Old dog, new tricks!

Alfie, our beautiful but eldery and not very well dog, is very clever – and living proof that old dogs can learn new tricks!

Let me explain: since having his operation, pre Christmas, to remove a very large tumour from his shoulder, Alf has had to have a twice daily cocktail of tablets. The morning ones are easy: “lost” in his breakfast, he’s happy to take them. After a few days of trying to deceive him into taking the evening ones, I cracked it: two slices of ham or turkey and wrap the tablets in them and he’ll eat them – though I have to share the meat with Molly and ensure that Jake is nowhere around, so he’ll eat Alf, Molly and the tablets.

So Alfie learned that, if Jake is outside, and if Alf hangs around the fridge, one of his people, either Tony or I, will take pity on him, give him an extra piece of ham and also feed him treats with his tablets.

Not content with just having one evening treat, Alfie now regularly comes to tell Tony or I that he wants to go out, which makes Jake rush to see what he is missing – and as soon as Jake is out the door, Alf pushes it shut, sniggers and goes to the fridge where he waits until we take pity on him – again – and give him a treat.

Jake is so silly, he doesn’t get it. He’s so nosey, he simply things he’s missing out so rushes outside. Molly plays her cards right and stays warm – with the fridge in sight!

Having also got Charlie cat on bedrest, as he’s hurt his paw, I was just feeding him some fresh tuna when I realised – again – that these animals rule our life!

Course, we wouldn’t have it any other way!