Dexter

Nearly two weeks since we got Dexter, and its been busy! He is now chipped, castrated and the insurance hunt is nearly over. We have settled him on a new food, which thankfully he loves.

Its only two days since his castration and how I'am meant to keep him calm for 10 days is a mystery. He leaps about like a mountain goat.

He currently likes skulking off upstairs (his crate is up there while we work on his separation anxiety- got sick of sleeping on the sofa so he didnt cry the house down) but i think hes actually going on my bed the little monkey!

He also climbs on the sofa which he isn't allowed to do but sometimes its just too cute :P

He is reallllly clever though..been doing training with him as he gets more out of having a stimulated mind. He does love other dogs though, before he was castrated he made friends with a huge boxer that was tonnes bigger than him, and he has a thing for my friends youngest dalmatian bitch.

The rats are doing well too. They dont like the warmer days much. Many of my guys are getting old too, i have several turning two in the next few months, Gonzo is starting to look old and thin, hes still a really happy boy though :)

An ending, and a beginning...

On the 7th of April , i had to make the heartbreaking descision to have my beloved Casey put to sleep. He had been on antibiotics for nearly 6 weeks and was due to go back to the vets for a check up on the monday. He started complaining when his tail or leg was touched , so was taken to the vet where even being lightly touched made him scream. This was most unlike him , he was a very staid dog and rarely complained of pain , even if he walked into tables. The choices were put him to sleep or take him home for the weekend. I chose to put him to sleep then and there as bringing him home would of benefitted me , not him .

I could write so many words about Casey...after all he was in my life 14 years, he was due to have his 15th birthday in June. He was more than a dog, more like a brother. I wished on my birthday candles for many years for a dog and finally in January 1997 i wore my mother down. We were due to get a shetland sheepdog but the person rehoming , rehomed to someone else so the hunt began again. Turned out to be meant to be , as we found an ad for a small brown terrier which we travelled up to leeds for. When we got there, we found nothing like a small brown terrier , but he lept on me and i knew he was the right dog for me. And so came many years of memories. I cant name them all but a brief summary

Meeting me from school and knocking me flying when he didnt stop
Running off into the street with the wheely bin attached to him yelling his head off and putting rubbish on the road
Barking at a bin that he thought was a threat to me and my mum
Chewing my glasses up
When i forgot he was in the garden and he waited on the doorstep all night to be let in
How everyone loved him
And how he was my only friend for a very long time, and my best for all of it

So once you lose a dog that is so part of your life , a bit part of your routine is gone. I had wanted another dog before Casey passed away and I had informal looks.
Last Saturday I found an ad for a puppy , and thats how Dexter entered my life.

Dexter is a lovely 7month old pup. Hes like Caseys polar opposite, likes other dogs , doesnt mind buses but shy with new people and a spot of separation anxiety...but he will improve...