Zak's Puppy Diary
Saturday
26th August 2000
Zak joined our family today, he is a black and white Border
Collie. He is just 6 weeks old.
When he first met Buzz he was really nervous, but after
a short while he was soon jumping all over him. Buzz didn't
know what to make of this wee ball of fur that was constantly
annoying him on his territory and he spent most of the
day trying to avoid Zak.
Zak found a quite spot under the table to sleep and had
plenty of wee naps there during the day. He didn't eat
much the first day in his new home, but he managed to
eat the scrambled egg he was given for supper. He then
settled down with Buzz on their blanket for a good nights
sleep. |
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Sunday
27th August 2000
Zak decided to wake everyone at 6 o'clock in the morning
as he wanted to play. He had been really good through the
night and hadn't done the toilet in the house. He also ate
a lot better today and Buzz must be getting used to him as
they played together a bit more. Zak got to explore more of
the garden and decided he wanted to to try and eat all the
plants. Zak had loads of fun running after Buzz on the grass.
He was really tired after all the excitement, so he sneaked
under the table for a long sleep.
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Monday 28th August 2000
Another day of exploring, eating and sleeping. Zak was introduced
to our neighbours dogs, Spider
and Merlin. Their first meeting didn't go very well, Zak
got a fright ran into the house and hid under the table.
Maybe their next meeting will go better.
Saturday
2nd September 2000
Well that's a week Zak has lived with us, we've had a few
pee's in the house and a couple of early mornings but we
wouldn't be without him now. He is still exploring the garden
and meeting new people every day. Zak loves his food and
is growing well. Buzz and Zak are becoming the best of friends
and can play for ages together and then cuddle into one
another for a sleep.
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Saturday
9th September 2000
Zak is now 8 weeks old and has learned to sit on command
(well most of the time). He also recognizes his name and
comes when called (if he thinks he is going to get food).
He is getting really greedy and steals Buzz's dinner at
every opportunity he can. While exploring the garden this
week he got a wee bit too inquisitive when he was at the
pond and ended up with his back legs soaking wet. He didn't
enjoy that much, as the water was really cold, we soon dried
him off and he went for a sleep in his favorite spot under
the table.
Sunday 17th September 2000
Zak is 9 weeks old now and still exploring and getting in
to mischief. He managed to destroy some plants in the garden
and has found out he can dig. He has decided to try and
dig his way under the fence to our neighbours garden. He
met the cats, Nala and Lucky, who live next-door. He wasn't
very interested in them.
Zak also found out this week, that if he takes a long run
at the settee he can jump on it. But he is soon put back
on the floor, which doesn't please him after all the effort
he put into getting up there. He just sits on the floor
and looks at you with his innocent wee eyes and makes you
feel so guilty for putting him back on the floor. Zak and
Buzz have been play fighting this week, it's Buzz who is
coming off the worse. Buzz is so gentle when he is playing
with Zak, but Zak has got very sharp wee teeth. So Buzz
is going about this week with a couple of scabs on his nose.
What a shame!!!
Zaks toilet training is going very well, he has had only
a couple of accidents during the night. Throughout the day
he always manages to go outside.
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Sunday 8th October 2000
Zak's first walk outside the garden gate was a very slow adventure.
He took quite a bit of coaxing to get through the gate, once
out in the street he hid under the hedge and lay down. No
way was he wanting to move. Buzz was there trying to give
him some encouragement, but he was having none of it. Under
the hedge was safe and that's were he wanted to stay.
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Eventually
he came out and walked a few feet and then under the hedge
he went again. We all turned round and went back to the garden,
where Zak was quite happy to play. The next day Sarah-Jane
(our daughter) carried Zak up the street and played with him,
then walked home. Zak was quite happy about this, so Sarah-Jane
walked up the street with Zak and back a couple of times.
Zak is now ok about going out of the garden gate.
Within the last three weeks I have started to feed Buzz and
Zak a B.A.R.F. diet (Bones and Raw Food). Within the first
week you could see the difference in Buzz's coat, it is so
soft and shiny. Both Buzz and Zak enjoy feeding now, something
which Buzz never seemed to do when eating commercial dog food.
Zak just loves to get his jaws round a turkey neck. They are
not too keen on the veggie pulp, but they are getting used
to it.
This weekend, Colin (my husband) took Buzz and Zak in the
car to Rabbit Hill. Zak enjoyed his ride in the car. Rabbit
Hill is one of Buzz's favorite places to go for a good run.
Zak had a good sniff at everything he came across. He followed
Buzz most of the time, but didn't wander far from Colin. Zak
got a bit of a fright when he came across a group of pheasants
and stayed by Colin's side. He never noticed the large hare
that ran across the field or the family of owls sitting in
a tree. Both Buzz and Zak came home tired, hungry and muddy.
They had their dinner and then curled up together for a sleep.
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November
2000
This month Zak was still finding new places to explore. He
had his first visit to a local beach, a place that Buzz loves
to go. Zak wasn't too sure about the small waves, so didn't
really venture into the water, unlike Buzz who loves to swim.
The water was really cold, it might have been a bit too cold
for Zak. Maybe when Zak has been to the beach a couple of
times he too will be a swimmer. Zak is still growing and is
eating well.
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December
2000
This month we have all been busy preparing for Christmas.
Zak and Buzz know something is happening and they have hung
their Christmas stockings on the fire place, ready for Santa
to fill.
Visit our Christmas 2000 page to see what Buzz and Zak got
up to at Christmas. 26th December Zak saw his first snow.
He loved playing out our back trying to catch the falling
snow flakes. Later in the day we went for a walk to Rabbit
Hill, so Buzz and Zak could have a good run in the snow. |
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There
wasn't much snow but the dogs really enjoyed themselves. Zak
is getting quite big now, he is nearly as tall as Buzz. We've
also started to call him Mr. Greedy as he will eat anything
he can get his jaws round. He can hear a crisp or biscuit
packet being opened in another room, even if he is sleeping.
He jumps up and he's away sniffing for food. You'd think he
never got fed. He can be so funny at times, with his big smile
and his long tongue hanging out. |
January
2001
More snow this month and lots and lots of rain. Every time
we go for a walk Zak and Buzz come home wet and muddy. Zak
hasn't been any where new this month. He still hasn't been
swimming, but the water is a bit cold at this time of the
year, so I don't blame him, you wouldn't get me in the water
either. Roll on the summer, we're all fed up with the cold
and wet weather.
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| February
2001 
On 4th February Zak had his first encounter with sheep.
We went to my sister-in-laws field to try him out. He wasn't
very sure about the sheep at first and would run away from
them if they moved, but after a while he got used to them
and would run round them. His father, 'Big' Rod (and his
owner) were at the sheep too, so we stayed and watched them.
I hope Zak learned something from the way his father worked
the sheep. We will be going to go back to the sheep again.
I think he enjoyed himself.
March 2001
Well this is a terrible month, Foot and Mouth disease was
found in the U.K.. It is really bad in England, but luckily,
so far it has only affected a couple of farms on The Borders.
It hasn't managed to creep right up into Scotland yet. Let's
hope it stays like that. Even though it is not in Scotland
we have a lot of restrictions on where we can go, to help
stop the spread of the disease. We can't walk Buzz and Zak
in all our usual places, all the forest walks are closed,
the coastal path is closed, all farmland is off limits,
and the hills (as they have sheep on them) are off limits
too. Buzz and Zak have to go to the park or the old quarry
for walks. We miss our long walks, in the countryside. But
we don't want Foot and Mouth in Scotland.
Zak is still growing, will he ever stop! He is about 9 months
old now. I've had to give him a couple of baths as he gets
so dirty and smelly. He hates getting a bath, but he loves
to get brushed.
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