My name is Martha. I am a nine-year-old Old English Sheepdog who lives in South Wales. This year I moved house for the first time; I no longer live my grandparents and I miss them quite a lot. I have a heart murmur and a crumbling spine so I have to take lots of tablets, which make me feel young again.
I spend my days looking out of the front window watching people walk by, playing with plastic bottles, and teaching Sweepie about life. I love going down the beach and long walks when the weather's cool enough. I hate being brushed and I think I have my own unique style.
Click a picture to view it in larger form:
HISTORY
HISTORY
I started this blog in December 2004 but had a break from it at the end of 2006. This was because my life had changed a lot after Madge, my Pug cousin, had babies and I helped her to raise them. I didn't think I'd want to blog again but now I want to share my new grown-up life, in my new home.
Thanks to my Auntie Ysabel who made me this website and who helps me to write in it. Blogger that helps manage the site. Photobucket that hosts any additional photos posted.
It's too f**king hot! I've told Mummy to turn the temperature down but she won't listen to me. Will someone please tell her for me?
I'm lying on Auntie Ysabel's bedroom floor and I'm so hot I feel like I'm going to pass out! And last night it was even hotter than this. I persuaded Mummy to take me for a walk at about 7:30pm but even then it was still too hot for me to really enjoy it. And now she won't let me sleep in my sandpit!
Today, while I was out walking, I met a dog. Mummy had just let me off the lead (she keeps me on the lead when we're walking to the path even though I know how to walk properly without a lead; I'm not a baby, am I?). I went up to the dog to say hello and it bit my nose!
That's the last time I'm nice to anyone. How nasty was he? I was only being friendly. Sweepie shouted at him for me. She's good at shouting.
Then when we got home Mummy and Auntie Ysabel chased me out of the house because they were cleaning. Oh I just don't know what to do with them both. It's too hot. I'm very grumpy. And Mr Giraffe has a broken neck! And Mummy - Mummy - says she's going to sew it back together. I don't think I'll see my Mr Giraffe again.
This is a video of me before I go for a walk. Mummy and Auntie Ysabel think it's funny because I sing to them before we leave. I don't think it's funny. I'm not singing, I'm shouting - at them, to hurry up!
It's my birthday this month. I am ten years old. As an early present Mummy bought me a cushion so that I can sit on it in the living-room so I can be comfortable. I wasn't that keen on it to start with but after Uncle Ray showed me that there weren't monsters living in it (I don't trust my Mummy), I decided to try it out.
It is very comfortable. I like to sit and watch people walk past the window, or just lie down on it and go to sleep. Sometimes I let Sweepie sleep on it, if Auntie Ysabel has been nasty to her and won't let her have a cuddle on the sofa. It cheers Sweepie up. A lot of the time I have to let Giraffe sleep on it. Giraffe is my baby. I carry him everywhere with me. Sometimes he's naughty and has to sleep outside as punishment but usually I let him have the cushion and I sleep on the floor. I am his mother; I have to put his needs first. Unlike my own Mummy...
This weekend I went out for a really long walk with Mummy, Sweepie, Auntie Ysabel & Uncle Ray. First of all they all sat on a blanket and ate food. They wouldn't give me any so I was a bit bored, especially because Mummy kept calling me back if I went even a few feet away from her. In the end Auntie Ysabel made me and Sweepie sit and do tricks for pieces of cheese. They were lovely but I wanted more and she wouldn't give me any.
Then we went down the beach. It was strange and misty down there. I couldn't find the sea to start with! But when I did it was really boggy and Mummy was furious when she saw the state on my legs. She whined at me all the way home; I thought it was so funny. At home, Uncle Ray put me in the bath for a wash. He held me while Mummy and Auntie Ysabel washed me. I enjoyed it a lot.
It's raining now. If it keeps on raining Mummy won't take me for a walk tomorrow. I bet she won't take me. But she did get up to feed me this morning. Usually she just stays upstairs and Auntie Ysabel gives me and Sweepie our food. My mother is so lazy.
I bet she's not going to take me for a walk tomorrow...
He was so bouncy! I had to run away! And Auntie Ysabel and Mummy laughed at me - they laughed at me. I couldn't believe it. I told them they were both really nasty. They said I shouldn't have been hiding behind a bush because the dog was only young and he only wanted to play. Yeah, right. He wanted to eat me!
And yesterday Mummy dropped my lead! She said it fell out of her pocket and I told her she'd better not have lost it because it's my favourite. It matches my collar so it looks really cool. Lucky for her she found it again on the way home on the path. I told her not to do anything so stupid again. She listened to me.
I wasn't able to write sooner because my Auntie Ysabel was ill. She told me to stop bothering her until she was feeling better. Grumpy cow.
I met a knew man today. He lives down the road and stopped to talk to us when we were on our way back from the walk. He kept asking about Sweepie so I gave his wife a slap with my foot and that soon got their attention back on me. Fancy being more impressed by a Pug! Pugs can't do anything clever like I can. I have to tell Sweepie what to do otherwise she doesn't know how to act. Stupid people just don't understand how it works.
Thank you for my new layout Auntie Ysabel. And look I am blogging more often already!
When I went for a walk yesterday with my Mummy down to the beach we met lots of people. One woman asked Mummy if I was a girl - of course I'm a girl! Then she patted me and said, "You're a very big girl, aren't you?" I was so annoyed with her that I just walked away from her. How rude. I'm not big; I'm tall. Mummy says I'm a supermodel.
I haven't posted in over a month! I told Auntie Ysabel that if she made me a new layout I'd post more often. She said I had to try posting more often now and then she'd think about making me a new layout. Stupid Auntie Ysabel.
I'm not friends with her or Mummy today, because they haven't taken me for a walk. And last night Sweepie got to go out with Auntie Ysabel and Uncle Ray in Uncle Ray's car - and I had to stay here with Mummy, how boring. Sweepie said she went to the vets but that she was given lots of biscuits for being brave. Well, I was brave, too. I had to look after Mummy, didn't I? I even had to howl at her to tell her to answer the phone!
Can I have a new layout now please, Auntie Ysabel?
I shouldn't admit to this because Mummy won't let me hear the end of it, but I quite like the tablets I'm taking. I don't like how they taste but they make me feel really good. I've been running around and around playing with Sweepie and Uncle Ray. And when Wednesday came over to visit I played with her, as well. I love going for a walk and running around the grassy banks. I just need to persuade Mummy to turn away long enough for me to jump in the pond with the ducks!
This morning I was so cheeky. Because I wanted my breakfast early and Auntie Ysabel wouldn't give it to me, I threw up in the backroom. I thought she'd have to clean it up but when she found it she woke my mother up and she had to clean it instead. She's so stupid sometimes, though, because she thinks I might be poorly even though there's nothing wrong with me. Ahh, my Mummy is so gullible.
I had to move out in the end. Mummy said I didn't have a choice: that wherever she goes I have to. I didn't think I'd like the new house at all but actually it can sometimes be fun. Like, when I went down the beach and played in the sea. I shouted and shouted for Uncle Ray to come in, too, but he wouldn't. He said it was because it was raining but I think it's because Auntie Ysabel wouldn't let him. I really like living with Uncle Ray. He's a lot of fun. He plays games with me and cuddles me. I think he likes me. When Auntie Ysabel went away for the night he sat on the sofa with me and cuddled me for ages.
I had an accident yesterday. When I was playing ball with Mummy I hurt my leg. It hurt a lot and really frightened me. And today Mummy hasn't taken me for a walk because she says I have to rest the leg. Boring. I might have to go to the vets on Monday with Grandma.
Mummy told me that we're moving house. That me and Sweepie are going with her and Auntie Ysabel - and Uncle Ray. Uncle Ray can't live with us! Where would Grandma and Granddad sleep? There wouldn't be enough room in the house! I think Mummy is just being silly. But Sweepie told me that her mother told her the same thing - that her father is going to live with us. Maybe he's just moving into this house and Mummy has got confused.
I'm not moving anywhere. I've told Mummy I'm staying here. She doesn't believe me, though.
Madge had some more babies. I love babies. I'm not allowed to play with them yet because they're too small but I think Madge will let me have them soon.
Yesterday, when no one was looking, and Madge had gone into the kitchen so the cage door was open, I went into the cage to say hello to the babies. I told them I was their Auntie Martha and that they should do as I say because I know best. I told them that their mother was a Pug and so didn't really know what she was talking about - Pugs are not very intelligent, are they? But Auntie Ysabel caught me and told me to get out of the cage, that the babies were too small for me to play with yet. I tried to tell her that I was only saying hello but she wouldn't listen. There's always someone in that living room guarding the puppies. How will I be able to teach them if I'm not allowed to talk to them? I tried to get back into the cage but Auntie Ysabel saw me again and told me to stop being naughty. I laughed and told her I was just being cheeky and she told me now isn't the time, Martha. It's always the right time for cheekiness!
Mummy and Auntie Ysabel were in very silly moods yesterday when we went for the walk.
First, Mummy walked Sweepie on the lead! Then she put me on the lead to walk me and gave Sweepie back to Auntie Ysabel, as it usually is. And then Mummy gave me to Auntie Ysabel! So Auntie Ysabel was walking both me and Sweepie!
I don't know what silly games they were playing. In the end Mummy let me off the lead again and I left them to their silliness. Poor Sweepie always has to walk on the lead with them; at least I get to run around by myself.
I'm having trouble with Mummy again - she just won't stop showing off!
When we went for the walk yesterday she kept me on the lead for ages when she knows how much I like to take myself for a walk. When she did finally let me off the lead, she put me straight back on it! Does anyone else have trouble with their mothers like this? After a little longer she let me off the lead again. I had a bad leg by then. A bad leg because I hate walking on the lead. Mummy said I was lying, that I'd hurt my leg by tripping over, but that's a lie. She made it bad by making me walk on the lead for so long.
I hope she behaves herself today.
I have added a new link - Pioden. It's for Auntie Ysabel to post pictures and news about Madge and her puppies (when they're born). The blog won't be as good as mine, of course!
When I came upstairs I'd run through the middle of the bedroom and pull out the wires that connected the controllers to the xbox. It was a very funny game because everyone would shout, "Oh no, Martha," in a voice that always makes me laugh.
About a month ago the wires disappeared. So I had to find a new game.
Now I have two games.
The first I only play when Auntie Ysabel is in the room. I stomp through the middle of the room, swinging my tail and try to knock things off her desk. It's so funny cos she always tells Mummy off for it, even though I'm the one being naughty.
My second game I play whenever I can. Sweepie has a new Nyla bone and I want it. So when no one's looking I take it and eat as much of it as I can. Well, Sweepie is just wasting it because her teeth are too small. So I tell her to give it to me because I will get more use out of it. She always gives it to me.
Mummy won't get out of bed. Auntie Ysabel won't let me upstairs to get her up. And when I am allowed up I'm not allowed to get on the bed with Mummy. I don't know what silly game this is but I don't like it.
Grandma and Granddad came home late Saturday night. I ran around the house excitedly, and went straight upstairs to get Auntie Ysabel out of bed. But she just shouted at me to go away.
Sunday morning I was able to bark loudly at Grandma to hurry up in the bathroom and come feed me already! without having a row - Mummy doesn't like me to bark in the mornings because she is boring and grumpy. But then it got boring for me because Grandma and Granddad took all the other dogs for a walk but not me because Grandma says I'm naughty and I hurt her back by pulling. I'm not naughty. I could have gone too if Mummy hadn't been in the shower!
And then Mummy was rude to me! She said - in front of Uncle Ray - that I smell! I told her she was embarrassing me but she wouldn't listen. She's always trying to make me look stupid. I'm trying to play a game with Uncle Ray. Every time he stands up I run away as if he's going to hit me. It's a fun game because then everyone asks me what I'm doing, and maybe one day Mummy or Auntie Ysabel will tell him off - even though he's done nothing wrong. Ha ha ha. I like playing silly games, especially when they get other people into trouble.
Today it's raining, which means I won't go for a walk. I could blame Mummy but that wouldn't be true - it's me who doesn't like walking in the rain. But I did go out in the garden this morning to help Mummy get Chicken out of her coop, and then, when we came back inside the house - this is so funny - I shook all the rain off me and it went all over Mummy and Auntie Ysabel and they screamed. Oh it was funny. I did make myself laugh.
Mummy is just getting worse and worse as the time goes by.
This weekend she tried to make Uncle Ray walk me when we went up the road. All because Mummy has to walk Fall Out Boy. I don't why she likes him so much at the moment. So I just acted up until Mummy had enough and put me on the lead and walked me herself, as my mother she should have been doing that already.
Then, to make up for going out all day Saturday, she bought me a guilt present. I knew she only got it for me because she was feeling bad about ignoring me so much, so I taught her a lesson and destroyed it. Sweepie had a new Nyla bone - I didn't - why not? And she got a present off her daddy. Auntie Ysabel won't let me play with them, too; she's almost as bad as my mother.
I can't wait for Grandma to come home so things can get back to normal again.
Grandma isn't here - she's gone somewhere with Granddad, which I think is very selfish of her. She's left my Mummy in charge of all of us dogs... Well, I know how to handle Mummy but the Pugs don't.
She's changed all the routines, which I hate because I like my routine.
Fall Out Boy now goes for walks with me and Sweepie. He is strange on the walk. He's frightened of everything. And it's Mummy who has to walk him on his lead because Auntie Ysabel is walking Sweepie. But I think Auntie Ysabel should walk both Pugs because Mummy is mine.
Also what's different is that Mummy won't get up as early as Grandma does. So I have to wait another hour or two than normal to get my breakfast. And Mummy shouts a lot. I'm not allowed to be cheeky in the mornings and go outside barking with the Pugs - we all have a row if we do that.
I went down the beach on Saturday night. I had to ride in the back of Ray's little car - I think even I'm bigger than the car! But the beach was fun. It was very misty. I ran straight down to the water and didn't get out for ages. I kept barking at Mummy to throw my toy but she was too busy swimming so I had to get Auntie Ysabel or Uncle Ray to play instead. But Uncle Ray kept playing with Sweepie who is too small to play in the sea. She's no fun. She doesn't come in very deep and then runs away when the waves come. She kept shaking and shivering, sometimes she's such a pug it's embarrassing.
Then, when I fell asleep on the car ride home, Mummy woke me up! I don't know why. Silly Mummy.
I want to go down the beach again but I'm still a bit tired after it so I'm not allowed to go again for a while.
I'm very annoyed at the moment. Everyone's getting on my nerves.
It's raining all the time, which means I can't go for a walk; Mummy is always on the computer; Uncle Ray doesn't play games with me anymore; and Auntie Ysabel is always out. Now Madge has come into season, as well, which always confuses me because everything feels different and I don't really understand why. So I've been arguing with all the dogs and then having a row off Mummy or Grandma for being so grumpy and naughty.
I went for a walk with just Mummy this weekend; we went down My Road! I texted Auntie Ysabel to let her know how much fun I was having:
SENDER: martha SENT: 12-Aug-07 12:40pm MESSAGE: Oh my god i love this walk, i just luv it aunty ysabel. i keep ignornin mummy heehee! + sweepie wanted 2 come but she couldnnt. it was so funny! Luv Martha x
SENDER: martha SENT: 12-Aug-07 12:51pm MESSAGE: Theres horses. i'm not scared of them or nothin. i just dont like them. + mummy keeps making it hot+cold x
Now Mummy is trying to pretend I'm scared of horses. Obviously it was Mummy who was afraid.
I went for two walks yesterday. I was very spoilt.
The first time I went at about 11am with Sweepie. It was very hot but I didn't care; I just love walks. Two huge tractors went past. One of them nearly ran over my tail!
Then, in the evening, me and Mummy went for the Hour Walk, which is my second-favourite walk ever (the first being My Road). Even more tractors went past again. I don't know what they're all doing but they're getting on my nerves now - I am trying to enjoy my walk. I don't like having to stop every five minutes. Plus Mummy whines at me that I need to get in even further and even though I tell her I know that the tractor won't hit me she still whines. Silly Mummy.
I'm trying to make friends with Auntie Ysabel now who isn't friends with me because I said nasty things about her on the blog. I tried giving her a kiss last night and that seemed to work a little but I think she's still pouting. She'll cave in soon. I am too adorable to resist.
Early evening Sweepie was naughty and ate some of the cat food; Auntie Ysabel caught her and told her off. I don't think anyone should discipline the babies except me so I put Sweepie in my basket and stood in front of it so that Auntie Ysabel couldn't shout at Sweepie.
But then later in the night when Sweepie went outside to the back garden she ran around and around with her brother and then passed out. Grandma had to carry her back inside and then Sweepie spent the rest of the evening having cuddles of my Mummy. Because Auntie Ysabel had gone out with Uncle Ray.
I think Auntie Ysabel made Sweepie ill by shouting at her about the cat food. So I'm not friends with her.
I'm not frightened of cows. I don't know why Mummy and Auntie Ysabel tell people that I am. They even say that I told Sweepie to be frightened of them, which I didn't. Sweepie doesn't like cows all on her own. Just because I don't like cows doesn't mean I'm frightened of them. And I didn't tell Sweepie to bark at them, either.
Grandma and Granddad have built a new shed in the garden. I think it's a shed for me really. It's nice and spacious and lets in just the right amount of air to keep me cool. I really like it. I think once Granddad has painted it I might move in. I think it's only fair been as the chicken is allowed to go in there whenever she wants. I'm older than the chicken and am much nicer than her. It'll be somewhere quiet for me to have some peace and quiet from everyone here.
Thanks so much for the comments on my first blog entry :) And to those who read but didn't comment - Uncle Ray - I will be biting your bottoms off when I next see you!
It was really, really hot yesterday. I'm not sure why Mummy does this. For weeks on end she makes it rain when she knows how I hate to walk in the rain; then, she has to be very silly and make it too hot when she knows I can't stand too much heat because of my hair! Sometimes I think she does it because she can't be bothered to take me for a walk. But yesterday her plan backfired because when Grandma came home from work, she, Auntie Ysabel, and all us dogs went up the road. Mummy had to come with us then. She said I was "showing off" in front of the other dogs - which I wasn't - and wouldn't let me run around like usual - I had to go on the lead like a baby! Like Sweepie! Sometimes Mummy embarrasses me so much in front of my friends. And Mister Gullfud went past in his car and she knows how much I love Mister Gullfud.
I did get my own back on her, though. She knocked rabbit food onto the floor in the shed and did a very bad job of cleaning it away (she just hid it under a plantpot), so I went in after her to clean in up properly. All night my farts smelt of rabbit food. Mummy always tells me off when I fart but I just found the whole thing really, really funny.
Welcome back to my blog. If you're new you can read about what happened to the old blog and why I've started again by reading the blurb in the column on the right >>>
I wanted to start my new blog by saying that it's taken me a very long time to realise that I am not the only Old English Sheepdog. For a long time I thought I was because all I ever saw was dogs that looked nothing like me. I remember my mother and my brothers and sisters but since I came to live with Mummy I didn't see another dog that looked like me. I started to believe I was the only one left in the entire world.
But, while I went to live in another house with Mummy, Auntie Ysabel, Uncle Ray and Sweepie, I met another Old English Sheepdog while we were out walking. She was smaller than me and had lots more hair than me but at least I knew I wasn't alone. Then, Mummy showed me a new website and I found eight other OES who live in Britain. So I am not the only one.
In a way that makes me a bit sad.
On Saturday I went for a walk down the pub with Mummy, Auntie Ysabel, Uncle Ray and Sweepie. Sweepie made such a fuss when walking along the main road, because she doesn't like cars very much. I'm not sure why; probably because she's a Pug and a baby. Once we got to the pub I was allowed to have a drink of water and then Mummy tied me to table and I smiled at all the cars that went by.
Of course, Mummy had to get silly and stuck silly things to my head that Uncle Ray gave to her from a book Auntie Ysabel was playing with. I let her do it because she's silly and you have to humour her sometimes other wise she gets naughty because she wants attention. Sweepie and I were then allowed to have some Cheesy Biscuits and - best of all - Uncle Ray let me eat some of his peanuts and because Sweepie didn't like them I got even more than her! I love peanuts so much.
Here are some pictures:
After a while we walked home, and Sweepie made just as much of a fuss as she did on the way down. Then, when we were almost home, Grandma pooped the car behind us. So because it was raining Mummy put me into the cage in the back of Grandma's car (which I don't like) with Sweepie and we rode home the rest of the way in the car.
Now I hope it stays sunny so that I can have a walk today. I hate walking in the rain.
