Saturday 31 May 2014

Lakeside Walk

Hey pups! I bouncing back after my leg injury and we went for an off-leash walk today. (DM: Excuse the quality of the photos. I didn't bring my camera :(




I no longer hate water!

Rescuing my ball

Licks and Wags,
Dina

Thursday 29 May 2014

Don't Shoot the Dog

Hey guys! I thought you might be missing my 'Mom' posts so here I am. Until now it has been more of a trek than train blog so today I'm going to be talking about a fantastic book I have read recently by Karen Pryor: Don't Shoot the Dog.


It has been recommended to me by a lot of people who have dogs and I have heard that it is a brilliant book explaining all the theories, facts and features of training not only dogs and animals but humans too. It is written in an easy-going, smooth and humoristic style with stories that reflect the idea being discussed. Don't Shoot the Dog isn't really a 'how-to' book about problems and how to combat them but it gives you the required knowledge to figure it out. However, it does include a detailed chapter on eight methods most commonly used to modify behaviour and gives a series of example problems with a description of how they can be eradicated using that method. Pryor has also included a chapter on clicker training that ended in the following about clicker training:

"In a recent e-mail Alex[andra Kurland] wrote, "It's done. We can't put the genie back in the bottle now. This is going to be fun." I hope she is right about the genie and the bottle. I know she's right about the fun. It has always been fun."

I find that to be one of the best quotes from the book. I urge all dog owners, teachers and anybody who wants to know how to manipulate :) change the people around them to read this book- it is truly worth the time!


Hugs,
Dina Mom


Disclaimer: I was not asked to write this review, I bought the book for the full price and no one involved in the writing, publishing or making of this book knows about this review. All opinions are my own.


Tuesday 27 May 2014

What Do You Mean This Isn't Thursday?

Hey pups! Today's post comes in two parts.

Part I

I know I said Thursday last week was when the last hike post was going to be but I was busy looking after the leg I said I hurt. On Monday, last week, Mom, Big Guy and I set off to explore a hill we have had our eye on for a long time. It was a great walk and the views were really something special.

Chanctonbury Ring on the horizon.

The astounding view

You shall not pass!

A massive trunk with dates and names carved in

Wow! That is like hundreds of years old

Part II (brought to you by Mom)

Today we went to the vet because of Dina's leg. In theory it was fine but she can't sit properly and it is obvious she is saving it. She hurt it on the hike she described above when chasing through a field after some birds. The scream was terrifying.

Less than five minutes after she hurt it.
Over the next few days it got better but only to a certain point (the one described above ie. still saving the leg). So off to the vet we went. After an examination- which I had to held securely for- the vet told us it was most probably the cruciate ligament. We have to make an X-Ray appointment within the week and were sent home with pain medicine.

Licks, Wags and Hugs,
Dina and Mom


Tuesday 20 May 2014

The Beating Sun

Hey pups! As promised today is another hike post, this time about Sunday's hike. We went to a new hill that Mom had been dying to visit for ages now. It did not disappoint. With the glorious weather (clear skies and 25/77 degrees) and breath-taking views it really was worth the climb. Our starting point was Hurtwood which we visited before but this time we took the opposite direction to last time.

BW Sunday's colour version

A boarding and day school just outside the wood.

Hitting the trail we spotted cow-dogs horses, cows and loads of bugs that I kept trying to eat. 
Loner calf. Just like Mom!

Pretty girl/boy- I didn't look :D





This wasn't a long or particularly steep climb but the descent was pretty harsh on the knees (or so Mom says!).


A fancy, named gate


Amazing


The road to victory





In the village at the foot of the hill we came upon a church.







All in all it was wonderful!

Licks and Wags,
Dina






Monday 19 May 2014

Where to begin?

Hey pups! Beautiful weather was on vacation in Surrey these past few days and you know what that means: hikes! And lots of 'em. I went on three so we might as well split it to three posts. Today is about Friday's walk. The whole hike was a regular that Mom and I walk very often





but the awesome started towards the end when we reached the gold course (let me tell you, a golf course is one of the finest places to walk - so much room and space to run, play and romp.) and as it was evening there were no golfers around. We played fetch among the rolling slopes of the course and got some awesome shots.




Mom's favourite of the day



Mid-jump


We frisbee-ed for a solid hour and I was very much pooped at the end of it.

Licks and Wags,
Dina

PeeS. On today's hike (Monday) I was running through a field after a pheasant and hurt my leg. It is slightly swollen and we don't know what is wrong yet. Hopefully it will go down in a few days but if not then Mommy says a V-E-T visit is in order.