Fox in the park

This morning, Dylan and Flash disappeared into the distance on the playing field. As it was of course dark, I couldn't see what they were after, but after a while I could hear fox noises. I went up to where they were and sure enough, there was a terrified fox being "attacked" by Dylan and Flash. Of course, Dylan and Flash are muzzled, so couldn't physically hurt the fox, but the fox was exhausted by the time I got to them. I pulled the boys away from the fox and I hope he is ok. He looked quite young...

Lump

On Tuesday, 8th December, I took Dylan to see Mark. Mark thinks it is just a lump that developped around a foreign body. He says it should disappear again over time.
For now, we are just watching it. It hasn't got any bigger so far, but no smaller either.

Lump (abscess?) on hind foot

On Saturday evening, I suddenly noticed a lump on Dylan's left back foot! It is big pea size and doesn't seem to bother him at all. I have booked him in to see Mark tomorrow morning... I wonder whether it is an abcess again as he had an abscess on his hock a couple of years ago. But that was quite umcomfortable, so I am not sure... better getting it checked out.

Lump and ear infection

I took Dylan in for his lump on his chest which seems to have grown a little over the last few weeks. But Mark still thinks it is just a fatty lump, so we won't be doing anything about that for now.

I also asked Mark to check Dylan's ear as he seems to get irritated by it at time. And indeed, there is an ear infection there. So Dylan is on Canaural twice a day for a while. Once cleared up, I shall include him in my Thornit regime that Jesse and Troy are already on.

KCGC GOLD AWARD!

We had the KCGC Silver and Gold test yesterday with Pat Burford judging it! Cate, my class helper, worked Dylan... and he passed... by the skin of his teeth (the stop the dog exercise wasn't perfect, but he did stop eventually...), but he passed! I am so proud of Dylan!

Dylan with Cate and below the whole group

HAPPY 8TH BIRTHDAY, DYLAN

Two days late, but no less from my heart... I can't believe that Dylan is already 8 years old! Time flies! It's great though that he is fitter and healthier than ever, though certainly no wiser... LOL

Bad back

On Saturday morning, I went out for a walk before classes. As usual I had Dylan, Flash and Jesse with me. All was fine until we were on our way home, when an ex-client came up the stairs with her dalmation. All my dogs went balistic. I calmed them down immediately and made them all sit, which they did nicely! I then had a chat with the lady (who ironically said that my training was extremely helpful for her).

Just as we finished and I turned round, another guy came up the stairs with a GSD and a ball... and mine went balistic AGAIN! I pulled them back, twice... then went home! (Not in a very good mood).

Throughout the day, my back got worse and worse, until by the evening, every move hurt. Things improved a little on Sunday, but my lower back/bum are still very painful, so I didn't go to agility yesterday!

I can't believe this has happened. Last week really wasn't much fun with this lot!

I have now started taking them out at 5.15 in the morning, mainly to avoid that little dog. The park was nice and empty. And it also gave me the opportunity to walk Troy as well before going to work as he hasn't been out since Friday... (Cornel is hardly walking him at all now, maybe once a week... and he hasn't walked him at all since Thursday, 11th June...).

New dog in park and new bad habit

Being summer and it being light in the early mornings, there are sometimes new dogs in the park that we haven't seen before. One of them is a small terrier, that from a distance looks like a little fox... and I think that's what the dogs think too!

Anyway, yesterday, I was walking across the field in the country park when suddenly this little dog appeared on the field not far from us walking towards us. Dylan and Flash took off to say hello to him, but he got frightened and started to run... with Dylan and Flash in hot pursuit. In his fear, the other dog squealed... He wasn't hurt as my boys are of course muzzled all the time when off lead, but it was still scary for him.

Shortly after that, we came across Monzi, which is a friend's dobermann. He is very timid and frightened of my dogs, and I therefore normally put mine on lead as soon as I spot him. This time however Flash was quicker than I was (Dylan I did manage to grab) and Flash was his usual bully with him. Again, he couldn't hurt Monzi as he is muzzled, but still... It wasn't nice! And I felt like a really bad dog owner (and certainly a useless dog trainer) after yesterday's walk.

So this morning, when I went out, I was super careful, looked around me all the time, called the dogs back before going around corners just to make sure that nothing like yesterday could happen. When we were on the straight path from the field towards the pond, everything was clear and I let Dylan and Flash go. I then had to pick up a poo that Dylan did... and when I looked up, I saw the little dog from yesterday again, and so did Dylan and Flash. They took off at top speed (something they never do with other dogs, only foxes or rabbits etc.), realised shortly before they got to the dog that it was a dog and not a fox, but by that time, the little dog had started to run again - and of course that kept Dylan and Flash going.

Yet again, I appologised to the owner who was of course not amused at all (though didn't say anything other than "It's all right"...).

I then continued on my walk, called Dylan and Flash back on the path that joined the main path again and led them out on lead! Luckily so... as there was that little dog again. Jesse went after him to say hello, but of course the little dog was running again not knowing what Jesse was going to do (and Jesse genuinely only wanted to say hello, he doesn't chase dogs). But Dylan and Flash didn't bat an eyelid and the little dog went past ok. At the same time, the doby Monzi was also approaching and luckily, Dylan and Flash still on lead and Jesse with me!

So that second part of the walk was ok. But I now will have to be so much more careful in the mornings knowing that this little dog is about and will have to get Dylan and Flash back on lead a lot more often than before! I will of course also start working on the recall a bit more again! It isn't acceptable for them to take off after a dog like that! But... roll on, winter... when there is no-one else in the park other than a handful of people/dogs that I know!

Holiday in Wales - 25th April - 2nd May

Yet again, we went on holiday with all four boys to Swallows Dance in Pembrokeshire! We had a fabulous time and really enjoyed ourselves.

I have set up a separate blog for the pictures... Here is the link:



I will update gradually as I have over 200 pictures and another well over 300 from Sandra that took fab pictures at Freshwater West.

Vaccinations

I decided to have Dylan vaccinated again this year despite the kidney issue last year. However, he has been so well and I can't see a problem with it!

So this morning, Troy, Dylan and me went to see Mark, the vet, and they got their shots.

A few pictures...

I got a new camera on Friday and have been taking some pictures to test it. It does a good job, though I need to get used to it of course to take really good quality pictures.

Dylan at home
And in the park
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And scanning the field for chasable animals...

Pictures from Binfield Dog Rescue

Chris, who fostered Dylan at Binfield Dog Rescue seven years ago, sent me these pictures of Dylan taken on 13th March 2002. These are the pictures I fell in love with at the time:



And I think it's this last picture that really did it for me... Dylan still has the same soulful expression now!

7th Gotcha Day

On Sunday, 22nd March, it was Dylan's 7th Gotcha Day.

I can't believe how quickly the time has gone. It only seems yesterday that we picked up that skinny lurcher called Paddy... What a fabulous dog he has grown into!

Love you lots, Dylan boy.

A very long night...

I left work at lunch yesterday and then took the dogs out before setting off with Dylan at 3.10 pm. We got to the filming location in Farnham at 5.10 pm. After having "breakfast" (and lovely it was too), we were asked to drive near the set at around 7 pm.

We tried to get Dylan to speak. It was very disappointing as he acted like he had never heard the word before. He did it very nicely at home during the previous couple of days when I practiced. Vivienne then had to put her own dog forward instead as she did a good speak. (I felt really bad and was also disappointed). From then on, it wasn't clear whether Dylan was going to be used at all, but we were asked to wait anyway.

At 1.30 am, we were finally asked to go on set getting ready for a shoot. At the last minute however they decided to change plans and to film the dogs later. We then waited around the set (it was very cold) until 3.30 pm, when we were told that they would not do them after all now!

What a shame this was. Though I must admit, I felt better for Dylas as he didn't have to do a down stay on the cold damp ground, in very cold temperature and without a coat on - though I am sure he would have done that nicely.

I got back home at 5 am, went to bed and got up at 7 am again to go to work. LOL

It was a lovely experience, though of course a shame that we ended up doing nothing but waiting. But I hope there will be other opportunities... though I will make sure that any behaviour I put forward is well proved (always an issue with lurchers...) and steady, so I won't be in this sort of situation anymore. I will also not do any outdoors shoots in the winter/colder temperatures anymore with Dylan as he really did get cold (as did we of course).

Dylan's first job

On Saturday, whilst walking the dogs, I got a call from the Film Agency who wanted one of the lurchers for a film. We chose Dylan as he can do "speak" (though not always reliably). The filming takes place on Thursday night, 6 pm to about 3.30 am in Farnham.

I am quite nervous as I have of course never done anything like this apart from the TV show, which was different. It will also be cold of course and Dylan might not be too impressed with that. I hope it all goes well... Still so very nervous though.

SNOW!

Snow, snow, nothing but snow. What a beautiful day! (Can't go to work as no public transport, cars etc.). Love it... and so do the dogs.






And we had a fab time in the Country Park

Agility today

Well, first I left a little late for the agility session, then my car would not let me turn the key... so I wasted around half an hour on that. Then the traffic was really bad, particularly through Kingston and it took me forever! So in the end, I arrived at 2.15 pm... instead of 12.45 pm... I thought I'd just say hello and let them know I'd tried.

Dave was so kind to let me run Dylan a couple of times... We did one full course at mini height and Dylan did incredibly well! Then we did the course at full height... for the first time ever! Everyone - including myself - was absolutely amazed how well he did! He didn't refuse any obstacle, was fast, even on the weave, and had no problem with the seasaw!

So although we only could do two rounds, it was well worth it. It is such a pleasure to see Dylan enjoy himself so much!