# Diary of Bridget and Poppy



## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

You've got me raring to read the next chapter of Bridget's story. She's awfully cute, so I'm real sure it's real good story.


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## Qarza (Feb 23, 2013)

*The first few weeks*

We were on a camping holiday when we picked Bridget up so she fitted in with us as we traveled around with our caravan and visited campsites and stayed with relatives. She met lots of people and was socialized heaps. Looking back now, the experiences she faced in those weeks were amazing. We were very lucky with her personality. Bridget traveled well in the car, she bonded with me immediately and quickly learned that the caravan was home. She has he first bath and I was horrified how tiny her body was LOL. She learned to follow my husband as he went fishing. She was a quick learner.


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## petitpie (Nov 16, 2011)

Every puppy should start out with camper training!


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

She's a trooper!! And cute as a button!
Waiting for your next chapter and the photos that accompany it!!!


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## Qarza (Feb 23, 2013)

*Arriving home for the first time.*

After several weeks of Caravanning it was time to head home. I had trepidations about how Bridget would handle our wooden stairs, plus she had two Birman cats yet to meet. I shouldn't have worried. The stairs were easy. In fact I was starting to realize that most things for Bridget are easy. The Cats, well they were used to dogs, but it had been six months since they had had a dog and old ones at that.
Bridget thought "Yippee play mates" and pounced. Cats thought "not in you life" and whacked. Lesson learned for a short time.
After a while it was time for her first trim. I chose to use a groomer who lived in the same street as me. Big mistake. She had never done a poodle before!!! All I can say is thank goodness it will grow out. 
I tried puppy training classes. They didn't work for us. Bridget learned OK but she was always one step ahead. The trainer said Dogs understand about 13 words in total. Why then were we spelling words that she understood? let me see: Go to bed, Sit, come, shhhh, Bridget, Wheres the Ball, Frisbee, Banana, Squeekee, Cuddles, Where's Daddy, Poppy, No Cat, Chewy, Ready, Right, Quick one, fetch, give it to me.......and so much more.
Bridget started a game with my husband. She would bring her squeekee toy to him, he would throw it away, she would bring it back etc etc, He was the one that got tired. One day he announced that she needed a play mate.
The photos are: Before grooming, The disaster groom, and Bridget with the Boss Cat "Shammi".
To be continued......


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## Lene (Jan 18, 2013)

She sounds like she's very intelligent...

I actually like her hair cut...


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

I do believe I'm vicariously having nearly as much fun with Bridget as you are!! She's sure got a lot of brain power in that cute little head of hers. Seeing her next to your Birman cat I can really appreciate how tiny she is.:becky:


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## LEUllman (Feb 1, 2010)

I have to say, I like her haircut, too! But she's bound to be a sweetie no matter what her groom.


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## schpeckie (Jun 29, 2010)

Bridget is one cute puppy! Looks like she has settled into your household quite nicely with the other pets. I think her haircut is adorable! 
Sylvia & the Girls!


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## Qarza (Feb 23, 2013)

*Welcome to Poppy*

Ok apparently Bridget needed a playmate. DH went looking. He found and advert showing this wee (Mini) Poodle called Poppy who was looking for a new home. She was 5 months old and was being re homed because she was too timid. We went to see her and immediately I could see she was NOT a Mini but a Toy as she was the same size as Bridget. We took Bridget with us and the two dogs played while I talked to the girl who was selling Poppy. Poppy had been bought by a breeder for film work. She had been trained...... and trained..... and trained. She was 5 months old and I could not see where the love was. The girl selling her worked for the film company and she was the trainer, and Poppy lived with her and her boyfriend. The BF did not allow Poppy in the house. My guess was that Poppy was growled at a lot when in the home situation. 
I offered to take her for a weekend to see how she would go with Bridget and with our cats, but already I knew, that this wee dog needed LOVE.
Poppy was fine with the cats, because she had had a trainee kitten in the film world. She was not allowed on the furniture, she was not allowed to bark, she slept in the laundry and many more things we tended to let her forget. After that weekend, we kept her. We could not send her back.
Bridget and Poppy bonded straight away. See the photo of them dancing together. This was taken on their first day at home. Poppy was scared of DH. She was scared of men! By this stage we had Bridget sleeping in a large travel cage at nights. We got another one for Poppy and the two cages in our bedroom meant happy dogs. The cages have now become their own security zones. They can go there whenever they want.
Our next challenge was to find a good groomer. I managed that but only after both dogs looked like overgrown wooly monsters. See photos. The groomers I found is an hours drive in our main city. She is a Spanish girl and she works for an exclusive Doggy Day Care. My friends who are all no doggy people think I am mad to spend the money and the travel on getting them groomed as I do. The next photo is their first groom. I was worried about Poppy and how she would cope, but she was great.
By now Bridget was developing by leaps and bounds. She is a bombshell. She can be ultra naughty and ultra lovable at the same time. Poppy on the other hand is quiet, good, calm, kind of boring. It is hard to get any emotion out of her. Over time she has learned to go to DH to get her back rubbed. She also comes to me for calm time. She plays with Bridget, but when Bridget goes mad and runs chaotically round and round Poppy finds a safe place and just sits and watches.
We often despair at what happened to her in those first 5 months that took the fun out of her. We love her to bits, and wait for the day that Poppy will show the mischievous spark that is Bridget 100%.
Oh I forgot. she does have it a little bit. When I Take them out on the leash, there is one place when I let the run free. I usually let Poppy off the lead first. She runs round and round Bridget, taunting her. Bridget, by this time is frantic to get off the lead and Poppy is having the time of her life. I let Bridget off and they chase each other until they are exhausted.
To be continued........


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## sulamk (Nov 5, 2011)

More Diary please!


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## Qarza (Feb 23, 2013)

Oops ok more tomorrow. I forgot I started this.


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## kukukachoo (Jul 26, 2012)

just now seeing this and, oh my goodness. i love them! more! more!


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## plr (Oct 20, 2012)

Just found it too. More please!


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## HerdingStdPoodle (Oct 17, 2012)

*Large Travel Cage*

When you talk about a large travel cage...do you mean a crate with a door? Large---meaning a big-dog-size? I can picture them sleeping together in the same den. HerdingStdPoodle


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## Sweetp (Mar 23, 2013)

I love this thread and can't wait for an update on Poppy's progress. Btw, both are adorable girls!


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## Qarza (Feb 23, 2013)

HerdingStdPoodle said:


> When you talk about a large travel cage...do you mean a crate with a door? Large---meaning a big-dog-size? I can picture them sleeping together in the same den. HerdingStdPoodle


Before I carry on with the diary, here is a photo of the girls in their beds. 










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## Qarza (Feb 23, 2013)

Continuing......
Poppy fitted in well. She was timid at first but over time she took well to my husband and we noted that whenever I gave Bridget any attention , Poppy would go over to my husband and back into him as if to say rub my back please. She became his dog. But not the the extent that whenever I go out both dog will go into my sewing room and sulk until I come home. 
We noted that although Poppy had been clicker trained she only had the basic commands. When out walking, she never left my side. That was good. Bridget, being the little devil that she is goes off exploring, but Poppy stays close. I can always get Bridget to come back by making a big fuss if Poppy and by giving treats to Poppy. Jealousy wins. Poppy learns lots from Bridget. She learnt that Bridget sits on my chair under my arm and with her head resting on the arm of the chair. After several attempts Poppy would jump onto my husband's chair then jump backwards onto my chair and back in under my arm to get herself into the same position Bridget is usually in.
In the mornings, the girls wake up around 6:30 and we let them out of their cages and outside for a pee, then it is into our bed until 7:30 or 8. Usually Bridget gets right under the covers and cuddles right in. Before too long, Poppy had learnt that too.

Life with the cats. We have two Birman cats. Shammi is 15 years old and has always been very laid back. Piper is 7 years old and is a bit more skitterish. Both cats tolerate the dogs but would be happier without them. When Poppy came to us she has had a kitten as a best friend and we thought that meant she would leave the cats alone. WRONG! She taught Bridget how to poke the cats. Now poking cats is an all time pastime. I am sick of calling out 'Leave the cat'. Shammi just lowers his head and bulldozes his way through the dogs while they both poke their noses at him. If he gets annoyed he whacks out but that is rare. I wish it was more often. Piper spends all day at the neighbour's or asleep and she really hates the dogs bothering her. Both dogs know that the cats can hurt them but it doesn't stop them.

About 15 months ago we bought another house in the town where our daughter and grandsons live. And so began our life of travelling with pets and the life of two houses. 
To be continued...........
Poppy backed into me on my chair.







Shammi, Bridget, and Poppy in the sun.










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## Qarza (Feb 23, 2013)

I just had to ad this video of Bridget and Piper taken today. Piper decided she wanted to sleep in the house today and it is driving Bridget nuts.
http://youtu.be/9wSEJ0IK_Cc


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## HerdingStdPoodle (Oct 17, 2012)

*Play Bow*

Poor Bridget; the play bow is just not working for her! HerdingStdPoodle layball:


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

C'mon Piper! Bridget just wants to PLAY!!!! LOL!


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## Lene (Jan 18, 2013)

I am only one of all these people hanging out for more...

You started it!


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## sulamk (Nov 5, 2011)

Lol! Reminds me of my black and white cat Brat! He is 16 yo now been through lots of pups! He plays on his terms,if he doesnt want to he ignores her he is bigger than hr still. His fav game is to hide behind the sofa cushions and as she goes past he sticks a paw out and smacks her bottom! Never sticks his claws out! So enjoying this diary.


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## Qarza (Feb 23, 2013)

Continuing........
Now we have a new house which I managed to furnish mostly by online shopping and a quick flying visit to the nearest city. Our next job was to take down an old van to leave there so we would have a vehicle if we ever flew down there. 
Let me explain. New Zealand is made up of two main islands called simply North Island and South Island. We live near the top of the North Is and the new house is near the bottom of the South Is. Central Otago to be precise. To drive there it is 9 hours drive, 3 hours ferry and 9 hours drive. To fly it is 1 1/2 hrs to airport, 2 hour flight and 45 minute drive at the other end. 
We got the van packed, decided to take the cats with us as well as the dogs as it would cost too much for 6 weeks in the cattery. So, four cages, cats travel in theirs, dogs travel attached to seatbelt attachment. Van is full of stuff for the house. We did well. The first 9 hours was without incident and we arrived at the ferry at 5:30 pm. After the 3 hour Ferry ride we found a pet friendly motel to stay the night. This is when dogs sleep in their cages and cats can wander around the motel. We do have a litter tray. I had taken dogs for walks and everything seemed ok. The next morning just before we were about to leave Bridget did a runny poop on the motel floor. arrgh! Luckily I travelled with all the necessary means to clean this up. We got underway way about two hour before our destination a wasp flew in a bit me. We had to stop at a town and by something for the pain and the swelling. The dogs got upset that I had left the van. As we got underway, Poppy did a runny poop all over herself, the towel on the seat and my arm. arrgh!! We were still in the town and I saw a park entrance with a parking space nearby so we parked there and got the dogs out. dH tied them to the park gates while I got water etc to start cleaning up. The next minute some officious dog ranger pulled up behind our van. He got out, walked around us, saw the cats in the back. I took this opportunity to tend to them too. He asked what we were doing. I told him one of my dog had an accident an we were cleaning it up. He said that park is a no-dog park. I said we are not in the park. He said you can't go in there. I said we are not going in there. I was trying to clean Poppy while he was talking and I was getting very short tempered. The silly man was only worried that we may take our dogs into his park!!
All cleaned up and we got on our way and without further incident, we arrived safely at our new home. The pets were all happy to be out of the van.
Our son in law had made a temporary fence to enclose the dogs in the yard so we were able to let them run around straight away.
All was well for four weeks. We went for lots of walks, the dogs learnt to socialise with the grandsons and then.........
Shammi went missing during a rain storm one night. He got lost and I knew immediately I had lost him. My daughter got on Facebook and posted a photo of the cat to all her friends and asked them to pass it on. After a week he was still missing and I though I would never see my boy again. My daughter went back to Facebook and reminded her friends in the town to check their gardens. 20 minutes later I got a phone call that someone had found him. He was over 2 kilometres away and was lost and really skinny. The power of Facebook.
Well there was not much about Bridget and Poppy in this diary. I will do more next time. I just needed it explain how we now live because our future involves lots of travel including flying, cages and buses etc.
To be continued.........
Cats in the cages







Poppy on one of our many walks







Bridget and a grandson. You can see the wide open places we can walk when we are down there.












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## sulamk (Nov 5, 2011)

Am loving this! Was in New Zealand in 1993! Went from Aukland to Wellington zig zagging accross North Island, then took the ferry and did the same on South Island!


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## HerdingStdPoodle (Oct 17, 2012)

*More Please*

More Please. HerdingStdPoodle 
:hungry:


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