Under Construction

Yes, I know - 7 months is a long time to go without posting any news - apologies. The excuse - the impending arrival of baby Verplancke in just 5 weeks.

From this photo you can see how we are rapidly spending our days in an wonderful early summer here in NL. Bailey is of course making the most of me being unable to move around much and having hours of head and bottom scratching - Bailey not me!

Many seem worried about making sure B does not jet left out when 'peanut' arrives. I am not concerned.

In a recent video proves how good she is with babies. Well done to Sonja, Huig and Liv for training her so well.!

I have also read a bit about how to get the dog ready for the baby - playing CDs of screaming babies was one suggestion - RIGHT - as if we wont have enough of that to get used to - Really! The other is to give the dog my t-shirt or whatever I end up wearing during the birth. I think that is not so bad a suggestion but the all time best is to give the dog the baby's first nappy - a LABRADOR??? The thought is quite revolting - not for her perhaps but it just seems like a bad combination.

I have tried to get Bailey to feel the baby moving in my tummy - she just things its bad digestion and her head is actually pretty heavy! I don't think she has a clue, except she does seem to be more attention seeking than usual!

Maternity leave starts next week and I can then review the blog and decide next steps for this one and perhaps something separate for two-legged family members. I think Bailey remains more interesting - at least for the present and as she approaches her 2nd birthday, I will make more of an effort to keep you all up to date!

Autumn Dog's Life

We are still celebrating that the beaches are free of tourists and full of dogs :-) We have had some exceptional visits recently and some serious bodysurfing - of the four footed kind I mean :-)

I think Bailey over did it on Sunday, she woke the man human up at 3.30 yesterday night to get let out - it is still strange that this, woman human, did not wake up - but Bsiley's pitch is obviously tuned into the male ear :-) (Thanks girlie!!!0 I found out later that she had had several mouthfuls of horse crap - "now the money comes out of the sleeve" as they say in Holland!

I am away from home on business and miss my family so it a bit of a ramble this evening. However, one thing that Bailey fans may appreciate, she has found this incredible knack to charm little people - those under 5 I mean! She simply sits next to them and does a 'seal face' and they lose their fear and stroke her. I am thinking about taking her to some kid’s hospitals to do that once in a while - does anyone know of other dogs doing that?

Signing out and thanks to the two recent posts. I just wish we could get out to the US/Canada to do a visit - but Bailey in a cage in the hold for 10 hours?? Hummm… I still would love her to meet all her buddies though!

Naughty Dog!

Bailey having destroyed a toy - again - caught on camera/phone!!!!

Almost Perfect !!

Just in case you were worried that Bailey is naughty all the time - here is a video of her being really sweet - hey what's a little sock theaft between friends????

Marley & Me - Another Labrador Book Makes It Big

I have just started reading a book called Marley & Me by John Grogan. I have yet to get into it (only on page 8) but by all accounts, it makes Bailey look almost 'boringly angelic' which is hard to believe after this afternoon's capers in the park......

She fell in the river 4 times, exhausted two other dogs in a 3-way tug of war and did at least 30 rounds of her favourite 'hamster wheel' tree! Its still amazes me that she runs so fast she still runs in the branches full force :-) This is all after an hour run this morning!!!

One thing on the book's web site are the stories from other lab owners - this one about the most expensive chicken in new york made me smile: http://www.marleyandme.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000406.html It reminds me of my brother's lab, (Pan)Dora, who had the most amazing trick of running into my parent's house and in one fluid jump ate the cat food (put on a shelf) and then land on the floor in perfect formation to reutn to give my mum and dad the biggest hello ever! She also did the same trick across the kitchen table at my brother's place and ate the Sunday roast!

Funny picture time. Now, is this just a VERY small chair or an ENORMOUS dog???? CLUE: The chair belongs to a friend's 3-year old !!!

Talking Cats - As if you'd ever get a dog doing that!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7199158973758073420&hl=en

Since Google launched its video service, I have seen nothing that you cannot fring on MySpace or Flicr, however, this one made me laugh - enjoy !

Me - Tagged - oh yikes!

Want to play? Sadie Mae dog has started a game of TAG - check it out at: /sadiemaedog.blogspot.com/

She TAGed me - sooooooo....where to start: Five funny things about me.....

1. I look like a dancing bear when I sit on my backside having my tummy tickled and I put my paws on the arm doing the tickling
2. I nibble my food – yes, I am a Labrador!
3. I charge at my boss and any bag on the ground when ever I can - we play chicken all the time :-)
4. I love to put my front paws onto counter tops when my boss is shopping – or buying cinema tickets – those people think I want a ticket too!
5. I love riding trains and climbing stairs – give me a double dekker train as we have in Holland and I wm in my element
6. I can type !!!! – just had to add that one

My mate Stan

www.snowjob.de/stan-en-bailey - check out some SERIOUS play time

Meet Bosco

Have just been browzing http://chocolate-dog.blogspot.com/ some greast videos from Bosco's humans!

Sizzling Summer

It’s been a while since our last post, main because its more tricky getting photos from my camera to the computer (both new). However, in the last few months, things have been heating up - like most of Europe with record temperatures both home and abroad. We have just returned from 2 weeks in Cortona staying at a wonderful place where there was a good mix of families, pool and surrounding beauty. We braved the heat and went to Siena, Assisi and Montechino. All wonderful.

Bailey and Jules did great with the two day car journey, stopping in Switzerland on the way out and France on the way back. We have decided, however, no pooch on next summer trip - it was just too hot to be interesting for her and sneaking in swims in the pool was not ideal. When we returned to Holland, it was no less warm but for once I welcomed the North Sea wind.

Its 3o de

grees still at 7 pm at night so down to the river for a swim tonight I think! Talking of swimming here are some wonderful pictures from the pooch reunion earlier in June. We had an amazing time with 6 pups all going crazy.

One more week of work and then a week in the UK. Looking forward to that too but know we will need a rest afterwards ;-)

Brown Dog Adventures

Cool blog site fromour friend across the water - Brown Dog Adventures

The most affectionate creature in the world is a wet dog.

-Ambrose Bierce-

Smart Dogs Go To School

Well, who said school was just for humans???! Already armed with my diploma, Jules and I presented....well.....me to her class a week or so ago! Look closely and you can see pictures up on the board and me BEHAVING in the corner :-)

Not only did we go through my daily routein and all the cool tricks I can do, Jules played a trick herself and pretended I had done a poop in the classroom! It was really a cookie which made it irrisistable of course - much to the horror of the squeeling kids!

She did brilliantly - of course - so did I !!!

Climb On!

Had to show off how amazing Jules did climbing while we were had our 'eenie-meenie' holiday on the Dutch/Belgium border a few weeks ago. She was like a rat up a drain pipe climbing - really impressive and loved the ab-sail down too.

Cousin Lotte did great and with Theor, the four of us felt invincible after scaling walls for a couple of hours. To "relax", I joined the kids at an adventure swim park which was a riot. I have not laughed so much underwater in years! After an amazing dinner with the family, I hobbled to bed, exhausted - so much for a holiday!! holiday!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

ITS MY BIRTHDAY....ITS MY BIRTHDAY....ITS MY BIRTHDAY
1 year in people years, 7 in dog - whatever - time to celebrate. Jules came to stay last night which was cool so the people had a big breakfast - me not, but the idea was nice. The day has not been so spectacular so far, but a run has been promised :-) The big party is June 17th with my brothers and sisters at Katwijk, which is about 20 minutes away. I will be fully play fit by then and man, will I enjoy that.

Cousins Stich and Pandora sent me a crazy card today and I have been promised a new bed for my present. The trouble is, the people think I will eat it - let's see what happens over the weekend. News from here, I can now run next to a bike and climb the stairs. Both mean more time with the people and a lot of encouragement - especially coming down stairs! My elbow is fully healed but still no intense playing allowed which can be irritating. Swimming is well allowed. Here is a picture to prove it

Hey - open invite to those who can get to Holland on June 17th to join the fun! Could be tricky for my Canadian buddies but we will have a good romp all the same!

Big licks, Bailey-the-birthday-brown!

Bailey Doing Great

Hey, its me. Chocolate in a T-shirt! Well as of this morning, no more walking around in a Los Angeles Angels shirt - complete with glitters! Man was that embarassing. I am mending well and am going back to the vet next Wednesday for a check up.

Right now life is just so BORING. No play. No long walks. Nothing that basically uses my front leg - even the eating has been cut back to stop me getting podgy!!! Anyway, people have been really kind and I am counting the days until I can run, jump, swim, play and do all those cool things. Photos will be posted as soon by one of my people.

Big lick, B

Dog In Recovery

Its 7 hours since the opearation and Bailey is recovering - fast asleep in her 'pen'. She had a tiny piece of bone removed from her left elbow and is now sporting of my green T-shirt!


I have to confess, seeing her 'coming round' crying and falling all over the place was horrible. I just hope we don't have to go through something like this again for a very long time.

Our surgeon is a lovely guy who said Bailey is totally different from her brother Wessell who he said is a gorgeous big guy - a lot more dominant than Bailey. Here is Walter Strikkers in action!

The one person I was particularly proud of was Jules who at only 71/2 was wonderfully supportive and interested in seeing how things were done, how Bailey was etc. As an only child seeing another member of the family being centre of attention is not easy but she did great. Here she is with Bailey and I in the recovery room - she (Bailey) had still not worked out how to stand at this point!

The next few weeks will be interesting as we try to keep Bay rested and not allow her to walk too far. Even this evening as I took her outside, she picked up a stick, staggered after a black bird and greeted two somewhat concerned neighbors with a slow but strong 'wag'.

We will keep you posted, but thanks again to everyone thinking of us.
Vanessa

Dogdog: China Dogdog

Dogdog: China Dogdog

Check out these lovely photos.

Chocolate Dog Never Tasted So Good! Happy Easter

For Chocolate lovers, thought you'd like to see this!!! How could any one actually EAT this!!!

I have to also add this one that made me smile!

Happy Easter :-)

Wednesday - The Big Day

The humans have finally managed to book me an appointment to go get my elbow operated on - this Wednesday. I guess the time is as good as any since they wont let me off the lead with other dogs - something about not been ready for puppies yet!!!

Photos will be posted no doubt of me looking sorry for myself in a few days, however, you can check out where I am going to at
http://www.dierenkliniek-sleeuwijk.nl/

Until then, have some good plays for me! Bailey

Diddle - Another Sister!

After makiing contact with Wessel and Luna, its great to now make contact with Diddle, another sister of Bailey! All we need now is to find the other 5 puppies ....now that would be a party!