How we became to be so good !!!!

Hi there,

I know, I know, I promised to write soon but you know me! I wouldn´t change a good run in a field for an update to my blog. I am more in the side of corpore sano rather than mente sana. :).

Anyway, coming back to business, you were wondering how and why we (Myself and Darwin) are so well behaved...I can tell you this, It didnt happen from day to night! :)

Our human Eva when she was a pup liked very much to watch in the Tv all the series like "Lassy" and "black beauty" so she grown up thinking that we animals are able to be behave like humans so she was a little bit frustrated when I came along and I was everything but obedient.

The next is history, she dragged me to a puppy class in a close by town where they were making do the most ridiculous things like walking along at the same pace that her, stay in the same spot while she was waking away, sit and lay at command etc...
If you know me by now, you would have thought that that´s not me at all so therefore, I was a very bad student and got very bad grades...we got expelled of the second course (agility).

Here with My mates

Begging me to be good

Can you see me pulling like mad?

Our home made agility course

 

 

I really enjoyed that day!

 The reason why I got expelled was because I like to do thing on my way, I hate waiting for hours for my turn (I get bored) and then think and look and obey at the same time...to many things what I really like is to run and play...Anyway, the teacher was not my cup of tea... ;)

So consequently, Eva gave up trying to teach me things till Ben arrived home (you have already seen his trick videos) He was great and then I became more interested in that sort of things...

To be hones with you now, nearly two years later I am great, I am very well behaved (because I want to be, not because I am told to be) and I know many many tricks and I learn faster and faster every session thanks to Eva coming across with Silvia Trkman web site and clicker training.

Talking about this, my post today was to tell you that Darwin is doing the long distance puppy lessons by Silvia.
It means that Eva and Darwin are working in daily bases in a list of tricks that Silvia provided with and they have to be taped and uploaded to her website.

The first lesson is:

1. call your dog at least 10 times a day to do something fun together: to play, to go out, to get a treat, something to chew on or a new exciting toy

2. put a plate (or another object, but I like to start with a plate as puppies can’t chew on those too easily) on a floor and shape a puppy to touch it with a front paw: you can first click for head movement in the right direction, then one/two/three steps, then stepping over it or close to it and finally for stepping on it

3. sit on a floor and put a fist full of treats or dog’s favourite toy right in front of their nose, wait till they stop sniffing and click for anything they try other than getting directly to the food/toy or staring at it. It’s very important the dog understands staring at food/toy doesn’t get him anywhere as it will later on allow you to work with food/toys in your hand without distracting the dog’s focus from the job at hand.

4. find a box or a drawer that is as long as your dog and not too high and shape a dog to put 1-2-3-4 legs into it. Then try with smaller&smaller objects, final goal is the dog can stand is a small bowl.

5. observe your puppy and see if he sometimes stretches his legs out when in down position, puppies often do that when relaxed or playing. Name it (I call it “frog”:) and reward. It’s a nice stretching exercises and very easy to get it on cue if the dog does it naturally (some dogs do it as adults too, but mine didn’t and it was much harder to train it as with puppy Le who was doing that naturally). If not, put a dog in a down position and reward from the floor and so far ahead that the dog needs to stretch out to get it – but not so far that he would crawl ahead. Watch the hind legs and click for moving them back OR out, but NOT for crawling step forward.

 
So here are the first videos, they are terrible but Eva and Myself are working to find some kind of program in Internet to customize them....

 

I hope you like them, I will have you posted about Darwin improvements (the poor thing he doesnt even know that he is being taped.....)

A long long time this time....

Well I dont have any excuses prepared to tell you about why I havent updated the blog for so long but I would say that many things happended....some very bad and some very good.

To sum up all the things and not repeat myself with the same histories I can tell you that the worst thing ever happened to our human-doggy family was on the 14th of October, when Ben was hit by a car a died instantly.

All of us were devastated, we couldn't sleep for days and I felt like I had a big heavy stone pressing down my heart!!!!

He was such a good fella...always happy and smalling although some times he was a bit rough playing with my ears and barking to the human pups...

Play happy and endless behind the rainbow my little brother, we will always remember you and we will carry you in our hearts for ever.

So, the house was so empty without him that Peter went to S.S.P.C.A in Mahon Point Cork and got us something to cheer us up.

His name is Darwin.

At the beginning I didn't like the idea of him replacing Ben and I made that clear!!! He slept on the floor in the kitchen for the three first nights..no way I was going to allow him to jump up to my bed...

But eventually he looked so sad and depressed that I started to let him come closer and closer to me without eat him up!!!
Furthermore, Eva explained to me that he wasn´t replacing Ben and that it wasn't his fault Ben wasn't there anymore, In fact, he was a new friend who would share the pen with me in the dark winter days while she was away...

So at the moment nearly three months later we have become the best of friends...

Christmas at home decorating the tree.

He even knows the same tricks than Ben knew by now and some new too.
Someday I should grab the video recorder and tape him but it is a bit difficult because he is really fast and I am a bit clumsy with my paws on the camera with all those buttons and as well as that, when he is practicing the tricks I normally practice them too!!! But I promise we will show off ourselves!!!

 I will tell you Darwin´s history...It is a bit sad really, but it has a happy ending...

Darwin mother was brought up to the shelter because she was pregnant with him and his brothers and sisters..six in total...three girls and three boys but unfortunately one of his sisters died due to a heart disease.

Us in foster care.

Darwin Sleeping

Darwin´s mother

His mother is a Border Terrier but we know nothing about his father, we believe that he wasn´t a terrier because Darwin temper is very good and friendly and he even likes cats...UFFF!!!
He is the best friend with Hebe, they share bed and everything...He chases her sometimes all right, but more of a play than anything...
 
When Peter went to the shelter only Darwin and a brother of him were left.
Peter chose Darwin because he was way more playful and he kept coming back to him bringing a ball!!!
So the truth to be told is that he is a "little bit Hyper" and needs loads of exercise to relax at night...And if I keep telling you truths... he also wet his bed!!!...I reckon that he is too small to retain himself long enough but Eva and Peter are not happy with that...and keep blaming each other...I dont know what that has to do with Darwin but anyway you know this humans...

Ok now, my paws are not used anymore to write so long, so I will post some of our new aventures soon...I promisse!

Two weeks without updates.

Yeah, I know I am a lazy ass..
It has been nearly two weeks since last time I set my paw over the keyboard however, I have to say that our computer at home is not the fastest ever and I have loads of pictures to upload so sometimes it takes me a while.
Anyway, Two weeks ago we went to a  Glengariff nature reserve. It takes one hour and a half so it is not too bad.

They are taking good care of it...!!

Eva was very excited because she loves the nature parks like us and the walk in the book looked long enough, however, Peter didnt seem very happy with the idea of an 8 km walk again.

After arriving there we looked at the map provided by the park to see exactly where to start and finish our route because it wasn´t very clear.



Our route was all over the place...

So  we set off  looking for the first point in the map.

Ben and myself were wagging our tails thinking that it would be as great as the one we did the week before.

We completed our streching and a few bits of pilates we learnt lately to prepare for the long walks...

Concentration....

This humans some times are very handy

The landscape was fabulous, there was a river which we walk along side for quite a while. The guide which Eva was reading while walking said that long before now there was a luxury house in the middle of the river.

The actual park belonged to the Lord of Bantry who handed over to the State in 1955 for forestry purposes.

The River Walk

Distance:1km 
Duration:25 minutes
Standard:easy  
Terrain: footpath, mostly level
Directions: Leaving the main car park cross the footbridge and turn left.  Half way round this circular walk, is a footbridge (cross the bridge if you wish to embark on the Big Meadow walk).  To continue the River Walk, ignore the bridge and carry straight on until you near the public road.  Climb the steps and in a fewminutes you’ll be back at the car park.

And as you should have guessed by now we  embarked ourself on the Big Meadow walk too without knowing our fate...

We crossed the bridges (a few of them, by the way...) We didnt like them much because they were kind of scary with all the metal net over the floor...

Scary bridge.

Just right after the bridges we entered in a lovely woodland with oldoak woods and ferns, mosses and linchens growing on the old oak trees. This is typical of the oceanic woodlands in the south-west of Ireland.

Big Meadow
Distance:3km 
Duration:90 minutes 
Standard:easy
Terrain: footpath and woodland track. Mostly level.

The most unique feature of this walk is the big meadow, an area of old grassland that has not been fertilised or ploughed in living memory.

We enjoyed running through it trying to catch birds and butterflies...but the ones who were caught were us by a couple of ticks...(now we are free of ticks again...we had to wear the smelly drops...I hate them)

After passing through the meadow, you walk along a woodland track where Beech, Eucalyptus and Scot's Pine feature.

It was very simple to follow although

Even the humans did it!

Directions: Take the River Walk until you reach a footbridge.  Cross this bridge, keep left and cross a second bridge.  Turn right to reach the Big Meadow. At the end of the meadow turn left through Beech trees along a forest track and past a small lake. Just before the gate onto the public road turn left onto a track. Follow the track for 1.3km until you reach the sign to Lady Bantry’s Lookout.  Turn left to get back to the carpark (or right if you still have the energy to climb up to the viewing point).

At this point Eva was really disappointed because of the public road was part of the route and she didnt realize till that very moment...She is a pain in the neck. She is always saying that she should have checked before hand but when she plan something she gest to excited as to check anything...

So we were here stuck again trying to decide where to go...

Peter  deciphering the guide...

After a few of discussions, because we wanted to keep going no matter what and on the other hand Peter wanted to go back to the car, we agreed to climb the last walk called Lady Bantry´s lookout.

Distance:1km
Duration:30 minutes 
Standard:moderate 
Terrain:steep footpath with steps

The climb up through the woods is steep, but the effort is worth it.  From the top there are fantastic panoramic views over Glengarriff to Garinish Island, Whiddy Island and Bantry Bay.

We love the steep walks as we like to peer out over the highs but Peter doesnt share our pasion at all as

the climb kills him and makes him very grumpy, but we know that deep inside he likes to challeng himself and he feels very proud when he reachs the top of the montain.

We were very sorry for him.

But we got there stright to the submit....!

It is slippery!

Don´t you think I look like her?

Can you see the humans in this pic?

Look there is a rabit down there!!

So this is our adventure in Glengariff nature reserve.
 To be honest with you it was a little bit of desappointment as we expected longer walks than they are but otherwise, a nice day out with Eva and Peter.

P.S. Every time we go out with them we behave very well to let them believe that they can bring us every place but the truth is that we are very good actors.

The weekend in Derrynane Dunes Natural Park

This week end has been quite excited because we have managed to do lot of things.
The Saturday morning we got up very early. While we were waiting to get out of the house Ben and Myself got quite bored so we decided to give a new shape to the couch in the kitchen...we loved to bits but our humans didn´t seem very impress with our piece of art...

It is so tasty....!!!

That morning we didn´t go running as a normal day, instead we went to the beach.

It was nearly 9 o´clock in the morning and the weather was dry so the light there was very impressive and Eva took as many pictures as she could,

Saturday Morning

We  tried to play with the seagulls that morning but  they looked very offended, I don't really know why...

They were waiting for us.....

Thinking the plan      

                                 

I am going to talk to the seagulls

I am very sad as the seagull don't want to talk

                                          
After the lovely time in the beach that day we had a surprise at home!....We were told to get in the car and we went away.
The spin was a little bit to much nearly 3 hours in the car but it was worthy.

We walked for 12 kilometers in a loop along the coast and mountains of caheldaniel, close to Sneem in the ring of kerry.

The landscape was lovely and we enjoyed a lot over there and I nearly managed to hunt a hen and a duck for diner but as usual when I am doing something fun I was told off...


We have uploaded some pics for you because sometime one image can talk more than 1000 words...

The begining...

We just claimed the mountain

Peter and Eva were destroyed when we finished the walk so they didn´t want to chase any birdies more and we have to come back home.

The drive back was awful because Peter wanted to get there as soon as possible and he was driving very fast most of the time and as well as that, they left us in the car for nearly an hour while they were eating in a lovely restaurant.

We slept well that night and Sunday morning we went to the beach again for about one hour.

Saying hello to the seagulls..

Teaching Ben how to swim.

Later on that day we went to see our cousin Morse who live with Peter´s parents. We love him because he is very gentle and patience when we play with his toys..I will post his picture some time because he is very handsome too..!!! :)

Here we go...!!!

New Video for rainy days

As I promissed this is the second video that my humans taped on the 9th. It was an horrible day because it was raining all day long.
While Eva and Ben were doing their stupid tricks I was taken care of myself chewing a lovely bone...but dont get confussed I know all that tricks already and they will recording me  soon to show you what a such clever girl I am.

I have been in the hospital for the last two days.

Hello,
Sorry for no having updated you for the last couple of days but I was very sickie and I could n´t even set a paw on the keyboard...

Everything started on Friday when I didnt feel like getting up for the morning walk, even although now Eva has brought us to the back of the farm where there is loads of rabits...

Back field

We couldn´t go before because the cattle was there. Now that the winter is coming we have plenty space to play in.

But anyway, Even I wasn´t feelling  great that morning, we went out there early, just to keep chasing rabbits (if you let them  breed and grow up, they will be a plague... so my job is keep them under control ;) ).
I complained a couple of times while we were walking because I had a funny pain in my belly but as I dont like to complain too much,( that is for babies like Ben), I keep the pace of the pack till later on that evening I couldn´t move at all with pains all over my body.

Saturday morning was a nightmare for me shivering with fever and pain and a running nose, Eva rushed me to the Vet and we were lucky enough to have Mary on call that morning, She is the vet who was with me the first time I had a seizure like this.

She said to Eva that would be better to keep me there for the day just to keep an eye on me as I was given antibiotics and  anty-inflammatory drugs.
The day went by and I started to feel better so Sunday Morning I was released to go home.

Sending Ben to check first

Telling him how to improve his method

Show him how to do it.

The only good thing about all this experience is that when you come back home every one let you do what ever you want and even Ben stopped bitten my ears for once.

Later that night I heard Eva saying to Peter that we are a pack indeed, and if one of us is not at home with the rest he/she is missed very very much for the rest, so we need to be all of us together.

Today is Tuesday and we haven't been at the beach since last Thursday with this awful weather and everything else but hopefully today or tomorrow we will start again our routine of walks and swims at the sea side.


P.S Ben has learn new tricks and our humans pack taped them in a new video.
I have challenged Ben learning as fast as him and performing even better than him so, I have asked Eva to tape me to show you how good I am.