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Logan’s Log

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Logan’s Log: my beautiful neice & my inspiration

by Logan (Happy de Hagan Ava), owned by Sue Jeavons

Well, what a weird year 2020 has been. Who knew, that after heading to Crufts in March, with Nelson, we would be in lockdown for nearly 60 days, due to a virus called Covid-19.

Although this has meant that JoJo and I have had less peace and quiet because Nelson hasn’t been off galavanting around Europe showing, it has had it’s good bits too for some of us.

Lockdown in France has been particularly harsh. The rules meant that every time mom wanted to leave the house, she had to fill in a form stating the reason for her being out. And there were only 5 reasons – to go to work (essential workers only), medical appointment, care for the vulnerable, shopping or exercise. Us dogs were happy with the sound of the last one, but not when we heard it could only be for a maximum of one hour and within one kilometre of home. Great, we live by the beach, so we could go exercise there. Nope, due to people going to the beach to sunbathe and socialise with their friends, the beaches were closed, even our quiet beach. Dog club was also closed, so we got to walk up and down the country lane where we live and have fun with the basic agility equipment we have in the garden (jumps and slalom), well I did anyway. JoJo (the parson) doesn’t see the point and Nelson can take it or leave it.

The main big bonus of lockdown has been that mom has been working from home. She has a little office area in the corner of the living room, where she works on her laptop and has Skype meetings (whatever they are). All we know is that it’s great fun if we pretend to see a cat just as she starts talking on one of these Skype meetings, which results in the three of us barking our orders to her colleagues and team. Oops! It doesn’t always go down that well, although apparently compared to some of her colleagues having to home school, we are angels. Talking of home schooling, we have taught mom well. Every day at 1pm we start to fidget, making our requests to be let out into the garden and then we proceed to line up outside the kitchen waiting for a treat. And who said home schooling was hard work!

However, just before lockdown Nelson’s girlfriend came down from Sweden to visit. Her owners (Erika and Peter) had met Nelson at the National Elevage last year and fell in love with him. Personally, I think they must have been mixing him up with another Picard, how did they not see how annoying he is. He always wants me to share my toys, wants me to play with him and gives out soppy kisses ALL the time – yuk!! Anyway, they decided that their beautiful Na’ila (Na’ila v.d. Bovendijkse Hoeve), should meet Nelson and have a family together. I’m also not sure what Na’ila saw in him, but wow, she is one beautiful brindle girl – think I’m in love.

Just over 60 days later Na’ila had a little girl the same colour as Nelson (personally I was hoping for a beautiful brindle, but I have to admit that she is a stunning fauve charbonne – she definitely takes after her mom). Erika and Peter decided to keep her and she is called Riana (Maycaps Riana Marvellous Mayflower), so she lives in Sweden with her mom and Mr Blomberg (their other dog). She has already started some scent work training, and Erika, Peter and my mom are all hoping that she will take after Na’ila to become a brilliant Search and Rescue dog.

Earlier in the year, I was very sad to read that the dog who inspired me to write my log passed away at aged 8 following his battle with epilepsy. My heart goes out to his human, brothers and fans and I’ll admit that I shed a few tears myself when my mom read out the news to me, Mom and I had a big long cuddle and tongue licks on the sofa together. As you know, we dogs also mourn for our fellow canine family and friends the same as you humans.

I am however really pleased to hear that his brothers (a PON and Picard), will continue on his legacy and write in their own style their stories. So I’m really looking forward to hearing what another Picard has to say about life in Nova Scotia. They have also recently been joined by a new brother, a PON called Wotjek, affectionately known as the Squirmy Wormy or Shark. Listening to his antics makes Nelson sound like a Saint!

Anyway, this also got me thinking, as to what life looks like through my brother and sisters eyes and how they would write their stories about me and my antics!

I think the galavanting handsome Nelson would think me rather boring. He goes off all over Europe (when he can), strutting his stuff at Dog Shows, bringing back various ribbons, trophies and titles, flirting with the judges and even more so with the girlies. He loves to hand out lashings of Picard hugs and slobbery kisses to anyone and everyone, whether they want them or not!

But me, I’m the homely sort. I like things to stay the same. Same friends, people and dogs. Same food (don’t want to upset that sensitive stomach of mine), and same walks where I know all the neighbourhood residents. So to Nelson, I’m the boring, predictable, unadventurous Logan. Having said that, he still really doesn’t understand me. He knows perfectly well that I’m not going to run around the garden like a loon with him, like JoJo does, I’m not going to wrestle him and play fight like a three year old. I’m an eight (nearly nine) year old mature, distinguished and sensitive boy who enjoys the quiet life. I will play occasionally and I do still have silly moments, don’t we all, but I prefer to play one to one with my mom or dad and a ball. In fact, I’ll play nose football so long and hard that I’ll rub my nose bare until it bleeds unless someone stops me! This still doesn’t stop Nelson trying though, again and again and again. Ten out of ten for persistence, or is that annoyance.

I guess we are all different. Although, a bit like the Picard in Nova Scotia (apparently), Nelson can have the attention span of a gnat, so I’m not sure he’d manage to finish writing an article before dashing off onto another subject. In fact, we Picards do have the reputation of being stubborn, because we refuse to do repetitive things. We’re not stubborn, we are very intelligent dogs able to solve puzzles as well as guard, protect and herd. But we get bored quickly if its the same old thing over and over again. I’ve already talked about this in a previous Log. Show me how to do something once, show me again and the third time I’ll do it. After that, why bother, I’ve shown you I can do it! I’m not stupid enough like some breeds to do it again, and again, and again.

For Christmas last year mom bought us a new brain training game. We’ve already got a couple, but she had some loyalty points so she got it free (I don’t think I’m supposed to know that, but if she had it open on her laptop when I borrowed it to write my Log. What’s a Picard supposed to do, but stick my big black nose into her business).

Anyway, I might be Mr Boring in Nelson’s eyes, but I do like a new challenge and puzzle and I don’t mind bragging that I am the best at this new game. Basically there are three blue test tubes hanging from a bar and you have to turn them upside down to get the treats to fall out. JoJo was hopeless at it, but smart at the same time. She took one look at the game and headed straight for the packet of treats mom had left on the side – cheeky girl! Nelson, well he might be very good at sticking his nose into everything and everyone (we Picards do like to prod you humans with our noses), but he lacks the finesse to tip them over to allow the treats to slide out. Me, well, I’ll start at the far one and work my way along the line until I have them all. I even thought about using my paw to flip them over, but why waste that big black nose!

Nelson is better than me at the discus style one. He sticks his nose in the gap and spins the dial around scooping up the treats with his tongue as he goes. Its a bit like watching the big spinning prize wheels you see on daytime TV sometimes (please don’t tell mom we watch daytime TV while she’s working). I however, try lifting the disc off with my teeth, but it’s attached. I can tell you exactly where the treat is located underneath the disc, but I just haven’t quite mastered the art in turning the disc to access it.

Now I just need to persuade mom to start some scent work with me – I think I’d be good at it. In fact, there are a few Picards around the world giving it a go at the moment and doing really well. In the US, they have barn hunting, where they hunt for rats hidden behind straw bails. Don’t worry, no rats are hurt in the process as they are kept in plastic aerated tubes and are family pets who enjoy participating in the games with the dogs (apparently). In the UK and Europe we have man-trailing where we follow a scent to find someone. As I mentioned earlier, Nelson’s girlfriend in Sweden even does this with her mom in the Swedish equivalent of the Territorial Army, taking it to the next level where she could one day help save someones life. They were out a few weeks ago looking for a woman who had gone missing. Now that’s one impressive nose and hero in the making!

So, here’s to all our heroes and those that inspire us to be better dogs or humans. Mom has a great little plaque her mom gave her, which helps her remember everyday to:

Be the Awesome Person Your Dog Believes You Are!

In the words of my inspiration and hero: Have a good one. Peace and paws up.

Logan’s Log: He’s still here and he got bigger, much bigger!

by Logan (Happy de Hagan Ava), owned by Sue Jeavons

So last time around, I introduced you to Nelson, the newest member of the family, and, although I hate to admit it, my younger brother.

I can’t say, it was love at first bark, but he is growing on me. In fact he is growing and growing and growing. He now weighs more than 23kg and is as big as me, if not bigger and he is strong, boy is he strong!

Gone are the days where I would pretend to let him win at a game of tug, now, he wins and wins and wins all on his own. He has the staying power, jaw power, agility and determination of a 9 month old puppy. He might not look like a puppy anymore, well he does still have a puppy like face and coat, but he is a puppy in the body of an adult!

And, I’m afraid that’s the only part of him that’s an adult. He’s still an annoying puppy! He’s over playful, naughty, still chews everything, still hogs all the toys, still eats mom out of house and home, and now thinks he can start pushing me around!

Mom fell in love with his mother when she met her at Crufts last year, she loved that she sought attention when she was getting none, and wasn’t exactly aloof with strangers, well………. you get what you wish for……..

Nelson is just like his mother. He likes attention. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good chin tickle, back scratch and bum rub, and mom is good at these things, but now Nelson barges in and says, me too!! Has he never heard of age before beauty (not that I think he’s beautiful, no need to pamper that ego any more than mom already does!!), but come on, mom has two hands, which means we can both get tickles, scratches and rubs, at least until JoJo comes along and starts pawing mom for some attention too. What was mom thinking, she only has two arms, so how did she think she was going to caress the three of us all at the same time! And no, the foot rub isn’t the same, and Nelson has a foot and sock fetish, so not a wise move, unless you want to lose a toe or two.

And he is such a creep! I mean, its JoJo’s job not his to give me a wash, but he insists too (yuk!!), and it’s only so he can get closer to my toys or chews or sometimes to apologise for being tooooo boisterous. He can’t even walk down the corridor in a straight line. Side to side in front of me, turning to give me a lick as he goes and stop me from overtaking him.

I am just very grateful that mom has decided that he should still sleep in his big cage in the bedroom. I mean, there really isn’t enough room on the king sized bed for mom, me, JoJo and a fidgeting lump, as well, he really has the attention span of a gnat and he can’t lay still for longer than two seconds at a time. Please, please, please, lets hope the cage stays a while longer.

All I can say, is thank goodness, he has a couple of his own friends, so its not all left to JoJo and I to entertain him. As well as his good friend Mowgli, a 2 year old Border Terrier, who chases him around and around and around, until we are all giddy, but he now also has a new bestie – Nimbus! Nimbus is 3 months younger than Nelson and is a Pyrenean Sheepdog, but more about him in Nelson’s Notes.

Anyway, that’s enough about Nelson. Thanks for asking, but yes, I am much better and have settled down into taking my thyroid medication. I remind mom at 6am every morning (always best to wake her up 15-20mins before her alarm is due to go off), to give me my tablet. She just places it on the bedside table, and I lick it straight off there, crunching it slightly on the way down. That meat flavouring in the tablet does the trick. Then I insist on pawing her to thank her, until her alarm goes off and she then gets up and lets us all out to do our business in the garden. I might be persuaded to let her have a 30-60 minute lie in on a Saturday and Sunday, if she has been particularly good the day before. But then again, one of the other two, normally decide they want to get up instead. No rest being mom in our house!!

Talking of houses, I should really say thank you to Nelson. He is still protesting at being left in his run while mom goes out to work, so for now, she has decided to divide the living room up, and we all get to stay indoors and watch daytime TV all day in the warm, and for JoJo and I, we get a sofa each – result!! And, the lunch time treats are still being distributed, so…. double result!!

It’s not all bad, so maybe he can stay a little while longer, but the probation period is definitely not over yet!

Logan’s Log: THe three musketeers

by Logan (Happy de Hagan Ava), owned by Sue Jeavons

He’s still here, it’s been over a year now, so I guess he is officially part of the gang, one of the family and definitely one of the Three Musketeers!

The routine is set and the three of us (JoJo the Parson, Nelson and me), all have our roles to play.

It starts 15 minutes before mom’s alarm goes off. I still don’t quite understand why she sets it or why she thinks she needs to get up 15 minutes later than we tell her to, but she never learns..… Nelson waits until I am in place, standing next to the bed staring right at mom while she’s asleep, then he starts his wake up call – an exaggerated stretch, shake (to get the collar chain and tag going), and then he starts with the quiet squeaks (the ones he does if needs to go out) until, if she hasn’t quite heard him, develops into a little yelp and then I join in from the edge of the bed with a well placed paw or wet nose, and if that still hasn’t worked and she rolls over, there’s JoJo and her tongue waiting. It works every time! Paw High Five!!!

Then while she’s still half comatosed, I get my tablet and we all insist on being let out – immediately! And that’s the next well rehearsed Three Musketeers gig, the wake up the neighbourhood and scare away next doors cats garden dash! JoJo, the smallest, but definitely the boss, is always first out the door, scooting between our legs, and lets out the first yelp. Not too loud, as she doesn’t want mom to shout at her first, and then we all join in until we reach the far gate at full pelt. One of these days our brakes aren’t going to work and we’ll all end up in a heap of legs, fur and tails. Needless to say, none of the cats ever come into our part of the garden, but they do venture into the other areas, along with the odd pheasant, green woodpecker, collared dove or wood pigeon. You never know, but as soon as that door is opened, we Three Musketeers are all over it – All for One and One for All, United we Stand, Divided we Fall!

The only problem is, that after one short sharp shout from mom, JoJo and I give up and get on with what we need to do, but Nelson, he hasn’t quite got the hand of it yet, and he just keeps on barking and barking. Maybe he should really be the young enthusiastic D’Artagnan? Anyway, all this continued noise leads to an irritable mom, in her pyjamas, stomping around the garden after him, shouting in a whispering voice ‘It’s too early, you’ll wake the neighbours, quiet, do your hurry hurries and get inside!’. After nearly seven years, she really still doesn’t get it does she – that’s the whole point, wake everyone up and let them know we are here – All for One and One for All!!!

So finally, he stops barking, then he decides it’s play time. He takes a quick look at me, thinks better of it, and then lines himself up to pounce on JoJo. By this time mom has gone back inside, checking her slippers for you know what on the way in. A quick zoomies game with JoJo around and around the garden and mom decides it’s time for us all to come in. But, you guessed it, the good ones, JoJo and I go running in, knowing that it’ll soon be time for breakfast, but Nelson, he decides that he needs one last look over the fence for cats, and then, then he decides that he better do his business. Now in the summer months when it was light, dry and warm, we all made that excuse to stay outside that little bit longer, but come on it’s now winter – cold, wet and dark! Get with the program Nelson. The front door opens: 1. A quick bark and chase for cats; 2. Do your business; &, 3. Get back inside the warm house ASAP. We might be a rustic breed, but I like my creature comforts!!

At 16 months he still has some serious learning and training ahead of him, that’s for sure, but he’s not bad as our third musketeer, but he’s definitely still on probation!

As for me, I’m keeping well with my tablets, although we had some fun over the summer. The V. E. T. (not sure why she insists on spelling it out, does she really think we don’t understand what she means when she spells out the letters rather than saying the torturous word VET – Vicious Evil Torturer!!), changed my thyroid medication in the summer as they stopped stocking the other one. The good thing for mom, was that it was cheaper, but the bad thing was that it didn’t taste of meat anymore, and I wouldn’t lick it off her hand, crunch it and swallow it. So twice a day for three months, mom had to ram it down the back of my throat. I didn’t complain at the procedure, although I would spit it out occasionally, but she decided that trying to break up a table half the size of the old ones into 3 pieces, and then get me to swallow it, was just too much hassle, so she went back to the old tablets – you know I’m worth it mom!!