25/01/2010 by admin.

Here we are on a cloudy Monday. I’ve had an administration marathon but feel very productive.

These last few days have bought some new clients our way with dates already being booked way into the summer with roles which involve me running what can only be referred to as an ‘operation’ with multiple animals of different types being part of these households. Exciting jobs such as these are a pleasure to be asked to be involved with and I always find myself learning something new from these indivdual set ups.

Nala has been rather unwell this weekend after grazing her pad while tearing round the garden after her cousin, springer spaniel Charlie. This in turn upset her tummy so she has been ever so sleepy while her body recovers.

 Plan to have a nice relaxing stroll tomorrow. A play in some puddles will cheer Nala up.

Now to watch Dog Squad…

J &N

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21/01/2010 by admin.

July 2009: Exmoor to care for 3 ponies, sheep, goats and llamas.

What a beautiful part of the world! The farm is hidden away in the Exmoor countryside, the stables being set up a (very steep!) track along with the barns and grazing. The client had decided to take their first holiday in years with a relative looking after the dogs and cats indoors, I was to play ‘mum’ to the ponies and their friends in the field.

The ponies were angels for the weekend, with the shetland showing his cheeky side at every opportunity (pulling off my hat while I was skipping out his stable, lifting his head to be kissed, rolling in his woodchip bed after I has cleaned him to sparking and put his rug on!) The two exmoor yearlings behaved beyond their years, taking the changes in their strides. I only wish they had some sort of distinguishing features as for the first few days, I was honestly unsure which one was which and kept changing my mind after reading the client’s notes. I should have taken a picture of the two of them together you won’t appreciate their similarity until you see them both.

The sheep were a mixed bunch of all ages, breeds and personalities. Split into three groups, daily checks were carried out for two in the car. The third was a little different. Housing some hand reared lambs, before I even got out the car, they were shouting for attention so getting a car safely into the field was out of the question. A foot patrol was the only, and most enjoyable option. Even some that weren’t tame showed great interest. The llamas kept themselves to themselves and the goats were more interested in eating the bushes around the fences. I had two ‘in patients’ for my visit, one recovering out with this group and the other housed in the barn. Each visit to her was greeted with keen and hungry eyes, along with some friendly stamps to ask me to keep my distance.

Even the rain didn’t damper the experience at Exmoor. Views from all angles were beautiful and a deer even visited on my way home one evening. I am looking forward to visiting this client again, to see the yearlings mature and any new additions appear in the fields.

August 2009: Two Guinea Pig residents at my house.

We had two wonderful guineas come and stay with us for ten days this month while their mum was having a relaxing week away. Shy at first, their individual characters soon emerged with both interesting and entertaining consequences.

The chap (ginger with the rather fetching mane) was confident and cheeky. He would shout for his breakfast and wait with his feet up on the bars to demand efficient service. Having a large house to sleep in, he would take to squeezing into the ‘igloo’ whether his lady friend was in there or not. The girl (grey in colour) was very shy and cherised her hiding place in her igloo. When her mate was successful in stealing her bedroom, she would yell abuse at him from the doorway until he vacated, normally looking quite sheepish. I have never heard such squeeks! In the short time they were with us, they ate two whole cucumbers and half the grass from just outside the backdoor, a big appetite for tiny piggies.

September 2009: Shepton Mallet to care for Nanny, a Maiden Milker. (See the pictures in my photo album)

I received a rather different booking to milk a goat while her owner enjoyed a weekend away. To keep her well and encourage her to keep producing milk, she needed to be milked everyday. Having visited the week before to have a lesson in milking (I had never milked anything before but I love learning new things, especially if they are a bit of a challenge.), I arrived Saturday with high hopes of bringing home two pints of milk. Umm well it didn’t really go to plan as I wasn’t quick enough to move the bowl when she moved. On Sunday though I was ready and after a little knock, I finished with about a pint in the bowl. I was very pleased and Nanny was so patient with me. Having been used to her mum taking 10 minutes, half an hour of an amateur fondling her must have been trying to say the least!

September 2009: Catcott to care for 2 horses, 2 cats and a Scotty Pup.

My first local booking came with my biggest variety yet. I certainly had a good work out over the 6 days, I can tell you!

The horses were both boys, both getting on and both lovely and cheeky. One highland, one cob, both driven by their tummies. They didn’t appreicate any delay to either being let out into the field in the morning or fed when I put them to bed. The cob swore he was starving (In a field full of grass!) so demolished his electric fencing to prove his point, with the electric on, an apparent regular trick of his.

The cats were gorgeous looking and so so soft. The smaller boy was my bestest friend straight away, wanting constant attention and cuddles, relishing the walk to their outdoor enclosure due to the snuggles he received. The grey, larger boy however wasn’t so keen and behaved like I was a tiger, pretending to be human, and of course wanting to eat him. Hiding was the name of the game but he soon got tired and after the third day just about made the effort to sit under a chair. I was greeted by two eager faces every morning.

The puppy was such a sweet little dog. After some serious rough and tumble with my retriever puppy Nala, they would be so tired they would sleep near enough on top of each other. They played tug of war with Nala’s toy pheasant to the point that they popped the seam, ran around the garden like mad things (with the smallest pair of legs showing amazing speed!) and then drank a whole bowl of water, together. A constant source of entertainment also proved to be exhausting but together they behaved better than I could have hoped. And they now see each other every Thursday at puppy classes where they bark and try to play through their crates the whole way there.

September 2009: Bridgwater to care for 3 cats

The gang of three were a varied bunch with one big fluffy girl, one tiny tortoisehell which reminded me of a cat called Twinkle I had throughout my years growing up and a handsome tabby chap, who was poorly due to ill health. The girls loved attention so part of my evening visit was to sit and fuss them until all I could hear was purring. The boy needed some more gentle tlc, having loss some of his appetite, we sat and chatted while he slowly ate his dinner (sometimes helped along with prawns I’d treated him to). He’d shout even when I was in the middle of stroking him to tell me to keep going and would always be waiting to greet me. The girls were always telling me they needed feeding straight away and would sit peering through the glass door into the kitchen while I sorted out the boy first. Once fed, they would make the most of the hour they had to enjoy sitting on a comfy sofa or warm lap and even had a chase around after a ball I flicked about. I also had an exciting adventure trying to find a parcel that had been put over the fence in half light, the garden was like a mini maze!

Sadly when the client returned, the boy was still very poorly and she made the brave decision to have him put to sleep. I was heartbroken as I know she was. I will always remember him for his amazing face, so handsome and the volume of which he would shout at me. Always the centre of attention and that’s how he wanted it. Rest in Peace.

October 2009: The two resident guinea pigs return

The two guineas that visited in August came back to stay for a week while their mum was away. They settled in straight away and greeted me with what I could have sworn was smiling faces. The chap now has his own igloo (Blue in colour of course!) so there was no more arguing over bedroom space. The girlie had become so much more confident since I last saw her and she was out in the daytime relaxing for hours at a time, often with Nala watching her as if she were a famous actor. I did buy them a treat of a new wooden toy to chew… they had no idea what it was! They did almost bite it but it went home with mum in immaculate condition. Still I think it brightened up their home! I had stocked the fridge with extra cucumber and some spinach and it was all gone when they left a week later.

October 2009: Crewkerne to care for 4 guinea pigs, 3 cats, fish and lots of wild birds

With my new found fondness for guinea pigs, I was delighted to be visiting this little gang twice a day. All rescued from former unhappy lives the boy and three girls live an absolute life of luxury, having their own Summer House and an outdoor run that is the size of most children’s bedrooms! They were so well behaved and would hop into their carriers for transportation and then run around like mad as soon as their toes touched the grass. Weather wasn’t overly kind to us so they did spend some days inside to save from being washed away but they enjoyed the extra tubes I put in their summer house and I think they appreciated my company, during which I would pretend to be the paparazzi and snap away with the camera.

The cats were were intrigued by their stand in mum but quickly got into the routine and were waiting behind the front door each morning. Also rescued, the brother and sister were so affectionate towards each other, with the girl grooming the boy all over, and I don’t think he was going to move one inch until she was done. He was in ecstasy! The third girl in the group was somewhat absent for most of the week, the only sign she had been in was a water bowl being tipped over and that was a hunch of mine more than anything. She is known to go awol so I was patient, keeping their mum up to date with the situation. On my second to last evening while in the piggies pen, I heard a very loud and forceful meow and look up to see her coming towards me as if we were bestest friends. I was so excited I actually cheered outloud and then text her mum straight away to put her mind at rest.

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21/01/2010 by admin.

And from the beginning, I intend to tell you, my readers about my travels, the people and furries that I meet. Any random thoughts I have; tips, advice, interesting things I see.

I will write again soon once I have collected together how to start this mini adventure…

 Jane & Nala

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