River Dance

Check out my antics in this short music video!
Michael Flattley eat your heart out- I got dancin' feet

Pup in Boots

Hello friends,
I just thought I would update you on how I got on on my hike with my new 'go faster' shoes on.
I am happy to report that they are gravel proof, water proof and to my owners dismay, Bog proof. Yes in my brand new shoes I decided to take an extended bath in the dirtiest, stinkiest , muddiest, Bog i could find. My owner was convinced I was going to lose a shoe in the bottom of the bog and that she would have to fish it out.,but I have to say as part of my 'shoe review' that they are hardy little things and they never looked like falling off once.

The next big test in the 'shooooe reviewoo" was the river test. Throwing the flat football into the river and me swimming in to get it, over and over and over and over and over again. I can report that yep, they're great. They don't come off when I swim, they don't fill with water and they protect my paws from the 'unknown' under the water which can include sharp rocks, glass, wire and anything else you might find in the river.



Stopping as we usually do at the pub half way, no one really noticed my shoes or if they did they did not comment. The one thing I love about stopping at the pub is Garlic bread. That's right you heard correctly, if Macaroni cheese is on the menu then it comes with a side serving of Garlic bread and wow it's amazing- its the future you know- garlic bread. All dog kind is going to go that way one day,forget dog food, the future is garlic Bread.

So to sum up my "shooe reviewoo" They are a definite improvement on my pads, and even by the end of the walk I was still striding out in front with no discomfort. I recommend them to other canines and I highly recommend the Garlic Bread.

New Shoes

After my many weekend hikes, the pads on my paws have become split, blistered and sore, due to walking along the hot and gritty pavement (thats the sidewalk for my american friends). They will toughen up in time, but limping around on the road is no fun. So to help in the mean time I have purchased some new shoes, and very nice they are too. Especially deigned for dogs, they have a tough extra grip sole which is ideal for rough terrain.


The phenomena of sore pads is not uncommon, only just this week a fellow labrador had to be rescued from a mountain after he was unable to travel any futher on his poor blistered pads.
You can read the full story here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west_wales/10307426.stm


I tried my shoes on for the first time today for a short walk to the park, and they fit snuggly, were comfortable and I was even able to chase my ball without them coming off :)

Search and Rescue

So to set the scene, I was out for my walk this evening, but when I arrived at the park, there was a kids football match on, so, much to my disappointment I had to play with my tennis ball at the edge of the park on a tiny piece of grass. This was ok but it meant that I didn't get to chase the ball very far. After about 20 minutes the football match wound up and most people started to go home, so owner and I walked to the end of the football field to get a better run around with the tennis ball.

After a few laps I noticed that the two football coaches were beating the very long and very dense, grass and weeds at the end of the football field. I ignored them for a while and carried on playing. Next thing I know my owner has put my tennis ball away in her pocket. what? why? ! She starts asking me find the ball?, find the ball?, well duh! it's in your pocket!. Then I twigged, those men were looking for a lost football. If there is one thing I love, it's a leather football especially brand new. So off I set, I sniffed all along the edge of the field and then round the goal posts and then back to the edge, I was sniffing for about 10 minutes in total. I sniffed my way through a complete re-run of the match- he passed to him- then it went over here- then it was out- he thew it back in- he shoots - and hits the post-the goaly passes it back out- it goes high!! ......and into the long grass. Finally I had got the scent- they couldn't find it because it had gone into the field beyond, I quickly nudged under the fence and emerged with a brand new football. WOW they all said, they were in awe of my super powers. They thought I didn't even know what I was looking for. I reluctantly handed over the football to a very pleased little boy and his football coach, and told him he could use my services anytime. A-ma-zing!
I have sent my CV to the police in case they need a sniffer dog who can find footballs. I will let you know if I hear back.

What news have ye?

Hello again friends, isn't it ironic that when there's a lot going on you have no time to blog, yet blogging is all about what's going on :) So where to begin, firstly I have had a run of bad luck with my health recently, but you will be pleased to hear I am all better now. It all began last weekend when I sprained my ankle on my regular weekend hike. Can you believe it an injury like that, and just days before the world cup! its always the way. So after staying off the foot for a few days, (much easier for dogs, I just carry it around ) by Wednesday it was better.

Friday was the day of the mysterious cough, Friday morning started much as it does, got up, wandered round, did the usual, then suddenly for no reason started choking, I hadn't eaten anything, I hadn't even been out for a wee yet. It got worse and worse until I vomited, and kept vomiting, it was running out of my nose and mouth and I couldn't breath. My owner lifted me up in desperation and performed the heimlick maneuver, which helped briefly. I was fine for a few minutes then started vomiting again. Anyway after about an hour it was all calm again, and I was under observation for 24 hours to make sure I didn't need an emergency vet appointment, and as of today I am back to full health. So a mystery in history, and suggestions on a postcard please.

Today I went for my usual walk around Roslin glen past the famous Roslin chapel ( from the Davinci Code)
Apparently there is a standing joke going round that I pee like a girl! I what? Apparently boy dogs don't squat, I have been told by the 'human beings' (what would they know) that I am supposed to pee whilst standing on three legs. I am just not getting it. On all the walks we have been on, can you believe I have never seen a boy dog pee, so I'm trying to look out for one in the hope of getting some guidance. The way I see it it's a bit like a single mum having a small boy and trying to teach him to use a urinal, you can't go in the men's toilets and show him, you just have to try and explain. Well let me tell you this, if I told you you had to pee in a urinal whilst holding one leg up in the air would you try it in public, at the side of the road with other people (dogs) watching you? I don't think so!
So that's been my week, allegiances in the house are split over the world cup so I'm staying unbiased- come on Russia he he (Grozny)
Well folks catch you soon- if your wondering, the pic at the top was taken at the 'Original' pub on our walk.

A week of losses

What a strange week, firstly we have enjoyed some very fine weather indeed, that is, besides the freak hailstones during the sunshine on wednesday.
The fine weather saw me out and about and enjoying the river, which has lead to some loss of entertainment equipment. It all started on thursday when I dropped my heavy rubber ball into the river and it sank to the bottom, just away form the edge. It was visible to my walker, but I could not see it, every time I paddled around to see if I could find it, it blew up more silt and gravel, this made the water cloudy and I could not see, eventually the ball was completely covered. Eventually we had to leave it behind and go home:( - loss number 1

Friday was the day of the frisby, 8 year old sub walker thew frisby into the river, but again due to it being flat to the water surface I could not see the frisby, and so it began to be lost to the current. Walker had to wade into the river right up to his knees to rescue the frisby..phew two losses in two days would have been very unfortunate.

Saturday saw my big walk around roslin Glen, and brilliant it was too, a two hour walk this time :) During my walk we stopped at the river and I met Murphy a 2 year old black lab, who was very playful, but unfortunately even at this young age, he sufers from hip dysplacia, a back leg disorder that labs get. As Murphy and I chased my orange dummy float, I became distracted by Murphys walker throwing in a stick, once I lost sight of the dummy float, that was it, it was caught by the rapids and off it went. Murphy could see it, but unfortunalty he doesnt really know how to fetch:(
We walked along the river as far as we could trying to see if it might have got caught on a rock, but no luck:( 'thats it,' my walker said, 'you've lotst it, its gone' :( and so we gave up. My beloved orange dummy float is probably on its way to the sea by now.

Hiking Weekend

Hi folks, welcome back to my blog :)
I thought I would update you on a thoroughly enjoyable hiking weekend in and around Roslin and Rosewell..

On Saturday I went for a leisurely walk near Rosewell, on my travels I met various friends , and some not so friends.
My first encounter was with a talking horse, which I later figured out, was not actually talking but instead was carrying a passenger, and it was this lady who was in fact talking to me from the back of the horse. That really thew me for a bit.

Later on my route after returning some horse equipment that was found on the road to a nearby stables I encountered a new breed of dog - farm dog !!! du du duuuuu. Yes iv met friendlier beasts, had to make a sharp exit from there, with teeth chasing my rear end. - Gees you do someone a favour- and what do get - a bite in the backside- that's what.

Sundays constitutional was in fact a hike around Roslin Glen, a few major highlights were; good swimming , lots of friendly dogs, and a traumatic experience with a bridge.

To set the scene, unlike you human-beings, dogs don't walk with their heads up, they litterally walk with their nose to the ground, so when you come across open rung stairs and bridges where you can see through the floor , its enough to make you go weak at the knees. I tried many options to avoid going over the bridge, but there was no way around. My owner tried to pull me up the stairs on my lead first of all, after that didn't work, she tried to push me up the stairs from behind,but no luck. Then, came the biscuit trick. Oh yes they get that low!...owner and friend enticing me to the top of the stairs with of all things 'chocolate biscuit' but still no way. By this time a reasonable audience had gathered at the bottom of the stairs, and were giving much encouragement. In an act of desperation my owner and friend took off my lead and ran off without me, forcing me to attempt the bridge. I did swallow my fear, and did make it up the open stairs only to find that the bridge was made of wooden planks and I could see down between them!!! well as you can image, I hit the deck...tummy flat to the boards, legs like jelly...I was doing a convincing impression of a fur rug. I couldn't turn back, that would mean tacking the open stairs again. I tried to turn around very slowly but the moving ground made me giddy and sick. I just froze, belly inches form the wooden planks, gallons of white water gushing past 100s of feet below me, it was terriffying. (ok,ok, so it was only 20 meters high, with a trickling stream below, but im allowed some artistic licence this is, after all, my blog). On the bridge now, there had also gathered a small crowd all giving lots of encouragement, 'good boy' 'well done' 'come on, you can do it' etc etc. I stalked my way slowly across the bridge, inching bit by bit further to the far side, crouching low, tail down, ears flat and back- as one by-stander put it - "SAS style".
Eventually reaching the other side I was met by a thunderous applause from the crowd, lots of cuddles and praise, I felt like a celebrity. "thank you, thank you very much, im here all week", "Grozny has left the bridge".

After all that excitement and trauma I needed a stiff drink - we stopped at a nearby pub for a bowl of water and a bite to eat.
I fared little better crossing the bridge back again on the way home, and again I attracted a crowd of well wishers - by the time I got home to my couch - i was out for he count :)
Id like to thank owner and friend for a thoroughly enjoyable weekend.