Last day of snow...

This morning we woke up to an extra layer of thin snow. Places that had completely melted were slightly white again, and the pavements were less slippery as there was snow covering them. So, of course as it is probably the last day of it being nice snow/ice before it turns to slush (which it has started to already) we decided to make the most of it. We, of course, went for a long walk and just had great fun.

This really has been an absolutely FANTASTIC winter and I am so glad I have my crazy, gobby little Ernie, my nutty Indi, my one in a million Max and my dozy Lola to enjoy all the snow with:).

...and more snow!

Nope, no fresh snow but all the snow from yesterday froze over and so we could still have plenty of fun! The sun came out as well, so everything looked absolutely beautiful, it was a real winter wonderland. The pavements were absolutely frozen solid, I'm surprised I didn't fall over today! I did nearly a couple of times though, and the dogs slipped quite a bit. But hey, it was all fun and we all had tonnes of fun. I took Ernie for a long walk, that ended up lasting 2 and a half hours due to not being able to walk fast because of all the ice! There was no way I was going to walk Indi on the pavements, I would have probably ended up on my bum!
So I took the other 3 down the field! Yes, Max and Lola too! Well I decided Lola might as well go out while the snows about and theres no point in Max being alive if he cant go for walks so I took him as well. He loooved being out and had great fun digging and playing in the snow.
Well I doubt its going to last much longer, well its melted in most other places but we are definantly making the most of it!
Even though the snow is all ice now, the dogs still loved leaping for the snowballs and we all still had so much fun, only a week till christmas!

What a fantastic xmas this is turning out to be:)

Now that's a snowfall!

Well, I thought yesterdays snow was exciting. That was nothing compared to what we woke up to this morning! We woke up to absolutely everything covered in a thick blanket of snow a few centimetres deep. We never get snow around here, and if we do its slushy or very thin (like yesterday) so this was extremely rare.

I got up straight away, and took the dogs for a loong walk. It was Ernie's first time in proper snow thats more than just a thin sheet. He loooved it! It was Indi's first time in snow, ever and he absolutely loved it! He chased the snowballs, and just had an absolute whale of a time! We had a few dog issues, but he was ok 99%.

So here are some pics and a new video (consisiting mainly of all that amazing snowfall) on my youtube page:).

Snow!!!

Today we got our first real snow!! It was fantastic! I was down the field with Ernie and could see dark clouds coming over, went all the way round and then got to the end and it started snowing! So we extended our walk and the snow really did fall and it layed really quickly. I kept stopping for a photo, and Ernie absolutely LOVED the snow! He kept going mad and running at full speed to the end of the lead. So I went back to a different field and let him off, we both had SO much fun! My camera ran out of battery, but I got a few cool pics on my phone and also videod a bit with Indi and Ernie on the trampoline which shows just how much they loved the snow!

Indi and Ernie LOVE chasing the snowballs, and Ernie gets all excited running around at full blast! It was Indi's first snow and he was very confused as to what it all was, but absolutely LOVED it!! It only lasted a short amount of time, but I'm happy because the dogs got to play in it, we got to walk in it and there was enough snow for snowballs! =)

All in all an absolutely fantastic day. It's so rare to get snow, so when we do it sure is exciting! It usually always misses our little corner out, but at least we got a small bit today!

So here are some pics, and I will be uploading a video VERY soon so I can show the snow footage=D!

Here comes the ice, hail and snow!

Yep, we finally have proper ice and proper winter weather! Ok, so no proper snow thats layed but no suprises there as it always seems to miss us out down here :(. We've had plenty of hail though, and plenty of ice! As I speak its sleeting outside.

Well the dogs have mixed emotions about this weather. Max isnt really bothered, Ernie doesn't like it as it keeps making him shiver on walks and theres no snow:(, Indi loves chasing the hailstones *sigh* and Lola is just well Lola! Ernie absolutely loves snow and rain, but anything else he hates. He is not a big fan of hailstones and where its so cold if he stops for long he starts shivering. He's fine, as long as he keeps moving! However, the cold does mean we can go for loong walks and we have definantly been doing that! I absolutely ADORE walking in the frost and ice and seeing everything glitter with the frost. Also, where I've been on study leave I was able to go quite early in the morning and the woods were full of squirrels:). I really am loving this winter, however if it snowed I would be just that little bit happier;).

So for now some pics from our walks and as you can see its VERY cold:). I am also slowly getting more and more footage for a new video!

Winter sun!

Well the weather has turned very cold and the first signs of frost are starting to show! Oh how we all love this time of the year! So today, as I had exams in the morning and had a free afternoon decided to take Indi and Ernie down the field for the first time in a while. We had so much fun!
There were no other dogs anywhere, the sun was shining and the dogs were happy. It was just fantastic. Both dogs had great fun, and it was the perfect situation for a good photoshoot. Now they are both very worn out=).
Not much news really, christmas is on its way and the weather is my favourite. I am spending as much time outside with the dogs as I possibly can. Poor Max still can't go for walks, so I am spending a lot of time with him making sure he still has a good life. After christmas we are going to take him down the vets, his life is just becoming not worth living. I am treasuring every second I have with him and spending as much time playing and having fun with him as I possibly can.

So for now, on a brighter not, here are the pics from our walk today. We really did have so much fun, I really do love my dogs =).

The sun returns!

Well the sun finally returned, so I took the dogs down the beach! I took Ernie first, I went round the field first, then onto the first park, onto the beach, round to the second park and then home. We found a HUGE puddle at the field, so we stopped there for a bit and had a small photoshoot, whilst getting VERY muddy:). We had great fun and it really did open my eyes with how far he's come. He used to hate every other dog that came up to him, now he will go up to another dog and is completely friendly and today he even started playing with a Bichon Frise! He is such an amazing dog, yes he's still very shy around other people but that's ok because once he knows someone he adores them:). He really is such a cool little dog!

With Indi, I first went to the field so he could have a quick run around, then onto the beach, along to the park, quick stop at Grandmas and then home. This took 3 hours, and he was such a good boy! At the beginning of the walk we had one issue where he nearly pulled me over trying to eat a JRT but after that he was fine. We actually saw a lot of dogs on our walk and he only barked at one. I was pretty happy with that. When we were down the beach, there is a path that runs alongside and we were on the pebbles. A dog walked along the path and started barking at Indi. I put Indi in a down and then just got him focused on me with a stone. He looked towards the dog but other than that completely ignored it! Well done my little Indi! We also walked pretty close to some other dogs on the way back, and other than a bit of pulling he was great! It sure is taking a long time, but slowly he is getting better. He is turning into a real water dog, and absolutely adores the beach! I really do love my crazy Indi, as naughty as he is, he just wouldn't be my Indi if he wasn't :).

So, for how some pics from our walk. The rain is due to return to tomorrow, in fact it was even spitting when me and Indi were walking home but hey ho. I sure do love my dogs, they really are the best:).

December arrives!

Well December has made a very wet appearance! At the moment all were getting is rain, rain and a bit more rain! Were all getting sick of the mud, the wet and the dullness. However, on the upside the christmas decorations are up and christmas is on its way! It would just be nice for the rain to ease off!
I have been very busy with schoolwork so the poor dogs aren't getting as much attention as I would like and not as many walks as I would like. However, the christmas holz aren't far off, and then we can walk and walk for miles everyday so I'm just looking forward to that! Every weekend I'm trying to take the dogs for at least two hours down the beach, so they're still getting to go down the beach at the weekend, and shorter walks in the week but just not as much as I would like. Poor Max still can't go for walks at all, and its awful. He's so playful and energetic, he really does miss his walks.
Well not much to update, so here are some pics from the past few days. No new pics from our walks, its been too wet for that! Ernie loved getting involved with putting the decs up, he was extremely loving the Santa hat which he kept chewing and playing tug of war with! He loved all the tinsel and kept rolling around when I put it on him and playing with it. He really is such a sweetie! The last pic has to be my favourite, they really do love eachother! =)

The first non-rain day in a while!

Well today, after a week of rain the sun decided to make a reappearance! Of course, I grabbed the opportunity and took Indi and Ernie on 2 seperate 2 hour walks. They both loved it, and it was really nice to be able to go out without 50 000 layers on or getting wet!
Ernie was really good, although his barking is starting to get very annoying! He is officially the gobbiest dog in the house! He has now beaten Max, and Max is gobby! He does make me laugh though, he just has to bark whenever he works! He just cant help himself! I don't really mind that much, it just gets annoying when your taking photos and he wont shutup long enough for me to take a good photo! He is a funny little dog!
Indi was also really good, he did have a few other dog issues but is getting better. I do think it was partly my fault for panicking and grabbing him, I think if I just let him say hello he would just bark and then forget the other dog. I may need to start doing that as we really need to beat this problem now, and flyball isnt on at the moment so we cant socialise him there! However, a dog walked past and the most he did was stare and cry. He was even sitting as it went past! It was better than him pulling me over and barking like crazy!
He really had great fun in the sea. He scared the life out of me a couple of times as the waves were huge and he went under about twice. What makes me laugh is the way he stands back up and is completely unbothered! He really is such a funny dog! He had more goo coming out of his bottom, sea-water really does not like his stomach!
Well no new tricks at the moment. I am working a lot on no pulling on the lead. Especially with Indi. He is slowly getting better, but we still have a way to go.

So for now some pics from our walk today! Indi looks so fat in the one where he's pouncing, but its just where the wind is blowing in his fur! I never realised before, but he is actually unbelievably fluffy!

2 years ago today...

2 years ago today was the worst day of my life so far. I woke up at around 6AM to my parents mumbling downstairs, and then a huge bang and my mum start crying. I remember rushing to the top of the stairs and seeing the dog I had grown up with since both me and him were 8 months old lying there. It was the most awful image I have ever seen. We went about our normal business that morning, and then when the doorbell rang he got up! We all felt a twang of hope, but he couldn't move. My dad had to pick him up and lie him back down. Then I had to go to school. I remember stroking his fur and saying goodbye to him. 2 years on I still remember the look in his eyes and the feel of his fur. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my whole life.
School was hard at first, but as the day went on it got easier. When I first went in I couldn't speak to anyone, and just about managed to tell my best friend what was happening. By lunchtime, I was fine and actually laughing when I told my other best friend. That's how I usually deal with things like that, by laughing/smiling. It's so annoying, because I cant help it, its like an unwanted reaction. However, I didnt actually believe any of it was real. I remember sitting in my last lesson just thinking, this isnt real. I'm going home to 4 dogs, this isnt real.

I walked home, and before I even got in I was in tears. I got to the bottom of my road and thats when it hit me and I just broke down. It was the most awful experience of my life and I hope I never have to do anything like that again.

Ben was a rescue Border collie cross that my parents rescued when we were both 8 months old. He grew up with me until I was 13. He was the most calmest collie in the world, but still loved to work and go for long walks. He had a bad experience with a dog when he was a puppy so was a bit unpredictable around other dogs but absolutely adored everyone. He was always up for a cuddle and just loved everyone. He was tied up in a garden for the first 8 months of his life, said to be too hyper and naughty. Because of this, he wasnt very comfortable around fireworks. He was naughty and hyper, but after lots of training he became our most well-behaved, calmest and sweetest dog.

I still love him and miss him so much. I feel so lucky that I was able to share my childhood with him and grow up with him. He really was such an amazing dog. RIP my darling Ben.

Enjoying Autumn and Winter is nearly here!

Well we really are enjoying Autumn at the moment! Winter is definantly on its way, which is better weather for walking Ernie. It's a shame he has only been out twice since Monday. On the days he hasn't been out, we have been making up for it by doing a LOT of training. Not just with Ernie, but Indi too! I will have to make a new video soon, we are just working on everything at the moment. Obedience is the main priority, and I am really working on heelwork, waits/stays and focus. Ernie's heelwork gets better everyday, Indi's is improving so much as well! I have also been working with Ernie on fading out hand signals with tricks and obedience. He is doing great, and sometimes adds his own moves in as well! His enthusiasm has just gone up so much for tricks, this time last year he found them pretty boring! Indi finds everything where he can jump and get treats fun! Although he has the shortest attention span I have ever seen in a dog!
Well, even though walks have been decreased, on Sunday me and Ernie did go for a 10 mile walk in just under 4 hours! As we had nothing else to do, and the weather wasn't too hot or too cold I decided to go for a long walk to the nearest sandy beach to us. I first had to walk to the stony beach that is nearby. I then just followed the beach round, although there was a big bit where dogs weren't allowed off-lead which was a bummer. But then, we got to the end where we usually turn off when were in the car. I got really excited because I thought we were here! However, this was just the start of the path behind all the golf courses. On one side was the beach, which was still stones, and on the other was all the golf courses and sand dunes. This path went on forever. It was probably about 3 miles in itself! When it did finally end, we still had to go along the road to get to the car park where we usually park. This took another 15 minutes. Then we finally got to the start of where we usually start when were in the car. However, the tide wasn't out far enough so we only got a tiny bit of sand! We then walked all the way back and by the end my legs ached so much! Ernie was still running at the end! It was a fantastic walk, although I may take a break next time and not walk as fast and then maybe my legs won't ache as much as they did.
Well December is getting closer and closer, and the weather is getting colder and colder! I hope for some snow soon, but we shall see. Ernie adores this weather, and so do I! Indi doesn't care and neither do the others! Max still can't go out, and now I don't know if I ever will be able to walk him again. Were just playing it day by day and if nothing gets better by after christmas we will have to start thinking about that awful decision. What's a life worth living if you can't do what you love?
On a brighter note, my bird is laying eggs! We don't think they've got anything in there but hey you never know! We do have 2 birds that look very different but we have no idea if the other one is a female or not. He's never laid eggs so he could be a male but were not 100%.
Well no new pics, but hopefully a video soon! :)

Autumn beach fun!

Well today we went to the nearest sandy beach to us, again :). The weather was fantastic and the dogs had a great time. Indi was so well behaved, and even said hello to one of my nans friends dogs for the first time and didnt bark or anything! He is getting so much better, Im so pleased with him. He did have that weird yellow goo come out of his bottom again, but it was nowhere near as bad as last time. Sea water really does not like his stomach. Shame he likes it so much!

Ernie went out really far today, he followed Indi right out and was really comfortable being there. Its hard to imagine that these two dogs this time last year wouldn't go anywhere near the sea. Ernie did have a barking problem though. He is a very loud dog when he does tricks and waits for his ball to be thrown. However, he is 100 times worst down Sandwich bay. I have no idea why. He would just bark and bark and bark when I was doing tricks with Indi or even picking up a stone to throw! His barking doesnt bother me, but it bothers everyone else! Crazy dog!

Well I was going to be going to a flyball comp tomorrow but am now not. It is an indoor one that I used to go to all the time. The problem is its freezing there and there is very little space to walk the dogs. As I wont be competing anyway and I have an exam next week I decided not to. Its the last one of the year so I wont be going to another comp until next year.

This year has gone so fast, its November already! I can't believe it! On the 19th it would have been exactily 2 years since Ben died. Its gone so fast, I hate it. Indi is no longer a puppy and his fur has finally got to a point where its not growing too much anymore. Ernie is 3 and has already achieved so much and come so far.

But, as usual Im getting ahead of myself. Still got another month to go:). The exams are starting up now and Im getting loaded with school work but I am still doing lots of training with the dogs. Indi's heelwork is getting a lot better and both him and Ernie have finally learnt a moving sit. I don't know why, but I had a lot of trouble with that. I am working mainly with both of them on obedience, the not pulling on the lead issue, heelwork and stays/waits. Well the stays/waits only apply to Indi, Ernie's are perfect we are just proofing them:).

So for now some pics from our walk:). It really was a great walk, I sure do love owning dogs!