Thanks again everyone for your lovely, kind thoughts and wishes for my little girlie. I'm afraid she really is the love of my life, and I just hate to see her ill like that and feel so blooming helpless as you all do at times like this.

Anyhoo, I managed to get them out for 20 mins, and it was still dry when we got back, so guess what I've been doing for the past hour I've raked up every bladdy leaf out on the lawn there, constantly being pestered by Zena's ball, and trying to keep her little legs away from the rake So what would have taken half an hour took me an hour! She's totally knackered herself out now running about,but I couldn't stop that, and she's been couped up indoors all day, it just wasn't fair to shut her indoors. It's gonna rain again now though, so I'll get them in.

Now, I did notice some really huuuuge,long scrapes in the garden, right next to the fence, and there's no way they are Zena's skid marks coz they're wide, like a car tyre would make but without the grooves? I'm now wondering if I've got some alien resident in the garden with great big feet I can't work it out, I've never seen anything like this in the garden before. Something has been "gouging" out there and it's not Zena coz she's not a digger and she wouldn't skid in that area for the ball coz it never gets thrown in that area? How strange. I'm gonna take a picture of them now and see if Dave can come up with anything.

Oh H, only just saw this, thank goodness she is OK, was worried their for a few mins readign the first few posts.

Flippin dogs dont they just turn you grey

Hi H, sorry I didn't see this last night and was concerned after reading the first few posts.

So glad she's back to normal now, our dogs sometimes eat things they really shouldn't and maybe that was the problem. Only two days ago Rianna found the remains of a deer leg in the undergrowth and proceeded to get her choppers around it and of course had to carry it back home where she went into the paddock and devoured the remainder

As someone said above, if only they could talk to us

Could it be a Badger They have quite big feet don't they

Yes, and this one has aged me considerably before my time!!!! Thanks Jackie,, we're on the mend now I think, so I won't be sleeping on the kitchen floor with her tonight (as yer do!) xxx

thanks H. I've been Googling, and apparently voles make "tracks" in your lawn, but then that's more from underneath, and the tracks show above, whereas mine are like tyre marks Soooo strange, and I too thought badger, but we have good fencing all around the garden - they don't jump like foxes do they???!!! It's in the very same area that I saw that frog or toad this summer too, but they don't make marks, or maybe they do? Whatever it is, it's got humungous, great big feet!

Am so glad Zena is ok, could it be a fox or other animal trying to burrow their way under the fence? Don't know how would've got in there but strange things happen.

So ... how do you keep your place so mud-free then? Sorry, I know it's a bit off topic but spill ... please!

You remember my lovely oatmeal carpets then Lucky!!!???!! If their paws are very muddly, then they get dunked in the bowl and dried, but for everyday in and out from the garden, I have a large jute mat by the front door and a big runner to the kitchen, and in the middle I chuck a big towel on the floor (in the gap!) which gets washed when it looks really disgusting! Better to have muddy old mats and towels than carpet imo! My lounge door is kept firmly shut after its morning hoover, so they never get in there until they're nice and dry and clean by the afternoons - hopefully!

I've never had so much mud out in the garden as this winter, but then all those leaves will stop it draining, so I just had to get them up. I have been known to put another towel on the really (and only!) muddy bit up the top here where Zena goes zooming out there and spins on the same spot for me to chuck that ball. I've replaced the turf there no end of times, just chucking new turf on the grass and it's always taken well. It will eventually end up a foot higher than the rest though!!!

Oh H, Im so sorry. I've only just caught up with this. Im so glad Zena is feeling better today. What an awful night you must have had, worrying and not sleeping! Give her a hug from me and the Tillymonster and there's one for you to. Now get off to bed woman. You must be shattered!!