Doggy brags

I'm very distracted at the moment, but after short stutter our building work finally started! Yay, just waited 11 years! It's taking up a lot of time clearing rooms, finalising the kitchen, finding floor tiles that don't involve a new mortgage (I mean, HOW much? staff in the tile shop were laughing at stingy old me). One of the big stresses are the dogs - what to do with them when the entire outside space is fully open and a whole lot of banging and shaking going on.

Well, today they were amazing. I took them out the first as the first builders arrived, so they could see them coming in, but the garden (and lounge, kitchen and dining room) was out of bounds for most of the day. Worst case I thought they would bark at every knock and hammer. And it was really loud at one point, things inside my office were vibrating. But, the only thing they barked at today was a letter put through the door. Hilarious! Such good boys. Lets see what they are like in six weeks time...

To show the extent of the work today, here is a photo taken at 5pm last night before any work started:
IMG_20210919_175828924_HDR.jpg
and then at the end of today: IMG_20210921_172614556_HDR.jpgIMG_20210921_172458803_HDR.jpg
The two gate set up, just in case! IMG_20210921_082519931_HDR.jpg
 
Location
Norfolk
@Natalie My boys have been fine with all the work we’ve had done here, not quite as extensive as yours but loads of different trades inside and outside the house. And I had the same, no trouble at all with all the people in the house, but barking at random people walking past the end of the drive.
Hope it all goes smoothly for you - I assume you sorted your kitchen in the end?
 
nd I had the same, no trouble at all with all the people in the house
I wonder if it will change as they move to working inside, , but apart from still wanting to jump all over them when we take them out for a wee on lead, (fortunately they appear to be dog tolerant) they don't seem to notice they are here, which is odd but good
I assume you sorted your kitchen in the end?
hum, nearly. Two further zoom sessions with the same assistant (but at least I could get on with other work while she was moving things around onscreen) - I politely suggested I could have someone else to look at my 'complex and limiting layout' but no dice, I got put back through to her. In fairness, it's nearly there now, I can't get some of what I really want - annoying - but it doesn't exist unless I upgrade to the most deluxe system (would add 50% to the price, so there are a few compromises ) It was tedious but at least I wasn't in store being frustrated and annoyed by the waiting . I'm going to save some money by buying handles, splashbacks and tap from elsewhere (over £500 saved from those alone) but am sticking with them for everything else as there seems to be a shortage - of course - of other appliances, and no way am I waiting any longer. Kitchen still won't be fitted until early November...


you might be able to see it in this link - but the rest of the room bears no relation to what it will actually look like - that will have bifold doors, lanterns and link through to the new extension

 
Last edited:

Candy

Biscuit Tin Guardian
Ooooh, that all looks Veryvery nice Natalie! I remember having our kitchen redone was an eight week nightmare! The house is old, nothing is straight or aligned and it took far longer than expected. At the same time we had a very sad and fed up Solstice dog, who had just had cruciate ligament surgery and was confined to crate rest. However we all survived and I still love the kitchen, so it was worth it. Hope yours all goes smoothly. :fingers:
 
I am so proud of Reuben , Nelly too of course but the big lad knows, I swear he does .. This morning he went off to Playgroup and when he came home I was having a rest on the bed, door open , He came in so quietly, gently climbed up to lay beside me but never once did he touch me, just a couple of soft kisses . I cant get over how sweet and gentle he is being , how I love them xx
 

Candy

Biscuit Tin Guardian
Since her horrible attack back in January Joy, the gentlest of dogs has become quite understandably a little more reactive to some dogs, not all, but mostly when she's on lead. Thismorning we saw a man and his wife who we have met on walks since Joy was a small puppy. He is a dog behaviourist and a lovely calm man. They always have their own dog with them, off lead, calm as his hooman and Joy has always been fine around him. They also quite often have other dogs, I'm not sure if they're just walking them or if it's part of the behaviour training. Anyway today, along with their own off lead dog they had a Spaniel and a Lurcher both on lead. I called out to them 'Hello, would you like me to put Joy on lead?' and their response was 'No, it's fine '. As Joy walked past the Lurcher it snapped quite nastily at her. I briefly wondered if she would have a go back, which has been known since the attack, but we have been working on 'Calm' during stressful situations (varying degrees of success) so I just tried 'Joy, Calm' and bless her, she walked a little way past the other dog and waited for me!
The couple were most apologetic and said that they'd never known that happen before, which was fine, no harm done, sometimes these things do happen, but the man also added 'Joy handled that really sensibly '. And so she did! Very Very Very proud of my good and brave girl today! :heart:
 
I'm very distracted at the moment, but after short stutter our building work finally started! Yay, just waited 11 years! It's taking up a lot of time clearing rooms, finalising the kitchen, finding floor tiles that don't involve a new mortgage (I mean, HOW much? staff in the tile shop were laughing at stingy old me). One of the big stresses are the dogs - what to do with them when the entire outside space is fully open and a whole lot of banging and shaking going on.

Well, today they were amazing. I took them out the first as the first builders arrived, so they could see them coming in, but the garden (and lounge, kitchen and dining room) was out of bounds for most of the day. Worst case I thought they would bark at every knock and hammer. And it was really loud at one point, things inside my office were vibrating. But, the only thing they barked at today was a letter put through the door. Hilarious! Such good boys. Lets see what they are like in six weeks time...

To show the extent of the work today, here is a photo taken at 5pm last night before any work started:
View attachment 28328
and then at the end of today: View attachment 28331View attachment 28330
The two gate set up, just in case! View attachment 28329
I wonder if it will change as they move to working inside, , but apart from still wanting to jump all over them when we take them out for a wee on lead, (fortunately they appear to be dog tolerant) they don't seem to notice they are here, which is odd but good

hum, nearly. Two further zoom sessions with the same assistant (but at least I could get on with other work while she was moving things around onscreen) - I politely suggested I could have someone else to look at my 'complex and limiting layout' but no dice, I got put back through to her. In fairness, it's nearly there now, I can't get some of what I really want - annoying - but it doesn't exist unless I upgrade to the most deluxe system (would add 50% to the price, so there are a few compromises ) It was tedious but at least I wasn't in store being frustrated and annoyed by the waiting . I'm going to save some money by buying handles, splashbacks and tap from elsewhere (over £500 saved from those alone) but am sticking with them for everything else as there seems to be a shortage - of course - of other appliances, and no way am I waiting any longer. Kitchen still won't be fitted until early November...


you might be able to see it in this link - but the rest of the room bears no relation to what it will actually look like - that will have bifold doors, lanterns and link through to the new extension


Ooh looks lovely!

Surely you only need to put a broom handle or similar on Monty's way and that's enough to keep him in place? I know that would work for Ella 🤭
 
Surely you only need to put a broom handle or similar on Monty's way and that's enough to keep him in place? I know that would work for Ella 🤭
To be fair, Monty doesn't need keeping in place, it's an effort to get him to follow a new path to the lawn! (because, of course, he will only poo and wee on the lawn). There's been much coaxing him over almost non existent gaps and planks of wood to get him there. Bear, on the other hand finds his brand new adventure playground with built in muddy sand pit and water features quite delightful, as is the escape route into our Neighbours garden.

Fortunately as of yesterday, a lot of the blockwork is done and they will be moving onto the the timber joists next week. The dogs have continued to be really good with the various rumblings, drilling and noise of building work.

1633273387472.png
 
Maisy performed a perfect stop yesterday, it might have been through surprise at my shout or, I like to think, because she is a good girl.

We have recently moved and discovered that the house we liked and bought is actually a money pit and needs all sorts of work, practically a renovation project. Anyway, this is why we are living in the conservatory amongst mountains of unpacked boxes and sitting at the kitchen table instead of relaxing on a sofa. We have a garden sofa which Maisy, of course, has commandeered. The conservatory has a low window sill which we have filled with lots of loose things like vases, ornaments, clocks etc. and the sofa is against it in a corner, you can guess what's coming.

Maisy decides to re-arrange her cushions i.e. dig them off the sofa, as she is doing this a corner of one cushion catches against one of my prized ornaments, a kingfisher with a long (breakable) beak on a tall log that Phil bought me for our very first house together.

I see it wobble, teetering on it's base, Maisy is lost in her re-arrangement, I shout "Maisy Stop!" - and she does, just freezes (probably in shock), in mid dig with one leg in the air she just stares at me. I make a dive a goalie would be proud of and catch the kingfisher before it falls. It was all very slow-motion.

Good girl Maisy :inlove:
 
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