As Lola’s style guide, I attempted to teach her about online shopping.  But rather than being the easy exercise I anticipated, the whole event turned into a nightmare, which by the end of it, had me pulling the hair out of my “send button” paw!

It started off OK.  I went online to the www.rachaelhale.com  shop to show Lola the choice of gorgeous Dog Collars and the Swarovski Dog Collar Crystal Charms and she was yelping with excitement as she made her choice.

Now there is an old proverb, “do not give a dog a fish, teach him how to fish”.   So being the wonderful (and humble) mentor that I am, I suggested that Lola learn how to online shop for herself.

What a bad dog idea that was!!!!

Firstly, Lola is a bulldog, and I am not being rude when I say, she is a big girl, and a big girl who has BIG paws.  So, when it came to pushing the “place in your shopping cart” button, Lola placed the entire range of Rachael Hale^® Gifts  and the complete set of Rachael Hale^®  Girls Clothing in her basket.

Lola was having a wonderful time and she was yapping away to herself as she shopped online.

But, when her purchases did not emerge from the computer instantly, Lola got grumpy, stomped her paws on the keyboard and began barking at the screen.

 

I realised then, I had forgotten to explain to Lola that the computer was not like the microwave, which when you pressed the button, the door opened and immediately produced something to eat.

Raven, that cat of superior status, had watched my attempts to teach Lola how to  shop online and he was sniggering to himself as I rushed to the computer to drag Lola off it.

Ugh…..little puppies seem to have so much to learn!!

Woof!

Now that spring is here, I have to start thinking about my summer wardrobe.

Being a working dog I need a combination of office, casual and beach clothes, so there is a lot to think about.  I think I am  going to have to make a list.

But before I do that there is research to be done.  I need to paw through Mrs T’s fashion magazines to see what the trend is for dogs this season – the colours, the styles.

And no sooner had I opened the magazine when Lola suddenly appeared - 'Oh dear', I thought, 'Lola, she was going to need a wardrobe too!!'

That  did make me smile, as it would be fun taking her shopping for clothes.  I am an expert style guide, even if I say so myself and after all, Lola is way too young to know how to dress herself.

So now, on with those lists...............

And let’s not forget about Raven’s list.  For summer he will need to get  - a sunny smile!!!

Woof!

I’m in a really grumpy mood today, because Spring, which is meant to be full of fun and frolic, new smells and long grass, has been ruined by Mrs T.

She breezed into the office this morning with a bucket, dusters, brooms and a big laundry bag, announcing  “Today is Spring cleaning day” – whatever that is…

At first I didn’t take any notice of her, what could Spring Cleaning have to do with me?  But then I saw Raven scuttling off to hide.  And that is never a good sign!!

However, before I had time to figure it out, Mrs T, armed with wipes, water and brushes, moving at the speed of a winter hurricane, began scrubbing, sweeping  and dusting her way toward me.  Looking straight at me, she said “Oh dear me Sam, this bed of yours is a mess, I am going to have to wash it”.

I was up on all paws in protest.  It had taken me months to get my doggy bed into shape and smelling perfectly.  I dived to protect my bed, but she was too quick.  It was off the floor and into her laundry bag before I could bark “noooooooo”.

Looking down where my bed once lay, all that remained, was an old bone covered in some hot cross bun crumbs.

Yelping my pleas, I barked for the return of my bed.  But my yapping was drowned out by the sound of the vacuum cleaner and the squeaking of window cleaning, (which could only please Raven who spends every day looking out windows).

I needed Sparky, the dog who knows all things, to explain to me  about “Spring Cleaning”.  Trudging my paws, I set off to find him.  But just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, I heard the words all dogs dread.......  “ and now we need to bath Sam!!! “

With a spring in my step, I was off!

Woof!

I was lying in a suntrap by the office window, thinking about the lucky Easter bunny and all those Easter egg hunts when I thought, that poor bunny will be exhausted if he has to go on all the hunts that are planned for the day.

So, I had a quick chat with little Lola, who is actually getting bigger and bigger by the day, and I suggested we help the Easter bunny by collecting a couple of baskets of eggs for him.

The fact that those eggs are wrapped in shiny paper and full of delicious chocolate, had absolutely nothing to do with my enthusiasm to help the Easter bunny.

Even Raven’s snarly comment “if they were Easter carrots you wouldn’t be so quick to go collect them” did not stop my plans.

Filled with excitement, I headed for the dress-up basket downstairs.  I grabbed Lola’s lead, because she hasn’t learnt to come back when she is called yet, and a basket to gather the eggs in.

All set to go, we were off to the park.  This was going to be fun, and finding the sign was easy.
I didn’t give a thought to the fact it made no sense at all that a rabbit was looking for eggs??  I don’t think rabbits even eat eggs?

Anyway, back to the chocolate.  I filled my basket to brimming; I only stopped to sample a couple of eggs along the way.

It’s hard work looking for these eggs (I guess that’s why there are lots of  hot cross bunnies at Easter J), so I decided to skip back to the office for a rest and was relaxing nicely until, Mrs T asked – “Where is Lola?”

That got me hopping like a rabbit, and bouncing back at speed to the park.  In all my chocolate frenzy, I had completely forgotten about little Lola.

Oh dear……

Woof!