Dog-Cat? "I just like a nice homely fire!"

     So now we're pretty certain our Bella is a Shiba-Inu x. And everyone in the village thinks she's very 'pretty'! They also think she's very good - actually she's still quite shy, which can easily be mistaken for angelic perfection!  What people don't know is that in the safety of her own home, behind closed doors, on a cold, snowy, windy day, she's actually ......

WHO ME?!?!

a CAT!!!!

      She loves the snow - runs around like an excited 4-year old human. If she could she'd build a snowdog, but is satisfied with muzzle-shovelling the snow and rescuing any buried rabbits or field mice - well 'rescue' might be a bit of a euphemism!

      Her 'passion' for the neighbourhood cats is a little worrying though, and having seen a few little rabbits and a field mouse go between the jaws, she is kept in close check in the great outdoors.  Her ears freeze-frame and the excitement level in her eyes rises like the mercury in a thermometer - uhm, sorry wrong climatic season! - when she hears those little cat's bells which presumably are meant to warn the next ones down the predatorial chain.

     To Catch a Cat, it sometimes seems, is her ultimate goal in life.

So why when she's doped up with warmth and love and comfort, does her demeanour switch to that of the domestic Cat?!

     Let's not forget her agility in getting out of her own garden, climbing and scrambling that is, not digging under or jumping over, the fence to Mr Wally's pristine garden!

     As with many pets, she has 'The Eyes'. Those begging, pleading eyes, as she glances towards the empty, cold, fire-grate! But when the flames are hopping like little fairies around the logs and coal, look how close she is!

     Maybe that's it! She's a secret Fairy Flames lover! (something akin to a 'Daytime TV' watcher or 'TV Soap' addict!)

 

 

That's enough photos now, leave me be!

 

    

(Despite what the photos look like, the coals were glowing beautifully!)

     So with paws warming on the hearth, fairy flames hypnotising her eyes, Bella's nose drops contentedly to the warm slate.  The most comfortable end to an exciting white-snowy day!

I know you're still taking pictures - Goawayyyy  zzzzzz......

and I'm not a cat .. zzzzzz

Under the White Stuff!

     It's winter again. It's snowing again!

     During last year's snow Bella was just under a year old and she'd been with us for just a few months, and she was like a hyperactive 4-year old! This year she is nearly a doggy-mature two year old, has responded to training over the year and is a very much loved part of the family.

However when it comes to S N O W, Bella is still excited - much like any normal child! She is totally convinced that the rabbits are just waiting under a thin layer of snow for her!

She sees the neighbours with their efficient plastic snow shovels and tries to help them using her own muzzle!


Most of all she's convinced there is all sorts of wild life darting under the snow, under the bushes and her hunting instinct is in the ON position!

 
This morning the back garden looked beautiful, peaceful, untouched, white .....

..... then Bella & I attacked it!

And then I got a little braver and took her out to the front, where the pavements were being cleared, but no cars were venturing on the road. I use the word 'braver', because I was in no mood to be a human sledge being pulled by a wanna-be husky tearing down our icy road! But look at her - she was so controlled!

 Ok, so she didn't respond to a lazy, unconvincing 'Come' ....

 

 

... but she trotted back inside quite happily. No Staffie stubbornness! Still on the lead, please note! Not taking any chances!