Rufus in Crete

It’s a dog’s life in Crete …or Rufus and other creatures.

Rufus, Buffy and Tigger have all adjusted to their new lives here on the island. They have come through the heatwaves unscathed, and in the cooler weather enjoy life to the full.

Rufus has come to terms with the sheep in the field next door, but now has other interests. The local cats wander into the garden, not having been told that dogs chase cats, so they simply stand firm, despite frantic barking. He has a new friend in the Max, next door’s young dog, who is on a chain in the garden. Max can leap and hang on to the top of a wall and if Rufus stands on tiptop, they can touch noses. Last week, Rufus gave max his rawhide “chewy” by shoving it through the wire fencing topping the wall.

Wildlife is a different matter. I have mentioned the run-ins with “Spikey Norman”, our resident hedgehog, which result in Rufus coming off worse with the odd bloody nose. However, we now have two “pondiki”, brown and white mice (do I smell a rat?), living in the olive trees which come out at sunset. They drive Rufus mad as they leap from branch to branch with him chasing up and down after them. Yesterday, we have an unusual visitor, a shrew, but fortunately it got behind the flowerpots before Rufus could get it.

What next for the little guy…..who for some reason we nickname “Mr Pooh”