On Saturday we went to the Bowood dog show in Wiltshire. We set of nice and early (so we thought - this was a Saturday after all) so that we'd get there in plenty of time. We knew Wendy and her beasts, Bumpy and Poppy would be there, and the Squirrels with an "ohh ess tea eee arrr with a captial eff" (apparently that means that she just uses their home like a posh sort of kennel for a bit) called Alice. Mum and dad said their was going to be other Fugees (some internet thingy) there and someone else very special.


Mark & Alice

But I get ahead of myself. Normally dad's car goes quite quick - very quick actually, but today near an Ox ford - whatever that is - we spent ages just sitting around. Usually when dad stops for more than a few minutes we're all allowed out, but we had to stay in the car - dead boring, not even any sheep to look at.

Then after ages we went quick, but then it started getting all grey and we could see flashes in the sky and the wind blew enough to shake the car a bit and it started raining so hard we couldn't see out the windows. We could hear mum and dad saying that this was going to be fun, but they didn't sound like they meant it. We didn't know where we were, but we did see a sign saying New Zealand was only ½ a mile away. Now, us greyhounds don't do much geography, the other side of the field is about as good as it gets, but even I know that we had not been in the car long enough to get there.

Not too long afterwards we finally to got Bowood; we knew we'd arrived 'coz there was lots of other dogs around. Mum and dad said that this was the first time a dog show was being held here. So they had lots and lots of nice sunny days, and chose one when it rained lots. Why? Don't they know that hounds don't do rain?


Bowood

We met up with Sam and Mark and their daughter Aisling, Wendy, Mindy, Helen and Sandra - the Fugees. They had been outside in the rain, and had got very wet, as had their beasts; but they were still smiling. Then it started to rain again and we all went and hid under a tent; and then it thundered, which meant that Kai had to go and hide under a table, but he left his bum sticking out in the rain!!


Kai being a whimp and Keira

And Maple didn't like it either, but she's a girl, so that's OK. With Kai being a whimp, Jack making sure he wasn't missing out on food and Troy leaning against people, that left me to look after her.


Me looking after Maple

And you could tell it was raining!! Look at this pic of Helen!!


Helen and Rain

Then another man and lady turned up, and dad said the lady was the very special someone else, Ange. He explained that after I'd been rescued in Ireland, all the treatment and food and cars and everything needed to be paid for, and that Ange and Sam had given some money so that I could be helped. And both of them had done it without knowing me and, in Ange's case, expecting ever to see me again (Sam had promised the ladies in Ireland that she would visit me at Aunty Claire's, but she never did 'coz I went to live with Kai and mum and dad before she could), and ever wanting anything back. So I had two people that helped me in the same place as me; how special is that? I think they are both very beautiful ladies, and perhaps if the human world had more like them it would be a much nicer place. Of course, I gave Ange one of my soulful looks when she came to say hello, which is my way of saying thank you. I hope we see her again - she is a lovely lady.


Aisling and Alice

Back to the dog show. The rain eased off to a downpour, and the judging started. Aisling took Mindy's dogs into one competition, and managed to scoop the first prize of the day for the Fugees. And then the rain stopped, and it turned into a lovely day.


A Pround Parent Moment for Mindy as Aisling returns with her beasts and a prize

Dad took us boys into the Handsomest Dog class. There were lots in there, and none of us won anything; Dad said we were all fired. Then he took Jack and Maple into the Oldies class. It's worth pointing out that the lady judge was a proper Kennel Club judge and was using Kennel Club rules. This meant that Maple had to be groped by her, and to be fair to Maple, you could tell she didn't like it, but she let her. Jack loved it of course. And guess what? They came third. And even better, Wendy had taken Bumpy and Poppy in as well, and they came second. WhooHooo!! - Fugees in 2nd and 3rd place. Then dad took Troy into the best six legs competition, but let's face it, Troy didn't stand much of a chance with dad's legs as the other two.


Wendy with Bumpy and Poppy, and dad with Jack and Maple


Jack


Maple

Unbelievably, that was pretty much the end of the show, but not the end of the day. We all went back to Bumpy and Poppy's house 'coz they live dead close. So how many dogs can you get in a house? Today it was eleven. Some houses just feel nice and friendly, and thiers was like that. Their garden smells great so of course we added our smells too.


Mindy in a sea of dogs

While the humans had drinks of tea or sangria, we had a wander round or a stroke from them, depending on how we felt.


Mum and Alice

Bumpy and Poopy were really nice and let us use their beds for a bit, and Aisling and Alice kipped in a chair.


Alice looking after Aisling

And so the day came to and end. We didn't have to stop and wait anywhere going home, which was good 'coz we were all dog tired. All we wanted was our tea and beds; and that's just what we got.

See you soon,
Monty