A lesson he didnt know he was having!

Today Rafi and I were invited to the Dog barn to walk in their large fenced in walks, by my friend Nic.
When we arrived Nic was already there and as we were slightly early we waited in our cars until the person before us had finished their time slot. We drove in and parked on the tarmac then just shut the gate and opened the crates, both dogs jumped out and began sniffing all the interesting smells that were in the pen.
Nic and I had some work to do so we sat on the bench and did ten minutes of catch up on TRiM cases we were covering. All the time Rafi and Corky were sniffing and playing with a tennis ball, when we were ready we walked round the pens letting  the dogs play or just sniff. Every now and then I called Rafi back to me for a treat making him sit. ( RECALL) the rest of the time he was playing with tennis balls and sniffing all the new smells in close proximity to Corky. (SOCIALISING) When our session had ended we put the dogs in the back of our cars and went our separate ways, Corky gave one little grumble to put Raffi in his place, and there was one lip lift which was acknowledged by Rafi and he stopped bouncing at Corky.
Really good play date for him and  great for me to be able to see just how good he is off lead and recall.
Good teacher good student.

Rafi on Tor 30th July to 1st August

30th July
Really this is three days worth of blogging in one post as the internet signal was way off, very intermittent.
We left early on Tuesday morning for Somerset and arrived just before lunch. Even though the journey its self is only about two and a half hours we had a long coffee stop to allow Rafi half an hour out of his crate, as he decided he didnt want to go to the loo before we left.
After setting up the caravan and having a cup of tea we went and got some shopping then andy went to Hamwall nature reserve while Rafi and I set off on a 'one and a half hour walk', we took a photo of the 'map' that was at the site suggesting walks in the area and left. Clearly some of the paths were extremely over grown and the map was definitely not to scale! It was very hot but looked as if it was going to rain again so I had my waterproof so added to the temperature I had the extra bonus of a jacket! I mentioned at the top of this post that internet was a tad sketchy well so was any signal. Periodically I would get a signal and be able to get a map up on my phone which allowed us to eventually get back to our campsite.
When we arrived back, three hours later, my husbad had just pulled in, in the car.
The rest of the evening was spent relaxing and reading ...and watching the sheep steal apples and leaves from the trees in the orchard.
31st July
Woke up early, due to me forgetting to turn off my alarm! Doh! I got dressed and took Rafi for a quick pee walk while my husband did tea and breakfast.
When we were ready we got in the car and went for a drive, amoungst other places we went were Cheddar Gorge and another nature reserve which I forget the name of, Rafi found a hollow tree to explore and was "buzzed" by several drone like Dragonflies of various colours and sizes.
Back a the campsite we had a cup of tea and gave Rafi his dinner before heading out to Glastonbury Tor, we parked in the town and walked up the Tor to the Oratory at the top, the views were incredible, probably made even better by the strange smells we kept getting whiffs of coming from small groups of people sat along the pathway!! Once we had walked back down again we got fish and chips and sat eating them with  the Tor as our view. Once we had eaten we wwnt back to the caravan and sat reading and drinking.....Somerset Cider of course.
Great way to spend a Birthday.
1st August
Lazy morning, I remembered to cancel the alarm, then when we were up and had breakfast I decided to go for another walk, this time taking a photo of a real map! Rafi and I set off while my husband went back to Hamwall again to see if he could see one particular bird.
Our walk was both more and less successful than the first days walk as in, I had a great map and knew where I was going but the footpaths on some were obviously rarely used and seriously overgrown with Stinging nettles and brambles meaning both Rafi and I struggled to get through. Once back we had a cup of tea and sat out reading in the sun. When my husband got back he had bought some scones and cream, we already had some jam, we had a cream tea for lunch then packed up the caravan and set off for home.

I'm forever blowing bubbles!

Its raining! Off and on throughout the day we have had liquid weather.
I am extremely pleased to find that Skye was not my only dog who enjoyed walking in the rain, Rafi loves it! As we were going to take Mia to the Aldingbourne country center and he would be on his own for a short while until my husband got back I gave Rafi a long walk, in the rain and he loved it! I am dying to let him off the lead but until his recall is spot on I am not taking and chances.
When we got back from the Aldingbourne center we put Mis's new bubble machine in the center of the garden and let him chase bubbles.

Borde Hill's Sculptures

Its been years since I went to Borde Hill, and as they are dog friendly I thought it might be nice to go today with Mia and take Rafi with us. Its about an hours drive away and I couldn't remember what catering facilities they had so we took a pack up for lunch.
We wandered round the gardens looking at the flowerbeds and sculptures some of which moved in the wind, one of them frightened Mia, although I don't know why as it was literally 5 feet long metal rods which swayed slightly when the wind caught it! She loved the water tipping one though, so did Rafi we stood and watched it for quite a while.
We found somewhere to sit for lunch then had a walk through the woods. Rookie mistake I thought how easy it was to push the pushchair through, not realising it was down hill slightly, that is until I had to push it back again! Doh! It was nice though.
Our return journey took an hour and a half thanks to massive traffic build up at Arundel. Mia slept for most of the drive though and I suspect Rafi did too.

Rare Breeds

Its been over 3 years since I was at the Weald and Downland Museum, except for one day when I went to say goodbye to the lovely Bayleaf Neville.
It felt quite strange walking in, it felt even stranger having to pay! I was a volunteer there for over 10 years, helping with the three shire horses and the other animals and being first aid cover for the many events they held.
This time I was a member of the public, taking my two granddaughters for a day our to their rare breeds show.
The first stop had to be the stables to say hello to Mac, the only remaining shire on the site, they now have two Percherons called Ollie and Kash to help Mac with the work load.
It was a lovely surprise to bump into another of the volunteers who I used to work with, she was also at the show socially and wandered with us for a while.
Rafi was very well behaved considering there were so many people, new animal smells and stalls selling food. He was interested in other dogs but didnt get over zealous with them and was quite steady with the livestock both the four and the two legged varieties.
Once back home however he just flopped into his bed and slept.

Just keep swimming

Today I took Rafi to the swimming pool, it was his first time in a pool. We were very early, due to my husband needing to borrow my car and having to drop me off. Whilst we waited for our time slot in the garden to the side of the pool area 5 large breed dogs came in, Rafi is very over zealous with other dogs as he hasn't really had a great deal of contact with  them, he began with the 3 second sniff rule and was fairly well behaved, infact it was only when a large golden retriever, who was only 3 years old himself, wanted to play bow and be a bit boisterous that things got a bit ott. We kept the 6 dogs in the same area but not able to actually touch.
They had the time slot before Rafi's  so we watched them playing for a short while then as it was hot we went and sat in the shade. The pool owner came out and chatted to me for a while, we have known each other for a good 13 years as Skye used to go swimming there too, she told me that the owners of the bigger dogs had invited Rafi to join their session for the last 10 minutes as they had been playing beforehand. We went in, Rafi had a quick shower then we put him in the pool. His first two laps were wide eyed and high paddling with his front legs until we found a squeeky toy frog for him to retrieve, at which point he put a huge smile on his face  curled his tail over hos back and swam beautifully  all round the pool all by himself! I kept the long line attached just for safety, if he got out of the pool and someone opened the door or something.
After the 5 had gone we continued swimming in our own slot and were joined by a pretty tri coloured border collie.
The slots are half an hour, but with the ten monutes in the slot before I decided to get him out early, its tiring swimming and a new experience for him meaning he had a lot to process too.
We ended on a great swim and booked up for next week.

Go Team Ginger

Tonight Rafi and I went to misper for one of our team members who has a Vizla, we call them team Ginger due to the colour of the dog.
Mispering, means hiding in the woods waiting for the dog to find us, (missing Person)
Team Ginger needed to do a night mock assessment in order to go to the Nationals and qualify as a Path and Route Search dog and be able to go out on live call outs, they have already passed their day mock so we all had our fingers crossed.
It takes a good two years plus to reach this point so the whole team were routing for them. I was one of three Mispers who had been put out ready for them to find. I can tell you that at night in the dark and quiet the sound of harness bells (Hawk Bells by any other name) and the appearance of collar lights and harness lights can be seen and heard from quite a way off so I was worried that she had gone passed and missed me until I realised the sound was coming from the other side of the bend in the track.
Suffice to say team ginger made the grade its off to the Nationals for them.
It was lovely laying on a mat in the dark, the sound of Night jars chirring and owls hooting was lovely, the sound of buzzing followed by a sharp pain by my right ear wasnt so nice though! Bloody Mozzies!
We finished training at 11.35 pm and I got home at 12.07am yawn.

Deflated

Today the boy managed to pop his favorite toy, at first he seemed a bit put out as he likes to actually roll over it and now he can't, but then he discovered he could actually carry it around with him. That was a whole new 'ball game!'

Unless he completely trashes it, he can keep tha burst one, I shall however have to get him another one as watching him play with it makes everyone smile.

Zoomies

Zoomies.....
So we are home from our camping expo and I think that although he showed no signs of being anxious Rafi possibly was, because soon as he got into the garden it was at least 10 full minutes of Zoomies before he finally threw himself down in his bed and is now sparko.
Exhausted.

Houdini

It has come to my notice that I called my dog by the wrong name! He should have been called Harry Houdini! At least twice today he managed to escape his harness, I was, at the time in a working lunch at a rather nice Inn, fortunately my friend who was working on the 'project' with me is extremely sharp witted and has a car full of .. well everything really. She managed to catch Rafi and then had a second harness collar and lead that we were able to put on him.
Harness shopping monday then.
Once we had eaten and had a rough idea what it is we want to produce, we decided that both our dogs could do with a walk, we took them to a harbour where Rafi promptly followed my friends dog into the water. A lucky tennis ball find meant that she could throw a toy for her dog right out in the water and Rafi could swim for one much closer, he loved every minute and had about four retrieves which he had to swim for.  On the way back to the cars he walked perfectly behaved beside the other dog not once did he do his tail biting over zealous behaviour, I am sure he was probably shattered but he was still excellently behaved.

Away from it all

This morning I called the vet as soon as they were open, Rafi had eaten and slept well, he had no symptoms and was trying to play with all the vet nurses. Music to my ears.
Before all this had started, Rafi and I were supposed to be going away for the weekend in the caravan, AnnieMay.
My husband said we should still go so we packed up our things and set off. We are not going too far as I am helping a friend with her animals and also now, if Rafi becomes ill I need to be able to get him back to the vets.
Once we had arrived at our 'undisclosed' destination, we set up the caravan and went for a walk.
Rafi loves Caravanning!

Crazy dayz

Rafi met AnnieMay

Today I had to put the shelf in the caravan for the microwave, in the gap left from the heater my brother took out for me. Firstly I had to put insulating tape round a couple of wires that had been left from the electrical part of the heater.
All the while I was doing this Rafi was looking out of the window and sleeping on his bed. He had a good sniff round when we first arrived, as he hadn't been there before. I think he will enjoy our trips away.

Day two in the little dog house.

To start with I should say that after three squeaks when we first went up to bed Rafi stopped making any noise and went into his bed. When I got up this morning he was still in his bed, nothing chewed or eaten and no accidents. What a good boy.
After taking Mums dog for her fiberglass casts to be made, we went for a walk on the beach. I don't think he has ever seen the sea before but after a tentative start he went in not far, but far enough to say he wasnt scared of it.
This evening we have a completely relaxed dog, he settled down after his last walk and seems much more relaxed.

PAWS IN THE PARK ARDINGLY

http://www.pawsinthepark.net/

RIB

In my past life, if someone had said RIB, I would immediately think.... inter costal muscles, flail segment, chest compression's and everything else which could surround the bony chest cage!
Now on the other hand if someone mentions RIB my immediate thought is.... Sun Sea and M & M's.
Right now I know which RIB I prefer (taste the rainbow)

Horse Power

This morning I got up early and went to the stables but instead of feeding Mouse I decided to ride her first, it was another lovely day so after tacking up we went out, Mouse has decided that one of the houses in the village is scary, there is no dog or flashing lights or people behind hedges, but every time we get to this house she refuses to pass it without a song and dance, well, maybe just a lot of cajoling once past she is fine then on the way back we have the same rigmarole again!When I got home the husband took me out for lunch as its his day off, I had salmon and he had steak pie, once back home the dog decided she would help me dig over the veg plot then when the seedlings had been planted it was out for a blast on the bike. Totally filled day off. Perfic.

I want to be a pirate!

When I grow up I think I want to be a pirate!
For the last two days I have been at my new job with the Harbour Conservancy and I absolutely love it, out on the water in a RIB all day, I mean whats not to like.
The sun shone and the air was warm, it was lovely. The people I work with are really nice and the time went so quickly I could have done another three or four hours, that said I was shattered by the time I had got home. I do realise that when its cold and wet things will be different but until that time, a pirates life for me, Arr pass the rum!

Counting the days when you don't actually know the day you are counting down to!

This is what I am doing at the moment.
Obviously there are the big days like Christmas day and New Years day, but there are also the not so International count downs, for instance
The double Baptism             -One day.
The Dentist!!                        -Twelve days.
The Farrier                           -Thirty five days.
The charity coffee morning -Forty three days.
But just when the Northern bird is going to fly south for a visit is a complete mystery!

AmDram

Last night my Mum, myself and our friend went to see a play put on by our local players.
The play was hilariously funny and well acted, there were a couple of forgotten lines (I have seen David Suchet in a play and forget his lines) and an almost dropped lace "Loin cloth!" (Every one roared with laughter at that too) In the interval the non acting members of the players came round with teas coffees and biscuits, all included in the price of the ticket and collected the cups away too.
A really enjoyable evening no queue's for the loo or for extortionately priced ice creams a brilliant performance and all for the non bank breaking price of £8.
 It seems to me the theatres have become out priced and ever more highbrow, to mention nothing of the fact that if you are not a "Member" of the theatre your chances of getting any tickets is super slim.
So with that in mind I shall pay the price of a theatre ice cream and get a ticket a cup of tea and a biscuit and a great performance.
May there be many more to come!