And so Dylan invaded France….

Bonjour mes amies! So a perfect spring break was in store. Dylan and I, plus our friends Jenny and Russ squashed into my little Peugeot – and believe me it was bursting at the seams with all sorts of weird – Marmite crisps, smoked paprika – and wonderful things our French hosts and friends Mois and Rich cannot get in France.

Well everything apart from wine, because at €2 for a decent bottle of Bordeaux or Cotes du Rhône – yes really it is good – we were stocking up when we got there. And trust me we stocked and restocked! In fact puppy class may have made me turn to drink on Monday nights, but after spending seven days with Dyls, my friends came back seriously considering whether to check into a drying out clinic!

Mind you, they had prepared by bringing Rhubarb and Ginger Gin and Blood Orange Vodka with them!

Now Dylan might be many things – see previous posts – but the thing she does well is travel. Never sick, falls asleep – perfect!

And she slept for six hours until we arrived at our friends in Ambrieres, which in hindsight probably wasn’t a good thing, as she had built up lots of unused energy!

Mois and Rich have two Welshie’s, who were waiting for us at the gate. Princess Wiglet and Handsome Harley.

Harley had last seen Dylan at Christmas when he was recovering from major surgery and had tolerated Dyls, while Wiglet stepped in as a surrogate mummy.

Few months on, and you could see the surprise in their eyes when this bigger, full of attitude, swagger and to be honest a bit of an oompah loompah puppy got out of the car! Uh oh!

 

Once through the gate they were off! Dylan chasing her two Welshie cousins who were looking as if to say WTF!

And did I mention there are five cats? Oh Dylan being let loose in an acre of garden, two other Welshies , chickens and then the added bonus of FIVE cats! Well it was almost too much for her. But hold on, for Dyls… nothing is too much!

While Harley and Wiglet had a little snooze after all the zoomies round the garden, and we five caught up over cheese, fig jam, olives and a glass – Ok bottle (s) of Cotes du Rhône, Dylan seized the opportunity of an open door, raced up the stairs to where the cats had found refuge in their mum and dads bedroom and bounced round the bed like Tigger, leaving the poor horrified cats huddled in the middle thinking what is this abomination. Bit like my cats Harry and Pixie do on a daily basis.

Auntie Mois was first to react, raced up the stairs followed by the rest of us. Dylan by this time had leapt on the bed. The cats had scattered. Auntie Mois told Dylan off – quite rightly – Dylan stared hard and fast at Mois, then and still staring defiantly pooed on the beautiful pristine bed cover.

OMG! The shame!

It was like the puppy class gate all over again!

At this point I (though mortified as trust me, this is not how Dylan behaves at home) realised Mois and I will be friends for life, as she scooped up Dyls in one arm, the bed cover in the other shrugged and said “Well shit happens!”

Yep two hours in and Dyls made her mark – in a manner of speaking!

By day two the words “Where’s Dylan, what is she doing? What has she got in her mouth now?” became like a recording on loop!

And most times we could find Dylan with Wiglet.

Now at puppy class Dyls is definitely headgirl , the ring leader. In France, Dylan developed a girl crush on Wiglet and basically became her stalker – whether Wiglet liked it or not!

Wiglet fancied a quick ten minute snooze – well that was never going to happen as Dyls wanted her to play, so jumped on Wiglet’s back until Wiglet gave in!

Seriously have to admire Dylan’s ability to get her own way!

Thankfully there were no more poo incidents, but Dylan found a mop and dragged it triumphantly round the garden aided by Wiglet, and of course being clever little Welshie girls, the pair of them worked out they could poke it through the wire and terrify the chickens.

Poor Harley, as the eldest, the male and leader of the pack, he had his work cut out keeping those two girls in order!

In fact you could see the look of resignation on his face, almost saying Ffs, when once again he had to go out in rain to herd Dylan back into the house when she refused to come in – after we five had tried to catch her slipping and sliding on the grass. Oh how she enjoyed that game!

I swear she was laughing at our pathetic attempts.

But at the end of the trip Dylan became a lady – well that is she started her first season.

Harley being a gentleman had a quick sniff but left her alone. Dyls went a bit lethargic and was feeling sorry for herself, but then perked up when another friend arrived with his gorgeous Apricot poodle Oscar.

Oscar is 11 and has been ‘done’ and wasn’t quite sure why this puppy was throwing herself at him – because Dylan did, using her new found allure shamelessly!

And managed to get Oscar scolded several times when really it was Dyls being a tart, flirting, and leading the old boy on.

Probably not the first nor the last time in the world a young bit of fluff has cosied up to a man four times her age!

So all in all Dylan had a lovely time in France and it went far too fast. Harley and Wiglet didn’t want us to leave.

Mois told me they missed the little monster after she’d gone and went through the house looking for her.

Dylan got home and sulked – no one in the house to play with – well apart from me – and no puppy class for three weeks.

I am sure she’s thinking about her imminent return and whether anyone has taken over her role of head girl.

The reports coming back from class is that it’s very quiet without Dyls and she is much missed. Though apparently her best buddies Boo and Molly have come on leaps and bounds. Mmm I wonder why?

Well Dylan will be back at class very soon, as she will be back in France for a very big adventure very soon. Watch out France, and watch this space!