More from the doghouse

Well, Alfie decided to fall asleep in the bathroom yesterday evening, so I left the door open, put his bed in the passageway just outside, and then closed the door between the passageway and kitchen. I didn't hear a peep out of him all night. In fact, I got up to go to the bathroom around 3 AM, and had to step over him to get to the loo. He snored the whole time, totally unaware I was there. I got up quite late for me, around 09.15, and he was snoring in his bed. I'm a light sleeper and didn't hear anything, so there's no way the woman downstairs can have, either.

I've also introduced a few changes with Alfie. He's been running me ragged, demanding five walks a day, and I'm not talking gentle little strolls up and down the street. So, I've secured the raised patio area outside my back door with netting and trellis, so that he can't fall down the steps or through the railings, and he's now quite happy to pad around out there, instead of going for walks all the time. I'm very happy to take him for two or three good strolls a day, but I refuse to do five. He's not a one year old Rottweiler, so he doesn't need all that exercise. In fact, I think he may be harming himself at his age. That said, his back legs are definitely starting to grow stronger.

I'm now keeping him at the back of the flat, which is far easier to air and rid of doggy whiffs. He actually has more room to move down there, anyway. Because of the stairs, I've had to fit a baby gate over the living room door, so he was more or less restricted to one room when at home. He seems happier at the back of the house, because he can also wander in and out if the back door's open. Plus, it means fewer accidents indoors, and any accidents that do occur, can simply be mopped up, as there's no carpet at the back.

Anyway, I took Alfie on the bus for the first time yesterday. He barked a bit, but not too much. I took him for a walk along the front at Langland, where we met a very amorous gay terrier, who tried to do rude things to Alfie. My boy wasn't best pleased, and growled a lot. Back at the bus station, I had to pick him up and run onto a bus, to escape some skank's unruly Staffordshire bull terrier. But apart from lusty terriers and thuggish Staffies, I think he had a nice day.