Things are hotting up...

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Shame its not the weather...that is as cold as ever...

No, what is happening is that SJ and I are moving to New Zealand! SJ accepted a role within her current company that is based out of Auckland and so we're off!

This has been in the planning for some months so its not like this came as a complete shock, but now we've made the decision, there's just so much you have to do and think of. We have lists about lists about lists...we have the dogs to move (injections / blood tests / quarantine / kennelling, etc) as well as selling two vintage cars, a house and sorting out rental for the other house. Thats's besides the Residence Visa, police checks, medicals, removals, etc, etc, etc...!

SJ will likely move out at the end of June to start her position end of July - I will not leave until the end of August as the dogs have to wait six months from when they had their rabies shot and have proven they are producing antibodies...this means the earliest they can enter NZ is about 12th September, so I'm going to wait until then before coming out. Fingers crossed, they have their blood test next week.

Once this is sorted, I can get them booked into the (limited) list of approved kennels in NZ. Luckily they only have 10 days quarantine apparently. There's a myriad of different shots / test they need before then but the Rabies one is the main one and takes the longest.

Tomorrow I'm off to have my Chest X Ray and Medical...amazing what you have to go through despite SJ being an NZ Citizen (as well as UK and Australian).

Having told anyone at work yet...need to choose when to do this carefully...my plans on arrival are to do up a house that is owned by SJ's family so I'm looking forward to getting out of the Rat Race for a while.

More snow!

It continued to snow throughout the weekend leading to some quite big drifts by the time we went over the Chase on Sunday morning.

The dogs loved it though...it was way past their bellies!

 

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March Snow

Been a reasonably quiet week. Had to travel to Dusseldorf on Tuesday but was only for the day. The rest of the week was spent in the office and not a lot else.

We came up to Staffordshire yesterday...just before the BIG FREEZE. Woke up this morning to around 6 inches of fresh snow...the dogs absolutely loved it. Supposed to continue to snow throughout the day and finally stop sometime tonight...

 

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Dog beds

I never realised just how much Malamutes love their beds..seriously, they could advertise the things, they look so comfortable in them. Chief is normally the one to settle in, however Indi has a good go as well...

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The night before the trip

Leaving the dogs is never easy and this time it's for nearly four weeks...we're heading to New Zealand, Bali, Sydney, Perth and Singapore for a holiday...as much as we look forward to this, it's tinged with a sense of sadness of having to pack up the dogs to the kennels. Indi doesn't really mind but chief does...great big softie...

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My grandma, what big teeth you have...

Chief and Indi...always up for a laugh. Chief I reckon would have been a stand up comic had he been human, he has perfect comedic timing and is so funny it's untrue. There's rarely a day go by where he does not have us laughing out loud for one reason or another. Are all Malamutes like this I wonder?

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Xmas dogs

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Malamutes love mats

There's something about mats that malamutes love. Despite their (alleged) ability to survive in the arctic tundra, they do love something beneath them to lie on...

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Please sir...can we have some more?

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Dog Crush

Quite how Chief gets into this I don't know!!

Xmas snow over the Chase

We had quite a bit of snow over the Xmas period...dogs loved it!

Does my bum look big in this?

For some reason, Indi has taken to lying in Chief's basket and vice versa...that's quite a result for Indi as Chief's is substantially larger. Problem for Chief is that he doesn't really fit in Indi's...

Portrait session

On Sunday we all trooped into the car and headed down to Knightsbridge to have our portrait session. Now, there were a few issues here...Indi does not like traffic, cyclists or joggers. That did not bode well for a morning in London. Anyway, we arrived about an hour early so decided to head over to Hyde Park. A bit of a problem as there was a cycle race on! Indi was almost having a fit! We eventually managed to calm her down and tied them both to a (concreted-in) bench where she was still a little crazy due to the numerous joggers, cyclist, dogs, noise etc. To cut a long story short we managed it in to Venture Portraits (where we were having the pictures taken) and they were as good as gold. Mind you, the near vertical stairs were a new experience for them...Indi was a little scared of the flash "bang" at first but soon got into it. Chief on the other hand had no problems and posed quite happily for as long as necessary...! The whole thing was about half a day and well worth it. I'm not sure if we'd take the doggies again but the pictures should be worth it.

Grooming

The dogs were both groomed today...I was a little apprehensive about taking them in...this was to a groomers in Radlett, whom neither had been to before. I had taken them round before and showed them the place so, they knew what they were letting themselves in for (the owner's I mean). Anyway, it transpires my fears were unfounded, they were no problem and we now have two fluffballs lounging around in the kitchen!

Chief had somehow managed to get a tick on his back though apparently...I must admit that I'd not noticed it but he's got such a thick coat, it's very difficult to tell if there are any skin problems. They got it off him though anyway so that's good. I should mention that this is in preparation for their photoshoot on Sunday...more about that later methinks...!

It's a dog's life...

I knew I'd get round to it in the end...for all you Indi fan's out there...here she is looking resplendent in her new bed...

Snow...in April?

So, we finally got some snow! Yay! I love the snow, so does SJ and so do the doggies! Indi of course has seen it all before but for Chief it was a bit of a new experience! I don't think he's ever seen that much snow but he took to it all the same...

We went over to a field local to us...here's the pics...



and videos...


not sure why this video doesn't preview correctly, but it's there...just click on the play button...

Nobivac

On Tuesday, I took Indi & Chief to have their annual Kennel Cough vaccination. Now Chief is a bit of a wuss when it comes to pain/discomfort and the last time he had this, we had to chase him round the surgery to give it him. This time was no different, except it was worse! He really does not like this vaccination. Its given up the nose and it really unsettles him. in the end I had to give it him as the vet could not hold him still long enough! eventually we got it in but by then he was very wary and was really nervous. I made a mental note to nring him back the following day so he could have a positive experience! Indi could not have been more different, I don't think she noticed it going in. She's as tough as old boots..

Dog beds

So we bought the doggies dog beds. I was sceptical at first as I've bought Indi a dog bed before and she completely ignored it and then ate the bedding that I'd bought her...

SJ ordered these particular ones online and as soon as they arrived Chief was in his element...Indi loved hers too but I haven't got the pictures of her as yet...I'll post the pics as soon as I get them...

They haven't left them as yet...particularly as my parents also bought them some towels to go in them...working malamutes..my a**e!!

Dogs now fine...fingers (& paws) crossed...

Without speaking too soon, I think the dogs are now OK. They've are now together all the time and they are now only separated when they are eating. Its still a little bit tense (from our point of view) when they start play-fighting but generally speaking, they're OK. Long may it last!

Dogs...

Well, on Friday Indi had her stitches removed and consequently the lampshade as well. We kept her & Cheif separated though until Saturday morning, then thought we'd try them together. They seemed fine, however we thought we'd take them over the field for a good run round. Twas a bit tense but they were fine together and they've gradually been allowed to spend more time with each other, but never when there's food around!

I didn't actually allow myself to believe that they would get on again, however, fingers crossed, everything seems to be going OK...as I write this, they are both lying down about 3 foot from each other.

Indi hs taken to scratching her face though, which has resulted in her having to wear the lampshade at night or in the day when we aren't around. Hopefully this will soon heal over...