2006

DEC 2006

Visit to Grasmere Primary School

Today Kaz and I went with two of the dogs bodies Terry and Mary to Grasmere primary school. We went so that Kaz could tell the year 1 and 2's how a search dog works and show them all the things she carries - it was great fun - all the children patted me and asked Kaz loads of questions and at the end I showed them what I can do - Terry went and hid and I found him and barked really loudly and ran back to Kaz. The children all clapped. Kaz gave each of the children a little book that she and I have written which is all about search dogs.

Assessment at Melbreak - and how I got blown over!

Kaz and I could only make one day at training this weekend as she had to work in Birmingham on the Saturday. I don't know - she complained like mad that she had to drive down to Birmingham and back on the Saturday and then get up really early on Sunday to drive round to Loweswater to a place called Melbreak.....here's a piccie of it

We walked up to the start of the area - it was pretty windy and Kaz was a bit worried that once we got up high we wouldn't be able to stand up. She was right - I got bowled over for about 20m once we were on top and Kaz had to lie in the heather so she could hear the radio!! Then every time she got up she got knocked over. Anyway I was really clever - I found all the bodies - even though the assessors had been a bit sneaky and had made two of the bodies move to different places once I found them! Kaz and I passed (number 4 now) and Mike and Fly also got another pass. Afterwards Kaz went in to the Kirkstile Inn and was very happy when she came out.

We won't be doing any more assessments for a while (til January) so I'm going to get a bit of rest and play with my stupid labrador brothers over Christmas. So Happy Christmas to everyone and more news on how I'm training Kaz after the new year!!!!

NOV 2006

Christmas Parties and assessments don't mix!

We had the SARDA training seminar in Keswick in November - it was pretty good - a bloke that bosses sheep dogs around came and showed what his dogs could do. I quite fancied his dog Laddie but he didn't notice me. Here is Derek the top dog trainer ......

After we saw Derek and his dogs Kaz and everyone else went inside to talk (yawn) and in the evening she and Baz went to a Christmas Dinner party and got drunk. Me and the two useless labradors had to stay in the camper van while they were enjoying themselves....still we did find a really tasty shoe to have a chew of!

The next day kaz and I had to do an assessment - we had to walk for ages until we got to a place called Coombe Ghyll and first of all we searched all along the path towards Glaramara and I was really good - I waited until Kaz had climbed onto the skyline then I followed the scent all the way back down to the valley floor (about 200m) because I thought I could smell someone hiding. I got a bit confused coz I also found a strange bag with lots of human smell on it but no-one in it and also barked at that (Note from Kaz - Dottie found a helicopter bag used for ferrying stones up to footpath repairs. She also found a body in a cave and wasn't sure which one to bark at first!)

Anyway Kaz followed me right down the hill over some really slippy stones and boulders and was very pleased with me when I showed her Jo who was hiding in a cave. We then carried back up to the bottom of Raven Crag and I smelt another person and ran off to find them. They were a long way off but I still barked and Kaz was pleased again. That took us about 2 hours. In the afternoon we found another body high up on the other side of the valley and afterwards we were told we'd passed another assessment. Kaz really likes me at the moment, but she needed some headache tablets when we got home!!

Our next assessment is in December. 3 down 5 to go!

OCTOBER 2006

Rain and more rain....oh and assessments

Kaz and I went to Borrowdale this weekend for my first real assessment....I was pretty impressed really, coz on the Saturday morning Kaz gave me an extra large breakfast at about 6 o'clock in the morning; I could get used to this!

We got to a place called Seathwaite where we met up with the others under assessment - Elly and Mac, Mike and Fly and Leo with my half sister Blisstic. We all walked up to Stockley Bridge - Kaz and Leo were told to wait with three of the assessors while Elly and Mike went up to a place called Grains Gill.

It started to rain pretty bad so I was actually quite pleased when Kaz put on my orange search jacket and sent me off - the area we searched looked really small to start with, but it was really quite big.

We weren't going very long when I found a body - I was so pleased I barked really loudly and raced back to Kaz - in fact I was so quick I nearly skidded into her. After that we went up a long and very slippy area and after about half an hour I realised I could smell something - I wasn't sure it was a person, but I still went and had a look. I found a hat and barked at Kaz to let her know (she's always telling Baz she wants new clothes!). I'm not sure if Kaz was happy I'd found the hat, but at least all the running about kept me warm. After another 10 minutes I smelt a person and tried to get to them, but there was a fence in the way and I had to get Kaz to lift me over it, once I was over I searched around a crag face and eventually found the body....(Apparently Bliss also found this body later in the day but was more desperate to get to it, so jumped the fence and descended the crag, dropping about 8ft to the body in her rush). We then worked all the way to the bottom. The assessors were pleased and so was Kaz.

They gave us about 10 mins rest and then showed us the next area on the opposite side of the valley. It was enormous. We set off at a steady pace, and again we had to get over some dry stone walls (this time they had barbed wire on top). Kaz lifted me over one and ripped the sleeve of her jacket quite badly. Also by this time the rain was really bad and we had to get across some serious rocky steep ground, unfortunately Kaz slipped over and ripped the arm of her new jacket again really badly, I didn't care though coz at that moment I found another body and was concentrating on barking at them. (Note from Kaz - must remember not to wear expensive 2 week old birthday present from husband when on assessment!!).

At the end of the area Kaz and I found out we had passed. So had all of the others! Mac told me that Elly had also fallen over a few times and had hurt her thumb really badly, but she'd carried on. Tough people these Mountain Rescue girls!

On Sunday Kaz and Leo were sent to Honister - We had a really good time in the rain on the first area and we'd worked for an hour before we found the first body. On the second area Kaz got a bit confused (she is blonde!!) and when we finished we out found that we'd missed a chunk of the area because she thought we weren't supposed to be searching it. It was ok though (I saved her bacon) we went back in to the area after and found both of the bodies. We were given a pass but Kaz needs to make sure she knows exactly where the edges of the area are in the future! Leo and Bliss also passed.

So all in all a good weekend for us all ..... onwards and upwards

Getting ready for assessments

It's now early October 2006 and Kaz is working hard to make sure I'm ready to start assessments on the weekend of 21/22 October. Don't know why though, I know what I'm doing, it's her that's the one that messes it all up by forgetting to send me into bits of crag that we haven't covered...honestly I have to do everything in this relationship..(well ok, she does do a bit of the work, but not much). It's not just me under assessment but also Elly and Mac, Mike and Fly and Leo and Blisstic. Mac and Fly already have passed some assessments and Blisstic had also passed some assessments before she was ill, so I am actually a little nervous as this will be our first attempt at a proper assessment and I dont want to let Kaz down.

I found out today from Donald (one of my useless labrador brothers) that he used to be a trainee search dog just like me. Apparently Kaz got me because he failed - he kept forgetting that he was supposed to be searching for people and would wander off if he smelled interesting things like bones and rabbits and food of any type. Once or twice he even ran off with the body's sandwiches (turns out he wasn't very popular for doing that)....boy am I going to rub his nose in it if we pass our assessments!!

This week Kaz has got me concentrating on barking at people who are lying in a bivvy bag and doing nothing...sometimes I get so excited I forget to bark and rush back to Kaz; this is not a good thing so I need to remember this at the weekend....please keep your fingers (human fans) and paws (canine fans) crossed for me!!

SEPT 2006

Coniston - is it really September now?

Back at Coniston - it was a whole year ago that I first started training to be a search dog. This time though, we were given great big areas to search - on the Friday we got to search the area below Goats Water, and then all the way up to the top of Red Pike. Kaz was asked by the assessors before we started what she was going to do and how long it was going to take us. She gave them her plan and said it would be between 2 and 2 1/2 hours. It was absoloutely boiling - both of us were wearing high visibility jackets so that the assessors could see where we were. I did find everyone in just over 2 hours but Kaz and the assessors agreed that perhaps she could have chosen a slightly more easier route round the area. (Apparently she could have cleared a section of the area quicker by going in a certain direction). After that we did another area but Kaz pulled out half way round as she'd got a bad headache and was being sick (heat exhaustion - yes it does happen even in the Lakes occasionally ...Kaz).

On the Saturday we searched around a place called Red Dell and again I was really good. On Saturday evening Kaz went with the others to the pub - she was pretty funny when she got back coz there was a spider in the camper van and she screamed until someone came and took it away......

On Sunday we searched the area around Red Dell again - this time though it was very misty and it was really important that I made sure Kaz knew I'd found the bodies by barking very loudly....I think we did really well coz the assessors have now decided that we'll be on assessment in October.....(help!)

AUG 2006

Trial Assessments

Ah well - Kaz and I are not talking.

We went to Haweswater to do some trial assessments in big areas and unfortunately we failed - the first day was grey and raining and we walked half way up to Small water and Kaz was shown the area to search - she wasn't told how many bodies there were and we started walking through loads of bracken - the wind was doing weird things and I was finding it really hard to smell anything (after all I'm only 2ft tall and the bracken is about 4ft high!).

After about 2 hours Kaz thought we'd nearly finished and we'd already found 2 bodies when I was searching down by a stream. Suddenly a sheep ran from behind a boulder - of course I was a bit frightened so I ran towards it but suddenly I remembered that I'm not supposed to do that, so I stopped after about 20 ft. Luckily Kaz didn't see me so I carried on with the search.

When we finished Kaz was told we'd missed a body and she was a bit upset and we were just about to go in and do the next area when an assessor snitched on me and told Kaz that he'd seen me being a bit interested in a sheep - god I've never seen her so angry with me, so I just kept my head and tail down as we walked into the next area. When we started the next search I saw a sheep nearby and looked at it (I didn't do anything - honest) but the next thing I know I got grabbed by the scruff of the neck and told off. Well after that what would you do? That's right, I just kept right by her side and didn't move away (funny though, that seemed to upset her even more - she just kept telling me to go away and find).

After what seemed like hours I managed to find 3 of the bodies and she seemed a bit happier.

The next day we searched round Small Water - it took ages - at one point the mist came in and Kaz overshot the crags that we were aiming towards and we ended up right on the top of of the ridge about 200m above where we needed to be. Anyway - we found all the bodies and the assessors seemed fairly happy with me but now they're all saying that I'm still a bit immature (I thought that was just men - well that's what Kaz says). The assessors think that I'm scared of sheep (they're right I really don't like them and sometimes I run towards them just to get them out of the way). So we're back training again and I think Kaz has decided to put any more assessments on hold for the time being.

I was told a great joke by one of the other search dogs -

A farmer gets his collie and asks it to count the sheep in the field.
When the collie comes back the farmer asks 'How many sheep then?'
The collie replies '40'.
The farmer says 'how come theres 40, I only bought 38'.......
The collie replies 'I rounded them up!'

More news from Search training soon.....

JULY 2006

Wot no blog....

It's been a while since I last wrote but it's been mega busy.

Kaz and Baz decided that they needed some 'r+r' - apparently that involves driving the camper van down to a place called Austria (not sure - but is that anywhere near Keswick?)..for a month to go climbing and walking and mountainbiking (and drinking). Unfortunately me and the other two dogs weren't allowed to go because we don't have passports(?)

So the two labradors were sent to prison (...Kaz...actually it's a very nice dog kennel near Penrith) and I was allowed to stay with Kaz's mum and dad - which was great coz I got loads of fuss and lots to eat.

On one of the days while I was at Kaz's mums - Elly from the search team and her dog Mac (another trainee) picked me up and we drove over to Keswick to do some searching - a few people were surprised as I did all the things I'm supposed to do (bark at the body and tell my handler) even though Kaz wasn't there. They now think we'll be ready to start being tested to be a 'proper dog' - this is going to be in August I think....not sure I'm that keen though - I was talking to the other search dgos who reckon it's really hard work....but at least I'll get to be in the search dog union - as you can see from the photo (I'm the good looking one on the left) I'm still trying to be accepted by them all!

JUNE 2006

It's hot - am I bothered!

Kaz has been a bit weird in the last few weeks - at the slighest sight of sun she keeps whipping of her trousers and running around in shorts. I wish she'd have a bit of consideration for me though - I'm a long haired collie and I'm boiling - what with the long hair and the very attractive orange jacket I keep having to wear to search - I'm a ball of sweat!!

Training has been fun - we've been going over to Keswick on Tuesday nights to play in the Whinlatter Forest. Last week, I managed to immerse myself in the stream before going and jumping all over the body I was looking for - although they weren't too happy to get soaking wet when I shook all over them.

The two stupid labradors have been staying away from home with Baz while he's been working in Coniston - good - that means I get Kaz all to myself. Especially at night coz when she's on her own in the house I'm allowed to sleep under her bed.

We're off to a place called Ennerdale this weekend to do some more training - we might even be assessed if I'm good enuff - course I am - it's her I'm worried about!!

Something you need to know....sheep, they're all stupid

These are sheep. I am a sheep dog. Unfortunately cos I'm training as a search dog I'm not allowed to even go to say hello to them. Problem is sheep are basically stupid and they need to be bossed about by dogs like me, and that's what I was born to do.

Kaz has always been very careful when we walk through sheep - at first I was never allowed off the lead and everytime I tried to pull towards one she told me off. Then she let me off the lead but made me walk to heel and was very pleased when I did it all ok; and when I've been practising searching I've not seen very many sheep about because they all run away as soon as they realised that a superior being was on the hill!

The other day though, Kaz and I were out walking on the hill and I was a long way in front of her. This stupid sheep was stood on the path just staring at me daring me to chase it. I gave it a look - the one that normally makes them move out of the way, but it just stood there looking stupid. So I thought I'd give it a bit of a hand and get it to move....I started to run towards it and that's when I heard Kaz yelling for me to lay down. I'd only run a couple of yards but she was still yelling so I dropped on the floor - personally I couldn't see what she was getting so het up about...when she got to me she grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and shook me (just like my mum did when I was a pup). Since then everytime we've walked near sheep I just get told off even if I dare look in their direction - honestly life isn't fair sometimes! I suppose I'll have to keep Kaz happy though, cos at the end of the day it's her that feeds me isn't it?.......

APRIL 2006

I'm getting quite good at this search stuff....

We did some training over a weekend at a place called Patterdale near where we live. We walked for about half an hour until we got to a sheepfold (no sheep though) and all the trainees were tied up and our handlers were told not to look at where the bodies were going.

It was pretty boring just sitting around but someone called Nelly (again humans - pleaasse sort out your names!!) had bought his new puppy called Harry along - it was 9 weeks old and basically was hopeless - it couldn't keep up with me and the others and kept falling over. I got a bit jealous though, cos Kaz carried it in her jacket up to the sheepfold and told me off when I kept jumping up to sniff it.

All of us trainees had fun playing with the pup, but eventually we were told that we would be searching an area and needed to concentrate.

Kaz took me out of the sheepfold and went over to the training people. They pointed up this huge hill and said - 'You're searching Keppel Cove'. (Note from Kaz - It looked pretty big to me as well!).

We started off and I did my usual thing of showing the humans just how quickly I could run around, but after about 10 minutes I realised I needed to slow down abit so that Kaz could keep up with me. (Hmmmm...not sure I saw it that way (Kaz)). We found 3 bodies and it took us over an hour. Kaz looked really hot and bothered, so was I - at the end I ran down and swam about in the stream to cool off. Afterwards the trainers said that we were doing quite well and that we'd be starting assessments soon.

All of the trainees did well that weekend and here's a picture of one of them. (I think he's cute don't you?) (Kaz - well the dog is, dont know about the handler though!! )......

And this is the bloke in charge - Mike the training officer

MARCH 06

March 2006 - I'm promoted...

By the end of the training week in February, Kaz and I were promoted to stage 2 - this means that the training people think that I can search for people for about 20 minutes and bark at them and come back to Kaz to bark at her to tell her I've found them.

Course I can - easy peasy! Problem is Kaz doesn't always realise that I've found a body coz sometimes I don't bother barking at the body and just run straight back to her and forget to bark. She isn't very happy when that happens so I s'pose I'll have to do it right.

The trainers Rick and Jim told Kaz that they thought we'd be ready for assessments by September - they also keep asking Kaz what gear she's in when she's working the area! It's something to do with the fact that Kaz only has one speed - not like me I can run around really quickly......(Note from Kaz: Actually I had a very bad cold so I was pretty slow - most men would have died)

I really enjoyed Scotland - so did Kaz - even though she had to drink lots of whiskey for her cold.........here's a picture of one of my favourite bodies Laura leading everyone into the area.

JANUARY 06

January 2006 - Kaz gets a new job and I see snow....

Kaz is really excited - she is starting a new job which is only 4 days a week (apparently she is taking this search thing so seriously she decided to work part time to give us a chance of succeeding!!) and the office is on a farm. It means I can go along with her still and meet some new people.

Kaz has told Baz that she and I are going to the Cairngorm in February for a week to do 'snow work'. I like it when it's just me and Kaz - she makes me feel really special.

We drove up to Scotland and it was quite cold. Kaz has made a special bed for me in the car so that I dont get too cold - she's really stupid sometimes - doesn't she know I'm a dog? I mean to say, I do have a lot of fur and am designed to live outside!

When we got there Kaz went into the hut where she'd be sleeping. It seems funny but everyime we go away on these courses all of the dogs stay in the cars at night while their handlers are inside singing and making lots of noise - perhaps it's some kind of ritual for humans?

The next morning we went up to a place called Coire na Ciste and we were all kept in the cars until the bodies were in. Then we started looking for them. It was really hard work there was this stuff called snow that was cold and sticky and difficult to walk in (actually Kaz was having a harder time than me).

We worked all day and by the end of it all the dogs were knackered - all the handlers were too - but some men in charge called Rick and Jim kept making us all do more work.

I slept all night and had to be woken up by Kaz in the morning. Apparently the handlers had been pretty tired as well.......