Jump in my car - the many adventures of Keg, the Super Sausage Dog.

Keg. A super sausage dog.

Like most dogs, our little Kegster loves to go for rides in the car.

(For those of you who haven't met Keg, that's him on the right.)

He always wants to sit in the front - like one of the grown-ups. If he's forced to sit in the back, he perches with his hind legs on the back seat and his front feet on the console. Lucky he's a long sausage dog. A regular length dog might not be able to do this so comfortably.

One time we leashed him up in the backseat. He barked for a while, but shortly after he went quiet. Too quiet. We almost forgot he was there. Until he jumped back into the front seat. That's right - disgruntled that he had been forced into the back, he chewed through the leash to free himself. Clever dog.

Another time, Bear took Keg on a drive to the shops to pick up some supplies for dinner. After he stopped to take a phone call in the car, he realised Keg had gone quiet. Too quiet. In the duration of that phone call Keg had nosed through the groceries and eaten half a pack of diced beef intended for our stir fry.

Moral of the story. When Keg goes quiet - he's up to something.

Back seat driver.

On another particularly memorable journey, we had stored the bassinet attachment of the little Poppet's pram in the middle of the backseat on top of some other luggage. Despite being tied up, Keg somehow managed to wangle his way up into the bassinet. And there he sat, with his head on the Bear's shoulder - for the entire 2 hour drive.


Needless to say the bassinet and everything in it got thoroughly washed before we put little Poppet back in it.

Keg never misses the opportunity to go for a drive. If I leave the door of the car open while I'm unpacking the groceries he jumps in the front seat and waits. And waits. And waits. Ignoring my demands for him to "get out of the car Keg!".

I don't even bother trying to coax him out of the car these days. I just leave the door open until he realises he's not going anywhere and comes out of his own accord.

Last time he did this I found him sitting in little Poppet's car seat. (Don't worry, she wasn't in it at the time) He was clearly drawn in by the scent of half chewed rusks mashed into the seat cover.

Oh, how our little Kegster loves to go for drives.

So it came as no surprise to me when our new next door neighbour knocked on my front door, asking whether the black sausage dog who just jumped in her car belonged to me.

Yes, the little monkey had obviously gotten out of the yard somehow (most likely when the Bear was towing the boat out). And after being so blatantly ignored for a ride to the beach with Dad, decided to try his luck with the neighbour.

Clearly it's time to talk to him about not getting into cars with strangers...