(If I can't chew them at least I can sleep amongst them)

Finally all the snow has gone, and our lawn now resembles a hippo mud wallow! Of course Neo has no problems with this at all, I'm constantly wiping his paws.

He is now enrolled in his puppy classes, they start on the 9th of March. It was an encouraging sign that the lady who registered us was very enthusiastic about him being a Rottie, I'm getting so used to the negative comments that it was a refreshing change. I was a little worried that he wouldn't be welcome.

A couple had taken their Beagle pup down to the registration, I've gotten so used to the size of Neo that I found it hard to believe that this scrap of a pup must be around the same age!that has triggered off another worry! hes 12kg (probably more now) of rottie pup who is pretty boisterous and has a favourite game of flooring anything smaller than him with a carefully laid paw across the back!! This is just his way of playing but unfortunately those smaller than him don't feel the same way! I really hope this isn't going to make us unwelcome.

Hes doing very well out on the lead, he likes to stop and sniff all the time like most dogs, I don't mind this at the moment as hes young and our walks are short, hes also pretty good at moving on when told so its not a battle of wills, but the plan is to get him to keep moving when walking on the lead and sniff around when off the lead. Not sure if this is the right thing to do but if your short of time then I feel the exercise is more important rather than a constant stop start.

We don't have children yet but have seen something of the joys(?) of raising a family as I have a young niece and nephew. Having Neo has opened my eyes to what having children around is all about. When it was just us and the cat life was pretty simple, the cat ate and slept and apart from some affection when he asked for it he required very little else. Now Neo has entered the fold all has changed, him and the cat behave like a couple of toddlers, Neo wants to play, the cat doesn't (or he makes out that he doesn't), hes forever trying to stick his claws in Neo's nose and yelling at him, now Neo has got quite good at dodging these weapons while at the same time flooring the cat with his big paws, you'd think that the cat would take the nearest escape route but oh no he just goes back for more! In fact its almost comical, one second I'm yelling at Neo for chasing the cat out of the room only to watch the cat chase him back in a second later! Its like watching siblings running around. Have given up trying to break up the fights now as they both seem to have settled into a routine.

I find myself having to time my activities around the pup like you would children. I try and only go out, have a bath or do the ironing when hes due his nap as I don't like to shut him in the kitchen more than I really have to, at least if hes sleepy its not such a big deal. My trips out have to be timed in between feeds and letting him out to the toilet.

We're still getting up at 3 or 4 in the morning to let him out and again at 7 although now hes getting older its noticeable that hes managing for longer. In a few weeks he may even go through the night, fingers crossed.

I've noticed that my living room is a constant obstacle course of toys and chews which includes yogurt pots and plastic milk cartons, my wood and tile floors are constantly decorated in large paw prints and my rugs are becoming black and furry! In my life before Neo I was a fairly house proud person and liked everything to be in its place, how thats changed! I do try to keep on top of the floor cleaning and the picking up of toys but am slowly realising I am fighting a loosing battle!

Hmmmmmm maybe theres a reason we still don't have children!!