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Christmas gifts – for the boys

As promised just before Christmas  here are a few pictures from our Christmas Day.

We both got some lovely gifts, so thank you to everyone.

The weather stayed fine but a little cold, so as yet Charlie has not seen a White Christmas.

Maybe you would like to share your pictures or let us know what you did on Christmas Day?

This is what some of you got upto this year…

Christmas Day in the Dog House 
Christmas Day started with a group dog walk – and mince pies in the carpark

The Puppy Dog Blog
Jack received a very nice Christmas rope and celebrates an anniversary.

Christmas Gifts from Blogging Friends! 
Addie was in charge of opening the packages. 

Merry Christm-aire-s!
With loads of cards to open we are surprised you even had time for the prezzies.

A grumpy santa
 You just have to go ahhhh

Our Christmas

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Cardboard tube for Charlie

Charlie gets right into the Christmas spirit as he demolishes the cardboard tube from the centre of the wrapping paper.

Whilst mum was doing her ‘Christmas Fairy’ impression and helping Santa, Charlie emerged with a tube longer than he is.

Sitting on the top stair her got to work shredding.  Who needs expensive gifts when a tube will bring a smile to every young boy…

I think mum has some more cleaning and tidying to do now!

Christmas Pictures

We would like to feature some images of you all this Christmas and New Year.  

What did you get up to, what silly clothes did you get and what for you was the best toy.

Let us have your images, via the contact us form,  and don’t forget to give your name and where in the world are you and we will feature some of them in the next few days.

 

Happy Christmas

Buster and ‘Oh’ Charlie…

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Flood defence work almost done

Another section in the new flood defences for Carlisle is almost complete as grass has started to grow on the new earth flood defences in Victoria Park in Carlisle.  

Now that some of the barriers have been removed we can go exploring and see why the paths have been closed for ages.

Charlie scampered up and down the new bankings and played at being ‘king of the castle’ many times much to the annoyance of mum who was hoping to take us back home reasonably clean.

The new hills are around 2m high and are part of a bigger scheme of works around the City.

The new access ramp and steps onto Hardwick Circus also is nearing completion with the last few stones to go on the top.  

They look very heavy and seem to have a smooth clean surface.  We wondered how long it would be before they had graffiti on them and started to look a bit tatty.

Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas to all our blog readers and hope you have a waggy New Year…

Buster and Charlie

 

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Turkey, yorkshire puds and sprouts

What a busy few weeks we have been having as mum and dad get ready for the indoor tree season.

It is a funny custom at this time of year when the humans decide that they want to bring a tree into the house and hang lights and baubles on it. 

Charlie has learnt, the hard way, that not all trees are for, shall we say, sniffing.  He thought when it was raining the other evening that mum had thought of him and provided a warm, lit, sniffing tree inside. How wrong was he?

So far this year they have not put any of those chocolate coins up, we would really like them but mum and dad say that we can’t have chocolate as it is poisonous to dogs…but it smells soooo good!

Charlie seems a bit of an expert when it comes to mum trying to sneak in chews and toys.  She has been rumbled on  a few occasions and had to give things up.

We like sprouts.

One interesting thing has come out of the season of cheer has been the abundance of sprouts.  I had never really been into the small green veg but between us we have eaten our way through hundreds of them recently.

Sprouts have taken over from turnip and are great fun to throw around as they roll and are fun to eat as occasionally they get stuck on your teeth.

Mum keeps our sprouts in the fridge and this keeps them firm and cool. Who says that boys don’t like their greens?  Go on try them they are fantastic.

On the subject of sprouts on veg box recipies they have been carrying out their annual Sprout Peddling Competition.  One of the responses to the article, Elizabeth Smith, has posted a great article about Millie’s Festive Sprouts Recipe. 

It has some great information on how to win friends and influence those humans over the festive season.

Buy a dog a dinner

 The Cheshire Dogs’ Home has a great scheme this Christmas for dog lovers called the Buy a Dog a Christmas Dinner Appeal.  Every year the Manchester & Cheshire Dogs’ Home receive thousands of stray and abandoned dogs and run a Christmas campaign to help feed and look after the dogs in their care. You can make a simple donation via the website or by calling the Appeals Department on 0161 205 7136 and donate over the telephone using your debit/credit card.

Many other animal charities offer similar fundraising activities at this time of the year. Let us know about them by using the comments section below.

Dry food during the Credit Crunch

One of the major pet charities is reporting an increase in stray dogs and is at bursting point as the credit crunch and new legislation starts to bite.

The  Battersea Dogs & Cats Home has issued a warning that it is at bursting point due to an unprecedented increase in the number of stray dogs into the Home this year.

With the cost of animal food increasing The Home has also produced a list of top tips to help cash-strapped pet owners care for their dogs and cats during the credit crunch.

The Home has taken in 6,430 stray dogs so far this year, compared with 5,335 at the same stage in 2007.  Strays currently account for 82% of dogs at the Home.

Jan Barlow, Chief Executive of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, says: ‘We are just over a week away from Christmas and are almost full. While we think part of the rise in numbers of strays is because people can’t afford to keep their dogs any more so are dumping them on the streets, we’re also extremely worried that people losing their dogs don’t where to turn to try and find them.

Many people are not being reunited with their lost dogs because they don’t realise that, since the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act came into force fully in April, stray dogs are dealt with by local authorities.’

Happy Christmas from Barney.
Barney, the US President’s Scottish Terrier has made his final christmas video before President and Mrs. Bush leave the White House.

In the video called A Red, White and Blue Christmas Barney is joined by Ms. Beasley, also a Scottish Terrier, as they watch the decorations being put up around the White House and remember past holidays.

You can watch the video here

Give Your Pets a Merry Little Christmas

The festive season is just around the corner and The Blue Cross are encouraging pet owners to include their furry friends in all the fun too. Read on and listen to their petcasts to discover money saving present ideas for pets as well as tips on how to ensure your pet has a fun Christmas. They also highlight some safety reminders: after all, this is a time of year that we all can over-indulge!

That is all for now, until next time
Buster and Charlie.