Big black boy Chillo, now renamed Blake, has settled well into his new home. We've had a couple of minor accidents, but overall he's been very clean. He was restless during Friday night to Saturday, but we worked through that and he's sleeps through the night now.

Breeze has been very patient with him, letting him know when he has over stepped her boundaries and if she's not paying him enough attention he barks at her! There has been a serious amount of bed swapping and on Saturday night they were actually sharing Blake's duvet. Breeze pretends to be a grouchy madam, but I think she's accepted him in a 'I am tolerating him because he's a boy and he has a very small brain' sort of way.

He's seriously motivated where food is concerned, has had his nose in coffee mugs, glasses of wine and has already discovered how to open the kitchen bin and the bin where we keep Breeze's food. Today he was discovered make snacking on a banana - complete with skin, which someone had accidentally left at nose height. We've been very spoiled with Breeze has she doesn't mooch or go hunting for food. He's already investigated every cupboard and drawer in the house and has to be restrained as he tries to climb into the dishwasher.

Blake's not too sure of stairs, tends to want to jump up the whole flight in single bound, he can go down a lot better than up, but he still takes them at a rush. We gave him a bath on Saturday and his coat is starting to shine (watch out Kel, you've got competition!), he's quite happy to have his teeth cleaned, but you've to be quick before he licks all the toothpaste of the brush.

He's also easy to walk and as I post this they're both flaked out in the Living Room - ah bliss!

Louise

Hi Louise,

I help out at the kennels occasionally and was pleased to hear that Chillo (Blake) had been rehomed. It's always great to read about how they're settling in, please keep us posted.

Sounds like he's keeping you on your toes!

Well done. Blake will surely prove to be a good member of the family!

Ahh, that's boys for you - as I found out with Mikey (compared to our Annie)- he'll get there. The first male grey we had thought it would be kinda fun to come into our newly decorated living room with a beef tomato in his mouth, nuff said!

AW bless u gotta love them!!!lol Especially like the bit about trying to climb into the dishwasher!! Bambi has a fascination for the tumble drier which has continued over the 2 and a half years Ive had her I have no idea what she thinks i might hide in there!!lol x

Blake continues to settle in well, we’ve had no more toilet accidents in the house and apart from destroying a toilet roll, eating a half pound of butter and trying to liberate a cupcake, he’s been as good as gold. If his humans will keep leaving things lying around he may as well take advantage of the lapse. He has also quickly realised that when said humans are eating he has to lie on his bed – needless to say we get blasted with the ‘starved hound face!’

Blake has decided he will sleep all night on the landing where he can keep an eye on all the comings and goings. Breeze won’t entertain him sharing her space in our room – yet!

Both hounds were at the vet on Friday, Blake went to get his microchip – what a palaver that was, he screamed the place down and then behaved as if nothing had happened. Poor Breeze went to get her shoulder checked over, she’s been limping a bit after exercise however, the vet couldn’t find anything obviously wrong so suggested glucosamine - hopefully that will do the trick and stop her shoulder stiffening up. I have to say the limp seems more pronounced when she’s wearing her lead, but it doesn’t stop her initiating zoomies with Blake up and down the garden – she eventually gives up trying to out run him and ambushes him instead!

Blake has shown a keen interest in gardening, helping to dig holes for new plants as well as eating more grass that can possibly be good for him. He’s also trotted straight into the greenhouse (which Breeze just gives a suspicious sniff) and helped himself to the spare, empty (and clean!) dog food tins I use to stand my seed pots in – he’s a funny lad

Blake has been with us now for three weeks and has settled into being a house mutt. He and Breeze have been left together for a couple of short stints and seem to have slept the entire time – no mess, no destruction.

He's now got stairs totally sussed, walks very well on the lead and is very patient with Breeze who holds up proceedings by stopping to sniff at every interesting smell. He’s very interested in other dogs and usually stops dead in his tracks. He’s lunged a couple of times at dogs who've been off lead and ignoring their owners and crossed the invisible line and come way to close. We’re working on it. He’s just so inquisitive wanting to know what and who everything is.

However, this last week hasn’t been without incident. Blake obviously wanted to help wash the car and when that didn’t happen he remodelled the spare sponge. He also tried to help put the shopping away – in particular the toilet rolls – luckily he was intercepted before he managed to get any further than opening the packet and taking a couple of chunks out of two rolls.

However, his piece de resistance was proudly parading up and down the garden at midnight with the semi-resident hedgehog in his mouth. His joyous “look at what I’ve found mum” turned to confusion as I yelled “leave it” and hustled him into the house (minus the hedgehog). Sensibly, Breeze had already skulked back into the house when she realised what he was up to. The silly mutt has come through the encounter completely unscathed, and following a few anxious minutes staring out at the patio, so did the hedgehog. Now, of course, the entire garden is searched for the hedgehog every time he is out at night.

He made his first shopping trip to Pets at Home over the weekend were he was distracted by the squeaky toys, he was also very intrigued by the rabbits (why do the store have the little furries next to the dog toys?) – he stood rooted to the spot as if he couldn’t believe his luck! Unfortunately for him I ignored the pleading “can I have one of those” face so he’s had to make do with a knotted rope toy instead which gets chucked about the house with gay abandon.

Looking forward to the walk on Sunday and the weather forecast is looking good, but windy.

Hi Louise,
You certainly made us laugh at his antics.
We look forward to seeing you and the culprit on Sunday.
Celia and Jimmy.

Blake has been with us now for eleven weeks and apart from a few minor mishaps he has settled in well.

Blake seems less inclined now to help himself to unattended morsels, although that is more down to training ourselves than Blake – saying that he still couldn’t help himself around a recent sunday dinner – which he very kindly checked was tender enough! I hold my hands up to that – I thought the kitchen door was shut properly when I’d stepped outside to the bin, Breeze’s look of embarrassment coupled with a very submissive posture alerted me to the fact that Blake was up to something. The meat was intact and after a good wash and a little longer than normal in the oven it was delicious!

We now have four dog beds, two downstairs for lounging about during the day and two upstairs. The day beds get swapped continually. This is fine for Breeze but not so great for the big gangly one. His bed has loads of room for his legs, but Breeze’s bed is a little on the petit side for him so there’s usually more dog hanging out than in it. Upstairs is a different matter, Breeze is quite happy to lounge in his bed but woe betide Blake if he even looks in the direction of her bed.

Outside, the bottom of the garden is being well churned up with zoomies (no complaints from me it saves me having to weed it). The grass is a hopeless case and as the plants are all filling out the stupid neighbourhood cats are continually lurking in the undergrowth watching the birds – so far they’ve all managed to get out the garden– though a couple of them have had to make a really fast exit up a tree. Breeze and Blake like to stare at each other until one (usually Blake) charges off down the garden with the other in pursuit. But sensibly Breeze gives up after the first lap, waits for Blake and then pounces on him grabbing at his ears and barking in his face. Blake bless him takes it all in his stride and doesn’t even growl back. The one time he tried bossing her Breeze quickly put his ‘gas at a peep’.

We haven’t seen the hedgehog since the last escapade, hopefully it’s just lurking in the undergrowth hiding from the Menace. Unfortunately a Wood Pigeon and a baby Blue Tit haven’t been so lucky. One minute he’s trotting around the garden like a big gormless idiot – the next he dives head first ninja style into a bush and grabs his prize. He got the pigeon into the house as far as his bed, but I spent a couple of minutes prising his jaws open hoping to rescue the Blue Tit. Sadly both birds came off worst - hopefully it was very quick end.

Apart from his foibles Blake is a real big softy and loves getting cuddles, he likes to stick his head under your arm or lays his chin on your shoulder while you give him a pet. Breeze is a friendly dog, but on her terms – if she isn’t in the mood she’ll let you know. That isn’t to say she’s not adverse to initiating a bit of nonsense every now and then.

Blake likes to know what is going on, where you’re going, what you’re doing. Everything gets a sniff, everything gets investigated. If you move you’ve usually got a big black shadow in tow – just on the off chance you might getting something to eat...!

Louise