A year without Bob The Dog

From the first moment we saw you, we knew you were the dog for us and we called you Bob.

You put weight on very quickly, maybe a little too much.

You loved life in South Africa, your home. You loved rolling in hippo poo a little too much, you loved barking at the crocodiles and chasing the monkeys.

You didn't complain when we left South Africa. You jumped in the box off on a new adventure.

You loved your early morning trips into the desert and swims in the lakes.

The indoor dog parks and swimming pools, refusing to go home until every ball had been thrown.

You were just as happy with your move to the UK, with your cat by your side.

Your first walk on a street made you jumpy, the noise of the traffic, the sirens, the pelican crossings. Going in coffee shops had you over excited, the fuss from other people overwhelmed you, but you soon got used to it all. 

You enjoyed trips on the ferry to Northern Ireland to spend time with your other family.

But most of all, you loved the freedom of the long walks and the sunny days. You never really got used to the cold and the rain in the UK. The missed the heat of Dubai and South Africa.

You were my best friend Bob. It's been a year since you left us. A year that we've thought about you every day. You were more than just a dog Bob. You were there throughout our expat journey, you got me out of bed on some of the hardest of days, because you wanted a walk, you wanted to play, you wanted to be with me. You got me through covid when I couldn't get back home to Dubai.

Run free Bob.

14th February 2010 - 29th September 2023.

6th - 8th October 2023 Post Comment Love - Goodbye Bob.

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life  and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week and all we ask is that you leave a comment on either mine or Stephanie's post which you linked up through and at least one other post. We'd also love it if you could RT us on Twitter when we tag you to help us reach a wider audience.

14th February 2010 - 29th September 2023

It was with a heavy heart that we had to take Bob the dog to the vets last Friday to say our goodbyes. I've linked up this week with Bob's story.

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the next few days. 

Want to find out more about Post Comment Love #PoCoLo? 

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Bob the dog - 14th February 2010 - 29th September 2023

Bob came to live with us in South Africa in 2013, moving to Dubai in 2015 and onto the UK in 2020.

We've had 10 glorious years with Bob, so many adventures and memories and we'll never forget Bob who bought us so much joy.

Bob was taken poorly in July this year, a trip to the vets for an anti sickness jab to make him comfortable, but we really thought we'd be saying goodbye to him back then. He recovered and was back to walks and running off lead, but he had slowed a little.

Mid August his was back at the vets with the neighbour as we were in Australia, another jab to keep him comfortable until we got home. Again he rallied round, but his walks were shorter and he didn't run when he was off lead.

Then the difficult decision had to be made when he was ill again the end of September.

Goodbye Bob, you'll never be forgotten.

Meeting Bob for the first time.

Putting a bit of weight on

Lasy days by the pool

1st beach trip to St Lucia

Camping trips

Crocodile and hippo watching

Flights to Dubai

Out in the desert

Soft play

Dog parks

Last walk in Dubai

1st walk in the UK

Up the Malvern Hills

Old man

My heart is broken

Happy 11th Birthday Bob The Dog

Happy 11th Birthday Bob the Dog. 

You can read more about Bob the Dog and Pushkin's journey from South Africa here

12th - 14th February 2021 Post Comment Love

Happy Valentine's Day, even if you are on your own. I forgot to leave a card and gift for my husband this year. Where ever I am in the world I always try to make sure that gifts and cards for family and friends is dropped off in time, often left with them 3-4 months early. Especially Christmas. I left everything for Christmas with Mums side of the family with my niece, she also had birthday cards, covering events from November through to February. 

In previous years if I've been on my own, I've taken Bob the Dog out for the day. It's also the day we celebrate his Birthday, he'll be 11 this year. There will be a drive though McDonalds for him on Sunday and the cat will get her share as she loves the fries.

Have I missed Jif Lemon Day? We don't get the adverts abroad so would always remember it after seeing everyone else's tweets.

Stephanie and I would love it if you could join in with any blog post you've written this week on any subject.

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Day out with my dog - Cogges Farm Park

I've had 2 visits to Cogges Farm Park since lockdown was eased. The first visit was an accidental one when out in Witley, Oxfordshire for the day distance walking with a friend from the London area. It was a half way point meet up for us. We discovered Cogges just walking round a corner and seeing they were serving coffee and had toilets we could use, we couldn't resist. We didn't actually go in the farm as I had Bob the dog with me, but after booking tickets online for a few weeks later to meet another friend with her son there, I discovered dogs on leads were allowed in.

Sadly on my 2nd visit the coffee had closed but we walked into the town which is only a few minutes away after our visit.

The gardens are lovely and very well laid out. Just be aware if you do take a dog with you, there are random chickens, ducks and geese that just appear or run past at speed and several times, Bob nearly snapped my arm off several times.

Bob wasn't too bothered by the sheep as he has become used to their size, noise and movements from walking on the Malvern Hills.

Goats on the other hand are completely new to him, after an initial 'lets have a look' from both the goats and Bob, they parted company.

I'm afraid Bob barked at the pigs,  but he couldn't actually see them, he could smell them then they grunted at him through the pen, startling Bob who let out one loud bark, then dragged me away.

My Sunday Photo - Bob the Dogs journey

With 2 international moves from camping in South Africa and being chased by monkeys, learning to swim in the Indian Ocean and the Arabic Gulf and keeping an eye out for crocodiles in Durban to days out in the desert in Dubai, soft play and indoor play centre to walking the Malvern Hills. He's had an epic 7 years with us and who'd have thought there would have been this much adventure for a dog.

Two long haul flights

Camping in Drakensberg Mountains

The beach in Durban

In the Desert in Dubai

Soft Play in Dubai

On top of the Malvern Hills

Spa day for Dogs in Dubai with Paw Parking.

This is Bob. #BobTheDog. He is almost 8 and lives in Dubai with his two humans Suzanne and Peter and his not so friendly cat, Pushkins.

Both Bob and Pushkins are from South Africa and travelled to Dubai with us when we made the move here in December 2014.

Bob was rescued from the SPCA and has lived with us since May 2012.

Bob has adapted well to life in Dubai, sadly there is no where for him to run free other than in doggy day care, which we visit at least once a week. There are many indoor facilities in Dubai and a couple with outdoor space and swimming pools. Bob does however enjoy his twice daily walks as it's winter here, but when it gets too hot, we'll be spending more time in doggy day care.

When Peter and I travel aboard Bob doesn't mind his time away from us, however when I'm at home he follows me from room to room.

We moved house in December and until last month our garden was just a sand pit, making it difficult to bath Bob and he was getting rather smelly, so I've been taking him along to Paw Parking, where he can play with other dogs and have his much needed bath and get his nails clipped.

Here's Bob enjoying one of his baths, a rub down and a pedicure.

I'm not affiliated in anyway with Paw Parking, I'm just impressed with their facilities, staff, friendliness, prices, range of events and interaction on social media. I'm also very pleased that they are opening boarding facilities for cats from the beginning of March.