A-Z Challenge Day 8 - Hills, Humour

Nearly missed the boat this time round! Yesterday was Mr GP's birthday, Mstr GP is with us this weekend and this morning we went for a long and muddy walk with GP dogs I and II, so I'm rather behind on the blogging front. So, how does humour come into all this, I hear you ask? Well, it's a tenuous link (humour did not enter into it  when I was struggling my way up and down a hill with little GP dog (above) pulling me here, there and everywhere.) Our older dog loves mud, puddles, unmentionable 'presents' left by passing cattle and wildlife; imagine the canine equivalent of Chanel No 5!  Water - preferably of the  muddy coffee variety with  a hint  of Parfum de Crotte de Renard   is for charging straight through. It goes with the territory. His breed are still used as hunters in some places.

GP Dog II on the other hand, is a dainty little lady, who likes  to think that she has an allergy to mud. She's also  sufficiently small that in an emergency, she could be picked up and carried. Not that I've given in so far. So what with her titupping all over the place trying to find dry land, and me, attached to her, trying to find a decent foothold, it was  an interesting experience. As we finally found our way back down to the road and were walking  back to the car, the heavens opened and blasted  us with an icy shower.  Never mind, we got home safely, the leads and harnesses are in the wash and  GP Dog II has been popped into a hot bath and sponged down with baby powder-scented doggy shampoo. Mmm, glorious!

 GP Dog I doesn't 'do' baths; wrestling with close on 15Kg of a wriggly Fido isn't a back-friendly activity. After the time he wriggled out of my grasp, leapt out of the bath and charged down the stairs, scattering soap-suds as he went and crashed through the stairgate, hurting his leg in the process, we've left his spa treatment to the experts. He reminds me of Spotty Dog of The Woodentops fame, a BBC children's programme  from way way back.  Oh dear, I really am  showing my age here. Like GP Dog I, Spotty dog was a dab hand at recognising certain words:  'bone,' 'biscuit,' and the dreaded 'bath.' To that I'd add C-A-T. Mstr GP was remarking only today that dogs are like children; sometimes you have to spell words out because they understand so much! Have a listen - Spotty makes an appearance about 6 1/2 minutes into the clip.