Rigg the Pig

I’ve been quite worried about Whitevanwoman since Old Lanky went – she hasn’t been herself at all, and she’s been crying lots. Dogs don’t cry but I think when people cry it means that they are sad and it is my job to lick all the tears off her face and to cheer her up by sitting quietly next to her and laying my head on her knee to show her that I’m there to comfort her. She misses the old fella a lot and I do too; I forget sometimes that he’s gone and go racing into the house when we’ve been out expecting to see him in the kitchen but he’s not there.

I also miss not having his bowl to check for leftovers at dinner time and sometimes I still go looking for it. Whitevanwoman has moved my bowl to where Lanky’s used to be because she says that I’m Top Dog now. She explained that Lanky will always be her Number One Dog, and Sheepdog Penny will always be her Favourite Girl Dog but that I can now be Top Dog. She did say though, that out of respect for his senior years, SidPuss is now head of the non-human household, and I must say he is certainly acting like he owns the place. He’s never away from that fire (Lanky’s favourite spot) and he’s been spending a lot more time than usual on Whitevanwoman’s knee having cuddles. Now that Lanky’s gone, there’s no-one else who dares chase him (I learned the hard way that it’s not worth it after a few good scratches on my nose – Lanky never seemed to get any scratches).

But Whitevanwoman cheered up a bit when Farmer Richard told her that our Sheepdog Penny who used to live with us when I was a puppy and who now lives with him on his farm, is a TV star. She was on a TV Programme called One Man and his Dog on Sunday 14 December. She was representing England in the Brace Competition of the Christmas Special Programme, with Star – they won the Brace Competition at the 2007 International Sheepdog Trials.

On the programme, Farmer Richard calls her Peg but she will always be Penny to us, and I think it really cheered Whitevanwoman up to see her again, looking so well, and famous (even if she is still a bit naughty sometimes and goes the wrong way!). She said that one day she will tell me the story about how she first became interested in sheepdog trials on the day that she and Lanky met Farmer Richard when there was a massive storm with thunder and lightening and flash flooding (and when she does, I’ll tell you).

Here’s some photos of Penny doing her sheepdog thing with Farmer Richard at the English National Sheepdog trials in 2006.

I was dead chuffed to get an email from my new friend Jazz – here it is:

Heyy, Thank You For Mentioning Me And Oscar. I Really Enjoyed Playing With Rigg ( The Pigg!) I Hope We Get To Play With Him Again. Heyy , Rigg I’m Sure That You Will Get Another Tennis Ball To Your Collection !!

I’ve still got the pink ball that Jazz gave me when we played together that day – I could smell it under the settee yesterday so I barked at it until Whitevanwoman got up with a grumble and reached under to get it out for me, but I have a confession to make – I chewed it up so it won’t bounce any more Whitevanwoman told me off and has taken it off me now She says I’m destructive I don’t understand – I mean that’s how dogs show that they really like something, by chewing on it until it breaks – that’s what we do with bones but I don’t think Whitevanwoman likes it when I chew my toys. So I’m only allowed to play with them for a while and she takes them off me if I start chewing them. Spoil sport.

Whitevanwoman is going to be going to see Jazz’s dad soon about some business so I’m hoping that I’ll be able to play out with Jazz and Oscar again whilst they are off school for Christmas. It’s nice to make new friends and children who can throw tennis balls and who don’t mind getting a bit muddy are my favourite kind of friends (apart from female border collies).

It’s a sad time in our kennel – yesterday Whitevanwoman took old Lanky for his last ride in the white van to the vets. The vet gave him an injection which sent him to dog heaven (we think he is probably chasing angel sheep and barking at devilish burglars in heaven).

Whitevanwoman is very sad and is crying alot – she keeps remembering all the good times that she had with Lanky when he was a puppy and before I came to live with her and he was the only dog living in her kennel. She and Lanky had all sorts of adventures together and Lanky had lots of friends all over the place who are also sad that he isn’t here any more.

Whitevanwoman said that when she isn’t so upset anymore, she will tell me some stories about her and Lanky and I will tell them to you here on my blog. I’m missing him too – I keep wondering where he is – but I’ll get used to it and I have a very important job to do at the moment, to make sure that Whitevanwoman gets lots of dog kisses and licks and cuddles and now that I am top dog, I have to live up to the responsibility and look after Whitevanwoman and her kennel.

Here’s a selection of photos…

We miss you old fella x