Diary

Thursday 29th November 2001
After 13 hours in the car (Kent to Shropshire and back), we finally arrived home along with our new puppy at 8 pm. The journey back had been much better than that there (we hit a huge traffic jam that slowed us down by over an hour), and the puppy was fine all the way home, not making a fuss or mess anytime.
He seemed very disorientated when he first came into the house, but quickly started to get used to his new parents and play. However, then 11 pm struck - time for bed. Or not as the case was! Not in puppy's mind anyway. We put him inside his cage and he didnt stop whining for most of the night. I had to get up to him 3 times throughout the night to try and comfort him but he was obviously missing his mum, brother and sisters.

Friday 30th November 2001
We woke up to quite a messy cage. However, puppy had somehow managed to avoid most of the mess and got some sleep during the night (I wish I could only say the same thing!). Me and my mum had a debate on what we should call him. She liked Digby and Boot (both of which I hated), and I liked Riggs (which, of course, she hated!). So we came to a compromise of Rigsby, with Riggs being his 'short name'! A trip to the vets called at 9.30 am and so off I went on my own to visit our superb vet, Matt Viljoen. Riggs was good in the car and didnt mess at all. However, managing Riggs, his paperwork, and his gift bag (that the vet gave us) all between two hands proved a bit more challenging.
He had 2 visitors, both of which adored him, and Riggs became quite attached to them too. They are our families two closest friends and so Riggs will be seeing quite a lot of them.
He went into his cage quite willingly but again had me up twice during the night after relieving himself.

Saturday 1st December 2001
Riggs woke up at 5 am and so I got up with him. My usual Saturday wake up times vary between 11 and 1 in the afternoon and so this was a bit of a shock! He was very playful and seems to have started getting his teeth through as he is chewing alot (although they do this anyway) - our feet and hands seem a favourite for him to sink his teeth into!
Went to bed without trouble and slept right through until 6.30 am. Ahhhh, sleep!

Sunday 2nd December 2001
More visitors, this time from our neighbour, who owns a beutiful 2 year old Laborador called Bally, and our neighbours from the other side of the fence. They all loved him. Bet you didnt guess that!
He went to bed fine and again slept right through until the morning.

Monday 3rd December 2001
Very playful, as usual, and had more visitors. He even became a hit with the postman and milkman! He has started voluntarily going into his cage and seems to see it as his home now - he started to personalise it with slippers and socks!
Drifted off to sleep fine. However, woke up during the night after relieving himself, but soon dozed back off to sleep to the sound of my clock radio tuned into Five Live.

Tuesday 4th December 2001
Nothing major to report for the first time! He gave his first proper bark whilst playing, and thats about it!

Wednesday 5th December 2001
Riggs' 6th night in the house. He only got me up once last night (at 3 am), and after relieving himself, quickly dozed back off to sleep (as did I next to him on his bean bag!). He had 2 more visitors today from my auntie and nan, and as everyone else does, they adored him. Other than that, he's still nipping at our feet and his teeth are getting sharper by the day, so we are desperatly trying to discourage this playful behaviour. Still, at least there no need to use the toe nail clippers at the moment! His markings are also becoming more prominent by the day, and his fawn colouring is also gradually getting darker. His puppyish features are fading every day. My mums wishes she could bottle his smell! lol. Well just have to get another puppy when it fades, eh mum! He's also grown prominently, and his belly is getting even bigger than it was when we got him! We also arranged his first walk with my dad's friend who has a 10 month old Sharpae called Milow. Finally, we got the details through for his doggie training - it starts in the new year after his second lot of injections.

Thursday 6th December 2001
Not much to report today. He was very good last night and didnt make a sound all night, but has been a little too playful tonight, and keeps nipping our ankles and hands. Hopefully he'll be worn out by bedtime and will get another sound nights sleep. His bark is really developing now, and he keeps using it whilst playing with 'Mr Carrot'. He also discovered the 'mop game', when my mum was mopping the floor - he decided to grab hold of the mop head and be dragged around behind it!

Friday 7th December 2001
Quite an eventful day for lil Riggs! He took his first journey in the car out of the cage - and slept the whole way to the supermarket and back! He doesnt seem to mind travelling in the car at all. Apart from that, his bark is in full flow now, and he's using it all the time. His right ear seems to be standing up a bit too much, and were going to find out if we can get it corrected (though were not too bothered as he's only going to be a pet for the time being and not be shown), and he still looks as cute as ever! I think you will agree as soon as the pictures are up and you can see for yourself. Last night he got me up once, but as usual he went straight back off to sleep after being mopped up!

Saturday 8th December 2001
More new visitors today, this time from my auntie, uncle, and cousin, and a local man who has recently 'lost' his Bull Mastiff. More new toys aswell, this time in the form of a HUGE tennis-like ball, a rope-with-a-tennis-ball-on-each-end (looks like he's weightlifting when he uses it!), and another 'tugging' rope toy. This is one big playground for my little boy! He slept right through till 6 am this morning. He hasn't yet grasped the 'its the weekend and so lay in time' concept and so got up at the 'weekday' time of 6 am.

Thursday 13th December 2001
Sorry I havent been able to update the diary for a while but Ive been run off my feet. To bring you up to date, Riggs is now barking full blown! He doesnt want to shut up now he has discovered his speaking voice! Last night was the first night he has slept right through until 6:30 am without a peep. Maybe because I wore him out playing football with him on our new patio. What did amaze me was that I didn't get home from a christmas party until after 2 am and he still didnt wake up! I really must have nackered the little fella! He's starting to learn now that the new patio is his new toilet place. He christened the first slab yesterday.

Friday 14th December 2001
Accidents do happen - as me and Riggs were playing this afternoon, he accidently bit me on the nose :O(
We were rolling around wrestling on the floor and, unlike normally when he 'lippies' my ear (he rests his lips against my ear and blows out!), he grabbed hold of my honker! And boy did it hurt! His teeth are really coming through now, and I have proof right between and about an inch in front of my eyes! Other than that, he hasnt stopped wanting to play all day long, and so I'm shattered. Hopefully he is aswell and will sleep right through until the morning and let me have a lie in! zzzzzzzz!

Monday 21st December 2001 - Christmas Eve
:( We had to go to the vets today because Riggs has developed a rash around his face and spots under his belly. However, we were assured that it is not serious and is common amongst puppies - our vet compared it to human impetigo. He now has a course of eye cream, ear drops, and a special wash to try and clear it up. It has really knocked my little boy fot 6 though. He just doesnt want to play whilst he's under the weather - what a lousy first christmas for him. His face itches, his ears are sore, and all he wants to do is rest. Hopefully (with everything crossed), it will have cleared up within a couple of weeks, then he will be back to his maniatic self! We just gave him his first special wash and he didn't mind it too much actually. He is even leaving some of his food which is VERY unusual as its normally gone within a minute. :(

Later That Evening...
Riggs was looking quite a bit worse for wear and so we decided to take him back to the vets and get him checked over again. He was diagnosed as having Juvenile Pyoderma, and was given an anti inflamitary to try and reduce the swelling around his mouth. He didnt move all night long, apart from a trip to the toilet, at which point we also noticed a slight limp in his front left leg.

Wednesday 26th December 2001 - Boxing Day
Christmas day, Riggs didnt do much at all apart from eat some scrambled egg and releive himself. He looked slightly worse today that Xmas day, with his mouth being very scabby. However, his eyes and ears seem to be responding to the medication. He had another anti inflamitary injection, which perked him up a little.

Friday 29th December 2001
Another trip to the vets this morning, and some new information. Judging his conditions and key symptons, our vet (and myself unofficially!) did some research and came to the conclusion that Riggs does NOT have Juvenile Pyoderma, but instead has Juvenile Cellulitus. He was (reluctantly) given a steroid based jection that our vet hoped would work fairly quickly.

Saturday 30th December 2001....And what a difference a day can make
We woke up this morning and were truely amazed. The swelling was visably down, many scabs had fallen off, and his eyes were wide open and clear. And hes been like it all day. He enjoyed his food greatly, and the vet was amazed at his reaction to the drug. Lets just hope he continues to improve.