Yes, I knew it !

Well I was right! The morning started normally, brush down, food and sit outside on the swing hammock with Mr Stop'it. Now after that he normally disappears to the basement to read his E Mail, but this time he called me into the upstairs human kennel area. You will remember I am normally not allowed in there, as I entered I seen he was in the room that houses the "rain room"! I am wise enough to know its pointless running, so I gave in and entered the rain room peacefully. Truthfully I know I needed a wash down as Pal and I had been playing in the dust allot over the last few days.

Really its not too bad as Mr Stop'it takes great care not to get soap in my eyes and I can get my own back when I get out of the rain room and shake water everywhere!!!!

Time to go home

The other morning I heard the Stop'its talking on the phone to Pal's people. Now as much as I would never dream of listening in to other peoples conversations you humans do talk very loud. It transpired that Pal was to go back home sometime after 4.30pm that day.

So in the afternoon Pal and I sat and waited for their arrival. Pal was quite sad to go though, and now I've been left on my own again. You see as much as I like playing with the Stop'its in the garden they do not let me bit their necks and hang off their ears like Pal does.

I overheard another comment between the Stop'its too that day, they were planning a visit to the "rain room" for me !!

Dinner times

Gee can Pal eat!

Mr Stop'it normally gets my dinner ready some time between 6-7pm. In the summer time it is better to eat a bit later in the day when the temperature has dropped. Often I leave a bit of food in my dish for the "night munchies", but I could not do this with Pal about. Walk away from my dish and he's there cleaning it out!

Now when Mr Stop'it gives us dinner he always stands between us and watches us both (I think he got this habit because I always stand and watch them if they eat outside just in case they drop a bit of food on the floor as I have to clean it up for them to keep the place clean!). Once I have had my fill I leave the rest for Pal to finish off.

Dog tired...

As I said it was sure a hard night. Once we both had been brushed and fed in the morning by Mr Stop'it we had our normal run about and play time. Mr Stop'it has some obsession about us wanting to play ball or throw things away and expect us to bring them back to him, only for him to throw them away again! We've "cottoned on" to that one so we tend to just ignore him, he soon gets fed up having to get them himself and leaves us alone to play fighting games between ourselves.

We watched the person called "donkey lady" by the Stop'its tending her crops and I had a good old bark at her, Pal just watched. You see I always bark at her as she carries this big stick she sometimes hits the fence with to annoy me. Now if only I could get over that fence at her !!!

But we needed our sleep time to be able to enjoy another night of tormenting, so rest in our arm chairs was required.......

Oh what a night......

Now if it were a bit later in the month I could have entitled this "Oh what a night, late September back in ......."

(music maestro please!)

Well I think we excelled ourselves last night, but I do not think Mr & Mrs Stop'it, especially Mrs Stop'it were too thrilled with us. You see around 1 in the morning three village mutts (dogs) decided to come and annoy us at our gates. Pal and I ran down to the gate (as the photo shows) in the dark and had to see them off. Well it was not easy or indeed quiet. The whole canine village joined in what we were doing! This brought Mr Stop'it out and he seen them off, but he just does not understand we are only protecting the boundary. For my thanks I got tied up on the balcony, but Pal did not. That was a lucky break for us, as Pal could still run off and see what was happening and report back to me.

Well around 5am it happened again, and as I could not get loose, I woke Pal with some very loud barks (he sleeps really deeply), and sent him off to sort it. This time Mrs Stop'it came out, gee I was in for it! Was she mad........So all three of us ended up in the basement until sun rise.

I think I'll have a long kip today and keep out of her way.....

Pal arrives.........

Now as I was saying my mate Pal was due to stay with me for a few days, well he arrived today!

I was quite excited really when I heard the car arrive, I ran to the gate and could see (and hear) Pal inside. Soon we were running and playing in the garden. One good thing (I think) is that when Pal comes over I do not need to clean up the garden for Mr & Mrs Stop'it of all my bits of left over bones etc. Pal does that for me! The only thing is I have the devils own job of keeping him of the good (smelly) bits (of bone that is).

He does try now and then the other bits (well you know what I mean), but he gets none of that! Typical youngster, just does not know when its right to do that........

Thank goodness the weather is changing and we have a small cool breeze setting in, that meant I could play chase all the longer; but now I need a bit of rest..........just wait until tonight the Stop'its do not know what they are in for!

Going to see my friend

Yesterday just after lunch Mr & Mrs Stop'it disappeared in turn in the human "rain room". Now I know when they go in there often it means they are getting ready to go out. The problem is it does not always include me! Each time I sense they are ready to go out I make it pretty clear to them I want to go too. Sometimes it works other times I get left behind to guard the kennels. This time I was lucky, the pillow I sit on in the "blue tin box on wheels" appeared so like a whippet I'm in there!

Its good fun in the tin box, head out of the window and able to bark at all the big white vans we pass.

Soon I realised where we were off to, my mate Pal's house.

Like normal we had a great old time, I was able to nick some of his food and chew his ear a bit whilst the Stop'its talked to the people Pal looks after........

Now if I heard correctly, Pal is coming to stay with me for a few days next week.........I'll keep you informed.....

Shall I go for swimming lessons?

Now you will recall my moans about the fact us canines are not allowed on the beaches in Greece between May & October, the main tourist season. This is despite the fact we never leave litter, empty beer cans or cigarette butts in the sand like some humans do, and most of our responsible owners always clear up if we well "get caught by natures demands".

Now I have just heard that across the water in Italy my friends are encouraged to patrol the beaches, in fact some 300 of them are actively helping save the lives of tourists on the Italian coast lines. So far nearly 3000 rescues have been actioned by "life guard dogs" either jumping from rescue boats or helicopters supporting human lifesavers in rescue missions.

Now I was thrown out of a car before Mr Mrs Stop'it adopted me, thats got to give me a good start for being thrown out of a helicopter, don't you think ?

My friends need help !!!!

Hi again,

Sorry I have not been writing much over the last week or so but it has been a really hot period for us weather wise, in fact it still is! Unlike the humans us dogs are not allowed on the beaches in the tourist season to cool off, so I have tended to stay in Mr Mrs Stoppit's air-conditioned basement.

Now as much as I would like to go on the beach or in the water to cool off, I want to draw to your attention the very sad and serious plight of some of my canine friends that do get put in the water.....but very much against their will

PLEASE take a look at:-

http://www.causes.com/causes/285452?m=9e4cc0c7&recruiter_id=26258015

and join to support this cause.......

Hot cars are death traps for dogs

For today I have decided to help some of my canine friends out there who's people they look after are some what less caring than mine.................

Five reasons not to leave your dog in the car this summer, even for "just a minute"

Pet owners must avoid leaving their dogs in hot cars this summer – a practice that can lead to serious illness and even death.

Leaving a dog in a hot car is dangerous and often deadly. Visit MyDogIsCool.com to learn more.

“Often people leave their dogs in the car while they shop or run errands, but doing so when the weather is warm can literally be a death sentence for your pet,” there are five reasons why leaving a dog in a hot car can be deadly:

1. Dogs are especially vulnerable to heat-related illness because they can only cool off by panting and through the pads in their feet.

2. Even on seemingly mild days, an enclosed car can be deadly., When it was 72 degrees outside, a car’s internal temperature climbed to 116 degrees within one hour.

3. Enclosed cars heat up quickly. It was 80 degrees outside, the temperature inside a car rose to 99 degrees in 10 minutes and 109 degrees in 20 minutes.

4. A dog’s normal body temperature is between 101 to 102.5 degrees; a dog can only withstand a high body temperature for a short time before suffering nerve damage, heart problems, liver damage, brain damage or even death.

5. Studies show that cracking the windows has little effect on a car’s internal temperature.

· To learn more about the dangers of leaving dogs in hot cars, visit www.MyDogIsCool.com.

*** FACTS ABOUT DOGS AND HOT CARS ***

What happens to dogs left in hot cars?

· Exposure to excessive heat causes the body’s cells to stop working properly and release dangerous chemicals, which can lead to nerve damage, heart problems, liver damage, brain damage and even death. Essentially, all of the dog’s organ systems shut down at once.

· Signs a dog is suffering from a heat-related illness include:

· Excessive panting

· Excessive drooling

· Increased heart rate

· Trouble breathing

· Disorientation

· Collapse or loss of consciousness

· Seizure

· Respiratory arrest

Visit MyDogIsCool.com to get educational materials, like this visually powerful poster.

· “Don’t Leave Me in Here – It’s Hot!” fliers that can be left on windshields

· Free downloadable posters that can be hung in store windows to remind customers not to leave their dogs in the car on a warm day