone's comments must have worked and made her feel so guilty for stealing MY sofa.

And I want to say how sad I am that Charlie went to the Rainbow Bridge on Anzac Day. She was a fine pal and I will miss her very much. So this post and this sad photo of me thinking of her (back on my sofa) is dedicated to Charlie.

MY sofa

2009-04-21T10:10:00.005+02:00

Misery has stolen MY sofa. She says that she has just temporarily reclaimed what was once hers anyway.

As far as I am concerned, I have slept on it for the last two years, so therefore it is MINE. I am not interested in what went on 40 years ago, whenever that was.

She decided she was tired of aching on the floor and struggling to sit up and cough, so she grabbed her sleeping bag and jumped on the sofa one night when I was inadvertently lying on the floor.

I have not been able to get back on since.

Oh, in case anyone is confused, they sleep on the floor because they haven't got round to buying a bed.

So I have been alternating between my Under Table Den, lying in the doorway with my head under the sideboard, and lying on my dustsheet in their bedroom.

Sad Pippadog

But then I decided a little tit for tat was called for.

First I rested my head on their 'bed'.

Just trying it out for size......

Who is disturbing my nap?

Oh well, time for a stretch

Then I decided that wasn't good enough. Mistress hasn't just got her head on MY sofa, she has commandeered it all.

Mistress's scruffy sleeping bag on MY sofa

So I did the same. Have that Mistress.

Mmmm, very comfy, I could gradually get all of me on here

Go away Misery - or give me back MY sofa

Now onto my second complaint about Misery.

As I wrote the other day, she kindly submitted a photo of me in my jasmine patch for Pruett and Daphne's April Showers May Flowers comp over at GSD Adventures.

Well, the first day, she was so busy looking at the photos, she forgot to vote. The next day she voted. Did she vote for me????? NO!!!! Why did she not vote for me? Something about it is not British to vote for one's self.

She isn't voting for her. She would be voting for ME. She told Master and I waited for Master to tell her off.

"Of course you can't possibly vote for Pippa. That's like cheating. Most unBritish," said Master, very unhelpfully.

Anyway, as it turns out I am not voteless. So if any of my friends have been over and voted for me, thank you very much. Voting runs until the end of this month, and you can vote for three dogs every day, which is really good because it gives you chance to vote for lots of friends and favourites.

Monkeys!!

2009-04-15T15:21:00.011+02:00

I have something very exciting to write about.

Monkeys. Yes that's right, monkeys.

I spotted them on the city wall gates a few weeks ago, and stood watching them and sniffing them. They chattered away but I don't understand monkey.

Anyway, off we went for our morning walk. Mistress was distracting herself with ship photos again. Yawn.

Waiting for Misery to come back from shipwatch.

We set off back up the hill and I could smell them. Misery and Master were not walking fast enough.

Come along! We need to get to the monkeys.

Master and I spotted them straight away. It wasn't difficult as they were swinging on the branches in the trees. Eventually even Misery spotted them.

They were little baby monkeys. See this one walking along the branches?

Misery walked up to take closer pictures so they threw figs at her. Actually I don't think they were really throwing figs at her, because they were too busy eating them, but it is a nice thought. But when they move along the branches some of the figs drop and fall down onto the ground.

They wrap their feet around the branches so they can sit there and then pick all the figs within reach. Misery tells me figs are nice.

While Misery was taking a few different pictures, Master and I stood there intently watching the monkeys.

Me and headless master. Concentrating on monkeywatch.

Just me.

Look, can you see the face on this one? He was looking at me I'm sure.

Then I was tired after all that excitement.

Oh and I forgot to say I entered the April Showers May Flowers comp over at GSD Adventures. But I can't make the button come up.

Chillin'

2009-04-11T10:50:00.004+02:00

As pups said I don't have to write anything, and just stick up some photos, that's exactly what I'm doing.

So here I am. Just chillin'.

On my sofa.

In my bedroom (which they are allowed to use too).

Checking out boots and shoes.

Chilling with Master while waiting for Misery. Here she comes. Quick! look away. Silly Master is not playing the game. Must give him some lessons.

Oh, I wanted to mention my paws after adorable Biloxi said I had 'learned paw placement from Lady Khyra. Now I am particularly honoured to be associated and compared with the beautiful oh-so-fluffy-tailed Khyra, but the truth is I have been putting my paws in quaint positions for many years and am rather proud of them.

In fact, ironically, Biloxi's previous foster home The Kapp Pack, even did a special post about my paws here back in November 2007.

So I think I can claim to have crossed my paws, tucked them, and put them in doga positions for many years now. But I have to confess to occasionally emulating Randi and flipping them outwards, which I used not to do.

Anyway I am getting older, and as you can see on the sleepy pix above it is easy to let them all lie out straight. That way I don't have to worry about tangling them up.

But then later on, I thought I would do a tiny tangle. Just to make sure I could still do it.

Oh, and I got pizza last night. Misery is poorly at the moment and not up to cooking. In fact she is not eating much and wanders around clutching herself muttering and moaning about how she hurts everywhere. I think she has morphed into my 80-year-old Spanish neighbour who wanders around saying 'me duele todo el cuerpo'. Anyway Master didn't want to cook either so he went for pizza and it was a two for one offer so they HAD to give some to me. Yay! for pizza.

Reappearance

2009-04-06T11:55:00.006+02:00

Well, I need to thank Jake and Just Harry, The Barkalot Boyz for this post.

Misery has 'been meaning' to write something for ages - although only to say that we are having a blogging break.

I think most pups and their peeps have noticed that, Misery. Two months worth of break so far.

Anyway, after J and JH's kind thoughts asking after me, I thought it was essential to give you all a quick pupdate.

I am particularly disappointed that I missed Valentine's Day and didn't get the chance to send a romantic message to all my darling girlfriends. Actually I probably don't have any left. They will have forgotten all about me. And I am getting to be an older dog too.

We went to my finca for Valentine's weekend, so Misery and Master could have a romantic time together messing around doing nothing. There is no internet any more there, so I couldn't write anything up at the time, and then the blogging decline set in.

We had a fine weekend for V's Day though. Here I am looking for cats underneath the car of my Chilean and Swedish neighbours. They have lots of cats, and a few dogs too.

See the Pointer next to the blue volvo, and the cats playing scary eyes underneath? Huh. I wasn't frightened.

Just checking as we go past to make sure no little cat monsters are thinking of stalking us.

You can see it was dusk, so then we all went home and did nothing.

The next day we all went down the beach for a walk. They had talked about going cycling but settled for a walk with ME. Mistress started taking pictures of the local scenery and then her batteries ran out. So did the camera ones. Had she brought new ones with her? What do you think?

So there are no photos of me looking fetching down the beach. When we got home, they decided to go cycling after all. And when they came back we spent most of the day sitting on MY terrace. It was nice.

You can see her scenery pics here.

I don't know what has happened since then. Nothing really. Master has been decorating their room, which I use too of course, and we have been out for our usual walks.

While I hate to agree with Misery, we haven't really much to write about right now. So I will be back when I have something mildly interesting to say. Hope you are all well.

Looking thoughtful .. and elegant, I think.

I see Misery is up to her usual tricks and is sneaking in a flowering succulent.

Here I am lying on my new dust sheet, next to master's bed-on-the-floor. We had banished Misery to the finca last weekend.

And here I am last night wandering around the marina.

Misery took more pictures of boats than she did of me.

Cats

2009-02-05T20:57:00.004+01:00

I will refrain from mentioning mistress's lack of success at sorting anything computer related.

About the only thing I have noticed her do recently is mop the floors - and write stuff on her blogs.

We received a Holiday card the other day. I was pleased about that, I have not lost hope that one day - preferably before next Holidays - she will actually print some cards for me.

Anyway, just so pups don't forget who I am, I thought I would mention some fine cat stories. Well, cat stories anyway.

Mistress went down the town the other day and came back smelling of C.A.T.

Apparently there is a rather sleek and gorgeous black one who hangs around the court buildings in Main Street. Master seems to think he is feral but he certainly looks well-fed to Misery Mistress.

She stood there for ages talking to him - get this - and making silly cat noises so that he came and purred to her, and rubbed himself against her. Just as well she was ill-prepared and didn't have the camera. Next she would be wanting to put it on my blog.

Really mistress, you need to get a life. Without cats. The only one to communicate with cats around here is ME.

So last week, we all skipped out for our evening walk. On our way we met our neighbour across the road, who feeds lots of feral cats and adopts them too.

Other people stopped to say hello to me, as I like to be sociable and make new friends. One woman went off in one direction and then came back again to say a double hello. Hehe, what a charmer I am.

Then mistress decided to go to a boring lecture with one of the people we met. Yawn. Master and I went back to our flat for a snoozelet.

Our best trip though happened when Misery actually took the camera for once. I avoided the camera. (As usual).

Avoiding.

Thinking.

Misery took a picture of a ship. (As usual). Apparently it is a destroyer. I wonder if it destroys cats?

The cat destroyer (I think).

Then we went home and there was a C.A.T. under the car just outside our block. I tried to get it, but master was not having a bar of it.

Anyway, we went out later again when it was dark, and took a different route.

And there, just outside Trafalgar Cemetery was another of the little terrors. I tried to dig my claws into the pavement and pull master towards it, but no, another unsuccessful cathunt. Still at least Misery was too slow to take a photo.

Always important to check for cats everywhere.

There are cats somewhere, I know. I just need to be let off the lead to get them all.

Snooze update

2009-01-20T16:53:00.002+01:00

Whoops. That should say News update. I think I have snoozing on the brain.

I wanted to let pups know that I have stepped down from my role as DWB Snooze - I mean - News Editor.

As Misery Mistress needs to sort out the computer, or rather the compatibility between the computer and the printer, I reluctantly decided that we can't really commit to updating the news when we don't have the time for it right now.

It's not just the News. As well as looking for news stories, we also have to patrol the blogs to make sure that dogblogs are still in existence, that they meet the values and ethics of DWB, and to check for any major changes - such as members who need to be moved to Daisy Chain status.

And I would like to apologise to any pups out there who may have sent news via the email on the News website. Misery trashed all her emails and account info the last time she uninstalled her operating system so we have not been able to check on any potential news stories that might be waiting there. Sorry about that pups.

What else? Some of you have been asking about the movie project. Well, like everything else, it is on the back burner until the hardware/software probs are sorted. Sadly.

When Misery finished her 50,000 word novel - which was NOT about me - some of you suggested she should write a story which involved me. So I am thinking about maybe having another blog to map out the movie stuff, and write a nice long PippaStory.

But not yet. Misery has far too many blogs anyway. And if I let her start another one right now, she will never sort out the computer issues. She will be tap tap tapping away merrily all day instead of getting on with fixing.

So if we aren't around for a while - we are fixing. And if we are around, that means I haven't put my paw down firmly enough, and she is still putting off the fixing. I'll keep you updated on her lack of progress.

Gotcha - or rather GotThem - Day

2009-01-14T14:06:00.014+01:00

Well, everypup, today is the Big Day. My GotThem Day. Because after all I found them.

I think lots of you already know how I found Master and Misery Mistress wandering around the hillside and the streets in the Spanish village I was dumped in. They looked so forlorn and only had two oldish dogs, so I knew they needed another pup.

If you haven't read the links, they are on the sidebar under My Story 1 & 2.

Now Misery usually forgets my GotThem Day, but as we posted about it last week, even she has managed to remember. However I have noticed very little different about it. A few measly helpings of toast, certainly not a Special Day Helping. Nor did she leave the rolls and butter out when she had finished which I thought was extra mean of her.

But as luck would have it, a few days ago, notification came that we had a parcel to collect. As it didn't have my name on the card, Misery thought it was for her. How silly. Naturally it was for ME. As the parcel place doesn't open on the weekend and Monday was a Bank Holiday, Misery had to wait until Tuesday to go and collect it.

The customs officer was very impressed with the parcel. She loved the dog pictures on the label, and the Paw it Forward sticker.

See the nice stickers (and my tasties, one slightly the worse for wear)

I checked it out of course, had a good sniff and tried to tear it apart.

Looking underneath

Trying to get hold of the corner

And then I had a little play with the toys. First I played with the tuggy and the ball. I like tennis balls, and have some yellow ones on my terrace but none of them were new. I like to watch them roll down the steps and make Misery go and and fetch them for me. And I have never had a purple one before. Then I got my paws on the tasties and tried to demolish them before Misery took them away from me.

My lovely purple ball

More goodies?

My tasty just before I demolished it

The green tasty

Trying to demolish the green tasty too

Hey! Where have they gone?

Toyless :(

Today I have been allowed to play with my ball and my tuggy thing. I am not very good with toys because street dogs don't have toys (apart from bits of wood that they find). But I like the purple ball very much, and Misery is helping me learn how to play tugs with the other one. Oooh, and I have just discovered it squeaks. Hehe.

Me and my toy on my sofa

Getting hold of it with my teethies

Toys are hard work - time for a rest

A big bark-out to Addie for such wonderful gifts, especially as they arrived in time for my GotThem Day.

ETA Misery and I have changed my music for my GotThem Day to my favourite song - but clever Princess Eva noticed it before I got chance to say so. How nice to have such a darling clever girlfriend.

Keeping order

2009-01-06T12:37:00.005+01:00

I have noticed the appearance of some little trouble-makers around my normal dog-walking route.

As you know, I am nice friendly Pippadog, even though Jacks, Narra, Tuchuck and Rousseau seem to think I was looking at this little pup like lunch.

But the other day we were just setting off and a ferocious Jack Russelly sort of thing came charging round the corner at me and decided to attack. Attack me! Nice friendly Pippa. Well that is, until something decides to attack me. I decided to give it some of its own medicine, but master wasn't impressed and held me off. He also made sure that my neck was a long way from the little monster so that it couldn't get hold of my neck.

Then the woman came round the corner, and master suggested it might be a Very Good Idea if she used a lead in future. Instead of letting the dog run riot attacking gentle giants. Quite right master, although I was trying to put him right when you interfered.

And yesterday, master and I were sitting chatting to some of our friends and another woman came up with a dog. It was on a lead. And it looked like some of my friends so I wasn't worried. Then it jumped up, as though it was going to bite my nose. I reacted very quickly. I lifted up a big Pippapaw and gave it a smart cuff around the head. Ha! Everyone laughed, and the woman told her dog, that was what it deserved for being naughty. Perhaps I am a boxer in disguise.

Now, speaking of boxers or rather boxes, I am embarrassed to say this but on Boxing Day mistress finally tried to do a photoshoot with the aim of getting e-cards to everyone for new year. As you can all see, nothing has come of it so far. This may of course be because master and I were not co-operating. I have passed on the Ao4 lessons to master and he is getting quite good. I am better of course. So here I am, not looking at the camera.

My purposeful walk. No time for silly photos.

Avoiding mistress. What a fine big cannon. And an even bigger boat behind.

Looking down the quay. Master looking down at me. What is mistress's shadow doing there?

Checking out the peeps walking past. Mistress is still determined to get on the picture with her silly shadow.

A leg shot. Very good mistress. Pure class.

Butter wouldn't melt.....and the annual review

2008-12-31T20:16:00.005+01:00

Well every pup, inspired by all your helpful and pawsitive comments regarding my food foraging, especially Jackson's - I just hope you got some credit for saving on the washing up by going for the self service buffet option - I thought I would have another go on Boxing Day.

Misery had gone to the shops, which is one of her duties, although she always tries to put it off on some spurious excuse that she has to supervise me. But master remained behind and agreed to prepare lunch. When he had put all the veg trimmings in the bin he decided to take it outside, so down he went.

Naturally I wandered over to have a little lookie to see if there was anything left for me. And what did I find? Yes, the nice butter dish. Sadly there were no bread rolls to go with the butter as I had eaten all those on Christmas Eve. I carefully put my front paws up and reached out for the butter dish, and then gently placed it on the floor.

I knew I had to be quick because master wouldn't be long putting the rubbish outside, so I licked the dish out as fast as possible. When master came in, it was nice and clean. I was waiting for him to be pleased at my contributions to the washing up, but he picked up the dish and said "Bad dog, go to your sofa."

Well, I was going to my sofa anyway after my nice find, but I thought it was a bit churlish to call me bad dog. If master doesn't want me to eat butter he shouldn't leave it out. In fact, I have to report, he has since been putting it in the fridge all the time now. And the new bread rolls seem to live in a cupboard. I foresee a starving new year.

.............

Onto Pippa's Review of 2008. Last year I did a review, which I really enjoyed putting together as it is so easy to forget what has happened during the year.

So in January, mistress forgot my Gotcha Day - which is 14 Jan mistress, please remember next year - and we went back to my finca, so I had a fine time playing on my terrace. I said goodbye to my new friend Durango, who sadly was only with the Brat Pack for a very short time.

February was mostly a nice sunny month and I lay outside smelling the jasmine on my terrace and sat at the table waiting for my omelette. I got treats from my darlings Tasha and Eva, got lots of awards and had a few girlfriend problems, so I decided not to look for any more. It was also leap year so I thought I better let all my girlfriends know that I didn't expect any proposals. Phew! Didn't get any - apart from a half-hearted one from Sophs. Oh, and we went for a fine excursion into the hills, and got stuck down a river bed too. A busy month.

In March we decided to go back to my Gibflat to check out what the Gibcats had been up to in my absence. Master seemed to think he might go look for some more work too. We did a black and white photoshoot as the prelimary for my new career on the silver screen. LacyLulu gained her angel wings.

In April we travelled up and down to my finca again but only at the weekend as master had found himself some work. More importantly I wrote the first draft of my film project.

May was a sociable month chatting to people at the marina and the guardia civil when we crossed the border. It was also a very sad month because darling Tasha, one of my earliest and sweet-hearted girlfriends, went to the Rainbow Bridge.

I became a restaurant critic in June, which I can recommend to all pups I must say. At the beginning of the month, I posted about Harry, my very good friend, who had overcome huge pawlinesses 18 months previously, but finally went to the bridge at the end of May. And at the end of the month, young Baby Love's health problems finally became too much for her to fight any more, and she joined so many of our friends.

July was pretty much like June - lots more food out for my new role as restaurant critic, and Crum-Pets at home. But more sadness as three more lovely friends left us - Kelsey Ann from the Kapp Pack, another very special girlfriend, and Blogs from the Dogs in the UK had such a triste month, first with Megann going to the bridge, and then KuBrin.

In August I got a Beetle-Pet, but she didn't last long - not my fault, I must add. I shed lots of fur in the hot summer. Mistress was busy celebrating their wedding anniversary - for most of the month I think. September was pretty quiet too, although mistress managed to take some silly photos of me. We reminded everyone how I got my name.

The best thing about October was that one day I escaped on my morning walk with master to go on a cat hunt. But I found my way into a courtyard and was trapped, so my fun didn't last long. And I posted a rather good doga photo.

November was a mixed month. The good news was that I discovered yeast extract on toast is delicious, I played Nose Expose on Bolo's blog, and finally revived the movie project. Mistress spent too much time writing a silly novel. The sad news was that beautiful Freda went to the bridge. Lovely Freda, another of our early, and great, blogging friends.

Which brings me up-to-date in December. Mistress decided to inflict computer problems on me. We went back to my finca for a nice holiday, but then master had to come back to work, so we didn't stay very long. I helped myself to bread rolls and butter for Christmas, but you all know that.

So there we are. Another year in the life of Pippadog. Some fun, some cats, some nice food, and some sadness too. Master, Misery and I would like to say that we are thinking of the families of those pups who have gone to the bridge, mentioned above, they have all been loyal and supportive friends who have always visited my blog. We are thinking too of all the other families who have seen some pup go to the Rainbow Bridge as it has been a sad year for the DWB community.

And I would like to thank every pup of you for continuing to visit my blog in spite of Misery's erratic posting. Wishing you all the very best for the New Year.

Pippa

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T20:03:00.004+01:00

Well, everypup, I hope you are having/had/will have a good Christmas.

I had a fine Christmas Eve. Master came home from the supermarket with some provisions and mistress helpfully left them on the bread board.

Naturally when she went out for a few other things I jumped up and found some nice wholemeal rolls.

I took them down carefully and put them on the floor, and then took them out of the plastic bag and started to eat them.

But I realised something was missing, so I jumped back up again and found the butter dish. I carefully took that onto the floor too, without breaking it, and licked it out.

What a treat.

Mistress came back in after about half an hour and thoughtfully took away the plastic bag. So then I decided to lie down and enjoy my last bread roll in comfort. Yum. Yum. After all, it wasn't much use to them full of Pippa slobber, was it?

Santa helps those who help themselves, say I.

Oh and we went out for a walk this evening, but I didn't feel like posing.

And no, Mistress has still not sorted her computer or done any holiday cards.

New Year Resolution - Find A New Mistress.

Christmas Day morning. Snooooooooooze.

Best foot forward for my Christmas Day photoshoot.

Where is master?

Oh. Here he is. Have we finished now?

No excuses

2008-12-21T10:42:00.006+01:00

Mistress has surpassed herself.

I am sure she has entered into a conspiracy with our computers deliberately to prevent my successful blogging.

So - what is the latest disaster to afflict me pups?

Apparently our computer and printer are not talking to each other? Does that affect my blogging? Yes. Because mistress needs to sort it out or there will be no PippaCards this year. Well there won't be any this year anyway, but there won't be any for New Year either. At this rate it will be Valentine's Day or Easter cards from Pippa.

First it is Write 50,000 Words For A Silly Novel Month (Oh she did manage it by the way) - next it is endless computer issues.

I really despair.

Thanks to everyone who has sent cards and email cards again.

Specific thanks to Lola Smiles, Simba, Jazz and Dixie, and Asta for suggesting that New Year cards are a good idea. That was good to hear.

Here is the list of cards I have received. Email ones to come for a later post. (Misery needs to make a list of them, especially as she has to do a reinstall of her OS X - myself I think she has one or more corrupted files, but hey! what do I know about it all).

In no particular order;

Jazz and Dixie - who sent a super message
Arabella
Comet Blu and Lacey
Charlie (golden) - who wished me toast and a cat for Christmas
Jackson - who has very distinguished cards - of course
Homer, Vanessa and Bill
Simba
Lenny and the Latshaws
Ben the Rotti
Blue
JB, Misty, PooPoo, and Bear (hehe maybe JB is my cat for Christmas)
Cookie and her crew plus Adelaide too
Collie, Beethoven and Joe
Charlie and Opy
Powder-Puff and Ivy - who sent an amazing card which involved decorating a tree - which of course misery has not yet done
Four Musketeers
Jaffe and Kaylie
Chloe - who lives near me in Spain
Verdi and Gaucho - also in Spain, in Madrid
Mona and the Mommy too
Faya - the first card I received
and last but definitely not least - Randi - who addressed my card to Dear Darling Pippa, and for good measure wrote what a handsome Pippadog I am on the envelope. How thoughtful to remind everyone of that.

I bet all the post delivery people in Gibraltar know who I am now. Hehe

It is lovely to get cards from pups I have met, but it is also really nice to get ones from pups I don't know, so when misery is sorted I need to get out and sniff around a bit I think.

That is the end of my moan and my thanks, so here are some pix from my hol at my finca.

Here I am in my Land Rover having a fine snooze with my leg comfortably positioned hanging off my Landy sofa. I don't know why mistress chose to take a photo of it.

So I changed round and let my back leg hang off, so then she took another photo.

In the end I got sick of her taking photos of my legs hanging down so I put my paws straight out and my head between them ignoring her.

Here is my new fridge that I am guarding so that mistress can't secretly sneak in there and take food out without me noticing.

Master and I working on our bikes on the terrace.

And at my favourite gate.

Just ......

2008-12-11T16:33:00.003+01:00

.....to let you all know that I don't think I need to run a competition.

Mistress would win hands down.

Latest excuse?

We go back to my finca in Spain.

What happens? My router is not working, and mistress is incapable of getting one delivered in the time that we are there.

Does she go and buy one? No.

She rings up the Spanish telephone company who commit to delivering one in a week. And don't.

So I have a week without getting in touch with my pals. She didn't even take any decent pictures of me. Actually I don't know what she did do.

I lay at my gate of course and gave that horrid marmalade cat the evil-eyed Pippa stare.

Anyway. More later.

And to finish by saying thank you to all those wonderful pups who have so far sent me either postal cards or ecards.

Mistress has not started my cards yet. I can't imagine that will surprise any pup.

* Asks Santa for a new mistress *

Excuses, excuses

2008-12-01T16:31:00.005+01:00

I am thinking of running a competition for the most inventive excuses for not writing some dog's blog.

Mistress has come up with two this month - or rather last month.

1) She had to back up all the data onto a memory stick and reinstall the operating system because (IMO) she had done something silly so the printer didn't work.

2) She joined in something silly called National Write A Novel Month, which meant she had to whack out 50,000 words in a month.

Well, mistress I have news for you. Here is a perfectly good dogblog. If you want to write 50,000 words, how about writing them on here, huh?

Anyway, in between computer issues and novels, we all went for a walk and I said hello to one of my friends. See how friendly I am to smaller dogs? Nice Pippa.

But the other day we met an English bulldog. And I could see his teeth, and they looked FEARSOME. So I barked at him to let him know I wasn't afraid, and he ran behind his mistress's legs.

Misery didn't have the camera so there are no pics of him.

She managed to find the camera when I got my paw stuck though. A dog can't even go to sleep and get his paw stuck without getting a photo taken. The indignity.

And here I am in my den under the table.

No wonder I try to hide.

Freda - DeltaBunny

2008-11-23T09:44:00.003+01:00

My friend Freda has gone to the Rainbow Bridge.

I am so sad. I loved Freda so much, she was so beautiful, and so funny and imaginative, and looked after her peeps so well.

I will miss you very much. My heart is heavy today. Bye bye Freda.

Remember the movie project?????

2008-11-14T11:10:00.009+01:00

Misery has taken some photos. In fact Misery has taken a lot of photos. Of ships and other dogs.

But they are not coming on my blog. Oh no. So if you want to see her really boring photos of ships and doggies you should click here for ships and here for dogs.

However, she has taken a photo of a cruise ship. So at least we can revive The Movie Project.

No mistress, that is not the cruise ship. That is the Ark Royal. I can tell a naval ship from a cruise ship by now.

Here is the cruise ship. We could have had the QE2 leaving port but did Misery manage to snap that? Of course not.

Anyway once she had taken the photos, I banished her again.

With a wave of the magic PippaPaw, I sent her off to my finca for a couple of days to feed my chickens and collect my fan mail (OK there wasn't any but I can live in hopes, and I need to plan this eventuality for when my movie gets premiered).

Then she came back and selfishly wrote up her blogs before mine.

Fanfare. Drum-roll.

The Movie Project is back.

Pippadogblog readers from some time ago will remember that I put up a portfolio of black and white photos and considered I might be an appropriate candidate for a star of the silent screen - here.

Then, with a little help from some Pippapals, we decided that what was needed was a film aboard a cruise ship, where I am a dashing hero and get to meet lots of my girlfriends.

So here is the reminder of the plot (s) and cast, although if you want to read more about it, click here.

Cast

  Sofa King and Toast Hero - Pippa 
Heroines 1 & 2 - Sophie and Ethel
 Love rival - BenTheRotti 
Goofy golden retriever sidekick - Charlie 
After-dinner crooner Boxer - Chef  

Official Ship's C.A.T. - JB (the only one we don't chase - although we could perhaps have one tiny little chase scene?)   

Side plots 

1) the entertainment crew led by Chef 
2) detour to Melbourne involving mystery and intrigue - Bella 
3) trip to UK for Simba's walk-on part    

Production

  Producer/director - Pippa (for now)
 Pippa's agent and PR director - Randi 
Ethel's agent - Wally 
Tester of the all-you-can-eat buffet - Wally 
Sophie's agent - Sophie, I mean Sophie's agent  

Screenplay - Me, Pippa, oh and well, Misery

Now there were lots and lots of comments from pups and cats, so this is why I need to update it.

1) Kathryn and Ari have told us we need to visit Maine for the International Film Festival and lots of toast.

2) Lola Smiles has asked me to go and visit her in Montreal.

3) Randi has decided she wants a tiny role in the film too, and may even turn out to be my one true love.

4) Sophie has agreed that Randi may have a small cameo but is not happy with the one true love idea.

Sophie wants a pawsonal assistant or an agent. She wonders if Lola will be her agent.

I don't mind Lola being Sophie's agent, but as we are going to visit her, she will also be getting her own role in the film (I hope). Lola is far too beautiful not to at least have a small role.

Sophie wants her sock monkey. She also thinks sock monkey should have a role. And she wants a doctor. And for the cats to be declawed...and .....and ....

Right Sophie, that is enough now. You are taking this temperamental prima donna bit too far. I am not having sock monkeys in my film. If you get bored chase a few cats. And I don't care whether the cats are declawed or not. Nor do I care whether there is a doctor.

But I will agree to some love scenes by the pool and I can watch you swimming.

Charlie, who was going to be the goofy sidekick, now seems to want to chaperone the ladies. Hmm, I'm beginning to wonder how many love rivals I will really have in this film, because Chef also wants to know if he gets some love interest.

Anyway, Chef, I am more than happy for you to be a scoundrel, so that is one thing we can agree on. And your mom is more than welcome to be a production assistant.

The Forget Sit and Stay Gang came up with some excellent suggestions for titles, so I think a PippaPoll could be called for to choose one. Here is what they wrote:

Pippa in Pics! We can see it now. Here's some brainstorming on titles.

  Pippa plays the high seas 
The sun sets for Pippa 
Pirates for Pippa
 Pippa Sets Sail
 Pippa Rides the Tides

I like those, I think they are very good.

Apparently Witty wanted to know what happened to Peaceful Pippa and why there is lots of cat chasing.

Well, Witty, although I am normally peaceful, the truth is that I am just conserving my energy for those wonderful moments when I get the opportunity to chase cats. Because I can't resist it.

Speaking of cats, Peanut has offered us Shelby to chase, so that will be yet another cat in the film.

And Ethel wants to know if she can chase cats. Of course you can Ethel. As one of my two heroines (and not half as demanding as that diva Sophie) you can chase cats to your heart's content.

Freda has asked if we need a 1,2 1,2 vole catcher. I don't know if there will be any voles on board, but I think it would be best to err on the safe side, so you would be very welcome as resident vole catcher.

Jake and Just Harry from Florida have volunteered to add some authenticity and foreign intrigue for me. And even better, their mom can get us on Port Everglades. Misery would like that as she wants an excuse to go to the Everglades National Park, so perhaps a few days holing up at the port would be in order for her to clear off on her mini-expedition.

Asta is next to the Hudson River, so we will definitely have to go and visit her in New York.

Marvin wants to be Best Boy on the credits. That's ok by me, I don't know if you have to do anything to be best boy though. Oh, I don't want you vomiting dead rabbits all over the place, or you definitely won't be best boy. Mistress has heard those stories about you, so just remember this is a cruise ship and not the woods and forests of the UK.

I have realised since I started my project that two of my lovely girlfriends have gone to the bridge. So my film will be dedicated to Kelsey Ann and Tasha. I hope that is ok with their people.

Maybe Meadow would like a role in the film to represent the Kapp Pack, and I hope Eva is still willing to be in my film, even though she is a princess now. I'm not sure princesses do property stuff and set decoration like you originally suggested Eva, so perhaps you need to go for the cameo role. Maybe you can get Brice to do a bit of work on the sets. Although maybe not, there may not be a set left if we ask Brice to look after it.

And I think there will be so much going on with this American trip, that the trip to the Far East and Australia will definitely have to wait for the sequel, when of course we will also go via Japan to see Jazz and Dixie.

We will have to go via the UK though for this first film - or how else could we pick up Ben the Rotti? - so that will give Simba the chance for his walk-on part too.

Well, that's it for now on the film. Thanks to everyone for hanging on in there and reminding me that I needed to get Misery to update it.

We will put on our thinking caps and start fleshing out the screenplay next. Competitions are essential on board I think. Snose competitions and toast competitions. I need to work on that.

All comments, suggestions, and volunteers for parts in the film are very welcome.

Nearly forgot. Here are some pictures of me.

Shy Pippa.

Laughing. Or yawning? Can't remember.

Give me the toast.

Snoses, and movies, and toast

2008-11-01T13:35:00.010+01:00

Well mistress was not banished for long of course.

But when she came back she managed to pick up some nasty bug (no not fleas or ticks, those are my nasty bugs), and has been feeling sorry for herself yet again and lying in bed.

Or rather on the floor, as she doesn't have a bed and I am certainly not sharing my sofa with her.

Enough is enough however, so I ordered a post. Now!

When she came back I did the present trail routine for her. I know she likes this because she always says "Good dog Pippa."

She follows the rubbish that I have carefully distributed and then she sees me waiting patiently for her on my sofa.

And later we took her out for a walk. I was in the lead as usual. Note, although I may be on the lead, I am in the lead.

Next up, I want to ask if you have all seen Bolo's nose competition running throughout November.

I am not a particularly competitive dog but I like my snose, I think it is rather pretty.

And because I am not a kissy or licky dog, (especially of mistress), I use my snose to do the odd few affectionate gestures. Snoses in fact.

Well, what I really mean by that is that I wander up to Misery or master and wait for them to rub my snose, and stroke it and things like that.

If I am feeling very kind, I will stick my snose in their faces. If it is master I will wait for him to say "OK Pippa, I am getting up now, what a good dog you are."

When I do it to Misery I just turn around and run away. Don't want her to think I am fond of her or anything.

My snose went pink for a while. You can see it up there on the big picture. Oh and Jazz and Dixie asked what the hanging things are. They are to keep out the flies and mosquitoes at my finca in Spain. However I thought it was more important that I kept an eye on mistress in the kitchen, so I stuck my head through them anyway.

I don't think my snose is pink at the moment. Misery has taken a picture. She will need to take some more for the competition of course, because if we put this one in you would all be able to guess it was me wouldn't you?

Look how carefully I have aligned my profile against the tile. How artistic of me.

I promised an update on my film project, but of course Misery has not taken a photo of a cruise ship to go with it. Misery also needs to do a bit of work and summarise where we had got to, especially as I have made some new friends who don't know what it is about.

Well obviously it is about me. On a cruise ship. And my darling girlfriends. JB wants to know if she is still Official Ship's Cat. Yes, of course you are. I haven't changed anything since the last time so the role is still there for you.

So next post we need to write about our cast list, and our potential plots, and sub-plots, and sub-sub-plots. Anything more than that will be too complicated for me as I will need a nap.

Perhaps we might run Snose competitions on my cruise ship? There is an idea. And we could have 'Who can eat the most toast/crumpets/pizza?' competitions couldn't we? Yes, I think competitions need to be an integral part of the movie.

Anyway more next time on the movie. (NB Mistress, More next time on the movie - go do some work).

Oh and speaking of toast, I have discovered a new way to eat it. Mistress is spreading it with something called yeast extract. This smells delicious so therefore it tastes delicious. It is brown and slightly sticky and I like it very much.

Apparently Australians have Vegemite, British have Marmite (and Bovril), and we haven't a clue what Americans have. We don't know if you eat yeast extract on toast. Must go and get my share.

Snosing for yeast extract

Lying in wait

On my sofa ready to pounce on that tasty toast

Banishment

2008-10-24T09:50:00.003+02:00

We banished mistress to my finca for a few days.

Just master and I on our own, in peace and tranquility, wandering around the marina and socialising, as I always do.

Here I am on the alert.

And having a lie down after all my efforts.

Next up I really think it is time I kick-started mistress into action on my movie project.

I think I will start by sending her off to get a nice picture of a cruise ship. Yes, that will be good. Although knowing Misery it may take some time.

Do not hold your breath.

Where to sleep?

2008-10-14T20:53:00.010+02:00

A dog likes to sleep.

A dog likes to change where a dog likes to sleep.

A dog likes to get his head in a comfortable position, especially tucked underneath something.

A dog likes to lie in doorways.

What a dog does not like is someone, aka Misery Mistress, pointing a camera in his face every time he tries to find a new peaceful position.

Just because you have finally bought some new batteries and a new charger for the camera does not mean you should keep sticking it in my face.

So go away mistress and let sleeping Pippa lie.

Escape!

2008-10-12T09:59:00.006+02:00

The other day, master and I went out for our early morning walk as usual. Master put my lead on and we skipped down the stairs and out of the block.

But as we walked out of the door, I noticed my lead was not on my collar properly. So off I shot, as fast as I could. Up the street I ran on cat safari.

"Pippa," called master quietly, "Pippa." But I ignored him.

Sadly there weren't any cats under the cars which would have been even more fun, as we could have played a fine game of chase.

So at the top of the street I shot into the catyard, I mean courtyard where the cats like to hang out. Round and round I prowled but could I find a single cat? No. Nor could I find a way out. And there was master standing in the archway waiting for me, so I slunk miserably back to be leaded up.

Meanwhile, Misery Mistress, had heard master calling for me so she had got up quickly (which she never does) and pulled on some clothes and run out to help master look for me. But she didn't find either of us, so she had a nice walk by herself round the block at 6am.

When she got back to the flat, we still hadn't returned, so she came back out to look for us again. Master and I were sauntering back down Main Street. How we laughed when we realised she had got up, and had been wandering around looking for us.

Anyway top tip to pups: always check to see if they have put the lead on properly so you don't miss the opportunity to escape.

Mistress wants to add a top tip for humans about checking the lead is on correctly but I don't think we will bother with that one.

It was breakfast time on our return, so after scoffing my biscuits I decided to supervise master making the toast.

And moved in for a closer supervision.

He dropped some butter on the floor. "Leave, Pippa." Er, no master. I don't think so at all. So I helpfully licked it up. After all, misery never gets round to washing the floors so I was doing everyone a favour.

I kept moving round master's chair, as he didn't seem to notice me.

Then I sat down looking so good and innocent and irresistible.

Master refused to give me any toast though. So I jumped on my sofa and sulked at everyone for the rest of the morning.

Biting feet

2008-10-06T12:17:00.006+02:00

I have been a quiet Pippadog.

I had a poorly tum for part of last week. Master thinks I picked something up sneakily when we went for a walk in the dark but I'm not telling.

Anyways, I have been pizzaless and toastless as a result so I thought I would eat my feet instead to see if there were any yummies stuck to them.

Misery mistress was very surprised to see my teethies as normally they are never displayed like this, she only sees them when I am smiling.

One day Misery, if you get on the wrong side of me, you may be toast, so to speak, and I will eat you with my pointed teethies.

And here I am licking my feet.

And doing doga.

Anyway after she had taken my pictures she went out for a walk. But she had been so busy taking photos of my sharp tussies that it was dark when she was coming back.

So here is the one and only photo she took on her walk. Looking down onto Gibraltar and out into the Bahia de Algeciras.

And here am I going to sleep. Much prettier than her silly photos.

What's in a name?

2008-09-29T15:42:00.017+02:00

Some time ago (ie nearly a year ago) one of my beautiful girlfriends - Guinness - from the Stoutino Inn and Foster Kennel, interviewed me.

I thought it would be helpful to reproduce this particular question (and answer) because I have made lots of new dogpals since then.

Lots of you will not have had chance to read back and some of you probably still think I am a girl because of my silly name. I am not of course, as you can see if you look rather too closely at some of my more immodest photos.

Here is Guinness's question and my answer:

1. Darling Handsome Pippa, we have heard how you master & mistress found you and took you in, but how did you get your very interesting name?

Guinness, this one is just so embarrassing. Master and mistress could not decided what to call me. Because I am Spanish they thought about a Spanish name. But José or Pepe or Antonio just didn't really suit. Besides, the Spaniards that do give their dogs a name (apart from Perro = Dog) usually choose English names, like Jack and Lassie.

So then they thought along different lines. After all they had no idea what I was called before. Neither do I. Their other dogs at the time were called Paddy and Prince. So mistress thought about something beginning with P. Then she remembered the little polar bear she had seen in London when she was young.

He was tiny and white and furry and very cute. He was called Pippaluk (or Pipaluk) and his name meant "the little one" in Inuit. So mistress thought it was a good idea to call me that.

I wasn't little, although I suppose I must have been at some time, and I wasn't totally white (although I was more white than any other dog they have had), and she thought I was cute and furry and it was a unique name. She has a strange sense of humour. But then I ended up with it being shortened to Pippa and now everyone thinks I am a girl dog. Well, apart from my girlfriends hopefully.

One day she will find her souvenir book and scan in some pix of him. She has done a little search, apparently he died aged 22 in Poland. He had been moved from London when they closed the Mappin Terraces for bears. Mistress does not think moving bears around who should not be in captivity in the first place sounds very good so she does not want me to write any more about this. Or she will get on her soap box. This is not advisable.

................

So there you go. And to bring us rapidly up to date, some of my new pals, the Desert Pups, at Life Inside The Fence have given me the following awards: Gold Paw, Kick Ass Blogger, I am an Awesome Blogger Friend, Rusty's Best Bud Award, and Este Blog a acredita na proximidade.

Thank you very much pups. As usual there are rules which we have not followed, but the Desert Pups said we should throw a big party and invite them. Now that sounds like a good idea and I will bear that one in mind.

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Finally just a quick heads-up to remind people that Ben the Rotti has started his week of fund-raising for Nowzad. Head on over to his blog and join in the fun.

Piccies

2008-09-24T14:27:00.011+02:00

It seems Misery is having a problem charging the batteries for her camera.

Actually it is probably my camera as most of the pictures taken are of me. Well, they should be of me, at any rate.

So I may have to delve into the past for piccies of me, as there are loads on the computer that she has never posted.

Anyway here are some that we have taken since the last post we made, before her batteries started dying. I'm not sure her batteries were ever charged but that is probably for another post.

Next to my chair with head on floor and paw carefully under the rail.

By my favourite chair with my left paw practising typing and piano in my sleep.

And here I am - hiding behind my sofa - with my other paw in the same position

ETA: We've written about it on the News but big condolences to Fleas Gang on Simon's departure for the bridge and to Deetz on Gizmo's departure. Our sympathy to you all at a very sad time.

Soup

2008-09-19T16:14:00.003+02:00

Well, I suppose another post in less than a week is not too bad. In spite of Misery Mistress's latest obsession - soup.

She is making soup every day, which is time spent when she could be writing up MY blog. But on the other hand, I get soup with my biscuits, so it is not all bad.

So far I have had vichyssoise, orange and tomato, and today's will be garbanzo, fresh broad beans and fresh peas with kale.

Anyone who is remotely interested in her soup tales will have to look for them on her numerous blogs as I can't bothered to do the clicky linky things. Soup belongs in my dish and that is all I am interested in.

I have had my blog invaded with photos of flowers, boats, birds and even cats. I am definitely putting a firm PippaPaw down to pictures of soup, unless I am eating it of course.

Now, I would also like to point out that there were some rather clever comments on my last post.

George suggested I might be practising my piano notes with my left paw. I thought that was decidedly witty and very arty. Thank you George.

Col. sam asta-fari joe h. pinkerton peabody, esq said that I was posing for my next movie. Which reminds me, Misery needs to update the movie stuff now that we are swinging into autumn after our summer vacation. Although she is always on vacation.

Randi pointed out that I was well on my way to becoming a doga guru with my clever pose. Thank you Randi - you were right too - I hadn't even realised that. I have done it again a few more times though to practise.

Huskee and Hershey asked if I wanted to share my pizza. No.

Oooooooonie said that my paw position is from all my work typing. Hmm, I would like to think it was, but I'm not so sure about that.

So here are today's pics. They look rather silly to me. I don't know why I have got my head on the chair rail, or even moreso, why I let Misery take a picture of me like that.

News

2008-09-14T18:34:00.008+02:00

Misery Mistress has been taking more extended blogging holidays again.

But in the meantime lots of pups have been sending me awards, and because she hasn't posted anything up, I got them lots of times over so I am pleased about that.

So thank you to:

Charlie
Jazz and Dixie
Ben the Rotti
and
Helios
Guinness and Shiloh

Thanks everydog for those.

Anyway, Misery wants to write a little bit about DWB today so I suppose that is ok.

Just over a year ago, DWB News was started by Greg and Brooke, and I volunteered mistress to be a reporter as she has done that sort of thing in real life, and we became News Editor. This means I supervise and mistress writes and we busily look at other blogs to see what is going on.

Not just my best pals, we visit lots of dogs we don't know. We look for news, we look to see if they are still active, and we look to see if there is anything on the blogs that doesn't meet the ethos of Dogs with Blogs, ie offensive, or overtly commercial.

We enjoy doing this, it is always nice to read new blogs and sometimes make new friends too.

Some of you dogs out there have emailed us stories which you can do on the DWB News page sidebar, or some of you have left comments on my blog. We try to remember to acknowledge anyone who has sent us news when we write up the story. If we don't publish a story, we will try and let you know why, eg mistress has been on holiday, or the emails have played up, or whatever.

Mistress has written something about it on the Bone Zone here, but she thought it would be worth a mention here too. So, if you know about any news, please drop us a quick email to either DWB News here, or leave a comment on my blog. So many pups have joined DWB in the last year that we thought some may not be aware of the News and it is a good way to keep up to date with what is happening.

Anyway, this is my blog so here is a bit about me.

Pizza that I got for breakfast. Finally. Mistress stole my jalapeno chillies though. Something about maybe they might not be good for me. Hmmmmm.

And look at my stylish pose this morning. I rather like that front left paw. I can't remember why I put it like that though.

OK, hope you are all well.

Pippa the Snoozing Nooz Editor.

Some photos

2008-08-25T15:55:00.011+02:00

Here I am looking after master's shoelace and his boot

Because misery has been so slow and useless at updating my blog I thought I would post up some piccies that I meant to post ages ago.

Here is the bird who sits on the streetlight over the road. He is a seagull, and he only has one foot.

The woman who lives in the house opposite to us (next to the one with the shutters) puts out fish for the seagulls.

Footless comes to stand on top of the lamp and squawks, demanding his food.

Then he twirls round in a circle waiting for his food to arrive.

And flies down.

Looking for his food.

And wondering where it is.

Sometimes the cats eat the fish. The woman opposite also puts out food for the feral cats. But we have seen Marmalade (real name Harvey) who is not feral, polishing off this food too. Greedy Marmalade. I am not sure if anybird or anycat gets to eat the food that is put out for them, but it is nice of her to do it.

Especially as it means there are always lots of cats in my street prowling for food.

Misery went for a walk the other day - without me - and took this interesting picture of an overgrown cemetery with two sunbathing cats. Well, I thought it was interesting because I would like to have gone with her and chased the cats off the tombstones.

She also met some birds, and being somewhat strange, chatted away to the parrot. Here is the parrot listening to misery.

And here is a caged bird, which we don't like to see, but we don't know why it was caged so maybe there was a good reason.

And mistress wants me to add thank you very much to everypup who wished them happy wedding anniversary. They had a very nice weekend doing nothing, but mistress never does anything anyway so I couldn't tell the difference.