Musings of Maris THE MiniBull

Puppy Love....

2010-01-16T23:30:00.000-08:00

My puppy is just too cute for words... soon he'll be able to play chase with me. Louise tells me off for stealing his stuff - like his new toys! I don't understand why they want to bother with toys, there's heaps of furniture he can chew on instead with those sharp little piranha teeth.

I'll let the pictures of him feature on my blog... but only while he's too young to write his own blog!

Enjoy the pictures... he now weighs 1.824kg

I've been preoccupied,......

2009-12-25T13:08:00.001-08:00

I have been really busy since I last got to use the computer. And this post is very important. I am a mummy. I have a little boy who I haven't named yet, but Louise has nicknamed him DJ (Diesel Junior) as he takes after his dad's stunning brindle and white good looks.

DJ was supposed to have a sister too who was beautiful and white like me, but she had no markings. Unfortunately she has taken a detour to the rainbow bridge to be with other special pups and dogs like my brother and my mum instead. They will take extra special care of her.

I think I've been trying to look after DJ too hard, and my hormones and calcium levels and stuff have all gone haywire. So Louise is helping out and feeding the wee guy with formula for me every 2 hours. She's looking a bit knackered.

Anyway, there's a picture of my little guy - crikey I may as well call him DJ too, as it makes it easier doesn't it.

He won't be getting his own blog site until he's much much older, and only if I read everything he writes first.

Look into my eyes.....

2009-10-07T02:41:00.000-07:00

My eyes.... my eyes.... My wonderful eyes passed two tests today. First, this morning I went to visit the Opthomologist guy who visits my Vets. He needed to make sure that my eyes are all good, which we check annually so this was my third checkup that I passed with flying colours.

And then amazingly tonight, Louise checked the OFA website for the results of the DNA test for PLL... and the results were up already - superquick. I guess you can call it a pass - I am a carrier, but that means I'm not affected/at risk so I am really really relieved... not as relieved as Louise and my first Mum, Sue. Now, I am hoping that all my friends and relatives have the same or better results. Louise gave me an extra gingernut biscuit for a celebratory treat....

And and and .... Andrew and Kieron are back from their holiday in Invercargill so Andrew took me on a great walk at the beach today, where I met some new friends. I should invite Rodney Hide down there to hang out on a Sunday morning, and see what freedom of dogs and dog owners looks like in action.

It's been a great day.

CSI New Zealand

2009-10-01T16:38:00.000-07:00

CSI Miami, New York, now NZ! Well, it seemed a bit like that. Louise took a DNA sample from me to send all the way to America. The sample will be used to test for a health issue in Miniature Bull Terriers called PLL (Primary Lense Luxation). It's a long story, but it has to do with the lense on the eye, and how it is attached.... in our case it can become unattached, and that is really painful and can lead to blindness.
It used to be that you couldn't test for it. You had to wait till you were over like 3 years old or something, cause that's when it was likely to affect you. But now, some genius doctor guys have found a way to test for it. YAY. So, I am now waiting for my results which are currently on their way to America.
All good and responsible breeders get their puppies tested for lots of things depending on the breed... (in my case there's now PLL to add to the list (which also includes Bull Terrier Hereditery Nephritis, Heart Murmur, Polycistic Kidney Disease, BAEP Hearing testing and stuff)).... people buying the puppies should expect nothing less.

Camping Out in the Freezing Cold...

2009-09-29T20:08:00.000-07:00

I had to rough it last weekend. On Friday afternoon we went camping and its not even summer yet! Louise took me to the dog show in Ashhurst to face off with the Taranaki country girls. But it was the city girl (that would be me) that managed to come out on top, winning Best in Breed and Intermediate of Breed at both Saturday's and Sunday's shows. That Banderbear is one to watch though. It's just a matter of time and she'll be a Champion like me too. If you go to Holly's blog you can see a neat photo of the four of us mini's together :-)

I wasn't allowed to run around off the lead like I do at the parks at home. When I wasn't going for walks, or in the show ring, Louise kept putting me back in the crate (look carefully in the picture and you can see me peeking out underneath the pink blankets that Louise put over the top to help keep the chill off. I did have my jacket on as well though, and if you go to Banderbear's blog you can see me modelling it while I was playing with her).

And all that showing takes it out of a wee lass. I was a very tired little girl on Sunday night when I got home.

What took me so long?

2009-09-17T15:16:00.000-07:00

I've been a busy young lady you know, and I completely ran out of time to update my blog site. Lyall Bay beach is now my very own "Party Central", and sometimes there's like 30 or 40 dogs playing with each other. It's awesome. I don't know if its the salt air, or what, but we all just have heaps of fun while our owners chat and laugh at us.

Lots will be happening here in the next couple of weeks. Louise is taking me to a show, and we've got stiff competition from the girls from the "Naki"! Yep, Mouse, Holly and Banderbear will be heading down to Ashhurst to compete against moi in an all breeds Championship show.... I'm looking pretty hot right now, but those country girls just might win the judges over. We'll see. The great thing is that there are more mini's entered in the show than Bull Terriers! Banderbear is right... Mini's do rule!

I'm sooo dizzy.....

2009-06-07T03:44:00.000-07:00

I had the best weekend making heaps of new friends. Big dogs, little dogs, fluffy dogs, I don't care, as long as they're dogs. Last week Louise took me walking and we saw two lots of humans and they had no dogs! It didn't make sense that people walk without dogs. How boring. Anyway, this weekend I had a long walk by the river in Lower Hutt, and today we went to the beach in Lyall Bay. I introduced myself to everybody as usual, but Andrew took this video of me spinning around and around and around..... he kept laughing at me and my friend.
By the way, I didn't get to keep the stick.

What a poser!

2009-05-19T21:23:00.000-07:00

Some intelligent human decided to cut down a whole lot of pine trees at one of my walking spots. Great for testing out the agility skills, but really good for posing for pictures.

I'm an addict

2009-05-19T21:05:00.001-07:00

I managed to sneak off with an iced-coffee in a box before anyone noticed. Lucky for me it comes with a straw so its easy to steal, and drink... yum. Where can I get more of these from?

Water water everywhere.....

2009-05-04T19:52:00.000-07:00

I should really move to warmer climates. I have this amazing ability to find water wherever I am, and lie in it, roll in it, and then drink it. Today I did just that with my new found friend Blaze. We both got really muddy, but you can't tell on him because he's got a dark coat. Louise was complaining that the car will smell like wet dog... for some reason she doesn't appreciate it much. After all that fun, Blaze and I met another dog called Rico who is a border collie, and he kept herding us together - back into the water. Weird!

It's not easy being me

2009-04-26T03:11:00.000-07:00

Recently in Porirua there was a terrible attack on an old dog called Lincoln. Some nasty people (Louise said I can't use the other descriptive words I wrote) had trained their pit bull dogs to fight, and Lincoln was stolen for practicing on. This happened at one of our favourite walking spots.

Well, since then... actually, not just since then but its really gotten worse now... often when I'm out for a walk (which is daily) and I come across other people with or without dogs, they look at me like I'm evil. Particularly in Porirua over the past weekend. Sometimes people pick up their dogs, or children (or both) and I hear them say horrible things about me.

But people who let their dogs play with me are amazed at how much fun I am and I make lots of people laugh with my friendly and bouncy bully behaviour.

So to those who judge me without knowing me - well, you're missing out on something special.

I thought it was winter?

2009-04-18T02:36:00.000-07:00

It's darker earlier in the mornings and evening, but during the day its been really sunny and warm for ages. That means I get to go on lots of outings with the family. Today was no exception. But a girl needs her beauty sleep afterwards, and there's nothing like curling up on the couch with a good friend.

Getting back into shape....

2009-04-17T02:56:00.000-07:00

It's hard work, but I"m helping Kieron get into shape. He's been on holidays at his Grandma's place, so you know what that means... he's been eating heaps.

So I have been charged as his personal trainer and will get him back into shape.

I wish he would let me go with him on his big Sunday runs. But because I spend too long talking to other dogs on the way, he gets annoyed and leaves me with Andrew while he takes off.

I don't understand

2009-04-07T03:12:00.000-07:00

Miniature Bull Terriers are very precious. It takes sooo much work just to get one so you have to look after it really well. So, Louise took me to the vet for a checkup today and something really weird happened. They told me that I am not going to be having a puppy now. It's not there any more. It doesn't seem fair. The vets looked sad, Louise and Andrew were very sad too, but I was sadder than everybody. I would be a really good mummy, just look at how I look after Kaja. But they tell me that sometimes these things happen.

So my story has ended before it really began.

Don't worry though. I'll carry on sharing my life and adventures at Wellywood with everyone, and sooner or later there will be another update of puppies (that's with lots of ssss's on the end as there will be at least 3) on the way.

Maybe they'll still feel sad during easter and give me a hot x bun or 2? Mmmm, heated in the oven and served with butter please........

Why is it taking soooo long

2009-03-24T01:41:00.000-07:00

I'm twiddling my paws, waiting for the babies ...well, there's one puppy for sure, but everyone (including me) is wishing for more so I'll keep calling them puppies... I'm starting to get podgy round the middle and my drizabone coat is fitting alot more comfortably than it used to! I really hope that my gorgeous figure bounces back after all this baby business!

I pride myself on having an active lifestyle.

Soccer is one of my favourite sports, and I have my own ball. It's about the 5th one I've had now, because they sometimes fall apart in the rain outside.... it has nothing to do with me, or my friends who pop over and play with them. That's me and my very special friend Chester playing when he came to stay in January. We had such fun together hehehe......

Smoochy time

Fetch time

Sleepy time!

Learning to BLOG

2009-03-16T18:03:00.001-07:00

My half sister has one, so its time I did tooooo. My very own blog page!!! So now I can tell the whole world my news.... I am going to be a mummy!!

But before I give you updates on my progress and stuff, here's the story so far. I am a spoilt mini bull terrier, just 2 years old and I am a New Zealand Champion. The two-legged people I live with are really neat. There are two adult ones (Andrew and Louise) and an almost adult one (they call it a teenager) called Kieron. I also have a cat friend called Kaja and we both love to sunbathe and laze around the house.

But before living with these folks I lived with another people (when it's one its called a person I've just been told), Aunty Sue. She's a long drive away from me, but we go to visit and stay sometimes, and she comes to see us too when she can. She has more of my kind living with her... Holly (my half sister), Mouse, and Bandabear who are all mini's like me, and then she has some big Bull Terriers too called Chino and Aura. We're so glad Sue let me come and live with my people.

I used to go to Day care to play with other dogs while my people were at work, but now Louise comes home at lunchtimes each day and takes me out for walks and plays with me. Then after school its the teenagers turn, and then when Andrew gets home its his turn. Then I need a rest, or I chase Kaja (and sometimes she chases me).

My favourite outing is to the beach where I meet heaps of new friends. I love swimming, and just lying in the water, but get told off when I roll in the sand afterwards - especially if the people have forgotten to bring a towel. Not my problem!!

So now you know about me.

Hope you enjoy my updates.

Thanks for reading.