Mia Bio

August/September 2007 - 16th February 2008

Mia came into rescue at about 4 months old through no fault of her own. She was very skinny and it was obvious that there was a problem with her legs. She was a very talkative young girl who was also very timid to start off with. The time came when Alaskan Malamute Rescue wanted to see her go to stay in a home to see how she coped being around people and other dogs, she was also far to young to stay in kennels all the time. Sammy immediately volunteered to foster her to see how Lupo would accept another dog in the home and too see if she could cope too!!

Mia arrived and her diaries can be found below. Although she was not at Luponooshka for very long, she was very much a part of our family. Lupo and Mia could be found on several occasions curled up together in the garden, and were totally inseparable. May her stories be a reminder to anyone looking at this wonderful breed to do their homework and choose a reputable breeder.

Mia taught us to smile each day and treat each day with a new start. She always showed love and taught us that no matter how bad things are, we can make it better by smiling. Click on the Read More Button to read Mia's Rescue Tales.

Sunday 20th January 2008

Today I had a long journey from Cheshire to Surrey to stay with my new foster mummy and daddy. It was a really long journey but I don’t mind the car too much. I can’t stand up though as my legs aren’t strong enough to hold me up when the car is moving but I stand up and look around when we slow down.

I arrive at my new home in the afternoon and my foster daddy takes me up to the local park to let me stretch my legs and then I see a dog walking towards me in the distance… he looks like he is what I am and I start getting excited and woo at this dog and wag my tail. He wags his tail back at me and he comes over to say hello. He is so much bigger than me but I like him and he says his name is Lupo. We play for a bit on the green and my new foster mummy laughs at my wobbly legs, I like her laughing and it makes me go silly which makes me stumble and woo even more.

We walk through the park and get back to my new home. I am let off my lead to have a look round and Lupo has to stay on his lead to let me have some time to see what is around. When Lupo is let off the lead he shows me round to the best digging spots and his favourite places in the garden. Lupo then goes indoors and leaves me in the garden by myself. There is a step to get in the house from the garden and it is a wooden floor… I’m not too sure about this and I want to come in but I don’t like the floor, I can hear them calling me to come in and encouraging me to take a step but it’s too scary I’m scared I might hurt myself, so my new step daddy picks me up and lifts me onto the rug. The people tell me that I am a very confident girl; I want to show them how strong I am but I don’t like the laminate.

Lupo wants to play with me and keeps bowing at me and wooing, I’m not too sure at first and I think he is very silly but I want to play and we start to play fight on the rug. He keeps escaping onto the wood floor so I can’t get him but I’ll get him when he comes back over. He keeps trying to roll me over by grabbing my legs and standing over me but I don’t like it and I growl at him, but I get told off for this, so I go back to playing nice. He keeps lying down to play with me and rolling on his back, I think he is really silly. I then jump on the sofa but I get told to get off and I jump back onto the rug. The man said that if I can jump onto the sofa without a problem then I am not going to get any special treatment for my disability.

I found my water bowl and had a long drink, Lupo came over to have some and put his nose in the bowl but I like to drink on my own so I growl again and he leaves me alone. We then go back to playing and have loads of fun.

I am so hungry and the people are eating dinner, Lupo is put in his box and I am put outside, I don’t think they like to share their food so I go and explore the garden a bit more. I can hear Lupo crying in his box, I think he is a big baby. After the people have eaten I get my turn to eat, I get all excited, as there are two bowls… I think I am going to get a big dinner. How wrong was I! One of the bowls is empty!! I can’t believe it and I start searching around for the food. The lady puts a few pieces of kibble into my bowl and I eat it really fast, I am so hungry. She then plays a game called “leave it” where she puts the kibble under my nose and if I go to eat it she lifts her hand up saying, “leave it”. I don’t like this game much and I wish she would just give me the food, but I learnt if I leave it and don’t look at it she will then tell me to take it. I am learning quite quickly that this is the rule in this home.

I play with Lupo all evening and soon it is time for bed, I have a smaller box than Lupo and it has a nice comfy bed in it. Lupo is put in his box but I don’t like mine but my foster daddy puts a really nice biscuit in there and I go in. The lights go out and the box of noise and colours is left on. I lay down to try and sleep I am so tired it has been a really long day. Lupo is out of his crate, the people don’t lock him in, and either that or he managed to escape somehow. He woo’s at me but I ignore him and fall asleep.

Monday 21st January 2008

It is morning at last and the people come downstairs to let me out of my box. They say hello to Lupo first and then let me out, they tell me I am a good girl as I slept all night without crying and my bedding was dry too. I want attention but Lupo keeps getting in my way so I growl at him and I get told off again. The man, who’s name is James takes Lupo outside with him and then leaves out of the gate, he didn’t come back in though but the lady called Sammy is getting the bowls out again, I start to woo at her to hurry up and give me my breakfast. Again the bowl is empty but I have her sussed, I know she has the food in her bowl. I sit down nicely and wait for her to put the food in my bowl. I am then sent outside so that Lupo can have his breakfast.

I have a lead on me and we go for a walk around the block, Lupo wants to come with me but he is not allowed and I can hear him crying and howling inside. I am really excited and I pull on the lead and woo at Sammy to get her to walk faster but she won’t and she keeps pulling me back alongside her. She has something really tasty in her hand and I walk with my nose by her hand and she tells me I am a good girl. We walk on the grass as the path hurts my feet. We don’t walk far and then we go back home. I am put in the kitchen behind the baby gate and Lupo goes out. I cry for a little while then settle down. But I don’t like being left and I wee on the floor tiles, when Sammy comes back with Lupo she lets me out of the kitchen but I don’t look at her and I try and sneak out, I think I am going to get into trouble but she takes me outside to the garden and I play with Lupo.

I walk around the garden with Lupo for a while and then Lupo lies down. I don’t like lying down and keep walking round but then I lay down next to Lupo. Lupo gets up to come and play with me but I don’t like it when he stands over me when I am lying down and I growl at him. Sammy tells us both off and we get put in our boxes. It feels like I am in there forever but Sammy says that it has only been 10 minutes and lets us out. We go outside and lay down together, Lupo doesn’t want to play with me now and he falls asleep.

I can now go indoors and outside without any problems and the laminate doesn’t scare me any more. I find it really slippery as I don’t walk properly and I like to dribble my water everywhere so the floor is wet. Lupo is the same as me and our new game is to have a drink and then dribble over Sammy so she has really wet legs. We find it funny and run outside when she tells us off for it!

Lupo brings over one of his stuffed toys for me to play with and he waves it in front of my face, but I don’t know what to do and I just ignore him. He puts it down and woos at me to play but I don’t want to, I don’t know what to do so I walk away. He shakes the toy and runs down the garden with it. Sammy finds him funny but I don’t, I think he is very silly!

I have found the funny bike thing with 3 wheels and I sniff it. I wonder what it does and Lupo tells me he will show me when we go out later. I can’t wait. I lay down next to it and Lupo comes to stand over me, for the first time since I have been here I don’t mind him doing it and I don’t growl. Lupo woo’s at me and lies down in front of me. We woo at each other and Lupo tells me about this funny bike thing.

It started to rain so we were told to come indoors. We were playing nicely but Lupo and I were play fighting too hard and Lupo squeaked, I let go but we were put in our boxes for some sleep time, I was really tired so I slept for about 45 minutes which is ages!!

At lunchtime I went for a walk with Lupo. He is really strong so Sammy put him on a shorter lead; I was on the long bungee lead and loved running around Lupo. We walked around the estate where I am staying and said hello to loads of people building something and to a nice lady walking towards us I was a good girl and didn’t jump up but Lupo was naughty and jumped up at the lady, he got told off and I wooed at him too. I had fun on my walk and chased some leaves and Lupo wanted to join in but his lead was too short.

When we got back Lupo was left in the garden and I had something to eat as I am only little and need 3 meals a day. I was very hungry and ate very quickly. Afterwards Lupo was allowed to come in but I wanted to go and lay down outside so we went to sleep outside together.

In the afternoon I heard Sammy go out the front door so I get up to see what she was doing but couldn’t see her, Lupo goes up to the front gate to stick his nose under it but his nose was too big and he couldn’t see under it. When she came back she brought a visitor, a nice lady called Sandra from next door. She thinks I am pretty too and I woo at her, which made her laugh, so I woo some more. Lupo was left outside so Sandra could see me properly without him there too. I am really tired and fall asleep by Sandra’s feet, but she wants to say hello to Lupo so I have to go outside whilst Lupo is allowed to say hello. When Sandra went home again I fell asleep just outside the back door and Lupo fell asleep just inside the door, and I started dreaming of all the nice things I have done already.

In the evening there was a knock at the door and Sammy went to see who it was. When she came back in she put a lead on me and took me out the front door. I had never been out this way before and I was confused. We walked down the path and up on the grass were a dog that looked just like me. Sammy said her name is Ria and that she is a little girl too and that I might like her. I walk up the grass towards her and say hello nicely. She rolls onto her back and wags her tail and we start to play. Ria is fun to play with. I want to play tug with her lead but she doesn’t like that.

We walk with Ria and her daddy up to the railway bridge and Sammy walks me over it. I am not scared and I just keep on walking. There are dogs barking in the garden on the other side of the bridge but I just keep walking. I say goodbye to Ria and I hope I will see her again, and then we walk home back past the barking dogs and over the railway.

When I get back home James is there and I say hello to him with my woo wooing. The people want to eat so Lupo and I are put in our boxes and I have a charcoal Bonio, which I really like. I lay in here until they have finished and my lead is put back on, as Sammy has to go out to see a lady. I am passed to James who is holding Lupo and he takes me back home. When we go back to get Sammy I get bored waiting for her and I start playing tug with the lead, Lupo wants to join in, but I invented the game and I don’t want him to join in so I tell him off.

I am having a lot of fun here and it’s only my first real day here. I will tell you more about what happens with my adventure here. Sammy tells me how lovely and pretty I am and says she will take loads of photos and videos of me. She said I need a special home with people who will really love me. I hope someone will take me to my forever home soon, even though I do love it here. I want to be with people on my own, as I don’t like sharing my attention with Lupo, but I may grow to like it.

I am learning really well, Sammy said I have no manners but I don’t know what that means. She has taught me to sit, I don’t understand every time but I can do it. She is also teaching me heel and also not to barge through doors, she said one day I will be a very big girl and I need to learn that people go first in case I knock someone over. I like learning as it means I will get yummy sausage treats. She said tomorrow I will go to obedience with Lupo, I don’t know what that is but it sounds fun. I am going to have a really busy time here, but I will love every day!!! I might even get to go into a place called “town”!!! I don’t know what that is but it sounds exciting!

It has been another long day and I am really tired and now asleep on the floor with Lupo. It is my bedtime though and I have to go into my box.

Tuesday 22nd January 2008

I didn’t sleep well last night and at 1am I woke up and started crying, I think it was the wind banging things around outside. James came down to take me into the garden but I didn’t need to do anything. Lupo was outside with me and I started sniffing something, when he came over to see what it was I didn’t like it and we had an argument. Sammy came down to see what was happening and she put me back in my box. I didn’t make any more noises all night, as I didn’t want to be in trouble.

When I was let out in the morning Lupo was already outside but Sammy took me out there on my own on the lead so that I could have a wee. Lupo was called inside so that I could do it without him watching. She then took me indoors for breakfast. I was so hungry and I wasn’t even chewing my food so Sammy took away the big silver bowl and fed me from her hands again, I was a good girl and only ate when she told me I could take it. I even had a video taken of me to show you how good I was.

I then played with Lupo all morning until it was time for me to go out to a place called obedience. When we arrived there was lots of people there with their dogs, I was a bit nervous but Sammy didn’t get me out the car. Instead she got Lupo out and I watched from inside the car as Lupo had his lesson. I ended up falling asleep and before I knew it Sammy and Lupo were back at the car again. Lupo got in and then Sammy put the lead on me and carried me out of the car. A nice lady called Vikki said hello to me and I wagged my tail. She said would I like to meet Ranger, and out of another car is another Malamute!! He is very handsome and we say hello nicely, I am a bit wary of him but I like him. I then say hello to a lady called Pam who is Lupo’s trainer, I like her and Sammy tells her about me. She said I can come to obedience next week and I will be in the same class as Ria. I can’t wait!!! Pam then introduced me to her 2 flat coat retrievers and a spaniel but he was very old and didn’t want to say hello to me. I like the flat coats though and I wooed at them.

When we got home Sammy fed me my lunch, I was very hungry, then she cleaned the garden up and washed the paving slabs down with the water, Lupo and I chased the water when she was spraying it; it was great fun! I found a bone that Lupo had hidden and I sat by the back door chewing it, Lupo came over to see what it was and I let him look but he wasn’t very interested and it didn’t really taste that nice. I was really tired, it’s exhausting saying hello to people and I fell asleep against the back door and Lupo curled up next to me. I wander when James will be home, because then it will be feeding time again… my favourite time of day!

In the evening before dinnertime I played tug of war with Lupo. It was great fun and sometime I won and sometimes he won. I wasn’t so slippery on the laminate either and was able to hold my ground when he was pulling. Sammy was worried that with all this play after I had just woken up I may need to have a wee so she took me outside and I went on command and she told me I was a very good girl. When I came back in, I played with Lupo some more and then we shared a drink of water together. Sammy said we are very good dogs and this made me happy and I wagged my tail and let out a massive WOO!

After dinner Lupo and I played some more, I don’t mind him touching the back of my neck now and he is quite gentle with me but I still don’t like him grabbing my back legs and pushing my hips. Lupo wanted to come in doors so he knocked on the door and Sammy let us in. I have learnt that if I don’t want to get hurt, I have to wait my turn and I wait for Lupo to go first as he hurt me today when I tried to go through the door in front of him. Sammy said I was a good girl for waiting.

I didn't go to sleep straight away and started digging and crying in my box, Sammy and James came down and let me out until I was tired and started to fall asleep when they put me back in my box. I woke up several times in the night and started crying but no one came down to see why, so I just fell asleep.

Wednesday 23rd January 2008

When James and Sammy came down this morning, Lupo was let outside first, I don’t think its fair that he should do everything first. Lupo looks really tired, I don’t think I was scratching the bottom of my box that loudly last night but he isn’t very happy with me and doesn’t want to play.

At breakfast Lupo gets fed first and I have to stay in the garden, I cry a bit, as I said, its not fair that he gets things first. But he is then put back in his box and I am called in to eat my dinner. We play the leave it game again and I am sitting nicely and I do as I am told. Sammy then wants me to do a “down” so she puts the food to my nose and then I follow it down to between my paws and then she moves it along the floor, she keeps saying the word to me and I eventually manage to do it. But I don’t like it and I quickly sat up again. I only did it one time as I don’t find it comfortable, so we did some more sits and then she teaches me the word “stand” as I can do that one and prefer that to sitting.

After breakfast Lupo is allowed back out of his box but he doesn’t want to and lays in there all curled up, but I want to go outside so he comes with me. I really want to play but he curls up into a small ball in the garden and ignores me all the time so I go off exploring. Soon Sammy calls Lupo inside and I have to stay outdoors. She comes out with the lead and she takes me for a walk on my own.

We walk on the grass again and are only gone for about 10 minutes. I was a very good girl and walked to heel all the way and I didn’t even have any treats. We passed a lady at the bus stop and I wooed at her and made her laugh, she said I was so cute. I was a bit scared of all the vans and busses passing on the road and wanted Sammy to reassure me but she didn’t and kept on walking so I hurried up to be along side her.

When I got home again I was taken inside and put in my box and Sammy leaves again but with Lupo. I didn’t want to be left and I cried in my box, but I was a good girl and didn’t wee. But soon Sammy and Lupo were home and I was so happy to see them. Sammy ignored me when I was trying to get her to say hello so I went outside with Lupo. Once I was lying down she called me back in and said hello to me. I then went back outside to lie down in my favourite place by the back door opposite Lupo.

At lunchtime Sammy let me have the big silver bowl back again and she put some kibble in the bowl. I went to eat it but she said “off” and I left it, so she put some more kibble in it and told me to eat it. I am getting really good at meal times. After lunch I played with Lupo and he knocked me over and fell on my back, but I didn’t tell him off I just got up and started playing again. I then went outside to play in the garden. A while later I was looking around the garden and I found a plant that I thought was a weed, so I thought I would help Sammy and I pulled it out of the ground. Sammy looked out the window and banged on it to tell me off. I thought I was being good!!

Lupo fell asleep outside and I laid next to him and then Sammy called us both in Lupo went into the kitchen. Sammy said he was really tired and needed a break and he lay down on a bed. Sammy gave me a carrot and I took it off to the rug by the sofa to eat it. Lupo didn’t want his and fell asleep hugging it. I wanted it and I wooed but Sammy picked it up and put it away. She then started cooking the people dinner, it smelt very nice and I lay down by the baby gate to watch her cook.

When James came home Lupo and I were put outside so that Sammy and James could have their dinner. Lupo wanted to go in and he jumped up at the door and scratched at it. I went to explore the garden again. Then it was our turn to eat dinner but I had to wait outside until he had finished. After we had a rest after dinner we went for a walk. We did road walking and I had to wear my booties, they are red, which really goes well with my fur. We walked through the park and out to the main road. I wasn’t scared of the cars but there was a big bus that really frightened me. Lupo wasn’t scared though and I think he is really brave.

When we get home, Lupo and I play some more with a red dinosaur teddy. We had managed to hunt it down earlier in the day, Lupo cut its throat and I cut its belly and we emptied out its stuffing all over the floor and the garden. When we started to settle down again James said we should go to bed, so Lupo and I ran round again to make it look like we weren’t tired and didn’t want to go to bed, but we are really tired and we curl up outside together. When it’s time to go in our boxes, Sammy gets something out of the freezer she called it a Kong. It looks fun and smells lovely as it had cheese and tuna in it. I run into my box and wait for it, I can’t wait!! I spend ages licking it trying to get at the tuna and I fall asleep without making any noises.

Thursday 24th January 2008

This morning James and Sammy let me out of my box and I went outside. I hadn’t eaten all on my Kong, I don’t really understand how to get the tuna out of it. Sammy picks up our Kongs and puts them away so we don’t fight. After breakfast Lupo and I had a play fight but it was raining so Sammy called us in.

Sammy wanted to clear up the stuffing from our dinosaur toy and got the hoover out. It was a fun game and Lupo and I wooed at it and chased it, I’m not scared of the hoover. Sammy videoed us doing it, it was very funny. We then lay down by Sammy’s feet as she was working on the computer. When Lupo goes to lie down in his box, I want to go outside on my own. I walk around the garden and eventually lay down by the back door. There was a loud noise from outside of the garden, and I go to see what it was. It was the bin men and they were very noisy, but I wasn’t scared and went back to my favourite spot by the back door and lay down.

Lupo and I played some more tug of war in the afternoon. I really like sharing my toys with Lupo as we play great games. We are trying to tear the red dinosaur into 2 pieces. Lupo won this round but I will win it back later.

Lupo and I play all afternoon and soon James comes home from work. I am really pleased to see him but he says hello to Sammy first and then Lupo, again I am left until last, but I don’t really mind. Sammy has already cooked the people dinner and Lupo and I are put in our boxes so we are not in the way. After they have finished James puts my box in the car and Lupo goes in the back. I don’t want to get in my box as I don’t like being picked up. I wriggle when James picks me up but he manages to lift me in my box and he closes the door.

James and Sammy are lifting the big 3 wheeled thingy out of the garden and putting it on the back of the car, maybe Lupo is going to show me what it does tonight!! I am really excited. We start moving and I lay down in case I hurt myself. We soon arrive to where we are going, it is dark and there are a lot of trees. Sammy gets out and opens a gate and soon there is another car behind us and they follow us up the path. Lupo starts to whine in the back of the car but I stay laying down. The path is very uneven and the car rolls around a lot. We then start to follow the car that had been following us and soon we stop moving.

Sammy and James get out and Sammy gets Lupo out of the back of the car and opens my car door. I can hear other malamutes wooing and Lupo gets really excited and pulls Sammy towards the other malamutes but he gets told off for nearly pulling her over. Soon I can see the other Malamutes and it is Ranger and Ria, I woowoo hello at them, but they are busy saying hello to Lupo. Lupo puts his harness on and attaches to the front of the bike thingy. Soon Ranger and Lupo are running and out of site, it looks like it is so much fun.

I have to stay at the car but Ria is there and we say hello nicely, but she paws me in the face and I tell her off for it. James then puts me in the back of the car and soon Lupo and Ranger are back, James and Matt call them in, they are running really fast and have big smiles on their faces. I am let back out of the car and get to say hello to Ranger, I really like Ranger. Ranger and Ria are then tied to the front and they run off with Matt, Lupo and I have to wait at the car but James takes me to see them run off and I really want to go so I pull as hard as I can on the end of the lead.

They are soon back and we have to get back in the car and go home. It was getting late by the time we got home so I missed my dinnertime but I had a Kong for bedtime which was really yummy. This time it wasn’t frozen so I could eat it. Lupo had finished his and came over to my box, I couldn’t see him as I had a blanket over the front so I couldn’t see out but I knew he was there and I growled really loudly… I then heard footsteps and Sammy came downstairs and sprayed a spray can. It was really loud and I went to the back of my box and she told Lupo off and put him back in his box. I didn’t want to get into trouble again so I didn’t growl anymore and went to sleep.

Saturday 26th January 2008

This morning Sammy and James got us up a bit earlier than usual and James puts my box down. I wander what he is doing but Sammy wont let me out in the garden to follow him. She then puts my lead on and I get excited as it means I am either going to be fed or going for a walk. We go out into the garden and out to the car. James lifts me up and puts me in my box in the car and I lay down, I am getting used to car journeys now.

When I wake up we are at the same place we were on Thursday night except there are many other dogs there, including Ranger and Ria, and many other smaller dogs which Sammy called Huskies. They are very loud and very bouncy but I am not allowed to say hello to them and I am left in the car.

Lupo and Ranger go off on their run together and are soon out of site. James lets me out of the car and I say hello to Ria, and wooed Hello at some huskies, but I wasn’t allowed near them. I met two new people called Carolyn and Pete, they think I am cute! Soon Ranger and Lupo are back but I was put back in the car so James could catch Lupo, but I am soon let out again and I say hello to him.

When we get home Lupo and I are fed our breakfast, but today it is different as James is feeding us. We weren’t home long before James and Sammy put us back in the car. I don’t want to be lifted and I jump up into my box but I can’t quite reach and Sammy pushes my bum into the box and I lay down. James drives out a different way to where we went this morning and we pull up in a different set of woods. We are the only car there and Sammy and James are waiting for something and stay in the car. But soon there is another car that pulls up, Sammy and James wave at the people in it and start to get me ready for getting out of my box by putting my red booties on.

Sammy holds on to my lead and soon there is a little boy who is smaller than me, he says his name is Solo and we wag and sniff hello. When I turn around there is a girl standing beside me, she is black and white just like me and she says her name is Rogue. She tells me that she is a rescue girl too just like me, and I say hello to her mummy and daddy, Cynthia and Derek. Not long after they arrive, Matt and Vikki arrive with Ranger and Ria, and after saying hello to everyone we walk down the path through the woods. As we walk, Sammy looks to the left and says hello to someone called Freddy, but there was no one there. I’ll have to ask Lupo if he knows who Freddy is!

We stop walking at some cross roads and there are two, two wheeled thingies called scooters. Ranger and Rogue put their harnesses on and are tied to the front just like the rigs. Ranger runs off and Rogue follows although she wasn’t sure at first, but Vikki runs along side for a little way and she soon gets the idea. When Ranger and Rogue are on their way back, Cynthia hands Sammy Solo’s lead and we play for a little bit and then watch the big dogs run in. I really want to have a go, but Sammy said I am not old enough.

Sammy and Lupo then go out with Vikki and Ria and I am handed to James to hold. Ranger is shouting at them as they run off and I want to join in and start shouting too. But they are soon back and running really fast down the hill. Rogue then goes out on her own with Derek and Vikki runs along side her to help her run. She looks like she is really having fun, and I can’t wait until I am older so I can have a go, but Sammy said I have to build up the muscle in my legs first, I really hope I can do that and that my walking improves, I am going to work really hard!!

James walks one of the scooters back up the hill and I pull really hard to show how strong I am to get up the hill. Cynthia takes photo’s of me doing it, don’t I look like a big girl!! But James wasn’t letting me pull the scooter as I didn’t have a harness on and he said I am too little. It was still fun though!

http://www.icebaymals.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=17437

When we got back home I fell asleep at Sammy’s feet and Lupo fell asleep in the garden. It has been such a long day and I haven’t even had Lunch yet. I sleep for a couple of hours and when I wake up I am really hungry so Sammy feeds me. For the first time she didn’t use my lead when she fed me and I was a good girl and sat in front of her whilst she hand fed me and did every command she told me. I can do “off”, “Stand”, “Sit” and “Down” now and sometimes I will do “Stay”. She then lets me out in the garden where I find a toy. I take it to Lupo and see if he wants to play but he only lifts his head and then falls back to sleep again so I leave it by his nose in case he wants to play with me when he wakes up and I curl up next to him for some more sleep.

Later in the afternoon, Sammy and James want to go to the shop to get some food for their dinner, so they take Lupo and me. We walk through the park again and we have loads of fun running and playing and sniffing. When we get to the shop Sammy holds Lupo and me and James goes in, she tells us to sit and we both sit very nicely next to each other. Soon a lady with a dog walks towards us, and Sammy talks to the lady. She said the dog that she was walking is a Collie Siberian cross, and her name is Tikaani. She is quite pretty and Lupo and I play with her really nicely, but Lupo nearly ties Sammy up with the lead and he is told to sit and wait his turn to play. Sammy tells me I am a good girl for playing so nicely and when James comes out of the shop and takes Lupo off Sammy, we walk back through the park to go home.

Sunday 27th January 2008

This morning was an early start again and we were up and out before we really had chance to wake up properly… but something is different… Sammy and James put me in the back of the car with Lupo and not into my box. I am a little bit confused but I soon settle down and take up my half of the boot, although Lupo says my half is a lot bigger than his half and he has to sit up all the time, but he soon lays down next to me.

We soon arrive at the forest Lupo goes running in but Sammy has forgotten his harness, so she borrows one of Diesels but it is too small and Lupo has to run in his Shoulder harness. Lupo didn’t really like it and didn’t want to run, but he soon went and Sammy and Lupo were soon out of sight. They weren’t gone long until they were back and Sammy says she only did 2 miles with him, as Lupo didn’t really like running in his harness. Lupo was in a very funny mood and was very grumpy which is unlike him, and we are put back in the car and we go back home.

When we get home, Lupo and I play for a bit before we both settle down again, and then we get fed. After breakfast Sammy goes to get changed and Lupo and I are put back in our boxes whilst Sammy and James load up the car. I am then put in the back of the car without Lupo and Sammy drives, the boys stay at home. I am in the car for ages and after about an hour we arrive at another house. I have to stay in the car whilst it is unloaded but I am then let out into the back garden where I say hello to a boy called Craig and his friend George. Craig is Sammy’s little brother and he plays with a tennis ball in the garden with me. He says I am prettier than Lupo… I’ll tell Lupo that when I get home later!!

Sammy goes inside and sets up her camera and lights and soon more people arrive, it was Sammy’s grandparents and they think I am really pretty too. But they all go back inside and I stay in the garden with Craig and his friend. When Craig goes indoors I settle down and fall asleep. I am asleep for a while when Craig wakes me up but I look up at him then fall back to sleep again. After Sammy has put all her lights away she comes outside to get me and she puts me on a lead and takes me indoors. There is a little girl there called Rubie and Sammy’s sister Charmaine. Rubie is a lot smaller than me so I am not allowed to play, so I watch Rubie playing with her toys. I woowoo and her and it makes her laugh so I do it again. Sammy’s mum calls Rubie over and I say hello to her and lick her hand when she strokes me, I like children and wanted to play but Sammy wouldn’t let me.

I am then put back in the garden after I have had something to eat and I fall asleep again. Sammy’s dad said I am welcome here anytime, as he never knew I was here as I am so quiet. After a little while though it is time to leave, I can’t wait to go home and see Lupo, It has been such a long day. We drive for about 30 minutes and stop again, I look up but it is not home. Sammy puts my lead on and takes me into another house where a nice lady called Fran says hello to me. Sammy tells me this is James’ mum and that I am here to meet her and to meet Lupo’s Auntie Poppy and Auntie Chamois, and a guide dog puppy called Zola.

I met Poppy first, she came running out of the utility room and ran straight up to Sammy and said hello and then she said hello to me. She is really pretty and golden, but I am bigger than her, she is not to sure of me at first but we soon play. I can hear noises from the utility room and Fran lets out a flat coat called Zola. I remember flat coats from Lupos class on Tuesday, but this one is 11 months old and is very bouncy. I woowoo at her and Sammy lets me off my lead to play and then they let us outside into a massive garden. Zola being a guide dog gives me a tour of the garden and takes me to all the best bits, including the stream at the bottom of the garden. It is really muddy and we have a great time running in it. When I run back up to the house Sammy and James parents Fran and Mike, are sitting down to eat dinner, it smells so yummy, but I want to play and I run off after Zola and Poppy, but I have lost them and run around looking for them. I then hear my name being called by Sammy, so I run as fast as I can to find her and when I come around the corner of the house, she is standing there with Zola and Poppy. I am really pleased to see them but I am really thirsty so I go back in the kitchen. I play a fun game with the water and make Fran laugh, by scooping it up in my mouth and spitting it out on the floor and then digging in it but Sammy tells me off for it.

I then play chase with Zola around the big round table in the dining room. I run really fast but Zola is a lot smaller and lighter and faster than me and she gets away. I woo at her to get her to slow down but I can’t catch her and its making me feel dizzy. But it’s ok as its then time to go home. I am really tired and Fran helps me into the back of the car. She said she hopes I find a home soon, and that I am a really special little girl, with a good heart. I don’t understand what she means by that, I think it means she thinks I am pretty, so that’s ok!! I didn’t get to meet Chamois though, Sammy said it’s because she is older and isn’t really fussed about meeting new dogs so it was best to leave her in the utility room. Maybe I’ll meet her if I come here again.

Another 40 minutes drive and we arrive home, I am really happy and can hear Lupo on the other side of the gate. Sammy gets me out of the car and puts me in the garden, but I get bundled by Lupo, but I don’t care about being knocked over as I am so happy to see him. Lupo says he has missed me, but not that much, but I know he is lying and James tells me what he has been doing all afternoon. James said after we left Lupo went to the back gate and slept there for a while before coming in and curling up in my box!! That’s so unfair though as I don’t go in his room when he is out!! We play for a bit longer before it’s time for bed, I get my Kong with tuna and liver flavour Kong paste which is really yummy, and soon I fall asleep.

Tuesday 29th January 2008

I didn’t sleep well again last night and kept on waking up Sammy and James, but they kept on telling me off for it and I eventually fell asleep. When I woke up in the morning James let me out of my box and put me in the garden with Lupo, then he leaves to go to work. I wander where Sammy is as I haven’t seen her yet but about 30 minutes after James leaves, Sammy comes down stairs and we say hello to her.

She feeds us breakfast and again Lupo gets fed first. He even lets her put her hands in his bowl and gives it up when she tells him to… I am learning this but I love my food so much. But I am a good girl when Sammy feeds me and I do as she says, and then she takes us both outside to play. Lupo chases me around the garden and then we fall asleep by the back door.

In the afternoon Sammy calls Lupo indoors and after a little while comes outside without him. She puts me on my lead and takes me to the back of the car and I jump up into the boot before she opens the door fully. We drive for a little while and arrive at the farm where Lupo has his obedience. Sammy gets me out of the car and I say hello to Pam, Sammy and Pam talk about me and what I have been up to. Soon more people and their dogs arrive and we go into the paddock, I have to walk past loads of chickens to get in there but I do really well and walk past them, although Sammy had to tell me not to chase them.

I am let off my lead and I run around with a girl flat coat, and soon there is another girl flat coat and a malamute, I recognise her and it is Ria! I run over and say hello and the 4 of us run around the field when another dog arrives but I don’t know what breed he is. We all go over and say hello to him but we then have to go back on our leads. We hadn’t been on our leads long when another dog arrives, a weimaraner. I start to get bored after sitting there for a while and Sammy takes me into a separate field on my own to practice my sit stays. I do really well at this and Sammy can get 10 feet away from me, and get me sit stay for about 30 seconds before walking back to me! So I am then taken back into the main field and I get to practice it in there and work on my recall. I was having loads of fun! I then work on my heel-work and my sit, down, stand and stay and after all our learning we are allowed off the lead again to go play in the big field. Sammy videos a little bit of it and I even share the water with all the other dogs.

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I am then put back in the car as the lesson is over and Pam tells me how much of a good girl I am and how much I am learning. She is surprised I have only been with Sammy a week as I have learnt so much already. I am going back in 2 weeks time if I am still at Sammy and James’, but I am hoping to be in my new home by then.

On our way back home, we go to Pets at Home and Sammy takes me inside. I start wooing as we are going past the food and Sammy picks up a new packet of my food as I have nearly finished the last packet. I am so busy looking at the bag of food in Sammy’s arms that I walk past a little Jack Russel on my left. Sammy then gets some more treats for my training and I get to choose a toy from the toy isle… I want the big fluffy ones but Sammy said no so I got the tennis balls instead. The man at the till called me a husky but Sammy told me what I am and I wooed at him and the children standing behind me and they laughed. Then we drove home and I ran into the garden when Sammy got me out of the car.

Sammy went indoors first and left me in the garden and she picked something up off the floor, she had given Lupo a treat ball to keep him occupied whilst we were out. He was really happy to see us and was really wagging his tail. We played loads in the garden and in the house and then laid down next to each other and played a game of teeth before falling asleep. Sammy then calls us over using the whistle, she is trying to teach me what that means, so she pips it twice and Lupo runs over so I go with him to see what it means. Sammy gets a treat out of her pocket and for the first time both Lupo and I have a treat at the same time and I don’t try and get his off him.

When James got home, he helped Sammy put the rig on the back of the car. I can’t believe I am going out again I am really tired from my lesson, but I want to go, as I will get to see Ranger and Ria again. Sammy makes sure she has Lupo’s harness with her today though, as Lupo has been really bouncy all day. We get to the forest and soon Ranger and Ria arrive but there is no saying hello to them as they go running as soon as they get out of the car, and they chase Lupo down. Whilst Lupo is gone I get to say hello to Rupert, a little Springer Spaniel, who was being looked after by Matt and Vikki for a little while. I like him but I think he thinks I am too big for him, and I am really tired anyway so James puts me in the car.

Lupo is soon back at the car and he jumps in the back with me but I am so tired I stay laying down when he gets in, and soon we are driving home again. Once we are home its time for dinner, I am really hungry but Lupo is fed first and I watch from my crate. Lupo is then sent outside and James feeds me my dinner. He puts the big silver bowl on the floor and I sit in front of it, and he puts handfuls of food into it. I sat in front of it and looked at James in the eye, he didn’t even tell me “off” and I didn’t even attempt to take my food. He then told me to “take it” and I did and sat as he put some more in, he waited for ages before telling me to take it but I just sat there. I did think about taking it though and put my head down to the bowl, but I realised this was wrong before James said “off” and I sat back up again. I think they are really impressed with me! That was the first meal I have had where I have done everything right and didn’t need correcting!

I have had another really busy day and its time for bed, so Sammy and James put me in my box, I have now learnt what “in your box” means and I can go in there by myself. I am sleepy and I hope I dream of my forever home and that I get one really soon.

Mia left us to go and stay with another family on 10th February ’08, to see how she was with children. She became a bit of a celebrity in our friends village and was loved by so many people. She was an angel with the children but unfortunately her condition deteriorated and she was in a lot of pain in her hips and legs. Her mental condition was also deteriorating and the very hard decision was made by rescue to put her to sleep. Mia is now playing free and happy at Rainbow Bridge.

Sleep tight my angel xxx