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The online diary
started life as a blog of my strange 'other life' with the dog. I
wanted to record some of the experiences that I had as a first-time dog
owner. To access the archive, click on the appropriate month.
The most recent articles are listed
separately.
You are most
welcome to send comments about any of the articles. Record your
comments via the Contact Me page.
FELLWALKING LEGEND?
Wed 01 Oct 2008
Is
Beattie becoming a fellwalking legend? I
ask the question because for the second time this year, she was recognised
by walkers on the Lake District fells.
The occasion
was during our recent visit to the Lakes. I had decided to tackle Green
Crag, a somewhat remote fell in the western Lakes. From all I have read and
seen about Green Crag, it does not attract many visitors when compared to
the honey pots of Helvellyn or Scafell Pike.
The walk
begins from The Woolpack Inn, in
Eskdale. It’s always a good plan to start a walk from a pub, as that is
where you will finish. Better still when the bar is open all day! It
certainly is a rewarding walk as the views from the top of this modest fell
more than repay the effort of the climb.
As I
suspected, I met nobody on the approaches to the fell, but as we prepared to
make the final ascent up rocks to the summit, unexpectedly, we met three
walkers coming down. As is usual fell courtesy, we exchanged brief
pleasantries before one of the chaps asked, ‘Is that
Beattie?’
'It
is indeed’, I replied, pleased and surprised that she had been recognised.
It transpired that the questioner was a regular visitor to the
Wainwright Society
Forum, although we had never met before. He had obviously looked at
this website via the Forum and recognised
Beattie.
Earlier in the
year, another Forum member had recognised her when we were out on the
north-western fells.
On reflection,
perhaps two people recognising Beattie does
not make her a legend? But time is on her side – she’s only two years old.
Time enough for her fame to spread. She could yet be a legend in her own
lifetime … Back
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SIXTH SENSE
Mon 06 Oct 2008
This tale that
I will recount came after a strange weekend for
Beattie. We had been invited to a wedding on Friday, and there was no
alternative but to put Beattie in kennels
overnight. She had not been to the kennels for a year and I was interested
in seeing how she reacted to the situation. The two kennel maids used to
attend Dog Club for a while, so would Beattie
remember them?
I drove her to
the kennels on Friday morning. She was in no way reluctant to go with
F, but she looked back as she disappeared
through the gate as if to say, ‘Aren’t you coming too?’
When I
collected Beattie the next morning, she was
definitely eager to be away and she barked excitedly when she saw me. It’s
nice to be wanted! But we were not going home immediately. She was going
to AT’s for a haircut, which was long
overdue. She certainly has become a rather tatty dog and
V did a really good job with her using the
new equipment that she had just bought. What a difference when I saw her 45
minutes later! I thought she might have put some weight on during the
summer, but it must have been all that hair that made her look so stocky!
On Sunday, it
was raining heavily from the time I awoke until after four o’ clock. We did
not get out at all except for a quick stroll around the village in the
evening before nightfall. As there are no streetlights, it’s not the best
place to walk after dark. All in all, it was a very quiet day.
This morning,
whilst we were out for our early morning stroll, we were returning home
walking next to the churchyard wall. Suddenly,
Beattie began to jump up against the wall as if she wanted to reach
whatever she sensed was there. I could see nothing, but peering over, a
small white cat was crouched rather nervously against the wall. How on
earth had Beattie known it was there? She
could not have seen it and it was certainly not making any noise that I
could hear.
Was it some
doggy sixth sense, or was it her nose again that had convinced her that
something interesting lay the other side. It’s a question to ponder
and another mystery to solve. Back
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Comment from
sablonneuse
I think all
animals have more finely tuned senses than humans so maybe they do
have a sixth sense as well. I hope the little cat was not lost.
Comment from Tracey Lilly
She could
probably smell it and it may have been emitting a high pitched sound
that only doggy ears could hear.
BEASTS OF BURDEN
Mon 13 Oct 2008
Horses, ponies
and donkeys have long been used in this country as beasts of burden. But
dogs? On the fells?
We had a
weekend in the Lake District – a Wainwright Society event. This was the
Wainwright Memorial Lecture, this year given by photographer, Derry Brabbs.
Derry collaborated with Wainwright on a number of ‘coffee table’ books in
the 1980’s.
Before the
main event, there was a Society walk from
The Mill Inn, Mungrisdale
up on to Bowscale Fell and Bannerdale Crags. (photos)
The previous day had been one of those meteorological events that have been
all too common this year, that is, very heavy, persistent rain lasting for
several hours. But we were blessed with fine, dry weather and sunny
conditions, although it was very cold on the tops.
On our return
to the valley we passed a strange sight. Two Dalmatian dogs were making
their way up the path that we were descending. Across their backs were
strapped red panniers, hanging down on each side. Although their progress
did not look seriously impeded by the burden, it did not look like a
comfortable position for the two dogs.
The dogs
belonged to a family now ascending to the ridge – mum and dad each carrying
a young child on their back. Well, at least the parents had come up with a
way of walking the fells with their two youngsters, even if the two dogs did
not quite have the freedom they would like.
It will only
be a short-term problem as I am sure these two little ones will soon be
striding out on the fells without the need for free lifts from mum and dad!
I bet those
two dogs can’t wait for that day!! Back
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Comment from
sablonneuse
Poor dogs. I bet
you'd never dream of making Beattie do that!
Comment from Tracey Lilly
Does
Beattie carry anything whilst walking?
Only herself, Tracey! I
think she would struggle with panniers and I would not be able to
carry her over stiles or rocky sections of our walks! Derek
WHAT A DAY!
Sun 19 Oct 2008
Beattie has caused a lot of embarrassment, worry and stress today.
Not to herself, you understand, but to her owners!
We
were fulfilling a long-standing invitation to visit
H & S in north
Norfolk. We drove over for lunch and were looking forward our
afternoon as we had not visited before despite numerous promises
that ‘we must come over soon’. For Beattie, there was the bonus of
having four acres of garden to explore and as soon as we arrived she
made the most of her opportunity running around after us excitedly.
As she became more adventurous, she ran ahead and then, quite
unexpectedly, she spotted a movement in the grass and leapt forwards
to investigate.
Before
we had any idea what was happening, she had hold of a pigeon! The
pigeon tried in vain to escape the dog’s jaws and even managed to
break free and begin to fly, but Beattie’s blood was up and she
jumped up dragging the bird down to finish it off!
A and I were
completely shocked and embarrassed by this unexpected turn of events
and apologised profusely. H was most unconcerned and said, 'That’s
what dogs do isn’t it?’
Beattie had never acted like this before even though she is a
terrier originally bred as a ratter in the mines of the northeast.
I grabbed hold of her and A took her away as
S put the badly injured
bird out of its misery.
Later
in the afternoon we took Beattie for another walk in the garden,
and, emboldened, by her exploits earlier in the day, she ‘did a
runner’ escaping out of the garden by leaping over a ditch and
bolting across the adjoining stubble field. We could only watch in
disbelief as she hared away into a further field finally coming to a
standstill next to a small copse of trees. Frantically, we called
her again and again but she appeared deaf to our pleading. Then she
ran back across the second field in our direction before putting up
three game birds sheltering in undergrowth next to a deep ditch.
Beattie was no longer to be seen. I would have to go and search for
her and S led the way to a narrow beam atop a dam, which crossed the
ditch in their garden. With no alternative, I stepped on to the
beam and edged across very gingerly bearing in mind that
S had told
me that if I slipped off I would be into mud up to my knees, at
least! Not a happy prospect.
In
four paces I had made it safely to the other side and walked along
the margins of the field to where Beattie had last been seen. There
was no sign of her despite me calling her. I turned towards the
others and shouted the obvious question as to whether they had seen
the dog reappear as I had been negotiating the plank!
Whilst
I was doing this I was suddenly aware of
Beattie standing right next to me, the little madam!! She
looked at me as if to say, ‘What’s all the fuss about? I knew where
you were.’
I grabbed her
and carried her back along the path towards H,
who had also ‘walked the plank’ and was carrying a length of nylon washing
line to use as a makeshift lead for Beattie.
I tied the line to her collar and lead her back to the house! The panic was
over!
That
was the end of Beattie’s adventures for today as she was put into
her crate and the front was very securely closed! What a relief!
That would be the last time she would be off-lead in that particular
garden! Back
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Comment from
sablonneuse
So Beattie had a whale of a time then - at the
expense of your nerves!
She certainly did,
Sandy! Derek
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Photographs taken with a Fuji MX-2900
Zoom or a Canon EOS 20D
Copyright © 2008 Derek Cockell All Rights
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