Girls! Girls! Girls!

Today I went to see my vet, Steve. I'm not sick, just getting a check-up and getting weighed. I love my vet. I haven't seen him since I was 8 weeks old because I kept accidentally going in on the day he's not there. So I checked and now I know his days and ask for him especially. Steve was very pleased with how much I'd grown, and said I was very handsome and I have a lovely personality. Mostly people very rarely have both, so I am very pleased to hear this. And I am now 34.5kg! After I weighed myself, Leo (who was with me for moral support) jumped on the scales (he is so clever he weighs himself for Steve) and he is now 13.4kg (so he's lost a bit of holiday weight running away from me). Steve was so impressed we both got treats. And lots of hugs and scratches. I love my vet.

Afterwards, we went to the park. We walked down the street, my happy slobber flying in the beautiful summer breeze (it's quite a spectacular display when I shake my head). There were a lot of dogs there, including an Elkhound I last saw when I was quite little, called Brodie. I am now taller than Brodie! I also met a Newfoundland (he was taller than I am !) and played with a beautiful Miniature Schnauzer (quite a gorgeous little girl), a Golden Labrador (she was really so very pretty) and a little Spaniel (she was also very pretty and positively coquettish) and a very captivating white German Shepherd (she too was rather nice) ... I think I have discovered girls. Or they have discovered me ...

Here I am running with my new platinum blonde friend. We were so fast!

And here I am in an action shot - look at my ears! They are straight up in the air like my girlfriend's! No strings involved!

And then, completely unexpectedly, my German friend happened across us as he was walking into the office (remember, the one whose glasses I like to steal). So we chatted away and played. I didn't try to remove his glasses today, however. 

I also came across a Border Collie playing fetch ... although it was a very unfamiliar version of the game. The man threw the ball, the Border Collie ran to get it, and then stood there waiting for the man to catch up and fetch it. I thought to myself they had the game a bit wrong, so I decided I would fetch the ball and take it back to the man. Oddly enough, he seemed completely unfamiliar with this version of the game, and his utterly humourless Border Collie kept telling me off. So once again, I was retrieved. Really, someone should tell them how "fetch" is supposed to work if they want to avoid future misunderstandings with other dogs in the park.

Afterwards we all went for coffee and croissants at one of my favourite cafes. I could lie in the sun and watch all the dogs walk past and get the occasional pat from a new admirer. I do like these warm summer days!

My bark is worse than my blog

I have been having such a busy time of it, that you haven't heard from me in a while.

But enough of the pointless, incessant barking, I have had such an exciting weekend it's back to the blog!

Yesterday, we went to Canonbury Pet Store, and they weighed me. I am now 33.5kg and 25 inches tall. The lady there really likes me and always introduces me to everyone as the famous Otterhound. Leo and I got some treats too!

Then Leo and I were in the park and a bunch of girls recognised Leo and rushed over to say hello. They said they were going to get a Bedlington Terrier as well soon, because of Leo. See, everybody loves Leo!

After the park, we all went to another dog-friendly pub. This time we went to the Marquess Tavern in Canonbury Street.

This pub is owned by its patrons and we met some of the regulars while we were there. Dogs are not allowed in the restaurant (which is like a beautiful glass dome with a chandelier as well!), just the bar. But the bar is very nice and, to be perfectly frank, looking at all the wine glasses on the tables in the restaurant, I wouldn't let me in there either.

Anyway, the pub was very nice, they offered us water and Leo and I settled down with a couple of chews while the food was ordered. I did at one point do my best slapstick routine, knocking over a chair and everything on it in my haste to get to Leo. The barman joked, "that's why I have a small dog." I was a little embarrassed, so I spent the rest of the time eating my biscuits.

But Leo was very bold and lay in the walkway eating his chew and flirting with patrons. He caught the eye of one little girl who kept running back and forth from her table to give him slices of apple. He loved it! We also met Neville, who is a regular there, and he said we were both very lovely. Neville said, "it's not a real pub without a dog." And then we discussed how it is very disappointing that some pubs don't let dogs in. I really like Neville.

Neville's cat is currently in the hospital recuperating from a thyroid operation. She has been there 2 and a half weeks already, but hopefully she will be home this week. We are all sending her our best wishes.

So the Marquess Tavern is a great pub with lots of very nice regulars. One small thing (an unintended pun) was that I personally was a little bit cramped behind the table (I am quite big I suppose). But once I found a spot to stretch out in (mostly under the table) I was fairly content. I think it was more the fault of the spot we chose. Anyway, the food was apparently very good and the building is really very lovely. So I am sure we will be going back again and again, especially to ask after Neville's cat. So the Marquess Tavern gets 4.5/5 Finnegan paw stamps (the grown-ups said the food was worth 5)! I am going to go back again soon though so I can give it 5 paw stamps!

Then, on the way home, we discovered a new pet store had opened - it's called "Love Your Pets Boutique" and it's on Essex Road. The smells coming out were amazing and I just couldn't walk past, so we rushed in to where there were buckets and buckets of treats. There was also a Border Terrier in there shopping, and a Jack Russell Terrier too, and they both barked and growled at me a lot. But I just woofed and went back to the buckets. Terriers!

Leo and I got 2 big bones each, and an Ostrich pull toy, a sheep toy that baas when I squeeze it (a sheep because it reminds me of Leo, although the baa sounds more like a duck) and a bouncing heart (that barks). And we also got some seed for the birds. Here we are enjoying our big bones on the roof. They are amazing bones. We have barely made a dent in them and we've been working on them for two days!

Afterwards we played with our Ostrich toy. This was fantastic fun. It's not just a rope toy, its head squeaks as well! What an amazing toy!

Anyway, I took one end and Leo took the other, and we pulled and pulled and pulled. I'd drag Leo down one end of the room. And then I'd hop back again and he'd pull me up to the other end. And we did this over and over. It's honestly not as silly as it sounds.

But it's a toy that also has tremendous solo play value - because of the squeaking. That's probably why Leo kept taking it! Although I don't think it is quite as marvellous as the quacking sheep.

Well, I am quite a generous soul, so I let Leo play with the new Ostrich for a while. After all, he does let me sit in his favourite chair ... from time to time.

Here is Leo enjoying a moment with the Ostrich. It really is a super toy!

Today was another exciting day as well. It was my friend Sarah's birthday and we all went to the Mucky Pup (another dog-friendly pub!) for a Sunday roast. So it was another opportunity for a review.

Leo has been to the Mucky Pup lots of times (before I was even born!), but I haven't been until now. Leo acts like it is his own living room and everyone is so nice they don't seem to mind!

As soon as we arrived they brought over the water, and then everyone had a Sunday roast (vege roast too!). Leo and I had  biscuits and chews though. Here I am in the Mucky Pup, enjoying the atmosphere!

My friend Dimple came as well (remember, I met Dimple at the Dog Day Afternoon). Here he is grinning at me.

After the roast (which apparently is delicious!) we all went to the room next door to play pool.

There is a little beer garden attached to the pool room, and we wandered in and out, and sometimes (when no-one was looking) we went into the bar and said hello to everyone. The grown-ups I was with were a bit worried about this, but everyone was really nice to us and no-one seemed to mind that we had run of the place.

Here is a picture of Leo and me running interference in the pool room.

I had a simply fantastic time and so much fun. In fact, so much fun that I was exhausted when I got home. I really love the Mucky Pup and can't wait to go back there again soon.

I wish I could give 6 Finnegan stamps! But the Mucky Pup, on dog-friendliness alone, gets an overwhelming 5/5 Finnegan paw stamps!

I almost forgot - I got my first football this weekend. I keep crashing people's football games, so it seemed an inevitable next step. Leo and I will be practising all week as we're organising a match next weekend. I will let you know how it goes!