We had a really great Christmas - me and Kaz and Daryl and the idiot pup Dram stayed at home on Christmas Day with grandpa and grandma and we had fun - the humans played on a thing called a Wii (hmmm sounds like something me and the idiot pup do after a long drink!
We then travelled down to Worcester to see grandpa Ron and Daryls family - that was good fun too and me and the idiot pup Dram got taken out and about for lots of walks.
When we came home we were going to spend New Years Eve walking to Mosedale Cottage near Haweswater and spend the night in the Bothy with a few people, but just as we were getting ready to leave home in the afternoon Kazs team pager went off for a search for 2 ladies who were lost after going for a walk in the High Street area.
Kaz and I drove directly to Bampton whilst Daryl went to base to organise radios and stuff. It was very interesting driving conditions because of the snow and Kaz did really well getting our car almost up the fell road, but then she couldnt go any further and luckily the people living at Moorahill Farm were behind us and gave us a lift the rest of the way in their Landrover.
When we got to the farm, Kaz and me set off to search up the valley towards White Bog - it was pretty hard going for Kaz as the snow was up to her waist in some places - I was fine though as I have four paw drive! After about half an hour Kaz heard that the rest of her team had arrived at the farm and were now on the paths as well. After a while I smelled something and ran up the hill for a couple of hundred meters. I got a bit excited and barked a couple of times so that Kaz could realise that I knew I could smell someone but hadnt got there. Eventually I found the two ladies - they were going up the hill because they decided they were going in the wrong direction. But as soon as I barked at them they were really pleased to see me - Kaz caught up with us and we all walked back off the hill together. Kaz was also very pleased with me. It was a bit late to then go to Mosedale cottage so Kaz and Daryl rang everyone and they all ended up coming round to our house for the night - just to make it authentic, Jon Stevens slept in our very cold, unheated conservatory!
Anyway - I wanted to wish all my Dot fans a very happy New Year and I look forward to blogging more in 2010 - keep up the emails - I love to hear from you and I might even let the idiot pup Dram have a go too!
17th December... Fun stuff in the helicopter and it's nearly Christmas
Finally Kaz has finished the university thing and she drove off to Lancaster to drop it off on Monday - she was very pleased and muttered something about getting rid of every text book she has got! This weekend we had loads of fun - on Friday Kaz and Daryl had their team Christmas drink which seemed to be fun - they certainly didnt come home til late and were a bit tired in the morning when we had to get up early and drive over to Buttermere for the weekend's training. On Saturday me and Kaz watched (well I watched and Kaz helped) the young dogs including the idiot pup Dram - he did pretty good really and I was quite pleased with him for not letting me down!
They trained on the Honister pass which was very cold and icy and some of the stage 2 dogs like Sam and Einich did some bigger areas. I got a bit fed up and at one point I wandered off to a really big rock and sat on top - just for something to do!
When we finished we all went back to the hut and in the evening it was the dog's dinner - although us dogs werent invited - (apparently you humans think it funny to make us stay behind while you have a big meal and lots of fun). Kaz told me that there was a lot of laughing at body Ian who decided to try out a possible new peice of body clothing for the summer - something called a Mankini (sorry I'm not allowed to post up a picture coz Kaz says Ian's mum Trish wont be very pleased!!).
On Sunday we did helicopter training which was fun - here are a couple of photos of Daryl and the idiot pup Dram being winched. Please dont tell the idiot pup but I really was very proud of him - he was very calm and seemed to enjoy it all - just like his big sister!!
After the young dogs had finished, me and Kaz and the other searchdogs were picked up by helicopter and dropped off onto the Col - here we are just before being picked up.
Funny though coz there wasnt a lot of smiling on the helicopter -poor old searchdog Kitt slipped out of her harness just as we were about to be dropped off at the top and there was a moment of panic as her handler Olly tried to grab hold of her. Anyway - we eventually started the search - Kaz, Olly and John were given the top of the area which I have helpfully marked in yellow on the picture. Frankly Kaz and Olly and John had a bit of a time getting accross the icy scree and steep ground whilst us searchdogs just ran around having fun!!
Anyways it was pretty good in the end and we found the people. This week idiot pup and I are off to grandma and grandpas for the weekend as Kaz and Daryl are finally getting their stuff out of storage and moving into our house properly.
Before I go I'd better wish everyone a very happy christmas and stuff - keep reading Dot fans - the blog will be back in the new year!!!!! and I might even let the idiot pup have a piece!
2nd December... Callout and a long old drive to Scotland
Kaz was a bit knackered this last week - she has been trying to finish her dissertation thingy for university which needs to be submitted in 2 weeks. Apparently she doesnt really appreciate me and the idiot pup Dram jumping all over her when she is concentrating!! On Saturday though, she went off to a search management conference with some of the other dog handlers (I dont know - you would think they'd just come to the experts - us dogs and ask us what we think!). Daryl took the idiot pup Dram up on the fell for a run round, and while he was out bumped into searchdog Mac and trainee Meg who were being walked by handler Elly's dad - Mac and Meg also thought us dogs should have been consulted on all things searching!
Anyway - Kaz has been working hard, so on Tuesday night was pretty happy to get to bed at about 11.30pm. Unfortunately, the pager started going off at about 4am. Kaz was so tired she just turned it off. Sadly, Chris Francis the callout co-ordinator is a bit of a mind reader and decided to phone round as well, so Kaz was in no position to argue!
Me and Kaz jumped in the car and drove up to Scotland's Solway coast and met up with the Police and Moffat team to look for a man who had gone for a walk and not come back. We were tasked to work with searchdog Flash and Dave and were a large area - there was a lot of rough ground, but I was really working well. After we searched the first area we went back and were told to look in some fields and copses - again it was pretty hard - especially for Kaz who was trying to make sure she didnt get electric shocks off the fencing when we kept climbing over! After about 5 hours we were told to return and found out that sadly a body had been found in a loch. Kaz and I drove back to grandma and grandpas so she could have a quick shower and do a bit of work on the pc.
This week Kaz and Daryl are desperately trying to finish off the house so we can finally get all the furniture out of store - I think they'll be happy to get their stuff back after nearly a year!
In the meantime the idiot pup Dram is jumping about like a lunatic in the kitchen trying to reach one of my tennis balls which is currently on the work surface - hah - useless dog - doesnt he know that if he barks at Kaz he'll get it!
NOV 2009
23rd November... Cumbria Flooding -
As you can imagine Kaz has been pretty busy since last Thursday - first off she was called back from Barrow at a meeting to help out with rescuing people from the floods. All of our other dog handlers in Keswick and Cockermouth have been really busy helping out with their teams - sadly our co-ordinator Chris Francis and handler Mick Guy's houses were flooded but that didnt stop them coming out to help. Kaz then spent Friday at Eamont Bridge near to where we live - she helped evacuate 26 people and a lot of animals including chickens, parrots, cats (ugh! shouldnt have bothered!) and dogs!!
Then on Saturday Kaz was around and about helping at various places and then on Sunday spent about 10 hours over at Cockermouth helping check on people who couldnt leave their homes.
Despite the tradgedy of the last few days - there was a couple of moments of light heartedness - particularly when Kaz was talking to one of her members of staff who was working in the Fire Service Control room - she said that right in the middle of all the chaos and floods a person called to report a fire in the town (yes - you can imagine the reaction to that one!)
Kaz says that she thinks everyone in the teams and all of the other volunteers in particular at Cockermouth and Keswick need a big thank you, she has spoken to some people who have hardly slept since Thursday. Cockermouth team even carried out an impromptu Christmas Light Switch On outside their base last night to cheer up the town!
Kaz and me and the Dram dog are at home today and then she is going back to work tomorrow. The last time she saw her office, it was covered with sleeping bags and camp beds!
17th November... busy weekend, and Dram starts the journey
It has been a good weekend, me and Kaz and Daryl (oh yes and the idiot pup Dram) went over to Borrowdale for a training weekend. In the morning Kaz and Daryl learnt all about how to do first aid on us dogs - especially how to bandage injured paws (huh, I wish she'd learnt it a while ago) - poor searchdog Skye had to be the demonstration patient and was apparently very patient whilst Clare the vet did the bandaging!!
In the evening, Kaz organised the night search exercise (she was a little stressed due to the fact that just as we were about to start there was a callout to Patterdale which meant that a couple of her assessors went off). It didnt matter, coz some of the lovely handlers helped her out and the search was a great success. In particular clever trainee Bruach and his handler Tom were very good and found all but one of the bodies - well done! Daryl was one of the bodies and said he enjoyed it very much despite the rain. In fact Kaz says that we should say a big thanks to all the bodies who stayed out from 1545 till 2200!
On Sunday, I helped Kaz run the baby dog session up under Castle Crag - it was fun - I got told off for barking - well, what does she expect? If you are going to have bodies wave tennis balls about all over the place at baby dogs!
Actually the idiot pup Dram did quite well really (I was pretty proud of him) he managed to search a small area and barked quite well at the bodies - but dont tell him I thought he was ok!!
After we got home on Sunday night Kaz and Daryl's stuff was soaking wet, so they put it all out to dry and had an early night - huh until the pager went off at about midnight for a search in Keswick. Kaz and I got ourselves together - Kaz said that putting on wet boots was not fun! Anyway Elly and searchdog Mac were out on Catbells and we arrived at Keswick base ready to be sent out. Les and Searchdog Kess and Penny and searchdog Pippi were also just arriving when we heard the man had been found safe and sound - horray. So we drove home and were tucked up in bed by about 3am.
1st November ... Sorry it's been a while, but......
Swine flu has been rampant in our house and it has been rumoured that Kaz has been suffering from it - she had a bad cold and then got more and more miserable and achy!! Hence I havent been able to blog cos if I had I would need to have my paws disinfected after they touched the keyboard. So I am very sorry and here is the roundup of the news that's been happening here.
First the hellos to people - our good friends, bodies Dave Lewis and Geoff Faulkner have both been very ill recently and I wanted to send them both best wishes - woofs - hugs etc and hope that they get better very soon!!!! Also handler Mick Guy went on a callout last week and slipped on a wet rock and banged his head quite badly - he had to go to hospital and is now getting better!
It has been a bit manic lately with the dog teams - since my last callout I missed a couple while we were on holiday - apparently searchdog Kitt located a missing family in the Langdale area - well done. Then we had a callout to Cockermouth at about 3.30am one Friday - Kaz and I drove over (we left the idiot pup Dram with Daryl for the day) - we were both really tired and when we go to the base we were asked to search the riverbank from Papcastle to Great Broughton, cross the river and come back (which is some distance!). We worked for about 3 hours and then suddenly we heard that handler Mike Hadwin had found the man just as he was about to get out of his car to start a search area. Unfortunately we were about 4km away from the car and had to hike through some fields that had very scary cows in them. When we got back to base we had a quick cup of tea and Kaz went in to the office and did a day's work (feeling a bit knackered!) - I slept it off in the car just in case I was needed to search anything later on! Then we had a couple of days of no searches and in that time Kaz and Daryl (and me and the idiot pup as supervising agents) carried on laying flooring at the house - it is looking really nice now and Kaz is looking forward to moving in properly.
Last Monday, though, Kaz was just getting up at about 7am for work when the dog pager went off for a callout to near Walney Island. Me and her jumped in the car and we set off, arriving at Duddon's base about 1.5 hours later. We were sent to search loads of sand dunes with searchdog Flash and her handler Dave Watt. It was really hot and sunny but me and Flash had loads of fun in the dunes and after a couple of hours we even found a nice tarn to play in. Kaz and Dave were really hot and at 1pm we had finished our area - then we were told that there was another callout near to Ulverston and so we set off for there. When we arrived we searched very muddy fields and footpaths and finally finished about 5pm - and drove home. It was a very long day and Kaz was so tired that she went straight to bed (turns out it was probably the flu that made her so tired!!).
Since then there have been a couple of callouts but Kaz has missed them coz of feeling rubbish.
Finally, Kaz is about to finish her Masters Degree and then I may just get the laptop back occasionally - honestly anyone would think 30,000 words takes a long time - she's always talking so I cant see why it's so difficult for her!!
Take it easy Dot fans and there will be more news (honestly) soon!!!!!!
OCT 2009
5-18 October ... A holiday for us all
Hi Dot fans and sorry I havent blogged for a long while but me and Kaz and the Dram dog and Daryl have all been on our holidays on a canal boat in the Brecon Beacons for a couple of weeks. It was a really good holiday and there were some real funny moments - especially when Dram dog fell off the back of the boat just as we were trying to navigate through a particularly narrow bridge. Blimey, he did look a bit shocked - not as shocked as Kaz tho, coz the idiot puppy swam to the wrong bank and wouldnt come back - Daryl had to try and get the boat as close as possible, which wasnt very close and then Kaz was forced to climb out on to the bank on a gang plank that was balanced on the boat and some thick bushes. I gave the idiot pup a good telling off though!! We had some fun running along the tow path and I helped Kaz at all the locks and drawbridges (Dram had to stay on the boat as he couldnt be trusted!!) Kaz and Daryl enjoyed the boat although I really do wonder about you humans - apparently something called a 'Jacuzzi' (big bath with bubbles..) was real fun on the front of the boat - Kaz and Daryl spent a lot of time in it with a bottle of wine!Dram also fell off the boat again which was funny - he just slipped off...hang on a second, just seen a tennis ball that needs rescuing in the garden........right, that's it, I may be a small puppy dog, but I really must say something here - Dot the bully actually pushed me both times and what was really funny was when Kaz was on the towpath and told Dot to jump off the boat - Kaz wasnt watching and didnt realise that the boat was a long way away, because Dot didnt arrive next to her Kaz shouted for her to jump and so she did,,,,,,,and missed the bank and fell in,,,,,,,I really laughed a lot (Dot didnt)......Shhh - dont tell her I've told you but here is a picture of Dottie trying to get out (Just shows that these graded searchdogs arent as good as they think they are!!!!!!)
aagghh, who taught the idiot pup to type??? Huh, I was just playing really, I knew I couldnt make it! Anyway here are a couple of shots of the hols...
Me supervising Kaz at the lock
Our boat - the bubble bath is on the front!
Kaz lazing about in the bubble bath...me keeping guard!
SEP 2009
23rd Sept ... Training and then a callout
Me and Kaz and the Dram dog went over to Whinlatter tonight to do some training. Kaz was helping set out the areas for the others to do. Dram was just being a real pain in the proverbial and running around - huh - I never ever did that as a pup! Everyone seemed to have a good time and then we started walking back to the car park when Chris's pager went off - he told us that he had been asked to get the dogs out for a callout over at Wasdale. Kaz was a bit miserable because Daryl is away for 2 weeks at the physio place and cant come home and so she has me and Dram dog to look after. She doesnt like leaving Dram in the car for a long time so she decided to go home and drop the useless pup off first and then drive back, to help search from the Keswick side.
Just as we were on the A66 coming back to Keswick we heard that the search had been cancelled - I think she was pretty happy really so we drove home and had a bit of a cuddle on the sofa with her!
19th Sept ... Langdale Folk Festival
We went to the Langdale Folk festival tonight - me and Kaz and Daryl and Dram dog - it was a good night as they were raising loads of money for us searchdogs and there was lots of good music and we both got loads of fuss - its not fair - I am the special one really! Anyway me and the Dram dog send lots of woofs and stuff to Mick Mead and everyone for all the support.....
Then this morning I got up and walked into the living room and our field has been taken over....honestly I was not impressed - Dram dog rushed out to speak to the flaming cows but they didnt get out - huh!!
19th Sept ... meet Keppie - ahhh
The owner of lovely handsome searchdog Vinny has just got another puppy to train - and here she is - Kepple (or Kep for short). I am glad that there is a much cuter puppy than the Dram dog coz then he wont get so much fuss made of him! Last night Kaz and me and Daryl and the Dram dog went up to Kirkstone pass for training and Keppie was there - Dram went off to have a go at baby searching and actually was quite good at it - he has started to really bark loudly now - and I showed him just ho good I was. Here is a picture of new trainee Keppie
18th Sept ... a week when I miss a callout
Kaz was very annoyed - apparently she went to work and Chris Francis the callout co-ordinator asked her why she hadnt gone to a callout last night - Kaz looked blank (hmmm I know it's hard to tell the difference sometimes between that and her normal look, but...) - it turns out her pager didnt go off for a search near Keswick for a man who was lost on the coast to coast route. Honestly I cant trust her - it's not as if she actually has a lot to do (oh right so work, university, an injured other half, a half finished house and a 6 month old puppy dog is nothing huh!) but you could expect her to manage to make sure that she answers the pager when I am needed !!!!
17th Sept ....I havent really given any dog advice and general information bulletins to fellow pooches lately so I thought I'd remedy that by doing some scientific research to support my theory that border collies are the superior breed.....
I asked a few of my canine friends the question "How many dogs does it take to put in a light bulb?" and here's what they came up with:
Golden Retriever: The sun is shining, the day is young, we've got our whole lives ahead of us, and you're inside worrying about a stupid burned-out light bulb?
Border Collie (SUPERIOR BREED): Just one. And I'll replace any wiring that's not up to scratch!
Dachshund: I can't reach the stupid lamp!
Toy Poodle: I'll just blow in the Border collie's ear and he'll do it. By the time he finishes rewiring the house, my nails will be dry.
Rottweiler: Go Ahead! Make me!
Shi-tzu: Puh-leeze, dah-ling. Let the servants. . . .
Labrador (STUPID): Oh, me, me!!! Pleeeeeeze let me change the light bulb! Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh? Can I?
Malamute: Let the Border collie do it. You can feed me while he's busy.
Cocker Spaniel: Why change it? I can still pee on the carpet in the dark.
Doberman: While it's dark, I'm going to sleep on the sofa.
Mastiff: Mastiffs are NOT afraid of the dark - but would someone please change it?.
Hound Dog: ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Chihuahua: Yo quiero Taco Bulb.
Irish Wolfhound: Can somebody else do it? I've got a hangover.
Pointer: I see it, there it is, right there...
Greyhound: It isn't moving. Who cares?
Australian Shepherd: Put all the light bulbs in a little circle...
Old English Sheep Dog: Light bulb? Light bulb? That thing I just ate was a light bulb?
6th Sep ... Nice walk and lots of mud
It's been good this week - Kaz has been taking us (yep - me and the Dram dog) for lots of walks on the fells so that Dram gets used to the sheep. Well - I told Dram that he would think that the sheep were scary but he really doesnt - when I see them I tend to hide behind Kaz until we get past them - unless there is a really awkward one which just wont move, then I run at it (Note from Kaz - yep Dot tries to make it move out of the way then runs like a complete wimp down the track once it has done!!) Dram on the other hand just isnt too bothered - Kaz says she is very pleased with him. Today me and Dram dog and Kaz went up onto Loadpot hill - it was Dram dogs 1st hill over 600m (apparently Kaz says that it then can be officially called a mountain). Dram and I ran around and we are frankly knackered now and covered in mud.
This week Daryl is hopefully going to have his cast taken off so that'll be good - he wont have to hop about all over the place. Kaz has lots of jobs for him to do (shhhh dont tell Daryl though coz he might keep the cast on).
Kaz is pretty busy in the next week or so - it is her teams 50th Anniversary and she is running around sorting out stuff for a lecture and an open day and then on Sunday we are sll going to watch training (well me and Kaz are - Dram dog will be doing some training and hopefully so will Daryl) at Kentmere on Sunday.
Anyways - see you all Dot fans - by the way thanks for the emails I have been getting from you all - good to hear that you are still out there!
AUG 2009
23rd Aug ... John and Skye pass their final test and Dram starts the training journey!
Me and Kaz and the Dram dog and Daryl went down for the Haweswater training weekend. Kaz and me and Dram went just up the footpath because Dram was going to start doing some stuff (incidentally - it's Dram's 6th month birthday today!!!) - Dram was very good he barked at the body so I'm quite proud of him really. Everyone had a good weekend - I did an area up at Haweswater with Kaz - I put my leg down a hole and it hurt a bit when I was running but I did find the bodies and it didnt hurt too much coz they chucked the ball about for me......
But the best thing of all was the fact that Kaz's good friend John (and my relative Skye) passed their final assessments and are now graded as a dog team - this is fantastic news for them - Kaz was very very pleased for them and she cried when she found out!! Well done to you and a big woof for Skye from me and the Dram dog!!!!!
21st Aug ... sort of a callout
Kaz had just got home from work on Friday night when her pager went off for a team callout for a Search for a missing man in the Haweswater area. Me and Kaz and Daryl and Dram jumped (well Daryl used his crutches) in to the car and drove down to Haweswater - Daryl was going to act as radio relay in the car and Kaz and I were going to search for the man round the Rigg. Just as we got to Mardale Head the man turned up - so Kaz and me and the Dram dog went for a walk up towards Smallwater which was nice.....
15th Aug ... 3 callouts 2 days
Kaz had just got home from work on Friday night when her pager went off for a team callout. She called the base and found out it was a search for some missing people on Crossfell in very bad weather, Problem was, I was at grandma and grandpas for the day with the Dram dog and so Kaz had to drive up to Carlisle then back to the base with me. We set out with Mike and Dave for Crossfell and as we were getting out into some pretty bad weather (fog and strong winds) to start our search - we heard on the radio that the mispers had been found (wearing waterproof ponchos - nice!).....so we started coming back to the base and were just pulling up when Kaz's pager went off for a search to help Lancashire Police in Preston - Kaz got me straight in to the car and we drove down to Preston through some really bad rain and wind and arrived trying to find the Police Station - Handler Olly Benson was also en route and we caught up with him on the motorway - so the pair of them went in convoy - after taking a wrong turn in to B&Q and stopping a taxi driver, a pedestrian and even a policeman - the two of them finally got us to the police station. We were told we were looking for a 22 year old potential suicide - and were about to go out when we found out that he had turned up back at home. The Police were very kind and bought us all fish and chips for our tea. Then we drove all the way home.
This morning Kaz's pager went off for a dog search in Wasdale - she rang their base and was told we were going to search Scafell via the corridor route coming in from the Keswick side. Kaz told me that she had a feeling we neednt rush and so we took a leisurely drive towards Keswick. Sure enough Mick Guy rang to tell us the mispers were safe and sound....so we went home.
Since then I've been playing with (erm training) the Dram dog and Kaz and Daryl have ahd a lazy with Daryl's brother and his family who are up for the week.
Anyway I had better go as Kaz wants the PC for her University thingy - apparently she is stressing about it! Take care Dot fans - I'll blog soon!
2nd Aug ... Dram gets a ride in a helicopter
Coz Daryl has knackered up his leg Kaz had to take Dram to his stage one helicopter training at Kendal. Stage One is what the baby dogs do - it is just walking around the aircraft and stuff - not flying and I told Dram that there was nothing to worry about...he was a bit worried! Anyway we got there and Kaz and me and Dram wandered over to the helicopter whilst Daryl sat and took piccies. All of a sudden the Kendal team leader told Kaz that Dram could get a ride if she wanted, so I stayed with Daryl and Kaz got Dram into my helicopter harness. She was waiting with Ian (and searchdog Vinny) and trainee handlers Glenn Hodges (Molly) and Ton Barkas (Bruach). Dram got onto the 2nd flight - do you know I was quite proud of him - he wasnt scared at all and afterwards he told me that he'd fallen asleep inside (good lad - that's just what i tend to do). Here are a couple of photos of the helicopter training. Molly did manage to trip her handler Glen up just as he was getting to the helicopter!
JUL 2009
28th July ... messing about in a boat
Kaz went down to Patterdale and met up with some of their team and some of her team to have a look at their rescue boat. Because we often work with Patterdale team we sometimes need to go in the boat and so we all need to make sure we are familiar with it. Kaz, Daryl and I had a lift on a callout last year and it was fun. Here is a couple of piccies of the evening's fun.....
25th July ... I meet Prince William and Daryl breaks his leg!
Kaz has been a bit secretive lately and I found out why when her, me and Daryl went to Patterdale base on Friday. Last year Kaz me and Daryl led a group of young people from the Homeless Charity Centrepoint on a walk and they enjoyed it so much they decided to do it again. However, this time their Patron Prince William decided to come too. So we set off from Greenside YHA and at the 1st zigzags he caught up with us. He was really interested in the young people and asked Kaz about me (of course). We also had a load of people from the other Lakes teams with us and Patterdale were making sure all the people were safe. There were a fair few trainee and graded searchdogs on the hill, but I didnt let Dram come because he is far too young and stupid! When we got to Red Tarn there was a great surprise for us dogs because William started throwing stones in to the Tarn for us all to swim for which was great fun! Then we had some photos and carried on with the walk. We stopped on the Col on Swirral Edge for lunch and I managed to pinch some of his sandwich, well, someone's got to make sure it was alright! After that he carried on his walk with the rest of the group. In the meantime Kaz took some people off the hill and I went to help her. While we were waiting we heard on the radio that one of the young people had hurt her leg a bit and just to make sure, she was being stretchered off. Then there was a message over the radio that one of the stretcher party had slipped and hurt himself, and yes, you guessed it, it was Daryl......poor Daryl, you can imagine how much stick he got from the members of the 12 Lake District MR teams!! Anyway they all carried him off and when he got to the bottom, an ambulance was waiting to take him to hospital. Kaz followed and pretty soon he was in plaster with a fractured Fib......here are some photos of the day and as soon as Kaz has the evidence from the other team members on the hill, she'll post some more of Daryl as a casualty!! PS she also says he is not a very good patient!
HRH Prince William in the Brown Trousers, Daryl is 2nd to his right (before he injured himself), Kaz is on the far left and I am just in shot!
HRH Prince William meets Trainee searchdog Corrie
23rd July ... Callout
Kaz and I (well mainly her) were working at home and the Dram dog was just running about as usual when her pager went off for a doggy job over at Keswick. We jumped in the car and left the Dram dog at home (hooray!!) and drove over to Keswick to start our search up towards Glaramara. Searchdogs Fly and Ginny and Mist were also out and about - soon after we got there, clever girls Ginny and Mist managed to find the group that was missing and so we were 'surplus to requirements'. We came back home and Kaz went on with her work and I told Dram off for playing with my ball while I was out - honestly, the boy has no manners at all.
23rd July ... Poor Old Foss and Poor Old Leo
Oh dear, it's been one of those weeks really. First of all we heard that former trainee John(Leo) Sayer had been on a callout and has badly broken his leg and will be in plaster for ages; then Kaz had a text to say that lovely former searchdog Foss had tried to jump over a wire fence and badly injured her leg. Chris Francis her owner was very worried - she ended up having a couple of operations and here she is with her bad leg all wired up (Although shouldnt someone have told the vet that the wiring should be on the inside of her leg?). She is apparently receiving loads of fuss and biscuits (and Chris's trainee Beck tells me that she really is milking it for all it's worth!). A big woof and lick to poor old Foss and poor old Leo from us all at SARDA
2nd July ... another callout - sort of
Kaz and Daryl and me and the Dram dog were at home chilling at about 10.30pm, when the dog pager went off again - blimey I thought 3 times in 5 days, this is getting serious, I'm not so sure I signed up to be this busy. Anyway, Kaz got dressed and packed something to eat and drink and we drove over to Keswick base to start looking for a man who was missing on the Coast to Coast route. Half way over on the A66, Benny and searchdog Moudy pukked in behind us and we arrived at the base to be told we were going to be working with Roger and his lovely searchdog Beinn and Benny and Moundy were going to be searching with Dave Watt and searchdog Flash. Elly and searchdog Mac were already out. We were just about to set off up Honister pass when we were told that the man had been found....in Wasdale (good grief, what is it with missing people and Wasdale??) Anyway, we had a cup of tea and began to drive back. Kaz was a bit embarassed again because when she rang Daryl to say what time she'd be home, it turned out her radio mic was on and everyone said she was being a bit soppy!! Honestly, the woman does not help my image at all sometimes.....
1st July...My little brother Dram is a big wimp!
Kaz and Daryl took the Dram dog to the vets today. When he came out he was telling me that he'd met a bear inside and he'd been a bit scared in case it ate him...good grief the boy is stupid. Turns out it was a big dog called a Bernise Mountain Dog, not a bear- doh, as if I ever made mistakes like that when I was a small dog
30th June...another trip to Wasdale for a callout
We were all in bed on Tuesday night and Kaz was very tired when the pager went off for a search for 2 missing ladies walking in the Eskdale area. Kaz had also had some wine before she went to bed and didnt think it was a very good idea to drive so we stayed at home. But at 4.30am in the morning the pager went off again and asked for some more dogs to go out and help, so Kaz got up and we both drove over to Wasdale (another 90 miles!) - when we got there we met James from Sarda Southern Scotland and we were sent out to search an area. It was very hot and I kept thinking it was going to storm and frankly I would have preferred to stay in bed, but about an hour or so into the search we heard over the radio that the two ladies had been found which was good news. So Kaz and I then drove straight to Kaz's office at Cockermouth where she started work and started snoring!!!
JUN 2009
28th June...I find a nudist!
Kaz and Daryl and me and the Dram dog were doing stuff on the house when the dog pager went off - Kaz immediately got me and told me that we were going to drive over to Ravenglass to help look for a missing fisherman. It was a very long drive and it was already getting very hot and sunny. After a drive of 90 miles, Kaz arrived at some sand-dunes and we got out of the car and waited for Les and Searchdog Kes and Olly and searchdog Kitt - we then started searching the sand-dunes and beach. It was hard work and there wasnt much drinking water - we searched for ages, when suddenly I smelled a person and went into the sand-dunes and barked at them. I went and got Kaz - she was a bit embarrassed when she got to him though because he was something called a naturist (I thought that was some sort of birdwatcher....apparently not - he wasnt wearing any clothes!) Anyway - we spent a few hours but didnt find him (It was also Kitt's first ever callout and she did really well - but Olly did tell Kaz she had thrown up on the front seat of his van on the way home-oops!!).....note from Kaz - the body of the missing fisherman was sadly found on 3rd July at sea. 21st June...training weekend and a callout interrupts us!
Well, we all went down to Barbondale this weekend. We stayed down at the local village hall (well Kaz and Daryl did and apparently they said it was really luxurious - they even had a big blow up bed!!!) Wimps - honestly, me and the Dram dog had to make do with our bed in the back of the car and we didnt even go to the pub with them all! Anyway - we all got up really early on the Saturday morning and we were all about to go to the training areas where the graded searchdogs were going to be doing a line search, when all of a sudden Kaz's pager went off to help with a search on Scafell - so
Kaz and Mick and Roger and Les and Olly jumped in the cars and drove the 50 odd miles to Keswick. Just as we were arriving we heard over the radio that the missing man had been found. So we turned round and drove all the way back to Barbondale!! What fun! When we got back all the searchdogs got together and we did a line search along a very steep sided valley - blimey it was hot and quite tiring for me - Kaz even radioed in at one point and asked when we were going to turn round cos her ankle was hurting!!
After that we all met up with the other trainees all of who seemed to be having a really good time. On Sunday me and the Dram dog and Daryl and Kaz drove to the house to do some more DIY.
18th June...training weekend coming up and our house is still coming along
Kaz is still waiting to move in to the new house. We have been doing lots of things there - well, Daryl and Kaz have, but me and the Dram dog have been supervising them as well as everyone else who has been coming in to help (including handler Ian Higginbotham who is a decorator!) Kaz tells me that there is a Bar-b-Que planned for the summer when all the searchdogs, handlers and bodies can come along - hooray just think of all that food!! Yum
This weekend we are training in Barbondale - the Dram dog will be going along to do some socialising - I have already started to explain search stuff to him but he still asked a daft question about why we have to rescue mountains (huh - as if I would have ever been that stupid!!......er, Dot, take a look at the first page of your dog blog you wrote back in 2004!!!....ah, well, em......have to go now Dot fans, Kaz needs the PC for some urgent things!
16th June - Callout and other things
Kaz and me and the Dram dog and Daryl went to training at Whinlatter on Tuesday night - there was quite a few of the young dogs there - Molly, Einich, Beck, Corrie, Meg as well as us big dogs me, Moudy, Fly, Mac, Jake, Ginny and Mist. Everyone had a good time and just as we were coming down the footpath afterwards the pager went off for a dog callout to help look for a man lost in the Easdale Tarn area. Kaz and I jumped in the car and Daryl and the Dram dog went off home. We drove all the way over to Langdale and was just about to get started when we got a radio message to say that he'd managed to get off the hill ok - which was nice. So Kaz and I had a long drive back to Carlisle.
Last night Kaz was training with her team - well - I'm not too sure I call going to the opening of a pub training - see the photo below!!! Actually Dot, it was the opening of the Shepherds inn in Melmerby by the Heskett Newmarket Brewery. Sir Chris Bonnington was there to do the honours, but co-incidentally, Hesket Newmarket brewery are about to launch a beer called 'Lost in the Mist' which is in aid of Penrith MRT. Also Chris is going to be giving a lecture at Rheged in September in aid of the team - that's why we were there!!! In fact Chris was very interested in the work of SARDA.
6th June - Fundraising Day
Me, Kaz Daryl and the Dram dog went to the Wetheral Animal shelter today for a fundraising thing. It was not fair - Dram got all the attention and occasionally people said I was a good dog. I'm not sure I like this puppy too much - he's taking a lot of the fuss away from me. Still, it was a good day and we did sell some of our SARDA puppy dogs (my ones were particularly popular).
MAY 2009
29th May .... Huh - me and my big mouth.....
Well - you know I was moaning that it was quiet on the dog front, well - low and behold we got 2 callouts in the space of 3 hours. First of all Kaz and Daryl decided to go our for a meal. Just as they were finishing there was a dog callout for a missing walker of 76 years old (fair play!!) on Haystacks. So Kaz and Daryl quickly drove back home and told me that we were off to work and then told the pup that he was staying at grandmas - (He wasnt impressed). Anyway we had just go in the car and were driving to Gatescarth when we had another pager message saying that he had turned up safely. Kaz turned the car back round and we went home. When we got back Kaz and Daryl and me and Dram played in the garden for a bit then just as we were all going to bed the pager went off again - this time from the Penrith Team for a man missing in the river in Carlisle. Kaz is a swift water technician and so she got all her protective stuff together and also a special jacket for me that lets me float if I fall in. Me her and Daryl got in the car and drove to meet the Fire Brigade and Police. Just as we got there and I was ready to start doing stuff, the firemen told Kaz that they had sadly found the body of a man in the river.
28th May .... Kaz starts new job and I am still teaching the pup
Hey dog blog fans, its still been very quiet here on the callout front. Kaz and Daryl have continued to be really busy with the new house and me and the small pup Dram have been helping - although Kaz and Daryl dont think we are.....still the house kind of looks a bit better now - they have finally put the new boiler in, done the roof, done the electrics and tiled the kitchen floor - they are now trying to build a kitchen and then put the wooden floor down and then we can move in - hooray!! Me and Dram love our grandpa and grandma but we can t wait until we live in our new house.....
Elsewhere in SARDA handler Christyne (whos searchdog Skye retired last year) has got her new pup and it looks really cute (much better than Dram does) - here he is surrounded by his favourite toys....ahhhh......can you spot him?
This week Kaz started her new job with the Cumbria Fire Service - she is doing something clever with computers but this week Dram and I havent been with her - but we will be going along next week and we are looking forward to having lots of nice walks and stuff when she has her breaks in the day!!
Finally - Dram had his first real walk last week - we went training at Whinlatter and I showed him just how clever a search dog I am - he wasnt too bothered - he reckons he'll be brilliant - huh, we'll see!!!!
Sorry I havent blogged much but what with supervising Kaz and Daryl decorating and bossing the puppy around..........
I just am sooooo busy really! So I'd better fill you in on all the news.
First of all the great news - Olly Benson from Langdale Team and his lovely dog Kitt (my relative) passed their final assessment at the weekend - it was rotten weather and they worked for nearly 4 hours - well done you 2.
John Leadbetter and his dog Skye unfortunately didnt pass but I know how good they are so they will be passing in the next few weeks and then they'll be on the list too with me - hooray!!
Here's a piccie of Olly and Kitt - sweet
What else has been happening then? Oh yes the puppy and I went to the Penrith Carnival and it got all the attention - I am not amused - everyone thinks it's really cute but I know different - it's a monster it keeps trying to bite my ears and everything. Here is is in it's little training jacket that Kaz made it - huh I am the only proper dog in our house!!
APR 2009
29 April ......Proof I havent murdered the pup yet!
I suppose it's ok really - apart from the small puddles on the floor and the fact it keeps jumping all over me!! It seems to be eating us out of house and home at the moment.....it might just make it to 4 months if it behaves itself!
29 April ......News from the weekend -and the pup is still here
Kaz and me left the training a bit early so we missed all the action - Body Jess (who used to look after me lots when I was a little puppy) came to training and she bought her lovely dog Rigg who used to a a trainee. She left him down at the cars and after she had finished bodying she asked someone to let him off and send him up to her.....well Rigg has obviously not forgotten anything he learned and he shot up the hill in search of Jess - except that he took the most amazing route - visiting where she had been the previous day and then following his nose, meeting up with a lady walker on the way - click here is a file showing Rigg's route!!! Clever old Rigg..
Also the other news is that former handler Christyne has got a new puppy called Bute - which looks a lot cuter than the thing that's living with me!! Here she is....
And Dave Ellis from Kirkby Stephen team is planning on training his new dog called Mill - she is a bit too pretty for my liking - I want to be the prettiest in SARDA!!!
27 April ......And it's finally arrived
Hmmmm - yesterday Kaz and me went to the Howgills for dog training - Kaz was assessing John and Skye and Olly and Kitt in the Black Force area of the Howgills and I was assisting! Both of the teams were really good (I could have done better)....(I think not Dot!). Anyway after we finished we went back over to our new house and picked Daryl up and went for a drive - but I should have realised that they were up to something - we went and got Dram. Huh. We got home and he and I stayed in the kitchen over night. I was quite impressed really - he was very good and slept all night through without annoying me - he has been trying to bite my tail today but I told him what's what.
I will put some piccies onto the blog this week once Kaz has had chance to get them off Daryl.
Great News for John Leadbetter!!
Well, John Leadbetter (handler of trainee Skye) is a bit of a dark horse - rumour has it that he recently went on a hot air balloon ride with his lovely girlfriend Claire and he did the whole ring thing and asked her to marry him ---- and she said 'Yes' - hooray!! Kaz thinks that John has taken his 'eye off the ball' and should have waited another couple of weeks until he and Skye have graded - I dont know she's not very romantic is she!!!
NEW HOME AND A NEW BRUVVER!!
Hi Dot fans - sorry it's been a while but what with one thing and another Kaz has just not let me get near her new laptop. So - did you all see us on the TV the other week? I got lots of comments on my Facebook Page and Kaz's friends sent us some nice emails.
Since last week things have certainly been happening - on Tuedsay Kaz finally got the keys to our new house and her and Daryl (and me) have been over there ripping out floors, kitchens, doors and anything else we could find. Then I have been playing in my new garden - and informing the local cat that it'd have to find another way through to its favourite walk!!
Then on Saturday we went over to Aunty Sue's - all week Kaz and Daryl have been mentioning the dreaded D word - yep - they keep talking about Dram Dog. Anyway - we got there and they bought it out to meet me - the first thing it did was jump on my tail and tried to bite it; well I wasnt having any of that and I told it - after that it behaved itself. I think I can see it may be able to be trained as a search dog - here it is after it scaled its first rock face (all 1ft of it!!!) and I finally allowed it to sit next to me for a family shot - it's not that bad really. Apparently I have another 10 days before it comes home for good!
MAR 2009
29th March....SARDA get filmed for Countryfile ..
MAKE SURE YOU WATCH IT BBC1 - 7PM SUNDAY 5TH APRIL!!
Kaz and me and Daryl went over to Whinlatter yesterday and met up with some of the bodies and handlers Mike Hadwin and Laura Connolly coz we were going to be interviewed by Countryfile (Apparently its a programme that appears on TV all about interesting things that happen in the country). Anyways, they decided that the 1st episode of the new series would be filmed in the Lakes and so we are a part of it - especially as one of the presenters Julia Bradbury is the Patron of the Friends of SARDA Lakes!
Anyway Kaz and Laura and me and searchdog Jake got to be interviewed by both Julia and Matt Baker which was nice - here a couple of piccies:
But a funny thing happend, Laura told Kaz and Daryl that handler Andrew Mc Neil really likes Julia - so Daryl asked if she would speak to him on the phone and she did! He was very pleased about that, but very disappointed that he couldnt get a photo with her - so Daryl stood in for him (sorry Andrew)!!
After that we did the serious filming stuff - blimey it takes a long time! Laura and Kaz and me and Jake had to do a pretend search for Matt - Jake found him. And body Terry also got asked lots of questions about why he lies around in the hills for us! Hopefully the programme should be good. Oh yes, Kaz says to say thanks to all the others from SARDA like bodies Glenn and Jan, Rosemary, Mary and Penny who turned up to make teas and coffees and give us some moral support!
PS.....4 WEEKS AND COUNTING TIL THE NEW PUP ARRIVES! STILL NOT IMPRESSED
26th March....IT'S FINALLY HAPPENED - I'M GETTING A LITTLE BROTHER!!
Yep, I know, I cant quite believe it either, just when I thought I was the only thing in Kaz and Daryl's life, they announce I am getting a little baby brother who is going to train as a search dog! Oh great.....we went over to Aunty Sue's (my breeder) a couple of weeks ago and I thought it was because I was getting a day out at my favourite holiday home, but no, they were secretly planning to have a chat about this imposter. Anyway on Saturday Kaz and Daryl told me we were seeing Sue again - fine I thought, this'll be fun. But when we got there we ended up looking at what I thought was a load of black and white guinea pigs, but what turned out to be puppies and what's more they chose one! He (a boy - I really am fed up now) is going to be coming to live with us in May and here he is....wait for it.....he's called Dram - I am distinctly not impressed........
25th March....Scotland - what fun!!
A lot of us went to Aviemore for the annual winter training course - ok what winter was that then? The sky was blue, the sun was shining and the snow was melting! Anyway - all of the trainee dogs had a great time and we met some new friends, Catherine and Jarlath from Ireland with their two trainees Lilly and Hugo. My relatives Skye and Kitt both passed more assessments (hooray) and all of us graded dogs and Skye and Kitt did a huge line search across the Cairngorm plateau. Kaz and I also played in some crags one day and I had to find body woody who was hidden in a tiny cave (not sure how he managed to getin there though!) Corrie also found him but she was very clever and climbed down a tiny hole to get to him - clever girl...... All in all we had a great time - and the handlers did as well - particularly in the evening apparently! Kaz says I have to say thanks to all the lovely bodies and to Cathy and Vera Grindrod who made all the lovely food. Here are a couple of photos - me finding the body on the Plateau, and the team after the long day of searching!!
9th March - Sad week for Cockermouth MRT and SARDA......
We are all very sad this week. One of our friends - handler Kirk Outhwaite died early last week. She was a lovely lady and Kaz tells me that she was always really helpful and kind when Kaz was training the stupid labrador Donald before me. All we can do is send lots of love to her husband, dog handler Ric and son Tim.
3rd March - Sorry it's been so long Dot fans......
But I have been pretty poorly with a very sore paw - last weekend Kaz and I went to the training weekend at Patterdale - on the Saturday I helped Kaz with looking after the stage 2 dogs which was good coz I was able to get a couple of runs in myself which was great. I think I must have caught my dew claw when I was rushing about but I didnt tell Kaz. On Sunday we had to do a big search exercise in Keppel and Brown Coves - there were 6 of us dogs and some people from the Patterdale team. I started to work but first off my paw hurt, then there wasnt much wind - but I kept going and all of a sudden I caught a whiff of someone - I worked really hard and found the body on a ledge quite high up on the head wall of Keppel Cove - it took ages for kaz and the 2 Patterdale navigators to get to us so I had to keep barking really loudly - blimey I had a sore throat! Anyway once we'd done the first aid (...well Kaz did and I played with a stick I'd found), it was time to move on to look for the other 3 pretend casualties - Kaz and me and Mick and Ginny worked across some very steep snowpatches that were very icy - my poor paw started to bled quite a lot but Kaz didnt notice til we got off the hill. That night it got worse and I was told off for chewing at it. By Monday I had a temperature and I had to go to the vet who gave me some tablets (and shoved a thermometer in a nasty place). He told Kaz I couldnt do anything for 5 days. So I was a bit fed up when the pager went off on Tuesday and we couldnt go - searchdog Beinn found the missing lady but she had sadly died.
On Sunday Kaz decided that I could go out and she thought it would be a great idea if we went to the seaside so I could swim in the sea. We had a great time until Daryl threw the frisbee and I accidentally dropped it in the sea - it sank and we couldnt find it......I was not very happy ......here's me and Daryl trying to find it. Anyway I promise to blog soon paw permiting!
FEB 2009
17th Feb - I've been to see my dad!
Kaz and Daryl and me went over to Windermere at the weekend and we saw the lovely Sue who bred me. I was really please coz not only did I get to jump all over Sue but my Dad Ben was there and I ran around with him for a while (although he is really old) and also my sister Coire was there - she is very clever and is going to be at Crufts this year. I had a great day and at one point there were 14 of us running around Sue's field playing with the frizbee!
After we went home Kaz's dog pager went off and we ended up driving all the way back down the motorway to Patterdale to help look for a couple who were overdue - we started to walk up Caiston Glen with our navigator Will, but we heard that a member of the public could hear some whistles above Hartsop Hall and Patterdale team members quickly found them - which was good news all round!
10th Feb - Kaz cant wait to move!
We've had a few callouts because of the bad weather lately - lots of people are having fun in the snow and ice but some arent being very sensible. Kaz says she cant wait to move to our new house because at the moment we are living at grandma and grandpas and it is in Carlisle - so when we get a callout in to the central lakes area, it means that we have to drive for over an hour to get there and then we are trying to play catchup. The other night we had just got in when her pager went off for a search for a man in the Bowfell area. We had been training that night and had just arrived home from Penrith. Kaz and I got in the car, but on the way she decided she was just too tired and so we turned back. She was feeling a bit guilty because she doesnt want to let anyone down, but sometimes I think she has to look after herself (dont let her know I care about her,.,,,,,,she'll think I'm going soft or something!).
On Sunday we went to team training and Kaz was doing the instruction in Winter Skills - so the team were practising ice axe arrests (I thought she'd left the Police) and all sorts of stuff. They even buried Daryl in the snow and I found him and dug and barked loads - he was very pleased to see me but not so pleased when I jumped in the snow hole with him! Then Kaz's team mate Paul buried a rucksac to see how long the team would take to find it with avalanche poles. It was very funny - they went backwards and forwards but couldnt find it - Kaz didnt know where it was but asked me to search the ground carefully which I did and suddenly I smelt it and began to dig. All the team thought I was messing about (because it was in the area that they had searched a couple of times), huh, I thought; I'll show them so I kept digging and guess what? Yep - there it was!!! Kaz was very pleased with me and made a lot of fuss of me which was nice and now the team are beginning to think that us superior collies might bve a bit of an asset after all. When we went home, we were cold and tired and sure enough, the dog pager went off for 2 seperate callouts to Langdale and Keswick. This time Kaz decided that we were both too tired, but she still felt really guilty about it - she promises me that this week she'll get some sleep!
Anyway both Mac and Beinn were out and about yet again (I bet they are really tired too!).......and tonight we are all meeting up at Whinlatter to do a bit of training in the forest - hooray so I get to have some fun in the snow.
See you all soon, Dot fans! As they used to say in a TV program that Kaz liked - 'be careful out there'......
1st Feb - Fantastic find by Searchdog Beinn!
As you know there has been loads of snow around here - Kaz and I have been out and about in it playing with snow balls - well I can tell you that they are rubbish - as soon as you try to catch one in your mouth it explodes all over you.....
Anyhow, the real news is that lovely Searchdog Beinn had a fabulous find on the Crinkles (hands off all you girly dogs he's mine!)......now, dog Beinn tells me that he smelt the person and tried to tell Roger but (as is typical with these handlers, Roger didnt believe him at first)....infact, Roger thought Beinn was barking at a rock. (Daft man!) This turned out to be a lady, immobile, and almost frozen to the ground in an icy gully. The rest of the party were located further down. Two ended up as stretcher cases, the other two were walked off.
Kaz says that this just goes to prove that all the training we do to help people does pay off in the end........well done Beinn (I'll give you an especially big woof when i see you next)..........and in case you jealous dogs dont know what he looks like - then here he is!
JAN 2009
23rd Jan - Deja vue on Skiddaw!
We'll there we were - Kaz working on her University assignment and me happily chewing the ear off my pink piggy when the pager went off - it was a team pager message so I wasn't too bothered about it. However, Kaz came in to the office and told me it was for the Penrith team to be on standby to help out the Keswick team; then she rang Elly and asked what was going on. Turned out that there were 2 groups of people cragfast on Sharp Edge on Blencathra and then at the same time there was a lady who was lost in blizzards on the top of Skiddaw. Next thing I know - Kaz is waking me up so that her and I could drive down to Latrigg carpark and start searching for her. Daryl had just finished work and he came with us to act as a navigator. We set off up the hill with lovely searchdog Fly and his handler Mike Hadwin and then they went off up Lonscale Fell while we continued round to Burnt Horse - the snow was rubbish and the heather was pretty difficult for me to run through and Kaz says she was tripping over a bit as well! Anyway we were above Skiddaw House and Daryl saw a light in the distance and at the same time the light was seen from the other team members on Skiddaw.
Happily the lady was ok, but it took us quite a long time for us to walk back round to Latrigg. Here are a couple of piccies that Karen and Daryl took on their mobile phone..........
21st Jan - A crazy 24 hours!
Blimey - I'm knackered.... I was at work with Kaz on Monday when the team pager went off for a callout to Brougham as someone reported seeing a person being swept downstream in the river. Kaz and me arrived and Kaz was managing the initial incident as she was the only Swift Water trained person on scene at the beginning. As more people arrived Kaz and me and 2 of Kaz's team mates searched the river Eamont banks for about 5 miles but didnt find anyone. Then we went home. We'd just got into bed when Kaz's phone rang to say there was a callout in the Pennines for a man missing on the Pennine Way - we left home early on the 20th and started searching up the High Cup Beck - after a little while he was found safe and well by the RAF helicopter. Then Kaz drove straight to work to a meeting and when she finished that we were on our way home when there was a callout to help Keswick team search for 5 missing people on the top of Skiddaw in very bad weather (high winds and blizzards) - luckily the team found 4 of the casualties (one of who needed to be carried off on a stretcher) but there was still a single missing lady- all the dogs were searching bits of Skiddaw - the weather was horrid - Kaz and I were on our own on the footpath towards Skiddaw House but luckily that clever searchdog Mac found the lady near the top - she was very cold and not well so he saved her life. As all this was going on Kaz's team pager started going off for a search with Patterdale on High Street - she ended up trying to phone round to say that all the dogs were on Skiddaw and we ended up asking the dogs in Southern Scotland (thanks Paul) to help out if necessary - luckily that callout ended very quickly soon after. The callout on Skiddaw continued for sometime as in the end 3 people needed to be carried off and we even had to draft in help from Patterdale and Cockermouth teams to help. Kaz and I got home a bit late and she had a whisky and I had an extra special biscuit! Today I am mostly yawning and half heartedly playing with my pink pig at grandmas!
14th Jan - What a busy week and some sad news!
Kaz told me today that a friend of mine had died recently - Lanky who was Jess Stam's dog (and big brother to former trainee searchdog Rigg) had died last week and I was very sad as Lanky and Jess looked after me when I was very small and he was always up for playing with tennis balls. Here is a piccie of him and Rigg when we went out one day....big woofs and licks to Jess who is missing him!
Kaz has spent all weekend moving boxes from one place to another then unpacking loads of stuff at my grandpa and grandmas - good grief you lot - how much stuff can one human being have?? I just packed my tennis balls (about 15) and my 4 pink squeaky pigs and my blanket and two bowls and that was it - all you need for a perfect life! Kaz and I missed a callout at the weekend cos she was somewhere in between moving all the boxes around. We are now living at Grandmas and Grandpas and it is great fun but Kaz is a bit worried that when I get a pager callout in the middle of the night that i will be running around the house barking like I usually do and waking everyone up!
There is a very exciting weekend ahead - three of our dog teams are being assessed on the SARDA England course - John and Skye, Olly and Kitt and Ric with Alpha - hopefully they will all do well - Kaz will be helping assess them now she is a trainee assessor and I am going to be allowed to watch over them and pass on some canine telepathetic (...note from Kaz - are you sure you really mean that Dottie?) advice and guidanced. Good luck !!
6th Jan - Callout in the snow and searchdog Mac locates them!
I had had a good day today with Kaz in the office - I got to play in the field and she hid my tennis ball rather sneakily I thought - but after 15mins I found it and then we just played fetch til she decided that she had to go and do some work in the office. After work we drove home and she was planning on doing some more packing - just as she started the dog pager went off for a callout on the Keswick side of Helvellyn. I was dead pleased as it had just started to snow but Kaz looked a bit fed up; still she cheered up once she made herself some hot juice and we set off.
It turned out it was a call to a man who was lost 'somewhere' on Helvellyn who had a mobile phone acting as a torch, and wearing basball boots and a fleece - honestly when will you humans learn!
Anyway we had just got to Keswick's base when we heard that Mick Guy and Elly were on the hill with their dogs and had spotted a light high up on Birkside so we stayed at the base waiting with searchdog Fly and some of the Keswick team. Eventually, Elly and Mac got up to the man and helped him off. Well done Elly and Mac!!!
Kaz and I had a couple of drinks of tea (Kaz) and biscuits (me) and then we went home - it was great though cos it was snowing hard....but Kaz didnt stop on the way as she was worried she wasnt going to get home through the snow!
5th Jan - News from SARDA and I get a new home
Good news all round - trainees Skye and Kitt passed their first ever assessments which is great news and hopefully we'll be seeing these 2 handsome boys on the callout list soon!!!
Kaz and me are moving house on the 10th January - we are off to grandma and grandpas and then we'll be looking at buying a new house soon!!!
So I hope you all have a fantastic new year and I look forward seeing all you Dot fans very soon!
Xmas Roundup
Well here we all are, another year and I still havent achieved my goal of eating my own body weight in dog biscuits...there's still time though!!! So I thought I'd say hi and give you a potted history of what I've been up to over the Christmas break.
I got some ace pressies - including the Dastardly Book for Dogs (from which I shall be passing on some doggy intelligence to you all this year). On Christmas day we had great fun with my Grandma and Grandpa and Kaz and me and Daryl and some of her team members went for a nice walk up Helvellyn on Boxing day. We then spent the rest of the Christmas visiting people and I got loads of fuss - naturally. I need to say a big 'hello' to a few people so here goes - Hi Beth and Holly, Ryan, Molly and Jack and Susie G - big woofs and licks to you all. Also thanks to everyone who sent me and Kaz loads of cards and messages over the holidays.
