That Holiday Feeling...

We're all a bit de-mob happy in our house this week. Firstly, it's my birthday on Friday and then soon after, we're off on holiday. Another birthday? So soon? How can that be? I'm aging faster than is strictly necessary.

And, after years of scoffing at my parents as they and their dogs set of on holiday with a car bulging, not with their things but with the 'essentials' for the four-legged travelling companions, I am starting to regret those chuckles.

As this is our first holiday with the  gundog in question, I have been looking forward immensely to taking her away with us. I have visions of long walks, her splashing happily in the streams and tarns of the Lake District and her curling happily under tables in pubs as we share a post-walk drink or two.

However, as the holiday has approached, I've felt the need, as I so often do, to write a little list. Lists are, for me, very relaxing things. I am trying to wean myself off them however but it's not going very well so far.

Storm's holiday list is seemingly more extensive than mine but I hope you can forgive my 'First Holidays With Dog' paranoia about forgetting things. I know she won't mind if she doesn't have her cotton wool pads for her post-breakfast eye wipe and I know it won't be the end of the world if she doesn't have her cod liver oil tablet but I just can't help myself.

I am, like an annoyingly earnest Boy Scout, at my most happy when I'm prepared. I adore organisation and abhor chaos and anything seat-of-your-pants. Spontaneity and I are not the best of bed fellows. At university, I used to re-write my lecture notes of an evening to make sure they were neat enough. Neat enough for whom I hear you ask? Indeed.

And so, when we set off on our holidays, with my check-marked list and tidily packed bags, how long do you think it will be until I realise I've forgotten something?

I blame my age you know.

Laughter Lines...

Talking to my cousin a few weeks ago about Storm and the impact she's had on my life, he made the statement that "...a dog will do something every day that makes you laugh".

About the same time, a link appeared on Twitter to a piece in the Daily Mail which states that owning a dog can make you much healthier, not only because of the exercise from all the walking/ball throwing, but also because of the all-around benefits of their companionship.

This is certainly true in the case of Storm and I. As I've already mentioned, Storm's presence at my side when my beloved son goes off to his Dad's makes me feel much better. I love walking her, I love it when she's on the sofa next to me in the evening, I love that when I'm at my desk (as now) she's on the floor by my feet. I love our gundog training sessions with Sarah Miles, the drive there and back, the time in the woods and the learning of a new skill. She's great with my son and step-children and my partner has fallen in love with her too.

But my cousin was so right about the funny side of dogs and she does make me laugh every day. When she misjudges her leap onto the sofa and ends up headbutting the back, I giggle. When she's given her bone and she's so excited, she has to carry it around tail wagging furiously for at least 10 minutes before settling down with it, I chuckle. When she tries to encourage me to play with her by rolling her ball toward me with her nose then staring at me in what she clearly assumes to be a winning fashion, I guffaw. When she does her famous (well, famous in our house anyway!) Yoga-Dog stretches and ends up reversing across the kitchen floor, I chortle. When she sits in the bathroom with me with her head nodding as she follows drop after drop of water down the shower screen, I snigger. When I come home to her after a trip out and her tail wags so much her rear end almost takes off, I smile, laugh and my heart melts a little bit more because of my beautiful girl.

In short, there are hundreds of times a week when she makes me smile or laugh, hundreds of memories, hundreds of moments, hundreds of drops of happiness that Storm showers on my life.

I'm just wondering if you can claim for owner's skincare on pet insurance because I seem to have acquired a lot of laughter lines in the last few months.

Not Such A Dummy...

Well, as you can see, and after much coaxing and work, Storm is now holding dummies and we have our own at home to practice with.

For those of you that don't know, her reluctance to hold had been a bit of a stalling point in her training but now, fingers crossed, we've beaten that. Whoop whoop, toot toot and hurrah.

It was an interesting hurdle to come across, especially as we were told vaguely when we got Storm that she wouldn't make a gundog. So, when the hold issue appeared, we thought we'd found the problem. We might not have of course, the problem could still be waiting around the corner and this was just Storm throwing us a little curveball to check us out.

However, with patience, we're moving on. Sarah is very keen to keep training fun for Storm - she's got a sense that my gorgeous girl might have been pushed a bit too quickly and stopped enjoying herself. Then, like a child in a lesson with a dull and monotonous teacher, Storm just stopped listening. But I can't be anything but happy about that because if she'd behaved perfectly way back then, then she never would have been rehomed, I would still be dogless and this story of ours would never have started.

A Storm In The Garden...

The title of this post might be in slightly bad taste given the fact that the rain is stair-rodding down outside my window as I type this but yesterday afternoon, there was a little patch of sun and Storm and I popped into the garden for a game and a few photos.

So, here's Storm in the garden...

These photos make me smile - Storm's just 13 months old now and the pics show her alternately as a dog with a mature face or a complete puppy look. I've been told that Labrador's from Storm's breeders are relatively slow to mature and I like this very much. Because we got her when she was 11 months old, we missed out on the puppy stage so I'm pleased there's still more than a bit of it left in her for us to enjoy. Her gangly legs and funny play poses are utterly charming and totally endearing.

Let's face it, she doesn't need to be in a hurry to grow up. I think she's perfect just the way she is.

Lessons Learned In 60km...

As you might have gathered from previous posts, I am quite the fan of Hounds For Heroes. So much so that 7am on Saturday found me, walking boots on and rucksack packed, at Glorious Goodwood. Only it wasn't quite so glorious in the cold and under grey threatening skies but I had the sixty kilometres of Just Walk ahead of me to raise money for my favourite charity.

I should say a little bit about the organisers of the event, Across The Divide, who were brilliant. It's so nice to find an event that you can sign up to and once you've paid your registration fee, you're not pressured to raise 'minimum sponsorship' so that's a definite plus. The most important plus point however was that the whole event was very well organised. The route was well signposted, there weren't huge gaps between checkpoints, there were medics at every point and the food was great. I shall be forever grateful for the Chilli at 40km! I'd definitely sign up for another of their events so well played ATD, you got it just right.

The route was beautiful, rambling across the South Downs, from Goodwood to Arundel, Amberley, Bignor and back to Goodwood. The weather was certainly in split personality mode - gorgeous sunshine for the first 30km and rain, hail and wind for the last half of the walk which explains the lack of photos after 40km. I looked like, felt like (and possibly smelt like) a drowned rat.

Anyway, 60km gives you a lot of time to think so here are some of the things I learned on Saturday...

1. The sight of bluebells thickly carpeting a woodland floor is one of the things always guaranteed to make me smile.
2. Even when you don't have a dog with you, you will always find poop bags in your pocket.
3. Supportive tweets from people you've never met lift your spirits and make you smile.
4. If you're going to shout obscenities at the sight of another flipping hill after 58km of walking, check there's no-one behind you first. Sorry!
5. Promising yourself a curry if you manage to get home before the local takeaway shuts is a great incentive.
   
6. Tourists will take photos of you if you walk through Arundel wearing charity t-shirts and event numbers.
7. Changing into fresh socks during a walk is an almost heavenly feeling.
8. Walking poles are, despite my previous assertions to the contrary, not for weeds. They are essential if you wish to stand anywhere near upright on a long walk.
9. When you walk in mud, you'll never ceased to be amazed just how much you can splatter over yourself without actually rolling in it.
10. You will always need the toilet when you're halfway between checkpoints.
    
11. Someone offering you chocolate and a cuppa is instantly transformed from normal person to the best person. Ever.
12. When you drive home straight after an event, be prepared to need much assistance to get out of the car at the other end. A drunken reality TV star getting out of a cab after a night at Chinawhite will look positively elegant compared to you.
13. Never underestimate how lovely it is to be able to walk without rolling around like a punch drunk pirate or how complicated getting out of bed and standing upright can be.
14. Your dog will try to assist you by walking right next to you. You will fall over your dog because you just can't co-ordinate yourself in a normal fashion.
15. Every ache, every pain and every rain-sodden, wind-blown, damp, hard, tiring and seemingly impossible step is worth it when you truly believe in the charity you're supporting. Thanks to the lovely team at Hounds For Heroes and Beverley Cuddy for the supportive tweets, re-tweets and messages. Together We Can.

Event essentials - t-shirt, knee supports and sparkly earrings!

One Giant Leap For Dog-Kind...

Storm - 9th May 2013

Well, I thought it was time for a little training update and (perhaps I should whisper this for fear of jinxing everything), it's all going really well.

The amazing Sarah Miles is continuing to work her magic with Storm who is switching on and things feel like they're falling into place. It's wonderful and we're definitely getting somewhere.

After a lot of practicing, chest tickling and coos of "ooooh, lovely girl, clever girl" (all me to Storm I should point out!), Storm's now holding holding holding things rather than spitting them out in disgust in the manner of Gordon Ramsey at a dodgy restaurant. This is a huge step forward and Sarah's now allowed us to buy our first 'proper' gundog dummy. Woooo-hoooo! Who'd have thought two months ago that the purchase of a 1lb canvas sack would have been quite such a cause for celebration?!

Walks are now brilliant. Unless she's been told to 'go play', Storm trots neatly at heel, keeping time with my stride. She runs to retrieve, returns and sits sweetly in front of me, holding the ball or dummy until she's told to drop it. The whistle recall still needs a bit of work but she's so much better. It's wonderful and I'm so proud of her.

Today, we had our post school-run walk and we were stopped by a pair of dog-walkers who complimented Storm's behaviour. It was lovely - if I wanted anything from Storm, it was for her to be well behaved and 'take anywhere'. On bank holiday Monday, we took her out for lunch with friends and she curled up next to the table in the pub and didn't bother anyone the whole time. I was slightly amazed, especially given the fact she's on a diet, but really chuffed for her.

It's ten weeks since Storm came home and my gorgeous beautiful girl has really settled in now. And I think she likes me.

A Truly Good Walk...

A Bank Holiday just screams out for a lovely walk in the countryside and this Sunday, Storm, the Boy and I took my Mum and one of her beautiful ex-Guide Dogs out so we could get our fill of walkies in the sunshine.

But this wasn't just any old walk, it was the David Sime Memorial Walk in aid of Hounds For Heroes. Now, you might know that I have quite a soft spot for this special special charity (yes, it's just a few days now until my 60km trek for them!) but perhaps I should explain where all this started. Well, back in 2003 when I got married, we didn't ask for gifts, we asked for donations to the charity of our choice and the inspirational Allen Parton and the equally amazing Endal came to my wedding to collect the cheque. It was an encounter that has stuck with me for years (and indeed, has stuck longer than the husband but that's another story!)

Allen hasn't forgotten me over the last decade and I've been rooting for Hounds For Heroes since it's inception. It was wonderful to see Allen again, to see him with EJ and to introduce him to the Boy and to Storm.

Then it was off on the walk and it was beautiful. The route circled some truly heavenly countryside, through woods upholstered in bluebells and where the air was full of the scent of wild garlic. Pheasants rose from the undergrowth by our feet and deer trotted along the field ridges. It was the very best kind of countryside and it was the very best kind of day for walking.

It was so fabulous to walk on a well marked route and one that had flagged 'dog watering points' with bowls and water. Back at the gorgeous farm that hosted the event, there was food and drink aplenty, beautiful gardens to rest in and lots of lovely humans and canines to chat too. We all loved it.

But maybe one of the loveliest parts of the day happened much later that evening when my e-mail pinged at 10pm. It was an e-mail from Allen, thanking me for coming and bringing the family and that was very touching.

The slogan used by Hounds For Heroes isn't just a snappy tagline dreamed up by a branding expert with an eye for what works. It means everything.

'Together We Can'.

If you're new to Hounds For Heroes, check out this video. It might just make you smile.

A New View On An Old Dog...

It always feels like such a treat when you get a totally new perspective on something, or someone, you thought you knew.

Well, that's happened to me this week and I wanted to share it with you.

If you've read my earlier post about the amazing Grant, you'll know that my parents re-home retired Guide Dogs. They currently have two beautiful ladies. Ria, the yellow girl in the pic here, had to be retired from training because of a skin condition on her nose. It's a huge shame because she's the softest, gentlest dog that would have been a brilliant companion for someone. Ria and The Boy have such an incredibly bond and she's his favourite.

Allie, the black Lab here, was a working Guide Dog until she was retired about 18 months ago. She's a funny old thing and it's taken a good while to come to love her.

But last weekend, Mum and Dad took her back to see her old owner who's been quite unwell and she, and her son, wanted to see Allie before the arrival of a new Guide Dog.

And it was a revelation.

Allie, this quiet and apparently ordinary dog has amazed us. Allie used to navigate her handler from Sussex to  hospital in London, she's stopped her from crashing into lorries, she's warned her of all kind of hazards and protected her from others. She was, in the words of her old owner, "a brilliant Guide Dog". Allie also used to wrap her lead around her leg and limp sadly around the train carriage getting much sympathy and attention from all the passengers but she also loved the little boy in the house and he loved her.

In a word, Allie changed the lives of at least two people. And now she's changing ours.

We know Guide Dogs are special, we know they do amazing work but sometimes, you just need to be reminded just how outstanding they are.

So, to us Allie might seem like a lazy old lady bumbling around but if she's not earned her retirement, I don't know who has.