Woof! Bark! And also Whiiiiiiiiiine.

104 watchers

Helegant Sep 2014 10:51pm, 28 Sep 2014 2,407 posts	0 Helegant We've just been laughing at a video of two toddlers playing with rubber bands. The babes are giggling, and Jet has reacted strongly to the sound. It's been as funny watching Jet, ears standing to attention, nose and sniffing for the source of the sound, as the video itself.
Helegant Sep 2014 8:10am, 29 Sep 2014 2,408 posts	0 Helegant "Phew... what have you been doing? You stink, absolutely stink? Did you find some fox poo?" Jet looks up at me adoringly, tail thumping on the sofa, and I'm sure he is smiling. The sofas are covered with washable throws - guess which job I'll be doing later?
BaronessBL Sep 2014 1:48pm, 29 Sep 2014 4,025 posts	0 BaronessBL Just back from dog class and we have been given a date for the Silver Test... And it's not exactly a long time away A further complication is that the Silver test will be held over 2 venues as the village hall we will take it at is in the middle of nowhere with no pavement etc for the road walk. So we will have to do the roadwork part of it and (I imagine) the getting into/out of a car in the centre of the village and then drive round to the hall for the rest of it. Our teacher has advised us to go to the village where we will do the test and familiarise ourselves with the High Street and the sort of distractions we might encounter. I've asked if the test route can be devised in order to avoid the biggest distraction of all on the High Street, the butcher's shop!!!
BaronessBL Sep 2014 1:50pm, 29 Sep 2014 4,026 posts	0 BaronessBL Hope you managed to get those throws washed before the rain started Helegant. I put the washing out before I left for dog school and really shouldn't have bothered
Sharkie Sep 2014 2:04pm, 29 Sep 2014 5,812 posts	0 Sharkie Good news to have a date for the test - not so great about the two venues. I hadn't realised it was quite so rural where you live. Oh and chuckle re the butchers - I have visions of Wanda popping in and running off with a string of sausages like a Beano and Dandy dog. We all know Wanda is clever enough to pass the test. And we all know that's not 'always' what you want!
Red Squirrel Sep 2014 4:01pm, 29 Sep 2014 16,980 posts	0 Red Squirrel Afternoon. First full day with the whippet lurcher. She's recovering from a pulled leg muscle so not in full flow today. We met up with some other lurchers but she pootled along at a much slower pace than she'd like. I've also got to administer meds as she's got a slight respiratory issue. Poor wee thing. She's cheerful apart from all that. In the woods this morning, then doing the rounds this afternoon to put some flyers in at the local vets and check newsagents' windows. My ads have been moved to not so easy to see spots. I notice that 2 posters have been put up for a local dog-walking service run my my friend's friends + a dog hotel. I wonder if they asked to have a prime spot; they've been put on the board where mine was and I've been sidelined quite badly to the top of a board not facing the window. I need to get A4 posters. More bad luck when I don't need it - website is down; info@ address isn't working and I can't get hold of my web people. Obviously not back from holiday yet but it's been 2.5 weeks. I'm just thinking of all the people who might try to get hold of me and be thinking I've gone out of business when this is only day 1!
BaronessBL Sep 2014 4:31pm, 29 Sep 2014 4,030 posts	0 BaronessBL Hope the website gets fixed soon. Maybe the ads just get moved as new ones arrive so newest gets the prime spot? In which case take a different one in in a couple of weeks time and maybe you'll get the best slot again?
Red Squirrel Sep 2014 7:25pm, 29 Sep 2014 16,984 posts	0 Red Squirrel Yeah probably Baroness; I'm just being paranoid that there are dog-walking wars. I've obviously watched too many crap American films. I heard some horrible shouting on my estate earlier. I came back with the lurcher and there was a dog ahead of us. It was v strong and tugged on its lead to try to see my dog. The owner was trying to pull it forward, so I came up some way behind and told her which direction we were going on and then went down the side path to my flat. There wasn't really a problem - it wasn't growling, so probably just interested in saying hello. The owner was struggling to keep it going forward and getting v frustrated. So, as we turned into where I live I heard a female voice shout VERY loudly "You've got a legal obligation to train that dog and keep it under control". The voice was so venomous that I stopped and if I hadn't had the dog with me, might've gone over to give the dog-handler some support. There is a tenant in that corner who walks along shouting and had a go at my neighbour while he was getting out of his car. All the same, not helpful for someone trying to keep a dog calm.
Red Squirrel Sep 2014 7:29pm, 29 Sep 2014 16,985 posts	0 Red Squirrel In that same corner lives a couple with, I've been told, 5 border collies. I've certainly seen 4 out of my kitchen window. Apparently the chap keeps the pack under amazing control when out in the local woods and that was told to me by someone who 'doesn't really like dogs'. The houses around here are all 2-bedroomed and they've got at least one child. Must be a cozy household!
BaronessBL Sep 2014 9:14am, 30 Sep 2014 4,032 posts	0 BaronessBL I'm not sure whether it's good or bad to be told we are doing the Silver Test in a matter of weeks - it doesn't give us that long to prepare but on the other hand I think Wanda has been doing most of the things required in Silver anyway to a greater or lesser extent. Yesterday at our class we did some play - and I may have to purchase some new more exciting toys for this. I keep a tugger in her 'school' bag so that it isn't one that she plays with at home in the hope that it will keep it interesting. It did at first but after we were told to stop, make our dogs sit and then resume the game, she wasn't really interested - seen it, tugged it, right what's next..... We have tried not to have toys that resemble small furry animals or that squeak as if in their death throes but I may have to make an exception for the test! We did the rejoin handler exercise which she did without a problem - I do this quite a bit on walks anyway. A couple of our fellow silver candidates had trouble with this one but hopefully they will be OK on the day. The come away from distractions exercise where all the dogs and owners are in a group and you take your dog to the group, sit them down then run away went OK. We did it first because our teacher didn't think Wanda should be in the group, but I said I thought she'd be OK if she sat next to Freddie, who she likes (or at least she likes his owner who has seemingly endless supplies of pork pie!). She was absolutely fine while all the other dogs approached, sat down and ran away. Of course if one had ventured into the group instead of away from it it might have been more interesting but luckily nobody did! We finished on a two minute stay and although she was distracted by two of the other dogs getting up (in fact the same two who will be taking the silver test with us) she stayed in her down position. I am slightly concerned about the controlled greeting although as it is in a 'learning' environment and not at our front door it may be OK and I don't know what she will be like for the examination - she will either like the examiner and attempt to give them a complete head and neck licking or will be terrified and cower away from them.... Sorry - bit of a long post, should've been a blog really, at least it gives me plenty of blog material for my Blog-tober attempt!