Elspeth, I’m really sorry to hear about your hand. As well as it feeling so sore it must also be frustrating that you can’t do much, and that it will cause you problems at the show. Is it the SKC show on Sunday that you are going to? I put it in my diary at the start of this year but now that we have Brodie we won’t be able to make it. I hope something works out so that you are able to show her. According to Jim, Brodie loved the pig-ear that Ceilidh brought for him. Jim said he didn’t leave it alone for half an hour until he completely finished it. Should pig-ears be treated as a treat? At his age (9 weeks), how frequently can we give him one?

Brodie was meant to start his puppy parties yesterday but they were postponed because the lady who took them was ill, so all going well he starts next Tuesday. I hope Ringo enjoyed his. Let us know how he gets on.

Brodie is reasonably good now with his sits. He does them automatically when his food is being prepared, and when I put it down to him. When he’s reasonably calm he will also do them. Judith had obviously been practicing these with him beforehand as this command has been easy to teach him. He’s also reasonable with “Come” - if he’s in the mood. Other commands are not working so well!

The last few days I thought I’d teach him “Down”, however I can’t seem to get him in the right mood for practicing. Either he’s too hyper or too tired. “Fetch” hasn’t been successful yet either: either he runs after the item, touches it and comes bounding back without it; or most recently (which I thought was a slight improvement) he runs after the item, picks it up, runs back to us within a meter then runs away in the opposite direction, obviously hoping for a chase. I’m planning to get him and us into a training class after he’s had his vaccines.
He is growing at an amazing rate. I feel he’s starting to loose his puppy looks already :(

Judith, it wasn’t quite clear to me in Ali’s message if you were both coming up to Scotland soon to see Elspeth. But if you are and want to meet up with Brodie just let me know.