It’s Aristotle here and our Mistress has tasked me with seeing if you have any suggestions about Alfie. He seems to be going through a bad patch. His food rations have not changed, but suddenly he’s very hungry. Not just normal ‘eat if there’s a chance’ hungry, but ‘get up on the work surface and raid the bin’ hungry. So far this week he has opened and eaten two bags of crisps that were on the kitchen table, half a loaf of bread from off the kitchen counter and the empty wrappers from chocolate bars on two separate occasions. He has also been more unsettled again. However, the worst thing was when someone came to our house and his behaviour was utterly out of character. Those of you who know Alfie will know that whilst he has issues with other dogs he has always been very gentle with any human. Even as a puppy he didn’t nip or try biting. Ok, so he pinned our aunt in a corner late at night at Granny and Grandpa’s house when he thought she was a burglar, but he just made sure she was cornered until he was satisfied she was safe. For the first time he started jumping up and nipping at the lady’s sleeve. Our Mistress has never seen him react like that. The only thing that she can think is that because the lady has a Jack Russell and a Labrador, the two breeds that Alfie does not get on with, he was holding that against her. However, it’s left our Mistress worried. He is the one of us that she has always been most comfortable to give free roaming of the house too as he has been the most trustworthy. She had to make him sit in the car that day and is now concerned in case it happens again.
Him having, what our Mistress calls, his ‘dementia’ days when he just seems confused is one thing, but this week has been a whole different pattern of behaviour and she doesn’t know what to think. She says it’s a good job the rest of us are behaving as he is taking all her energy.
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Getting elderly is no joke, Ari – I can only think that Alfie was confused by the smells of both the Jack Russell and the Labrador, when he pinned your aunt into a corner, and nipped at her sleeve – as of course you know your noses are so much more sensitive than those of us humans, and when we have animals of our own, no matter how fastidious we ate of our own human cleanliness and appearance, other animals can always smell them. So that’s what I think, Ari – I think Alfie just got, as we Scots say ‘a bee in his bunnet’, and reacted accordingly! I hope he settles down and is back to his sweet self in no time – take good care of him. Hugs xxx
All I can say is that I hope he can get the bee back out of his bonnet again, because it’s not good.
Have a happy Saturday
love
Ari
(This is a reply that has nothing to do with the above problems/discussions. Sorry)
Dear Wilma (this is your motherr speaking):
I’m not sure whether I already told you that your elder half-sister Valeria is pregnant again? Maybe you can remember she had 4 boys last year, one of which (Dante, now called Ralph) travelled to England (and of whom we don’t hear anything anymore although we wrote and asked for news…)
Anyway – we don’t know yet how many whelps we’ve got to get ready for. Our Vet said – after the ultrasonography – something like “a hand full”. Well next Tuesday we will have her x-rayed and will know more. We expect her to deliver next Sunday (Feb, 19th) +/- 2/3 days.
Well, the main thing is to know she’s pregnant and well! I’m looking forward to helping her again nursing her litter, same as last time. But I overheard talks between E. and G. that they want to handle the problem (?) in a different manner this last time. They think I took too much interest in my grandchildren too early and so prevented Valeria to really feel what it means to take charge of a litter. Well, I’ve got to admit that she did in fact lose interest in properly caring for her pups rather early.
And now I should be the culprit? And being locked away in the first days – or even weeks?
I CAN ONLY HOPE VALERIA WILL HAVE TEN PUPS OR MORE!!!
Then G. and E. – and Valeria! – can find out what to do without me!
Love to you all!
I’ll keep you informed.
Susi.
PS: Tosca vom Rickental (another daughter of mine!!!) living with the Kleinjennis at Aeschi bei Spiez had a litter of five males and two females last night!
Oh Mama
That is so funny. It is lovely that you want to help, but I guess Valeria needs to be able to bring her pups up her own way. Once we grow up we have our own ideas of how to do things. You were a wonderful Mama, but now you need to just be Grandmama instead. We heard from Tosca and are so happy for her.
Mum is hoping to be able to bring me to see you all and is sorting our when we can come. She emailed Ralph yesterday to ask him how he is doing. Hopefully we will hear soon.
Love to you all
Your faithful daughter
Wilma