Happy New Year And Some Resolutions!

Me,and the Dram and Angus dogs have decided that we need to have a new year resolution (or two) so here you are;


Try to understand that the cat is from Venus, and Dogs are from Mars.

We will no longer be beholden to the sound of the can opener.

Take time from busy schedule to stop and smell the behinds.

Grow opposable thumbs, break into cupboards decide for OURSELVES how much food is *too* much.

January 1st: Kill the Tennis Ball! Must kill the Tennis ball! January 2nd - December 31st: Re-live victory over the tennis ball!

We will NOT chase the damned ball unless we see it LEAVE HER HAND.


....and a one specially for the boys....

Circulate petition that Leg Humping be a skill required for Trailing dogs

Happy New Year Dot fans - if you're wondering what the humans are up to - they're playing with some silly game and making a terrible noise!

I'm in a load of trouble for not blogging

So, it's a New Year's resolution that I'm now supposed to be sorting out which means that I will be a really good dog and blog more regularly - that's because all of the people I know that read my blog have been contacting me lately to tell me off.  So I promise faithfully that I'll be much better in 2013.

 

In the meantime Kaz says that i have to give you a roundup of the news since I last blogged at the end of October.

 

As you know we now have 3 more searchdogs on the list - Bill with Ani, Chris with Beck and Andy with Cory.  They have all been out on their first ever searches (well - for Chris Beck is his 3rd searchdog so actually it hasnt been new for him).  I can remember the first ever search I did with Kaz on Gummers How nearly 6 years ago - Kaz was dead nervous and she wanted me to search every blade of grass which was a bit slow - but eventually she learnt to just 'Trust Me!' and now I run everything - she just really drives me around.  I bet Andy and Bill felt the same as Kaz but I'm pretty sure that Cory and Ani sorted them out pretty quickly.

 

There has been some sad news though, and that was that Kess (one of my relatives) who retired as a searchdog a while ago, has died.  She was always a real character and she put me in my place a few times when I was a puppy. 

 

 

 

Les and Julie really miss her as we all do.  She made quite a few finds and people often thought i was a younger version - if I continue to be as good as her then I'll be really happy.

 

So what else has been happening?  Angus Dog is coming along well with his training - Kaz is taking it really slowly because he is nearly 11 months old now and apparently that's when dogs get a bit awkward and not listening to their owners - I dont remember being like that!  So she has been training him on scents - inside and outside the house.  Here's a piccie of him indicating at the skirting board where Kaz had dropped a little bit of scent onto the corner and then got him to smell a gauze with that scent on and then sent him round the house to find it.  Kaz was dead pleased with him and he got a big fuss from her.

 

 

Angus is also learning some obedience and doing well - he is ok at being told to lay down from a distance and is very good with the sheep and even the fell ponies!!

 

 

 

Me and the Dram and Angus dogs helped Daryl put the Christmas Tree up this year - I was quite impressed that the Angus dog didnt manage to pull all the things off.....even when Daryl put Candy Canes onto the tree!

 

 

 

Angus dog got bitten by a badger one night when we were out on the fell - he was sniffing at a big hole and suddenly the badger ran out an grabbed him - poor thing didnt know what to do and his nose had a nasty bite on it (that'll teach him).

 

We have had a couple of callouts with the team and the dogs this last few weeks - me and Kaz went to help out Patterdale Team with a search for a missing man by Ullswater.  Me and Kaz joined up with my big sis Ginny and her handler Mick Guy and we searched a really steep area of woodland in the dark - at one point, Mick took a bit of a slip and some rocks came down the hill towards Kaz which was a bit scary.  Sadly we didnt find him that night and then the next day the search continued with a load more of the dogs (including some from SARDA England).  He still wasnt found that day.

 

Then me and Kaz went back on the Sunday to help out again and see if we could find him.  Sadly he still hasnt been found which must be really difficult for his family.

 

Then Kaz and I were called out to help search for a missing lady in the Kendal area but got stood down when we were on the way.

 

Kaz went off to instruct on a training course for members of Mountain Rescue teams who want to be Party Leaders and she left me and the Dram and Angus dogs at home with Daryl.  Whilst she was there the local Swaledale Team had a callout for a missing person and she went on it all night - I was not impressed - she went on a callout without me!!! Huh - that will certainly not be happening again very soon!

 

Kaz and me got asked to go and help out with a search for a missing fisherman on the Eden - my big sis Ginny and her handler Mick also came along and we spent a very wet day looking for him with Kaz team, Penrith.  Here I am when me and Kaz stopped for a quick cup of tea and a biscuit for me.

 

 

 

Just as we finished the search we got another callout down to help Langdale/Ambleside team with a search for a man who had been out all night - just as we were arriving the man turned up - he did really well to look after himself on the fells over night in such bad weather.  As it was a work day for Kaz, she went back in to the office - and as I was soaking wet they let me come in and warm up under the desk - I got loads of fuss off the people in the office too which was really nice.

 

We went back again on the Saturday morning and did another search with Kaz's team but we still havent found him - sad.

 

I got a bit bored on Christmas Eve - cos Kaz was busy trying to wrap pressies (no excuse) so I just sat a stared at her to make her take us all out - it worked!!

 

 

We had a lovely Christmas Day - me and Angus and Dram dogs went up on the fell with Kaz and Grandma and then came back and we all opened our pressies - we all had really nice chews and balls and the humans had ridiculous things like Ice Axes and DVDs!

 

The humans went over to the pub for Christmas Day dinner which was apparently very nice while we stayed at home and took a sneaky peak at the TV....here;s Kaz and Grandpa and Grandma

 

 

 

 

Then on Boxing day me and Kaz and Daryl and the Angus and Dram dogs went down to ullswater for a quick swim - yes the humans came in too which was fun although they didnt stay in as long us us - I like the piccie of me and Kaz and the Angus dog!

 

 

 

Just as we got home from the swim Kaz and Daryl had a Boxing Day mountain rescue callout with their team and went down to the base to meet up with some of the others to go and help a mountain biker who'd fallen off his bike and hurt his face on a track near the Pennines.  Luckily the ambulance (which was being driven by Kaz'd friend Serena got there and the man was taken to hospital by the air ambulance so the Mountain rescue team weren't needed).

 

 

So finally here we are - today is Grandpa's 76th birthday so happy birthday for today!  Me and Kaz and the Angus and Dram dog and Daryl are in Kidderminster seeing Grandpa Ron and Grandma Jeanie and their dogs for a couple of days - we are having a great time running all over the fields together!

 

I really do promise to start being a better blogger in 2013 - so just make sure you tell me off it I'm not!

 

Take care and happy New Year xxx

 

 

 

Busy couple of weeks

Kaz and me have been continuing to help Kath and Mara train.  They are doing really well now and we had a lovely Sunday



We came back and Daryl made a gingerbread house - here it is - me and the other dogs supervised it! We didnt get any though...... :-(

Well - what a couple of weeks it's been - me and Kaz have been on an epic callout the other night in really bad weather - there were two men on Scafell trying to navigate with a Wainwright book, but no map or compass or torch - now, I know that Mr Wainwright wrote some pretty fine books with lovely pictures but the better best is a good old OS map and compass really!

Anyway - it was a long old night - me, Daryl, Kaz and the Dram and Angus dogs had been up at Kirkstone pass all day meeting all our friends who support us and some members of the public as well.  I did a demo as well as all the others and even though the rain was awful, it was a great day and we met loads of new people who made a fuss of us.  We went home and were just about to settle down on the rug (well, me and the other two dogs - Kaz and Daryl were going to sit on the sofa!).  Just as Kaz had started reading her book, the phone rang and it was Mick telling her to not go to bed yet cos there was a search on Scafell for 2 missing men.  Kaz and me looked out the window and it was rubbish weather and we didnt really want to go anywhere - but we did.

We arrived at Keswick base and met up with Laura and Jake dog (and her navigator Rob) and our navigator Chesh.  Elly and Chris with Meggy and Beck were already out on the fell somewhere and so was Mick and my big sis Ginny - me and Kaz and Laura and Jake were told to search up Taylor Ghyll and onto Styhead. Now - during the day and when it's not too bad its an ok scramble - but to be honest at night it is pretty crap - we climed the rock up the right side of the ghyll which was a bit slippy.



We searched for an awful long time and I even found Kaz a hat and bought it for her.  Eventually we heard on the raido that the Wasdale Team found the men - here is a piccy that Wasdale took and it shows just how bad it was.

Me and Kaz got home at about 2.30 and she had to be in work for 7.30 so she was a bit tired.

Last night we went on the fell at Helton - ohhh Kaz got scared of the dark!!

Anyways - see you soon Dot fans and before I go have you heard that a sheep dog has just been sold for £8400 - frankly I dont get out of bed for less than £10k!

So many things to tell you about .........

So Kaz says I've got to give you all a big apology for not blogging for a while but there's loads going on that I haven't had time to get hold of Kaz's laptop or Daryl's iPad (managed to get my paws on the iPad today though!)

Anyway here we go .....

1st bit of brilliant news is about 2 trainee dogs who have just passed their last assessment and join me and the other search dogs on the callout list -and that is Ani (and her handler Bill from Kendal MRT) and Corrie (and her handler Andy from Patterdale MRT). Here they are - don't they look great!



The next bit of LDMRSDA news is that Chris Francis and his trainee Beck passed their last assessment last night, so they're on the callout list too!




There are 2 very sad bits of news though, that is that our Vice President Dave Riley has sadly died after an illness. Although me and Kaz didn't work on callous with Dave we were lucky enough to be trained and assessed by him. He had a great sense of humour and was very knowledgeable about dog training and he'll be really missed by us all.

The second bit of bad news is that Glen Hodges and his trainee Molly from Penrith MRT have decided to withdraw from training - Kaz is really sad as she was hoping they'd join me and her very soon

This last weekend me and Kaz and the new dog Angus and Daryl and the Dram dog have been training with the trailing dogs - they both did really well and I'm pretty proud of my little brothers they might even be as good as me soon!

Then last weekend we went to handler John Leadbetter's wedding to Clair our LDMRSDA Vet - it was great - all us dogs were allowed in the church.



Then we had a great walk up towards Loadpot Hill the other day - fantastic weather - it was brill and our doggy friends Darcy, Jack, Flint and Pip came along with aunty Serena and we had loads of fun.....



Finally we have had 2 callouts in the last week - the first wasnt really much as a couple of people got a bit lost in the dark between Howtown and Pooley Bridge - me and Kaz were on the way in the team Landrover when we had a call from Serena who lives near there to say she'd been up on the hill and brought them down.

Yesterday night we had a callout from the dogs and the Penrith Team to go to search for a missing man in Cargo (on the Solway flats).  He'd gone for a walk and didnt come back.  Me and Kaz, plus Elly/Meg, Nick/Sam, Ian/Kep, Mick/Ginny, Olly/Kitt and Laura/Jake met up and started searching the fields and the footpath by the Eden.  We were joined by the RAF helicopter, Coastguard and Inshore Lifeboat teams, but at 4am sadly the body of the man was found and we all went home for a sleep.



Now then I promise to blog better now as I'm not so busy at the moment!

Oh blimey I've got another bruvver!

For goodness sake - I've just about got used to the Dram dog being in the house when we all went out for a drive and CAME BACK WITH ANOTHER DOG - agggghhhhhh!

Actually we'd already met him on the trailing weekend at Patterdale and ok I did like him. Kaz explained that she wanted to start training another dog (not to be clever like me but as a trailing dog just like my clever friend Mij and what the Dram dog is currently training for).

Anyway - we bought him back from Toms in Scotland and he's been here for three weeks so far and is alright ( I s'pose) - here he is...Kaz still luvs me best tho'

Assessments go well and I go on a Callout on Bodmin Moor

Me and Kaz and Daryl and Deam dig went down to north Tawton in Devon for a trailing training course. We drove for a long time but eventually arrived and met the others. We were going to watch Daryl and the Dram dog do his trailing stuff, but Kaz got told there was a missing person on Bodmin Moor and me and her were going to help the other dogs search for him. It was great - lots of good wind and not too hot but I got a bit scared of the cows who were protecting their calves and the horses who kept chasing me. We worked for a long time but eventually heard that the missing person had been found.

When we got back Daryl told Kaz that him and Dram had done well. So the next day we worked at an old country house - I even got to search in the house and found someone in the cupboard in the library!

We watched Daryl and the Dram dog and they did really well and even did a small trail for a person.

The next day we all went to some fields and searched - it was great and I had loads of fun finding the bodies.

When we came home Daryl and Kaz had been busy until this weekend and on Saturday we all went over to Whinlatter so Kaz could help assess trailing dog Paddy and his handler Neil from Northern Ireland. They followed a 4 hour trail for over 2 km with lots of twists and turns.....and they passed - hooray!

The Dram dog and Daryl did a discrimination test on 3 different people and found the right one and was brilliant!

Then today we went to Haweswater and me and Kaz did some Assessing - Andy and trainee dog Corrie passed some more assessments and haven't got many more to go now- hooray! Everyone else seemed to be doing well too so that was great.

A trip in a helicopter

Yesterday me and Kaz and Daryl and the Dram dog went over to Kirkby Stephen MRT base to help Kath out - Kath is the Deputy Team Leader at Kirkby Stephen and has just started training her dog Mara. Me and Kaz have been helping her - Kaz has been doing the human stuff and I've been having a bit of a doggy chat with the young upstart! Anyway, we went to help so that Mara wouldn't be scared when the helicopter came in.

First of all when it was landing Mara was a bit nervous (probably the noise) but Kath gave her lots of treats and she eventually settled down a bit.

Then they shut the motor down and Kath walked Mara on and she was able to settle down on board.

Then they started up and went for a flight round - Kath says she was really well behaved.

Then it was the turn of the Kirkby team members to climb on board, have a flight and be winched out. They all seemed to enjoy it!

Then me and Kaz and Daryl and the Dram dog were told we could go on board with Kath and Mara.

We stood in front of the helicopter (slightly to the right of the pilot) and they lowered the steps. We walked across to the door one at a time - it was very windy and loud. The Dram dog was very good and walked calmly on board. Mara did really well but was a bit scared right at the end!

We took off and flew round,then it was time for Daryl and the Dram dog to be winched out. They walked over to the big door and Daryl got the harness on himself and made sure the Dram dog was clipped in to the hook.....then they were off. Then it was me and Kaz as usual, I wriggled around while we were in the air.

Kath and Mara stayed on as it was a bit too scary for Mara to be winched out.

Lots of stuff happening - sorry I havent blogged!

So then, where did I get to on my last blog?  Oh yes, I'd just been groomed and wasnt too impressed was I!

Anyway since then it's been pretty busy all round really.

1st of all Daryl and the Dram dog were training for Trailing with all the other handlers from Ireland, Scotland and other places in England.  We all stayed at Patterdale YHA and me and Kaz were helping as assessors.

I was dead proud of the Dram Dog - he did really well.  He is now at stage 11 (of 17) and he had to do a test where there were 3 people in a line and Daryl was given a hat off one of them in a bag.  He then had to give the hat to Dram Dog to smell and then he had to walk over to each of the people and tell Daryl which person the hat belonged do.......and he did it really well.  Now, dont tell the Dram Dog but I was flamin amazed - I'm trained to find any human scent but he's being trained to find only 1 human scent out of many.  Well done the Dram Dog.

On the Tuesday, me and Kaz went to Whinlatter for a bit of training - it was very midgy and Kaz was being eaten alive.  I was dead brilliant - I found all the bodies in super quick time.  In the meantime Dram Dog and Daryl were showing off their skills at scent discrimination with handlers Chris and Mick being the bodies.  Everyone else seemed to have a really good time too - Elly and Bracken are coming on well and Andy and Corrie are looking good.  Little Mara and Kath are beginning to work well too and Mara's bark is really starting to change from a squeak to a proper bark!

Then Kaz and Daryl had a parcel delivered to home - it contained another dog! Here it is..........

..... me and the Dram dog got a bit miffed about it as we thought it was going to be replacing us, but Kaz and Daryl explained that they were riding the dog down a river in Scotland....idiots! (more about that later...)

On Thursday me, Kaz, Daryl and Dram dog went over to Keswick to the Keswick team to talk about a charity even that we were helping with.  Basically, they have to help run a demonstration rescue for some children to take part in, so we went over to Great Wood and looked for a place to do the demo.  Me and Dram dog played in the beck whilst Kaz and Daryl did the work!  Can you spot me in the piccie?...

On the Saturday the demo went really well for the children - they loved it.  Me and Kaz showed them how a searchdog works and then they helped treat our pretend casualty and put him in the stretcher and carry him off.  Then at lunch time they watched the RAF helicopter fly in and they were allowed to go inside and have a look.  What a great day.

Then me and Kaz did some training up at Whinlatter on the Tuesday - me and searhcdog Ginny who's my big sis had a great time in the rain.........dont we look pretty!  Andy and Corrie did a big area as a practice for being asessed and looked really good so hopefully they'll be on the callout list soon.

Then last Saturday me and the Dram dog went to grandma and grandpas for the day as Kaz and Daryl and handler John Leadbetter were off to do a mad event in Scotland.  Basically, they were going to do the Glen Nevis River Race which was a 2 miles down river race on an inflatible lilo (hence the blow up dog that I referred to earlier)

(Have a look at this video clip....it'll give you an idea of how daft they were)

They all got home late on Saturday night counting their bruises!!!! They had to get all their kit ready cos we were all due to go dog training at Coniston, so that took little while and they finally got to bed at 2am.

After about 3 hours, Kaz's pager went off at 5am for a search down at Ullswater for a missing man whos car had been found.  Me and Kaz went down whilst Daryl and the Dram dog stayed in bed snoring.

Kaz and I searched the banks of Ullswater and I thought I could smell something different coming from the water, so I barked at Kaz.  Kaz wasnt too sure what to do and so she got John and Skye to go along there too - Skye also was very interested in the area so we passed the information on....here I am searching the banks.

We then searched some steep woodland with searchdogs Ginny, Meg, Enich, Keppi and Moss.  Me and Kaz got home on Sunday afternoon after Patterdale team stood us down for the day - Kaz was very tired so had an early night!

Then last night (Tuesday) me and Kaz went out again to help Patterdale team in the continuation of the search - I got to search some really steep woodland that was full of brambles and head high bracken and also an old disused quarry, but didnt find anything.

A fairly quiet week - apart from the weather, the torch relay, a calloout and a 10km run

Hiya Dot fans - how's it going?

Its been a pretty busy week in Cumbria - but not necessarily on the mountain resuce searchdog front.

On Saturday last week me and Kaz and the Dram dog went over to Ennerdale for a day's training with the searchdogs.  Kaz acted as the body in the pouring rain - here she is and here's her hidey hole she found.  Funny it doesnt look that bad to me!

Everyone seemed to have a good time and Andy and Corrie passed an assessment which was great news.

Then on the Sunday, me and the Dram dog and Kaz went to watch Daryl run in the Karrimor Trail race at Keswick which was a 10km run round the back of Latrigg.  Daryl did really well and even did a fairly good time!

 





On Wednesday and Friday Kaz helped out at the Police HQ in case there were any incidents whilst the Olympic Torch was in Cumbria and Daryl went down to escort the procession with the Penrith team - here is Chris Bonington with the torch by our team vehicle.

Then this week Kaz was just coming home from work when her phone rang and she was asked by the Callout Co-ordinator Chris to help with a search in Scotland in a place called Kircudbright.  So she came home and picked me up and we started driving back up the motorway.  Kaz got a call from Mick to say him and Ginny and Elly and Meg were also coming too.  We hadnt gone too far (just passing Carlisle) when we got stood down as the missing man had been found, which was good news.

On Thursday I was taken to be groomed cos Kaz thinks i was looking scruffy - huh - now I smell of perfume and my tail is all neat and tidy - this is not a good look for a roughty toughty searchdog!  I have threatened the Dram dog that he's next in line!

Then yesterday Kaz and Daryl were supposed to be swimming in the Great North Swim at Windermere- but cos the weather was really bad, it was cancelled which was a bit of a disappointment.  So instead kaz did some baking then we went to say hi to Grandma and Grandpa as it was their 51st Wedding Anniversary so me and the Dram dog made a big fuss of them.

Today we're all having a bit of a rest and I'm about to watch the footie - COME ON ENGLAND!!
(Although frankly you've got no chance!)

A couple of days holiday then a days training

So Kaz ad Daryl went off to London to see the Queen last week - well actually the Diamond Jubilee Concert - and me and the Dram dog got to stay at home with Grandma and Grandpa which was great fun.

Kaz and Darykl met up with some of the others from Mountain Rescue and they all had really good views of various singers....although for some reason Daryls finger got stuck on the camera button when someone called Kylie Minogue came on!

So this week Kaz has been a little tired after all the excitement - but today me and Kaz and Daryl and the Dram dog went out with the Penrith Team for their Sunday training exercise over at Haweswater - we had to search for a missing man and me and Kaz (with Daryl and the Dram dog as navigators) set off to search all the way up to Rough Crag but had to do the big bowl near Bleawater. When I started searching round the bowl - I heard a sheep making a lot of noise (more than they normally do) - I wasnt too sure what to do coz I knew Kaz wouold be angry if I went over to any sheep but I was a bit worried about it - so I thought I'd check it out and it was a lamb that had got into some very deep water and couldnt get out and it was really tired.  I didnt want to scare it so I laid down next to the water and just looked at it until Kaz came and rescued it.  Then we carried on searching in all the crags... it was great fun - here are a couple of pics (including a very nice one of the Dram dog and some of Kaz's team):

So after the search we then startted to do some crag training where Kaz was going to be the casualty but no sooner than she had gone up the hill to pretend to be stuck, than the pagers went off for a real team callout to help a man who'd fallen down an embankment on the river Eden near Carlisle.  Me and the Dram dog stayed in the car whilst Kaz and Daryl and the Penrith team as well as the Ambulance and Fire Service went off and sorted him out.  Me and the Dram dog are now watching the Canadian Grand Prix while Kaz and Daryl do something called 'unwinding'.

Laters bloggers!