Ellie has been working as a search and recovery dog for over 61/2 years and we have learnt a lot. The top tip we can give anyone is: training is never simple or confined, in other words always be prepared to think outside of the box.
What Box? This is a bucket.
It is cold, it is very wet. So wet in fact I am contemplating building an ark. But Ellie, Judy and Cooper are not bothered all they want to do is run and play, or train.
As I pull another pair of leaking wellington boots off my soggy feet, I wonder how did I get into this? Then I look at her sparkling eyes and realise – it is all your fault. But, we do have fun even on the wettest coldest days.
Of all the things I have ever written this is the toughest.
As this is Bob’s blog I will explain his story first.
On the 23rd of April, my best 4 legged buddy passed away. Bob has always been with me as I type my blog entries. His favourite position was to sleep on my feet and snore softly as I typed. It is an overused statement but – I miss him.
We were told, as many of you know, in March of 2018 that we would be lucky to have him with us for another month or two.
For me my emotions are like a daily rollercoaster as only four weeks before Bob, my Dad passed away. I was starting to come to terms with that loss when Bob left us.
I am still recovering from the shock of losing two strong well-loved individuals, (yes I know that Bob was to most – only a dog) who played such a big part in my daily life. In fact, in the past four years, my life has been centred around them and visits to Doctors and Veterinarians.
For Ellie, life has become a confusing place. She always had Bob with her except when she was working and even then when she arrived back home, he was at the back of the car ready to welcome her. Now when she gets out of the car she tends to stand and look around the yard as though expecting him to amble around the corner to say hello. She is not the only one who does this.
I really don’t want to stop writing the blog as I am still learning and working with dogs, but I am open to suggestions from the few who read my ramblings. But without Dad and Bob, the world has tilted.
I have visited the vets many times, as I stated above, but on that horrible evening, there was something that sort of freaked me out. The only four-legged client at the surgery was an Elkhound pup! Norwegian Elkhounds are not a popular breed here in Meath.
As always any and all comments are appreciated by me, and Ellie.
Sometimes a break in a working routine for Ellie, and me, works wonders.
Please note the snazzy jumps.
Bob had a more gentle workout.
It took twenty minutes before she called time out.
It was a wet St. Patrick’s day and a wetter weekend. Still we managed to get a load of training done. As the pictures will confirm…
Outdoors,
And indoors.
This past week, I was lucky, every day I went training the sun decided to warm us.
Here are a few pictures of Ellie and Judy, showing off. Ellie decided to let me climb the tree and retrieve the object,
burst
While Judy collected it, then went for a swim, just in case I hid anything in the river bed.
2017 is, so far, extremely mild though not particularly sunny. However, as the other two dogs in my life love walking, Bob is often enticed or dragged out for a walk.
I have noticed one definite thing about Judy, the black labrador, if there is water around she will find it.
I took her to Skryne today to walk across the fields. We started off well,
Then with head high and tail working like a helicopter blade she was off – water. Everyone could rest safe there was nothing else on the river.
We, are celebrating another full year of blogging. Thank you to everyone who has connected with myself and my chunky, cuddly dogs.
I was away for a few days and Bob (and Ellie) were being taken care of by my son. He took pity on Bob who does not have a very exciting life and brought him to work with him for a day. The pictures below show a very relaxed chilled out dog, letting the exertions of everyone at the gym wash over him. He was only interested in hugs, or so they thought.
However, during the afternoon, Bob decided it was time for him to take a little creative walk.
He set off, unknown to those working out.
Another athlete walking into the gym couldn’t understand why his remark created such a fuss. “I have just seen a very nice looking husky sitting patiently outside the cupcake factory door.”
Yep, you guessed it, Bob decided his new best friends were going to be the makers of some very nice cupcakes. And everyone thinks Ellie is the smart one!
Bob woke the house early on Friday morning. At first I thought he must be unwell, as it wasn’t his usual, get up and make my breakfast call.
The first thing I noticed when I opened the back door was the look of disbelief on his face.
It had snowed. And we all know Bob loves snow.
But it is becoming clear that old age is catching up with him as he spent the next half an hour simply pottering about.
While Ellie was all about moving:
He, I believe, was remembering
Real snow! And saving his energy for its return.
I have always loved dogs. But I haven’t always embraced life due to shyness, meeting insensitive arrogant people and so on, (you know how it goes) so I spent the first half of my life hiding away from people. Past experience taught me that not everyone was like my kindhearted father.
However, lady luck did smile on me in numerous ways, I married my soul mate and had two wonderful children and started writing. Though I hated my paid job, which was stressful and often felt like it should have been sent by worm hole back to the 1800’s, I soldiered on simply to make a living.
Then it happened, I met Bob
This fluffy wolf who was either going home with us or to a dog pound. How could we not take him? He came with us and captured everyone’s hearts. Through him I made a discovery.
I should have been working with dogs.
This heartfelt belief stayed with me, as I volunteered to work in a friends kennels. Then we made another decision, Bob missed us while we were working and he required a friend, with four legs and a waggy tail. The rest is history. We traveled to the North west of Ireland, Bob interviewed 20 dogs and came home with the pup who stole his and our hearts.
This pup again transformed my life. She was relentless always finding things from tennis balls
displaying a vivid creative energy. We knew we had to find her a job, before she drove Bob, and us, nuts.
Her job – finding people or recovering them has led us into many new adventures.
Hisilicon K3
And through her training I have discovered I was right – I should have been working with animals. But I do so now, by volunteering at a kennels, dog walking and dog training and all thanks to these four legged friends, especially Bob and Ellie
I often feel like this:
I am a six year old, again.
Survive & Thrive
Listen to your inner self..it has all the answers..
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