Thursday 22 October 2015
Bronze
Hilda and I passed the Kennel Club Good Citizens Bronze award last week. The trainers at the club had been convinced we would pass but I was not too sure. But on the night Hilda did as she was asked and, along with all the other dogs and people taking the Bronze level, passed.
Next up, Silver!
Tuesday 15 September 2015
A Most Unusual Compliment
Hilda attends training classes for the Kennel Club Good Citizen award, currently she is doing the Bronze level. She enjoys the classes but recently has been playing up when it isn't her turn to have a go at an exercise.
My solution to this is to get her to do sit or down stays or other small localised non-disruptive tasks while we wait for her turn. After observing Hilda performing the exercises, playing up and my solution to keeping her quiet and occupied the trainer paid Hilda a most unusual compliment.
She told me that Hilda was bored! She is bored because she doesn't find the bronze level tasks a challenge any more and is ready to take her exam and move up to the Silver level class.
There is an exam coming up in October so hopefully the extra tasks while we are waiting will keep her going until we can take the exam and fingers crossed we both perform to a suitable level to pass.
My solution to this is to get her to do sit or down stays or other small localised non-disruptive tasks while we wait for her turn. After observing Hilda performing the exercises, playing up and my solution to keeping her quiet and occupied the trainer paid Hilda a most unusual compliment.
She told me that Hilda was bored! She is bored because she doesn't find the bronze level tasks a challenge any more and is ready to take her exam and move up to the Silver level class.
There is an exam coming up in October so hopefully the extra tasks while we are waiting will keep her going until we can take the exam and fingers crossed we both perform to a suitable level to pass.
Friday 11 September 2015
Thursday 14 May 2015
Camping
Hilda and I had a long weekend away. We took the tent and enough clothing and supplies to survive anything the British Weather could throw at us and headed for the coast.
We arrived in sunshine and a gentle breeze on the Friday afternoon and as soon as we had pitched the tent and had a cup of tea the heavens opened and it poured with rain until the small hours of Saturday morning and then was showery through to lunchtime Saturday. Once the rain stopped it was lovely and sunny for the rest of the stay except for a small shower as I was in the middle of taking the tent down!
Hilda got to spend all day out and about, I walked a couple of miles on the Friday evening, 8 on Saturday and 6 on Sunday, Hilda spent most of it off the lead running up and down and round and round. The distances don't sound very far but for an 8 month old puppy it was far enough. She took herself to bed at about 8pm on Sunday evening and had to be forced into taking a last trip outside.
She was very well behaved right up until the Monday morning when she spotted me packing things away ready to come home, then she became a contender for naughtiest puppy in the world. She unpacked things I had put away, ran off with things and ended up being attached to the tie-out so that I could get on with packing in peace.
Because of the rain on the Monday morning the tent got re-pitched in the garden to dry out, Hilda got all excited when she saw it and as the door was zipped closed and she couldn't get in she laid on top of the half-pitched tent. I am guessing she enjoyed herself and wouldn't object to going again.
We arrived in sunshine and a gentle breeze on the Friday afternoon and as soon as we had pitched the tent and had a cup of tea the heavens opened and it poured with rain until the small hours of Saturday morning and then was showery through to lunchtime Saturday. Once the rain stopped it was lovely and sunny for the rest of the stay except for a small shower as I was in the middle of taking the tent down!
Hilda got to spend all day out and about, I walked a couple of miles on the Friday evening, 8 on Saturday and 6 on Sunday, Hilda spent most of it off the lead running up and down and round and round. The distances don't sound very far but for an 8 month old puppy it was far enough. She took herself to bed at about 8pm on Sunday evening and had to be forced into taking a last trip outside.
She was very well behaved right up until the Monday morning when she spotted me packing things away ready to come home, then she became a contender for naughtiest puppy in the world. She unpacked things I had put away, ran off with things and ended up being attached to the tie-out so that I could get on with packing in peace.
Because of the rain on the Monday morning the tent got re-pitched in the garden to dry out, Hilda got all excited when she saw it and as the door was zipped closed and she couldn't get in she laid on top of the half-pitched tent. I am guessing she enjoyed herself and wouldn't object to going again.
A Fantastic Bench along an old railway line
A Chaffinch sat on the Gorse and serenaded
us as we rested after climbing up the cliff path
A Hare (taken on 20x zoom)
Hilda behaving herself on the campsite
The view from the tent
Waiting (im)patiently for another walk
Zonked puppy!
Sulking because I wouldn't let her
help me pack
All was forgiven, we stopped off
for a paddle on our way home
Wednesday 29 April 2015
Holidays with a Puppy
A couple of times a year I make the journey from Yorkshire down to Devon to help out at a Historic House open weekend.
This year at Easter I made the journey but this time I took Hilda with me (she was invited) too. Normally the 280ish mile journey takes me around 5 hours and I stop once, however with a 7 month old puppy I decided we needed to stop more than once. So we stopped four times on the way down and extended the total journey time up to 8.5 hours. By the time we arrived I was exhausted but as she had slept for most of the car ride Hilda was full of energy and ready to explore the gardens (6 acres), run around on the tennis court and fetch her ball to anyone willing to throw it.
I had been slightly worried that she would find a day of car travel stressful as the longest journey she had taken in the car to that point had been 2 hours. I need not have worried, the next day I had to move the car and she hopped in it and then looked most disappointed when the journey was over and done with in 2 minutes.
She had a fantastic time helping with the gardening, meeting visitors and soaking up all the attention. We also had a day out with an old friend of mine and her children at Torquay. We all went paddling and then while my friend and I sat and talked and let our feet dry in the sun her children threw Hilda's ball up and down the beach for her to chase after.
As she had travelled so well on the way down we just stopped twice on the journey back home and once again she slept for most of it. She did manage to find the only muddy puddle at the service station and step in it, quite an achievement given that the puddle was less than 6" in diameter!
She loved her trip away we are making plans for several long weekends camping plus a week in North Wales with my parents. I have spent all winter telling her about all the things we were going to do when she had grown and when the weather was slightly less inclement and now we are enjoying ourselves.
This year at Easter I made the journey but this time I took Hilda with me (she was invited) too. Normally the 280ish mile journey takes me around 5 hours and I stop once, however with a 7 month old puppy I decided we needed to stop more than once. So we stopped four times on the way down and extended the total journey time up to 8.5 hours. By the time we arrived I was exhausted but as she had slept for most of the car ride Hilda was full of energy and ready to explore the gardens (6 acres), run around on the tennis court and fetch her ball to anyone willing to throw it.
I had been slightly worried that she would find a day of car travel stressful as the longest journey she had taken in the car to that point had been 2 hours. I need not have worried, the next day I had to move the car and she hopped in it and then looked most disappointed when the journey was over and done with in 2 minutes.
She had a fantastic time helping with the gardening, meeting visitors and soaking up all the attention. We also had a day out with an old friend of mine and her children at Torquay. We all went paddling and then while my friend and I sat and talked and let our feet dry in the sun her children threw Hilda's ball up and down the beach for her to chase after.
As she had travelled so well on the way down we just stopped twice on the journey back home and once again she slept for most of it. She did manage to find the only muddy puddle at the service station and step in it, quite an achievement given that the puddle was less than 6" in diameter!
She loved her trip away we are making plans for several long weekends camping plus a week in North Wales with my parents. I have spent all winter telling her about all the things we were going to do when she had grown and when the weather was slightly less inclement and now we are enjoying ourselves.
helping with the gardening
waiting for the visitors to arrive
On the beach at Torquay
one muddy paw
Thursday 19 March 2015
Six Months in 1min 23sec
I have been taking a photo a week of Hilda. Actually I have been taking lots and lots of photos each week in the hope of getting a good photo of her each week.
Today I worked out how to glue them all together into a video to make a time-lapse of her right from 1 week old. There is no sound, I might work that out (and decide on a suitable sound track) by the time she is a year old.
Watch a puppy shoot up from 1 week to 6 months in a little over a minute.
https://youtu.be/uVhl8k6LDqM
Today I worked out how to glue them all together into a video to make a time-lapse of her right from 1 week old. There is no sound, I might work that out (and decide on a suitable sound track) by the time she is a year old.
Watch a puppy shoot up from 1 week to 6 months in a little over a minute.
https://youtu.be/uVhl8k6LDqM
Tuesday 17 March 2015
6 Months Old
Miss Hilda at 6 months old
Please ignore the kitchen floor,
it is on the list of things to do along with
painting
decorating
redesigning the garden
But I would much rather be out on walkies with Hilda than doing DIY!
Tuesday 3 March 2015
Oh I do like to be beside the seaside
Hilda had her first trip to the seaside on Sunday. After ringing we drove North and East along the York bypass, along the Malton bypass and through Pickering. We stopped at a parking area halfway up a hill just past RAF Fylingdales for lunch. It was rather breezy but Hilda enjoyed exploring and looked very disappointed when I said it was time to get back in the car. I promised her somewhere much more exciting, she didn't look like she believed me.
When we arrived at Whitby we got a parking space on the West Cliff close to the crazy golf, when I opened the boot Hilda sniffed the air and was ready to leap out when given the command. She did a very funny wiggly half dance half walk to the path leading down the cliff and then sniffed everything on the way down.
The tide was in when we got there, so we strolled along the prom to Upgang and then back again, under the Pavilion and up to the whalebone arch. We sauntered down the Khyber Pass, over the Swing Bridge, through the Old Town and out onto the East Pier. On the way back we stopped off on Tate Hill Beach for Hilda to have a run around and a paddle.
Then it was off to the Coffee Shop on Grape Lane, they do lovely cakes and dogs are allowed inside - always appreciated when the weather is wet or windy, before heading back over to the New Town and down onto the beach for another run round before climbing back up the cliff to the car.
Hilda slept all the way home dreaming dreams of chasing seagulls and eating seaweed. She thoroughly enjoyed herself and will have plenty of opportunities to visit various seasides in the future.
When we arrived at Whitby we got a parking space on the West Cliff close to the crazy golf, when I opened the boot Hilda sniffed the air and was ready to leap out when given the command. She did a very funny wiggly half dance half walk to the path leading down the cliff and then sniffed everything on the way down.
The tide was in when we got there, so we strolled along the prom to Upgang and then back again, under the Pavilion and up to the whalebone arch. We sauntered down the Khyber Pass, over the Swing Bridge, through the Old Town and out onto the East Pier. On the way back we stopped off on Tate Hill Beach for Hilda to have a run around and a paddle.
Then it was off to the Coffee Shop on Grape Lane, they do lovely cakes and dogs are allowed inside - always appreciated when the weather is wet or windy, before heading back over to the New Town and down onto the beach for another run round before climbing back up the cliff to the car.
Hilda slept all the way home dreaming dreams of chasing seagulls and eating seaweed. She thoroughly enjoyed herself and will have plenty of opportunities to visit various seasides in the future.
A Stroll Along the Prom in the Sunshine
Rock at Upgang
A Bit Too Rough to Paddle
On Tate Hill Beach
Running Around
On the West Beach in the Pouring Rain
Saturday 14 February 2015
More Trouble with Training
Hilda is growing fast and has been going to puppy classes at the local scout hut. I have been thinking for a few weeks that I should be writing down some of her adventures and escapades, last nights training class is a good place to start...
Last night was week 4 of the puppy class, Hilda is thoroughly enjoying them, and the brains teamed up with the appetite and subbornness and caused the whole class to laugh and for me to want a big hole to open up and swallow me whole.
The room is a nice big hall and the guy that runs the sessions keeps treats and other supplies on a table halfway down one wall. It was Hilda and my turn to do the walking on a loose lead, as we passed then table and trainer he gently placed the tub of treats he had had in his hand on the table. I didn't hear it but Hilda did. She slammed the brakes on, turned round and sat in front of the trainer waiting for her treat. The trainer moved to the other side of the room, I got her attention back to me and we set off again for another lap of the hall. However the next time we passed the table she slammed the brakes on and sat staring expectantly because she knew there was food up there and was pretty certain that she deserved all of it. Cue much laughter from the other puppy owners and a desire not to be there from me.
She made up for it by being one of the best at recall, recall with distractions (it wasn't food), sit and health-checks.
Last night was week 4 of the puppy class, Hilda is thoroughly enjoying them, and the brains teamed up with the appetite and subbornness and caused the whole class to laugh and for me to want a big hole to open up and swallow me whole.
The room is a nice big hall and the guy that runs the sessions keeps treats and other supplies on a table halfway down one wall. It was Hilda and my turn to do the walking on a loose lead, as we passed then table and trainer he gently placed the tub of treats he had had in his hand on the table. I didn't hear it but Hilda did. She slammed the brakes on, turned round and sat in front of the trainer waiting for her treat. The trainer moved to the other side of the room, I got her attention back to me and we set off again for another lap of the hall. However the next time we passed the table she slammed the brakes on and sat staring expectantly because she knew there was food up there and was pretty certain that she deserved all of it. Cue much laughter from the other puppy owners and a desire not to be there from me.
She made up for it by being one of the best at recall, recall with distractions (it wasn't food), sit and health-checks.
Wednesday 28 January 2015
Four and Six Months
January 2015. It's hard to believe that it's been 6 months since I said goodbye to Holly, the house and my life felt very odd and empty without her around. But then a little fuzzy dynamo burst into the scene and moved straight into that empty space. Hilda is now 4 months old and it's very hard to imagine life without her.
She is growing up very fast and lost the first of her needle-sharp puppy teeth on the 2nd January. She is now onto the molars so the end of teething is in sight! Teething is probably one of the few aspects of puppyhood that I would gladly fast-forward through.
At Christmas there were lots of new people (mostly relatives) to meet and she loved meeting them all almost as much as she enjoyed getting cuddles and fuss from them. She was mostly good with Christmas Trees. She didn't pull them over or chew them. She very carefully picked the decorations and ornaments off them and then carried them round trying her best to evade capture and having them taken off her. She didn't damage a single one, unless you class a coating of dog slobber as damage, but she is a gundog after all.
We have started puppy classes. She is doing very well at them and enjoys going, but they do wear her out. The class is held in a scout hut 1 mile from where we live so we walk there and she has a little little run in the park on the way. The class is an hour long and then we catch the bus back home again. By the time we get home she has just enough energy to eat her supper and crawl onto the sofa before falling asleep.
I have plenty of plans for places to take her and things for us to do once the weather is slightly warmer and (hopefully) drier. By that time she will be old enough to be able to have a day out without me needing to worry about getting back to the car so she can have an afternoon nap.
She is growing up very fast and lost the first of her needle-sharp puppy teeth on the 2nd January. She is now onto the molars so the end of teething is in sight! Teething is probably one of the few aspects of puppyhood that I would gladly fast-forward through.
At Christmas there were lots of new people (mostly relatives) to meet and she loved meeting them all almost as much as she enjoyed getting cuddles and fuss from them. She was mostly good with Christmas Trees. She didn't pull them over or chew them. She very carefully picked the decorations and ornaments off them and then carried them round trying her best to evade capture and having them taken off her. She didn't damage a single one, unless you class a coating of dog slobber as damage, but she is a gundog after all.
We have started puppy classes. She is doing very well at them and enjoys going, but they do wear her out. The class is held in a scout hut 1 mile from where we live so we walk there and she has a little little run in the park on the way. The class is an hour long and then we catch the bus back home again. By the time we get home she has just enough energy to eat her supper and crawl onto the sofa before falling asleep.
I have plenty of plans for places to take her and things for us to do once the weather is slightly warmer and (hopefully) drier. By that time she will be old enough to be able to have a day out without me needing to worry about getting back to the car so she can have an afternoon nap.
Hilda loved the snow.
In the end I had to take her out into the garden on her lead otherwise she wouldn't come back inside.
She enjoyed singing Christmas Carols
She is getting on well with the cats
I entered a competition for her and she won a bag of puppy food.
Here is is next to her prize demonstrating where the prize should go!
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