New home

We got back from the funny narrow boat and I was totally confused.  We didn't go home.  We went to a different house.  Mum said this is now "home".   I explored. It smelled funny (need to find some fox poo to rectify that!).  Oh well. I'm happy wherever Mum and Dad are.

Actually it's not bad, cos I have my own room with the boiler in it - cosy!  This is it before it got decorated and my bed went in that corner.

Dad's been gardening - I offered to help but he declined.  No idea why.

A funny shaped boat!

So, it's September, Mum mentioned the "B" word.... another boat trip, yippee!!  This was an extra, she said and it'd be different. Yeah, ok, whatever, I'm up for it!

We arrived and I couldn't believe it, oh my.... how marvellous, my mate Oscar Baxter was there with his Mum and Dad!

It sure was a funny shaped boat, all long and narrow ... that must be why mum said it was a narrow boat.  She's good at stating the blinking obvious!  

This is me with Dad and Ros, Oscar B's mum.   His dad was driving the boat right from the back, outside.  I don't know why but we dogs weren't allowed up there with him.

Have you ever seen blackberries like it?  Mum and I picked loads on our morning walk one day.  She put hers in a bag, I just ate mine. Some were a bit prickly.

Ok, so this is the Llangollen canal, it's at a place called Chirk.  What you can see in the background is an aquaduct - bit scary I must say.

There was a very sad bit of this holiday. Partway through Dad had to go home because of his work.  Mum walked him to the train (I wanted to go too, but she said it wasn't a steam train so I wouldn't be interested).   Then when she came back Mum's eyes kept leaking so I kept close to her and hugged her. I missed Dad so much too.

Eventually we got up to Llangollen and in the very early morning Mum and I walked all the way on up to Horseshoe Falls.  She read out the information so I could remember it and write it down here.

This is where the canal starts!  It's really the River Dee, but the falls were created to divert some river water down a man-made channel called a canal - clever stuff!

Summer highs and lows

I told you about the Haxey Trial, didn't I??? I am a clever boy and that is official!

Mum had to spend lots of time away from home working - not so good.  Me and Dad had some fun times but we did miss her.

A tip for hot dogs

At the Rally Trial in Haxey it was really hot - fine for the humans but we poor dogs cannot remove our fur coats.  One of the other people gave me a tip - lie in the shade covered with a wet towel!  I quite liked lying half on and half under it.

Mum was really pleased with me because I can now settle politely with other dogs - see the evidence!

More holiday!

Mum tells me loads of things and expects me to understand them all.    She explained to me that she keeps going missing to do this stuff called work because it provides dog food.   Sounds a good plan to me.  She also said it gives money (can I eat that?) for holidays, but she has to go lots of days to earn days off.  Then it got complicated.  Seems last year she could have had two more weeks off but didn't (Why?  I don't really understand).  The bonus is this year she can have extra time and more holidays.   YAY!

"So, Oz, fancy another boat trip?" she asks
"Are you crazy - hell yeah!!"

"Got you a new life jacket for it...."
"WHAT?  Why do I have to have one of them?  Makes me look a right ....."

"Okay okay, enough!   It's because your common sense isn't always functioning and you might fall in the blinking water young man!" comes the patronising answer.
"Yeah right, but I can swim, and it's fun".

"Look", she says a bit more patiently, "rivers are dangerous, they move fast, they have weeds in, they have bits of gawd knows what hiding under water.  Some poor little doggies have drowned 'cos they had no lifejacket - they slipped, fell in and got carried away all on their own and got more and more tired and couldn't get to the bank to get out.   Life jackets help you stay afloat, let people see you and also help people lift you out of the water.  Got it?   Oh and if you want to mess about in the water where it's safe, if you wear the jacket I'll let you!"

Ah, light dawns - she loves me and wants me safe....ok!

March - a week of Steam trains and walks

A cottage almost opposite the railway station in Pickering, a whole week with Mum and Dad tending to my every need, rides on trains, long walks,  time with my mates and their humans .......... marvellous!  I LOVE holidays!  They nearly confused me though.  They told me I was going to see a bloke in a kilt whizz past in mid air. Well, humans never cease to surprise little old me, so I believed them.  I got a bit worried when I heard we were going to ride on him though.   Aha...all became clear - apparently that is not what they meant when talking about the Flying Scotsman.

Hello - sorry it's been a while!

Friends have been telling me they want to know more about my antics!  I thought you'd all be bored by now.  So, here goes with the first of a few to summarise 2016.

Gosh  - where to start?  Oh yes,  let's have a post about Rally!

So, sometime in Jan 2016 Mum said to me one day "fancy going to play with some new doggy mates?"  Crazy question - bring it on Ma!!   Folks I'm sad to tell you HER definition of "play with" is not the same as mine.  There was I picturing a glorious romp... not a bit of it.  We went to this building called a hall.  There were six dogs and eight humans.  We all had to stay with our human and learn to do different things when asked, but to ignore each other.   Well, I ask you!  My mum's smart though - she brought me a delicious frozen Kong to slurp on when I got bored, but she's crafty 'cos she tied it to her chair so I couldn't throw it and chase it.

Anyway, we decided it was a nice group and went every week until one day we all got certificates. Then Chris (that's the leader) invited some of us to join a new club called Rally Rockers.   We  did and we now do this thing called "Rally obedience" and it's huge fun.  I get ever so excited when we arrive and can't wait for our turn to do a course or learn a new sign.

Me and Mum are a good team but sometimes she gets it wrong and sometimes I do.  Here are some photos from Rally.

Learning to walk to heel more neatly

Getting our certificate from the initial course

Our first Rally Trial - and we got two L2 qualifiers and a 4th place!
Such a shame we messed up both Level 1 courses - oops!

Practice course outdoors in Goxhill

A rally evening in the hall at Goxhill

New Year

So, apparently it's a New Year called twenty sixteen.  No idea what that means but the few days I've just had tell me I'd like a New Year pretty often.

On Tuesday, Mum and Dad and friends planned lots of their bell ringing,  and I was expecting a boring day.  How wrong can a young dog be? I spent the morning with Mum at home while she made lots of yummy smells in the kitchen.   Ding dong - ooh, people at the door! Lots of fuss for me - heaven!   After they'd all eaten (and NOT shared it with me), most of them left.  Then it was just me and Carol (Holly-Weimaraner's Mum) and Geoff (Charlie Flatcoat's Dad).  They asked if I fancied a little walk - yeah, yeah,yeah!!!   Boy can those guys walk!  All the way from home, over the a Humber Bridge and down to the river path where, in the distance I spotted Mum - whee!!! More walking and we got to Oscar-Springer's house.  He tells me he's "getting on a bit", but it seems to make no difference.   He showed me his own personal back door into the garden and we played lots of games.  

Thursday 31st, Mum and I met up with Carol,  Holly, Geoff and Charlie for a 3 mile romp in the woods near Geoff's.  After lunch at Carol's, Mum went home and left me there which was fine by me.  She came back later and there were loads of us.   New humans from Norfolk and two more dogs, Jasper-Brittany Dog and Jessie-Greyhound.  We stayed ages, had our meal and then it was really weird.  All the humans got on their feet, held hands, sang a funny song, and then hugged each other.  Not to be outdone, I hugged Mum and then shook paws politely with David.  Then we went home, and  Dawn and Steve came too.

Next day started quietly, but by the  afternoon it was all exciting again. Mum &. Dad went off ringing, but Pat came to collect me & Dawn to go back to Holly's house again.  By the evening there were 20 humans and 5 dogs having supper.  There was only one awful moment.  Holly and Jasper do NOT get on well.   Jasper stayed in his crate-den most of the time, and when I asked if he was going to play he said NO!  Later, I don't know what happened but Holly and he were having a right old swearing match. I've never heard such language!  Holly was sent in a different room to settle down in her crate-den.  She carried on a bit of complaining but soon was snoring.   Jessie, Charlie and I just carried on wandering about and getting fuss.   Charlie seemed a bit more tired than usual - she explained she's 'in the family way'.  "What's that?"  I enquired.   She explained that in three weeks time she'll be a Mummy-dog and she could have up to a dozen puppies - blimey!

Today, I am TIRED. Mum and I had a 2 mile walk on a bridleway. It was enough.  I had to suffer a freezing shower when we got home as she said my underside was filthy.  Do you think so?  Have a look at the pic.   I enjoyed my towel rub and now it is time for zzzzzzzz.