It’s been a long time since I’ve seen my owners. They say it was 17 days and I have no idea how long that is but while these temporary minders are kind enough, they aren’t my regular peeps. I have been patient and mostly well behaved and it’s been a learning experience for all parties in this house (you know I am a party too). I will keep my exit blog brief for I am a dog of few words. I have three recommendations as a result of this visit (I believe in following project management principles, including looking back when the project is over and making recommendations for the future)
Recommendations:
- Boots
- I recommend some clever thinker should invent affordable, warm, easy to put on, non slip winter boots for dogs. Believe me, there is a market. Dogs and owners would thank you.
- Evidence based veterinary medicine
- If there is a raft of evidence based veterinary medicine available, it’s hidden. Pet owners who are interested should be able to find that information on-line. I recommend a grad student or an information specialist put together a list of good places to look for trials and studies on animal care and treatment. I am sure some owners would pay a fee to access such information.
- Pet minder course
- It clear to me now that being well intentioned and being good at something are two different things. There are babysitting courses. Why aren’t there pet sitting courses? I recommend (it’s a business opportunity) someone offer a course that would help familiarize people with animal behaviour. These people here would have benefited from such a course. I would have given some of my treat allowance to pay for their enrolment.
It’s good-bye to you all from me now. I have really enjoyed meeting so many of you on-line. It’s a whole other world I did not know existed. You’ve been very kind and supportive during my hour of need when I asked you some difficult questions.
I was thinking of asking my owners if I could have my own blog site but I hear it can take a lot of time so it’s probably best to let sleeping dogs lie.
Yours,
Squidge
Barb's True Stories 
Wonderful suggestions Squidge. Perhaps mention your pet sitting lessons to the vet/groomer the next time you visit.
So lonnnng…it’s been great to know ya!
You brought the Fat Fairy Princess and her Ugly Stepsister in regular communication during these dark days of winter.
Thanks and may your treats be many and the rabbits run slow.
Pea
Good bye to you too. Thanks for being in touch!
Bye bye Squidge – we’ll miss you!! Maybe one day we’ll meet, until then,
yip yip and woof woof,
Tess and Whiskey
When I learn some of the social graces of meeting other dogs, I would like to meet you too. Thank you for being in touch!
Squidge read this comment he was on his own and now the minder has read the comment is checking the level on the scotch bottles.
Could be she is looking for a little bit of the hair of the dog that ‘could have’ bit her.
До свидания Squidge. Удачи, крепкого здоровья и счастья. Волк
I asked Squidge (who has gone home) what he wanted to say in reply. He said although he has no clue what you said Volk, he thinks it is likely good bye and best wishes. He tells of time when his minder was at work farewell for a clever economist who was an anglophone but said he’d learned some Mandarin during a visit to China. And so he bid the group farewell in Mandarin. We all thought it was some tender reminiscence but when the economist asked an Asian colleague for translation she said his comments translated to “Your mother is a cow.”
Hey Little Man. You had the best possible care givers. I know that for a fact. Since they know little about dogs they let you get away with murder. Wait until your owner sees the new tricks you have learned. You will be on-line looking up vacations they can take.
I called Squidge to tell him how lucky he was based on your comment. He said any good treatment he receives is the least he expects based on his extraordinary good looks and above average ability to blog. He has asked that “guest blogger” be added to his resume.