Tuesday, 10 December 2013

Basset Rescue Network Christmas Party

Sunday was our Christmas Party.   We baked all day Friday.  We made doggy treats; mackerel & sweet potato, banana & peanut butter and liver & apple.  Then we put them in Christmassy gift bags with a pretty red ribbon.  We also made rolo cupcakes and smartie cupcakes with candy canes and tons of other stuff.  We were in the kitchen all day.  Mummy brought our bed in so we could help by sleeping.  Carly didn't want to sleep though, she ate all the potato peelings and carrot heads.  Weirdo.   Tom ate left over rollos.  Me and Lotty taste tested the doggy treats.  They were good.

On Sunday we loaded the car up.  We had so much stuff that we wondered if we were going to have to take both cars but eventually we squeezed everything in.  We had to share the boot with all the cans of pop and agility equipment and Mummy had the hamper on her lap and couldn't see out of the window.  You'll be glad to know Daddy was driving or we would all be deaded.

When we got to the party we was a bit muddled cos there was nobody there and we wondered if we got the right place.  Then Mr Wayne arrived, he thought the party started at 10.30 so him was a teensy bit early (it was 10.45 and the party was due to start at 12).  I bet his minihumans wasn't impressed much.

Then the man from the hall arrived so Mummy went inside to talk to him while we went for a walk round the field.  He asked Mummy what was happening today, was it a party?  And Mummy said that it was a party for dogs.  There would be a fun show, food and Santa and some party games.

"DOGS?"  the man looked horrified.  "Nobody told me you were bringing dogs."

"Erm we are the BASSET rescue network."  Mummy said.

"I know that," snapped the man, "If I'd known there were going to be dogs I'd have told you to bring mats.  Have you got mats?"

"Oh yes," Mummy lied, "Don't worry about that."   Well it was only a little lie, we had our own beds to lie on and Miss Sam had some bits of carpet for the musical mats game.

So the man showed Mummy where everything was and then hovered around looking increasingly cross as more people kept arriving and bringing DOGS into the hall.   Then Miss Sam arrived with the money and paid the man and FINALLY he went and left us to it.

Anyway, the hall wasn't very clean, there were crumbs all over the floor.  Lucky we houndies were there to clean it up for him.  I reckon we left it cleaner than we found it and that was after eleventyseven wees and 3 poos.

By the time everyone arrived we had 52 humans and 33 doggies and we made a right old racket.  Them acoustics in the hall was good for howling and barking.  I don't think the humans were that keen on the noise, I think most of them went home with headaches.  Miss Clair, Mr Neil and Harry brought us Poppy, our new foster dog that they had collected for us the night before.  She was very very beautiful and very shy and every single person who met her fell instantly in love.

The humans had party food for lunch and then we played some games and had a fun dog show.   I can't remember who won what though cos we lost the piece of paper!   I think it was:
Saddest Face - Monty (he wasn't even entered but he wandered into the middle of the ring and slumped down with a sigh and Mr Ian (our judge) felt sorry for him.
Best Party Trick - We think that was Wilson with his rolling over for a treat trick.
Best Rescue Story - Carly.
Musical Mats - Bryn and Lotty.
Dog who looks most like their owner - Bryan and Harry.
Snossij race - Aimee and Shirley.
Longest Ears - Fleur (27cm).
Egg and Spoon Race - Kayleigh and Shirley.
Best family of dogs - The Nicholls family.

Santa came and gave us all a present.  The dogs had a bag of treats and the human children had a selection box.   He didn't let us sit on his lap though.  Shirley did.  She said she knew Santa better than the rest of us and he said she could sit on his lap.  I don't know how she knows Santa better though.  I is the best behaved girl in the world so I think if anyone was allowed to sit on his lap it should have been me.

Then we stopped for a break and to draw the raffle.  But while the raffle was being drawn little Stella had a seizure and it was ever so scary but luckily Miss Emma was there.  She was ever so calm and good and she helped her come out of it gently.  

And then we run out of time so we never got to do the fancy dress or the agility cos it was 4.45 and we had to be out of the hall by five.  So we cleaned up and then it was time to go home.

Anyway apart from the incident with Stella which was very sad and worrying (but me is happy to report she is ok now) and the noise, I think everybody had a good time.  We liked the fact that all the humans were really chilled out about their dogs, nobody was being precious and making a fuss and the dogs were very relaxed and really let theirselves go.  Although we would like to know who was so relaxed they let themselves go on Shirley's bed.   Someone said they thought it was a big white basset.  That means it was either Bert, Archie or me (clue: it definitely wasn't me).  Shirley said she's going to have their guts for garters (or poo in their basket).

We took Poppy back home with us.  She was very good and we all snuggled up together in the back of the car.  There was a bit more room on the way home cos even though we had an extra dog, she was only a teeny one and we didn't have all the food and the hamper to carry.

When we got home we all had some food.  Poppy was very polite and ate ladylike like I do not like a big fat pig like Carly or pushing her bowl round the room at 400 miles an hour like Lotty.   Then we sat in the lounge and watched telly.  Poppy sat on Mummy's lap.   Carly didn't like that and sat on her cushion sulking but Mummy said we should all be nice to Poppy cos she's had a very traumatic time.  She had her puppies nine weeks ago, then she got given away to Miss Clair and Mr Neil, who brought her a very noisy party with lots of new people all wanting to meet her.  Then spending a night at our house and off to Miss Lesley tomorrow.  So we were all nice to her (Carly was still sulking though).  And that night Poppy slept on the end of Tom's bed.  She was a very good girl and didn't get up in the night.   

Yesterday, Monday, we had to wait in cos the people from the charity shop were coming to pick up the old lounge suite.  They came about 11.30 and then we just cuddled and watched telly.  Mummy needed to hoover really but Poppy was scared of it so she said it can wait.   When it was time to pick Katie and Bryn up from school Mummy and Tom took Lotty and Poppy with them.   They said it's ok, they're only going to the V E T.  Mummy always says that though and then Lotty will tell me about some exciting adventure when she gets back.

But it turns out they did just go to the V E T.   They was both weighed, Lotty is 20.8kg and Poppy is 16kg.   Then Poppy had her puppy injections, even though she is four next month and Lotty had her booster.  Lotty said to tell me and Carly that she didn't have to have kennel cough cos Mummy said we're not going into kennels anytime soon.  Then the V E T asked if Lotty had been deflead recently and Mummy said she never does, she uses garlic tablets.  the V E T rolled his eyes and said that doesn't work.  But then he ran his flea comb through Lotty's hair and admitted that maybe it was working for us but it doesn't work for anyone else.  Then they went and bought some food in Pets at Home and Poppy barked at a lady with a bionic leg and Mummy had to ask her politely not to be so mean.    

When they got home the humans had their tea and after tea we all said goodbye to Poppy.  Then Mummy and Daddy got in the car with her and took her to Miss Lesley's house.  We think Daddy only went to make sure Mummy actually dropped her off cos he could see Mummy was falling in love with Poppy and wanted her to stay.   

When they got to Miss Lesley's, Bella and Wilbur was very friendly and greeted Poppy nicely.  Poppy was a bit growly with Miss Lesley at first cos she does that every time she meets someone new.  But she was ok after a few minutes.  But then when Mummy and Daddy went to leave (i.e. Daddy dragged Mummy kicking and screaming out of the house) Poppy was crying for Mummy.  

This morning Miss Lesley told us that Poppy had a good night snuggled up with Bella and Wilbur.  Her and Bella are best friends and Mr Andrew loves her.  We knew he would, everybody does.   

Of course we love all the dogs that we have had through the rescue, all ten of them.  But some are especially precious to us.   Merlot and Poppy are our two little princesses.   We all fell in love with those two.

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