What-ho, Biggles here. Isn't it hot and sticky, I don't like this muggy weather, Lord knows what it must be like to have a thick coat like some of my friends, Molly the German Shepherd must sweat buckets, OK, so dogs don't sweat, clever dick, she must be doing lots of panting, but I am a gentleman and that sounded rude!

2008 has been quite a tough year. Although I will turn 14 very soon (27th August in case anyone wants to send me any biscuits) and my old ticker is getting tired I am still enjoying my life. When I get the urge, which is not often now, I like to chase Sophie and sometimes, only sometimes mind you, I actually catch her.

My uncle has been ill with his dicky ticker, and my Dad has recently undergone surgery on his spine which has been quite bad for over 6 months, as a result I do not get as many walks as I used to. Last month my Nanny became an Angel and everybody was very, very upset, I tried to help where I could licking people when they cried, however, my breath is a bit smelly nowadays and they keep threatening to give me minty breath chews! I wanted to go and say goodbye to Nanny and then on to the buffet afterwards, but because Sophie is so naughty we weren't allowed, she is still a pain. My Dad says that he hopes that she will calm down next year when she becomes three years old, but I doubt it. Having said that I do like having her around as I still miss my Amber and Sophie is quite nice to cuddle up to.

So that's all my news, it has been a worrying year, but we are getting there - you take care everybody, and remember, live every day as if it is your last because one day you will be right.

Lots of woofs & wags

Biggles

Whoopee - Minx calling, who's that, what's that, when, where, why, way-hay, isn't life fun. I am having a really great time with all my new friends at work. We have lots of students with us at the moment who are on holiday from Auntie Versity, or something like that - funny how they all have the same Auntie! they play with me every break and dinner and I go giddy with all of the running around. I try to get Biggles to play but he just sleeps all day and pants like an old steam engine.

I had to go to the vets again (I don't like him) and he stuck a big needle in me - nasty man! apparently they have to do this every year, you just wait till next year I am going to wee in his room.

A couple of months ago my Dad’s friend came to stay and he brought his girl with him, she is a Labrador like me, but unlike me and Biggles who are unemployed, Cinders is in full time employment – she is a Hearing Dog. Her dad, Ian, is very deaf, and Cinders helps tell him when she hears sounds that he doesn’t. She is mad as a hatter and I loved running around with her, but as soon as she put on her red coat and reins she was a different dog.

Ian said that she tells him when the phone is ringing, she taps him and points at it. She has been trained to tell him if an alarm goes off in the night, or if he was in a shop if the fire alarm sounds. She is so lucky, she goes in trains, shops, restaurants and will soon be getting her licence to go on a plane. We were too excited when we met and didn’t want to lay down and so the photos of us three are a little fuzzy.

Lots of love, licks, woofs and wags

Sophie

Hi there everybody peeps, Minx here. I keep getting told off that I haven’t updated my blog in ages, did you see how I said ‘my blog’, I am self centered you know. Anyhow, we have all been really really busy, with lots going on.

I told you last time that poor old Biggles had a mild heart attack, well he is getting better, but still not able to chase me like he used to. I am not allowed to chase him anymore either, which is really boring. I keep being told that he is an old boy and that he will be 14 this year, but that doesn’t impress me much….. ‘I’m nearly 14 years old you know’ said the old man.

To make up for Biggles slowing down I have been making new friends. A new puppy has moved in next door, his name is Yuri, you know as in Yuri Gagarin the Russian astronaut, or Yuri Geller the famous spoon bender. He is a rather attractive 6 month old black Labrador and he is really funny, he keeps putting his head through the gate (I think that he is going to get stuck one day - that will be funny!) and he tickles when he licks my face.

Yuri is rather cute, and I am quite attracted to him, but he lives with my other two friends Jip and Janie and so at the moment he is not allowed to play with me too much so that they do not get jealous. I think that Jip still has a crush on me but his sister doesn’t like it when we play together she barks at me a lot, I think that Janie thinks that I am too rough, she is just being an over protective sister.

Recently at work we had a Cheese & Wine Evening to help with recruitment. Biggles and I were banned from the event - we were gutted, all that free food and new people to play with and we were sent home to bed, as if we couldn't be trusted!. As a result of the event we have got some lovely new people to play with at work.

Now that the summer is here the doors to the back garden are open and I can wander in and out all day – I am often out on patrol making sure that the area is safe, I am also very good at keeping the garden clear of dangerous debris such as rabbit poo, although you guessed it, I get told off for eating that as well. Biggles helps clean up with me but it is only me who gets told off. He pretends to be deaf and can’t hear them shouting ‘no’.

You would think that they were happy that I am out playing in the garden, but no, I even get in trouble doing that. For example, last night I was in the garden at home and I was sniffing at all of the new plants which have recently been put in. My Dad used ‘organic poultry pellets’ (how posh!!) which I have heard him secretly call chicken poo pellets; well, I was having a good rummage through the mud where all these pellets were covering myself in a lovely fresh countryside smell when I was called in – time for tea and all that.

I wolfed down my tea and had a lovely drink of water to wash it down, ‘Chateau Neuf Du Tap’ I think it was, and before I went back to playing I went to say hi to my Auntie Una who had just got dressed to go and see my nanny who has not been very well and is in hospital. I was only trying to be friendly and rested my head on her trousers. My Dad told me off as I left a wet muddy smudge on her new crispy white linen trousers – you see, I can’t get anything right. I think that she still loves me though as after she cleaned it off she smiled at me.

So, that’s it for now, we are very busy at work and so I may have to wait a while until one of my staff are available to type up my next blog for me, I still find typing quite hard to do.

Lots of lick, wags and woofs, Sophie.

Howdy partners, it’s all been happening up here this week. On Friday my Nanny went into hospital with what Daddy says was acute angina, I assumed he meant Nanny was going to see her vet with a teddy bear called Angina, and she thought that it was cute. Apparently it was her heart.

Well, today my uncle also had to go to hospital as he has hurt his back quite badly, but when he got home, my old friend Biggles, who is 14 this year, collapsed and fell into the flower pots sending them flying. I thought that he was playing around and so I jumped on his head but I was told off (again!).

He was having what looked like a fit, with lots of shaking heavy breathing. My uncle had to carry him to the car, which hurt his bad back even more, and took him to the vets. It turned out that he was also having a mild heart attack - he must have been jealous of Nanny.

Biggles is OK, he is a bit tired but you would not know that anything had happened, he slept most of the time before anyway, and Nanny is coming out tomorrow after they have taken her for walkies around the ward to check that she is OK. I asked my Dad if her nose was still cold and wet and he said it was but he wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.

Never a dull moment up here – catch you later alligator.

Love

Sophie

Hi there fans. It has been absolutely ages since we last spoke, the reason is that my Dad hasn't been very well, and then he was very busy at work, I kept nagging him to update my site (did you notice that I assume that this blog is mine now!), but he was too busy.

A lot has happened since I last updated you. I had my second Christmas, which was a blast. Lots of friends came around to play and I ate so much that I felt sick - in fact I was sick a couple of times.Guess who had to clean that up - not me!

Biggles had his moments over Christmas, but he is getting on a bit now. I am told that he will be thirteen this year and in doggy years that is seriously old. He still tries to have his wicked way with me (bad boy) and I tease him by leaving my bum in the air and then running away. I still use him like a chewy toy but he tastes funny - you can see me playing with him here. My uncle is a bit worried about Biggs as his lungs sound terrible at times, but then he gets his second wind and chases after me. I like it when he does, but after about 5 minutes he gives up as he is exhausted; me, I could play all day.

Now, you know me, I likes lots of attention, but I got the wrong sort last month. My Auntie Una noticed a big lump on my tail (she was brushing me which I kind of like, but like to wriggle lots just to make it difficult) and I had to go to the vets. Man do I hate going there, it's like my Dad going to the dentist - horrible. Anyway, they gave me a sleeping pill which zonked me out and they shaved my tail - how embarrassing, and it left one hell of a draught afterwards.

It turned out just to be a cyst, whatever a cyst is, and they put a needle into it. Everything is 'A' OK with me now, except that Dad says that I still have ADHD.

Oh, I forgot - we have had four new people start at work and they are all good fun to be around. I keep getting told off for distracting them but I am really enjoying playing fetch with them. It is amazing how quickly you can train new people, you just drop the toy and they throw it - brilliant!

Well, that's it really, Biggles and I are still coming to work every day and lounging around, eating, playing etc. We just can't wait for the Spring so that we can play out in the garden at work. Everyone gets upset when I come in with muddy feet, and the other day I shook mud all up the wall, Alison from Marketing had to help clean it up. I saw the funny side, but I don't think they did.

I will try and not leave it so long before I write again.

Lots of licks, woofs and wags - Sophie.

O' my God, what a week. As you will all know by now I am used to lazing around at work, snoozing, eating and generally chilling out, but not this week, Oh no; I was on a so called holiday.

Sophie was even worse than usual. She was so excited that she was running around like a wild thing. She kept having to be hosed down because she was covered in mud and muck and, boy, can she talk!

I did enjoy my extra walks and stuff, but I think I overdid it. I have got bad lungs and my ticker is a bit flakey. I try and run around with all of my buddies but it makes me out of breath. I was so bad on a couple of nights that my Dad had to stay up looking after me - he took me to the vets for a check up. Apparently a lot of it is to do with the heat and so I have been told to rest; I have been telling them that for years. Rest and food and then food and rest – not very difficult is it?

Well my Dad is calling. Hopefully it is something nice to chew on and not another pill which he pretends is actually a biscuit – I am not that stupid!

Lets hope Sophie doesn't jump on me in my sleep again - Take care, love Biggles

Hi everyone, Minx here. Well, haven’t I been busy. I was on holiday last week and it was brilliant.

I went to my Auntie Jan’s in Leicestershire and had a great time. My aunties and uncles were all there and they played with me all day; she has a very big garden and I ran and ran and ran.

I did get one shock though; they were all playing a funny game called Boules – I think they meant balls but kept saying it wrong. It took a lot of my will power not to keep running off with the balls (or boules) that they were playing with. However, when I finally couldn't resit joining in I did get a shock, they are made of a really hard silvery metal and they weigh a ton, I was lucky that I didn’t chip a tooth.

I had much more fun running off with the shuttlecock as they were not very good at playing badminton and kept missing the shuttle, or is it cock I don't know, I am still only a puppy.

The best fun though was that Auntie Jan has a compost heap, well, you have to keep them on their toes don’t you. I had a good roll in it and it was lovely and warm and soggy. I managed to get rhubarb leaves under my collar and everything. I still don’t know why they get upset, I smelt fresh just like the coutryside.

Another day Biggles and I went for a walk in the fields and although it was a dry day I managed to find a trough made by a tractor that had filled up with water and mud – I went for a swim and put my head under the water, it was fab. Dad wasn’t impressed though, I just can’t do anything right sometimes, I mean, he called me and I came back instantly. OK, so I shook myself down near him and splattered him in mud, but I am generous and do like to share things.

Biggles, Jannie & Jip were also with me but they all looked down their noses at me – boring!

Well, must go now, more mischief to be made and havoc to be had. If you want to see some pictures of my week go to the gallery – woof woof, lick lick – Sophie.

It seems ages since I last wrote in my blog. Not a lot has been happening with me really. I am still getting up to mischief, but nobody seems to notice. I think that everyone is trying the 'do not give her any attention' approach hoping that I will calm down - I am getting frustrated with everyone not playing with me, but we will have to see who cracks first!

We have been very lucky with the weather in the village that I live; the worst thing we had was that the fields got very muddy and my Dad would not walk me in them. We have lots of very large ditches around all of the fields and the water runs into them first. When we see all of the terrible things happening around the country with people and their poor animals being made temporarily homeless it makes us all very sad.

My Dad tried to explain to me about climate change but I am only a puppy, I didn't really understand. He told me that we must all help to save the environment and that is why he is always turning off lights and computers, recycling glass, plastic, paper and tins and fills up the compost bin. I always tell him that I am a more efficient waste recycling machine but he still puts a lot into the garden composter - spoilsport. He even now uses bio-degradable pooper scoop bags, whatever bio-degradable is. Well, must go, I can hear someone in the staff kitchen; if the gooey eyes don't work I can always sit on their feet until they notice me.

Bath Time .......

I have just had my first real bath (I normally just get hosed down when I get muddy) and it was great fun. The nice man gave me lots of treats and talked to me.

I didn't give him an easy time and kept wriggling, but what did you expect. Afterwards I smelt like a flower, Biggles hated it and was complaining constantly about smelling like a girl, he kept trying to rub the smell off onto the carpet - woosy.

I just don't believe it, the jammy thing. I have been trying for nearly 12 years to taste human chocolate and the nearest I got was when my Dad took me to see a relative in a nursing home and one of the residents tried to feed me an After-Eight mint. I was gutted, Dad spotted it just as I was about to grab it - it smelt amazing.

Now, Madam has eaten half a box full - what a cheek, she didn't even save me one. She is off my Christmas card list I can tell you; and do you know what was worse, E-Numbers. She went so hyper it was like she was on drugs - chewed even more of her bad and ripped another cushion to bits. I am going to keep a closer eye on her in future, I want whatever she is having..............

All because the lady loves Milk Tray ................

Well, it wasn't really Milk Tray but M & S top of the range luxury chocolates, and guess what, the silly things left the box within reach; well, you have to take your chances where you can don't you. Auntie Una stayed on Friday and her and Daddy ate lots of chocolates whilst watching telly - they wouldn't give me any as they said that they were bad for me.

So, next morning whilst they were eating breakfast I nudged open the lounge door and bingo, they were all gone before you could say 'oi Minx' - they we delicious and lip smacking tasty. Dad found me just as I had finished and I thought here we go again. 'Sophie, what are you doing' etc, etc .... usual spiel. Naughty dog, blah, blah, blah - they even phoned my Doctor (I don't like the word vet - too many bad memories) and he said that I was a lab, and he had seen labs eat whole boxes of chocolates and still be OK. Apparently it is very dangerous if you eat human chocolate over a sustained period of time; So crises over, I got a chocky treat and helped them with their diets (yeah right!); every ones a winner.

Evidence to follow.

Saturday 2nd June and another first. I have just found the biggest puddle in the world, but it tasted of salt and was very sandy.

My Auntie Sue and Nanny Barbara took me on a picnic, it was fantastic, we had lots of food and drink and I got to play in the sea. My uncle threw my ball into the water and it floated, without hesitation I ran after it and the strangest thing happened - my feet lifted off the floor; it was amazing. I am not one to boast (yeah right <Biggles>) but I was an excellent swimmer.

I couldn't get enough - in, out, in, out ....... Although I did scare my Dad a bit as I saw some other people playing on the beach and I wanted to join in. I ran up to them shouting at them to play with me, but they reacted really strangely - they kept waving their arms in the air and telling me to go away, but I knew that they wanted to play really and so kept shouting. After that I was put on a long elastic lead but I ran off and it snapped - oops...

My boyfriend Biggles loved it as well, and for an old boy he really got stuck in - he loved the sea and even chased after me (not that he ever caught me). He did get a lot of water in his ears and he has need drops in since, but, hey, I am all right!

On the way home in the car we were soaking wet and we had a good game afterwards when they tried to get the sand out of my coat - I admit that I can be a bit naughty sometimes.

We did take some photos, but not with the digital camera and so will post them after the old fashioned film has been developed.

Lots of woofs, licks and wags - Sophie xxx.

Arrrggghhhhh……… what a handful! I was always told that you should never breed from two chocolate Labradors, Sophie’s Mum and Dad are both chocolate Labs and I now know that it is not a myth but true! I think that Sophie must have solar panels – she never runs out of energy. You can run her around for an hour continuously non-stop and she isn't even tired. Even when she does tire after a five-minute nap she is recharged again.

She pulls on the lead and barks at everything; dogs, people, cars, and plastic bags. I know that it is actually me who is the problem and I have seen a dog trainer to train me. That did some good but she is still a handful. I got given an excellent book and DVD called The Dog Listener by Jan Fennell which was brilliant, but the minx still tries to be the top dog.

I have tried stones in a bottle to stop her barking – didn't work. I have tried stopping and turning around every time she barks but that didn't work either. I borrowed one of those remote controlled collar sprayers – useless.

Having said all of that, Sophie is a beautiful lovable, loyal and cuddly dog – she adds character and spark to the office and home, and I love the fact that she is mischievous.

I will just have to keep taking the tablets!

Thursday 5th April 2007 - A day I will never forget. I went to the vets this morning, didn't like it at all.

They said relax, calm down, but I had other ideas, I can give as good as I got and showed my teeth and growled. They gave me what they called a pre-med and it was really good stuff, I was floating around like a puppy, but it made me fall over like I was drunk.

When I woke up I was shocked. I felt a draft near my tummy and My belly was bald! somebody had played a practical joke and shaved all my fur off - carefully going around four of my nipples.

There was a little scar about 2 inches long and I had some funny string holding it together. I heard one of the ladies in a green dress say that I wouldn't be able to have puppies now - why? I would have been a great mum, and think of all the extra attention I would get. But hey, on the up side I will never get a saggy under-carriage.

So, I have been on lead play for over a week, but now I am up and about and bombing around again - hooray..... Strange thing though - I keep getting the urge to mount Biggles; poor old thing - hormones, who said anything about hormones.

Sophie.

Happy Birthday to Me, Happy Birthday to Me, Happy Birthday to Me'eeeee, Happy Birthday to Me

Sunday 18th February 2007 and I am One Years Old - that is 15 years in Doggy Years. I was always told that it was 7 dog years to one human year, but I was wrong. 15 for the first year and 7 every year thereafter.

So, I am a teenager, brilliant. I had a great birthday. Had friends round - Biggles, my boyfriend, a bit old, but he still knows how to give a lady a good time! and my new friends from next door - Jip and Janeke. They were named after a Dutch story. They are brother and sister, and Yip is pretty fit - Janeke thinks that I am a bit of a threat and so is still a bit off. I showed her my belly, and tried to give her a wash but she wasn't moving - I am sure that she will come around.

We had biscuits and cake and I got a new cuddly toy - won't take long to get the stuffing out of that, although Dad keeps taking her off me - spoil-sport.

So, must go, I will put some photo's of the big day on my gallery as soon as I can.

Lots of licks, woofs and wags - Sophie.

O my God, am I excited.

You will never guess what happened last night, I went from a puppy to women-hood, its official I'm a grown up.

I didn't like the feeling sick, which I was, uck, or the other stuff, but I've arrived. I am told that my hormones were going wild, and this may be why I thought those other boy dogs, who I might add I would not normally be my type, I found quite attractive. But, back to normal now.

As a grown up I can stay up late, have slumber parties, and get up to even more mischief - hooray ......

Hi all, Sophie here. O, how I love talking about me...., I am a very attractive blond who at the time of typing, which is no mean feat with only paws, I am 11 months old. I am told that I am a labrador, whatever that is, although I like to think of myself as an individual.

Now, everyday I come to this funning looking place, which Biggles my older friend tells me is where we have to work - to me it is a fun place to play with lots of people, and they are always feeding me - yeah..... I love the yogurt pots most. I am still confused as to what my role is, so at the moment I am doing a bit of everything. So far I have chewed the carpet in the car, eaten 2 chocolates off the Christmas tree (white ones as I know that the dark ones are bad) including a glass ball, stolen the engineers screwdrivers, given my Dad a black eye, and redesigned the wooden door-stop, it is much better now that it has teeth marks in it. I will have to behave a bit for a while as I already have one ASBO

Hi, my name is Biggles, I am an 11 year old yellow 'boy' labrador, and even though I say it myself I am looking pretty dashing for my advancing years. I live with my Dad who is one of the directors at this place that I work, and until January I had a wonderful girlfriend called Amber, who sadly went to the great big kennel in the sky. She was 10 years old and was the love of my life since the first time we sniffed at 3 months old.

I do not know what I have done to deserve it, but I now have to work with a new ladette called Sophie - or 'ASBO' as my Dad calls her. She is a nightmare! I used to be the top-dog and just laze around all day, now I have this little miss chasing me, biting me, and she never sleeps !! she is a bully, anti-social and a vandal, but I do have a soft spot for her..

I must go as the little minx is bugging me, but I will be writing more soon.