Baby Steps in Peppa's new life

 Peppa is making progress.

House training... well, the books say how to do that, but I think she hasn't read the books.

She's conquered the doggy door, and that's probably because she may have had one at the home where she was born.

A few days ago was first walk in the street. I had forgotten that cars would be quite scary for her. We were so used to Penny being relaxed around all the noises of city life.

 

Yesterday was first walk on a long, loose lead, exploring in Heide kitchen garden. We have never seen other dogs there, so it seemed a safe place for a first outing.

 

Of course, like all Melbourne citizens, she knows to collect a mask when preparing to leave the house.

 

Today was her first encounter with friendly stranger dogs in another park and that went well.

Old dogs and new behaviours

Wow! Nearly two months since I posted about Penny and her adventures.

Well, at her age - and mine - just getting out of the house and walking is an adventure.

We're finding that although twenty minutes' stroll is enough for her, it's not sufficient to maintain our own health, so today we humans took a long, brisk walk separately, after taking Penny to Heide Museum of Modern Art in the morning for an amble around the outside artworks.

Here she is posing in the strangely cool evening. How weird that parts of Australia are burning up in bushfires and other areas are so cold that some are even predicting there could be snow on the mountains at Christmas!

As you'll see in this photo, she's quite grey around the muzzle now. I'm not sure when I noticed that - perhaps it was after her latest clipping. 

hot weather as a start to Autumn

It's been a while since I posted, but the hot weather we've been having takes the energy out of me and out of Penny.

But we still manage a walk most days, even though often a short one if it's a hot day.

Yesterday we headed off to Yarra Glen for a Bowen therapy session for both human and canine together.

And how wonderful it was, for me with a sore aching back and Penny with her arthritic joints.

On the way home we stopped off briefly at Heide Museum of Modern Art for a quick lunch. There's a huge garden with outdoor sculptures and various installations, and many old, substantial shade trees. Dogs are welcome as long as they are kept on lead.

However, because Penny and I had been in an air-conditioned car driving the fifty minutes down from Yarra Glen in the hills, I hadn't realised how hot it was, even in the shady outdoor section of the cafe. I had already ordered my lunch, so while we waited I quietly poured my drinking water onto Penny. (As you can see in the photo, the kindly waiter had brought the dog drinking bowl inside for us.

regular Bowen therapy

We are so lucky to be able to go to Deb at Bow-Rei-Me for regular Bowen therapy, because it keeps Penny active and happy.

Yesterday we noticed she had started to head-nod, always a sign that she is in some sort of pain, so I was glad she was already scheduled for a session with Deb today.

I'm not good at figuring out just where Penny's pain is, but I assumed it was at the 'front end', because of the head-bobbing. When we arrived, I told Deb that there was some pain but I didn't know where. Sure enough, Deb zeroed in straight away to the left shoulder, which is actually where I thought it might be.

We can usually tell how Penny's feeling by how she goes down the back stairs to the yard. If she's stiff, she bunny hops all the way down, and we feel bad to see that, I can tell you. If she's just a bit uncomfortable, she'll bunny hop a couple of steps and then left-right, left-right smoothly the rest of the way.

Well, I'm super pleased to report she just went outside for her evening visit to check the possums aren't getting away with anything, and she walked smoothly the whole way down.

Thanks, Deb!

Now, should I admit...

Yep, confession time...

Deb treats humans also, and I follow after Penny's session with a delicious, long Bowen session for myself, usually accompanied by soft woofs and snores as Penny relaxes beside the table.

Then it's off to Yarra Glen Cafe and Store to have a leisurely lunch. After all, if I'm going to drive forty kilometres to visit Bow-Rei-Me, why not make a day of it? If it's hot, Penny lies at my feet, seeing the outer part of the cafe is dog-friendly, but lately she's been happier to snooze in the car, because the weather is so cool. (Suits me fine, because I get to sit inside by the fire.)

On the way home, if Penny wants to get out of the car, we might go for a brief stroll along the river at Warrandyte, or even wander around the gardens of Heide Art Gallery. (Best kitchen garden in Melbourne, in my opinion.) Deb says it's important not to go beyond what Penny feels comfortable with, after a Bowen session.

walking at Heide Art Gallery

We don't often walk at Heide Museum of Modern Art, because Penny has to be on lead, but every now and then we tour around the lovely grounds and take special note of the two wonderful kitchen gardens.

I've been noticing a plant lately that I thought looked like a weed, and finally discovered that it is salsify. It's an edible weed, as I discovered when I did a 'weed walk' recently with Adam Grubb. 

The one in the bottom kitchen garden at Heide sure was huge. Penny and I had a good look at it, wondering whether it might be something interesting to grow at home. Penny loves her vegetables!









I wonder whether it grew as a weed and they left it there, knowing what it is, or whether they deliberately planted it?

hot chocolate art

Penny and I had a lovely day today at Heide Museum of Modern Art. First we strolled around the sculpture gardens; Penny examined the base of every tree in detail, and I looked at the plants and the art works.

Next we headed down to the little off-lead walk behind the gallery, and Penny even had a quick dip in the Yarra River at a spot I've never visited before.

After that, we sat a an outdoor table at Cafe Vue. It's a rather posh place, so I wasn't sure whether a shaggy dog and her shaggy old owner would be allowed to sit there. I popped inside to check and was told by the barista that it would be fine.

And this is what he sent out for me to drink!

I think he must have peeped outside and spotted Penny, because it's a terrific likeness. Don't you agree?

What a lovely way to make us feel welcome. And it tasted delicious.

DWTDS and Heide Museum of Modern Art

Penny had a quiet day today, while I sat at the computer looking at the THIRTY-ONE entries for Honey's dancing competition - Dancing With The Doggy Stars or DWTDS.

However, there was still time enough for a walk, of course. I couldn't decide which of the many lovely places to visit, so I thought I'd just head off towards the Yarra and see what nice spot we came across. And we got lucky! I headed down into Banksia Park, thinking we would have to walk on lead, and noticed a sign pointing to a 'dog friendly' area at the rear.

It was quite small, but beautifully designed, with one looping path, strong fences all around, and clumps of undergrowth to break it up into smaller areas so the dogs wouldn't have to be all in one place.



It even had a special entry with double gates, like a kind of 'air lock', to protect the dogs from the cars in the car-park,



and drinking bowls with taps.



After we'd walked around for about thirty minutes, I gave in to Penny's wishes - she had headed to the gate each time we passed it. I thought she must be tired. However, once I put her on lead she seemed to get a fresh lease of life and we headed off to explore, even though it was getting dark.

To my surprise I discovered we were just behind the Heide Museum of Modern Art and dogs were allowed into the gardens.



We wandered around, Penny using her nose to explore, and I using my eyes to enjoy the massive sculptures, and then we even went into the kitchen garden.






By this time it was quite dark, which by the way explains the terrible quality of the photos. Also, I only had my phone. Next time I'll take my camera. We will definitely be exploring this spot again.