See we love really each other!

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20th December 2009 - Sunday Mini Whizz!

Hey guess what...Mapes & me had a brilliant walk today with 3 other vizzies...my mate Indy, our new mate Eszti & our even newer mate Butler...check out our Smilebox:

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18th December 2009 - Pointing

Just a quick post here - Mum took a picture of me in the garden pointing at a pigeon...what d'ya reckon, reasonable point? I suppose my tail could have been straighter...!

Wednesday 16th December

Maple came to agility with me this morning - I had a great time but Mum was really mean...she wouldn't let Mapes have a go coz she said that Maple mustn't get too excited...poor Mapes - she watched me really carefully & I explained what all the different moves & turns were about when we snuggled up in the car afterwards! Mum sort of made up for it later...she took us to Ramsdown Forest for a walk which was great except that she made Maple wear my fleece...just in case she was cold - what d'you reckon...is she impressed or not?!

Hey, I've just noticed...Mapes looks really like me (when

you can't see her girl bits obviously!!) but then, she is my sister!!

Tuesday 15th December - down at the river!

It's so great having Maple here with me...it means I've got someone to play with & sleep with...even though she won't let me share her blanket...it's so unfair!! She won't share her food with me either...I have to wait till she's finished & then sneak in to grab the scraps!!! She tells me that she's the boss (even though she's just visiting!!) as in the dog world, girls' are in charge particularly if that girl's expecting pups! I don't mind her being in charge coz I loves her lots & gives her kisses on the nose & ears all the time!

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Day Two with Maple!

It's definitely different having my sister to stay...I'm having to share the cuddles with Mum & Dad a bit which is ok but takes a bit of getting used to!! Up till now the only dog sleep-overs have been with mates like Indy, Charlie & Amber...this is the first time with a sister! And...this is a big secret so don't tell anyone...Mum says Maple might be expecting puppies in January...maybe that's why she smells a bit different?! Don't know where the puppies are or how she's got them - perhaps I'd better have a man-to-dog talk with Dad!

Anyhows...Mum says we've got to treat Maple as normal so we've been doing the playing thing & have had some great walks today - we went to the river this morning, then to St Catherine's Hill at lunch time &, finally, met Indy & Aunty Gail at Hurn Forest this afternoon...yessssssss just so much fun! Here's a Smilebox of our walk at St Catherine's Hill:

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Yippee...my sister's come to stay!

This is just so good...I've got someone to play with & keep me company & better still it's my sister Maple...when we wos born & living with our Mum (Nattie) she was called Miss Red...I wos Mr Purple. Here's a couple of pictures of when we wos tiny:

Here we all are at 14 days old...Mum Nattie has got her leg

round Maple & I'm lying just by Mum's head!!

Here's my sister Miss Red...now Maple...at 6 weeks old!

Anyhows...Maple's Mum, Dad & sister (Caroline, David & Mimi) arrived this morning with Mapes & all her things - typical girl...she's got loads of stuff! Mind you I guess she might need it coz she's staying with me for 3 whole weeks while her Mum, Dad, sister & brother go on holiday to a place called Kenya - don't know where that is but I reckon it must be near 'Merica coz that's a long way away too!!!

After Mape's Mum & Dad left we went for a really cool walk to the New Forest - we met my mate Indy & his Mum & Dad. Here's a picture of the 3 of us looking very handsome...whoops, sorry Mapes...beautiful!!

From the left: Dad with Maple, me, Roger & Indy...

don't know what Maple & Indy are looking at - I must have

missed out there!

I'll keep you all updated with what we get up to...so keep checking out my Blog!!

Another New Forest Walk!

Mum & Dad took me for another New Forest walk today - this time we went to High Corner Inn at Linwood. Unlike last Sunday, the weather was really great...sunny, quite warm &, for a change, NO rain...not that I'm bovered by the rain of course! Here's me & Dad - I'm sitting (nicely don't you think!!) waiting for Dad to open the gate into the inclosure.

Mum thinks I look very handsome...of course, what else!!!!

We walked (well Mum & Dad walked...I mostly ran!!) through the woods - sometimes Mum & Dad couldn't see me very well as I'm the same colour as the leaves & ferns...real good for hiding from them...hee, hee!! I also managed to find a good stick which I kept for ages...it tasted good & smelt even better which was handy as if I dropped it I could always find it again...even if it was a long way away!

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Coz of all the rain we've had the little stream had got pretty big - you can see in these 2 pictures how flooded it was. One real positive thing 'bout havin' lots of rain...the water tasted sooooo good!

While we were at this bit of the stream, Dad played a game with me which he called "Pooh Sticks" (but Mum renamed it "Radar Sticks"!). It worked like this...Dad threw my stick into the stream by the bridge &, of course, I jumped in to get it. One little problem...there was much more water than usual & it was moving much faster than I remember from before! I didn't realise at first that Dad wanted me to swim under the bridge towards him...I was trying to swim the other way - I wasn't getting very far so in the end I turned towards Dad...I didn't half move fast!! Just look at the video that Mum took...you'll get the idea!!!

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After that bit of excitement, I had a mad minute running round a tree with my stick...well, a dog's gotta do what a dog's gotta do!!

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Then it was off to another stream (not as deep or fast this time) for a bit of posing & pointing!!

Finally we headed back to the car but first Dad did a bit of "ignore the horse" training with me...as you can tell I wasn't really that bovered...in fact I woz a bit bored!!

Great walk...thanks Mum & Dad...can't wait for the next one!!!!

Agility with my mates...!

Saturday afternoon means just one thing to me...time to do one of my most favouritist things...AGILITY!

Mum came all prepared with my coat & towel coz she thought it was going to rain some more (am I bovered by a bit a rain...doesn't she realise I's a big roughty, toughty boy now?!!) ...but we woz lucky coz it stayed dry till we were on our way home again!  Mind you, the 'gility course was already pretty slippy...for Mum, not me of course! One time Mum fell over...I woz worried she'd hurt herself so I gave her a big "get better" kiss - I got her right on the lips...& I'd bin digging in the dirt...ha, ha!

This week only 3 of my mates turned up - Trainer Jo thought the others might be doin' some Christmas shopping or somat...don't know what that is but it sounds REEEEEAAAALLLLY boring...'gility's much more fun! Anyhows, my mates that did come were: Daisy with her Mum Tracy, Lily with Mum Debbie & Rufus (another vizzie like me) with his Dad Simon. Mum (with Tracy's help) took some movies of us doin' our stuff...enjoy!

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More photos of our whizz!

I just had to post the following link...my mate Morphs Dad (Damian) took some great pictures during our viz whizz yesterday...enjoy!

http://www.randomapricot.com/vizsla/burley-vizz-whizz/

29th November 2009 - New Forest Viz Whizz at Mill Lawn, Burley

Hey, wow, fantastic...I got to play with loadsa vizzie friends today. Mum woz obviously feeling guilty bout leavin me behind when she & Dad went on holiday to Merica so she'd arranged a whizz...it was THE BEST & even tho it woz very, very wet loadsa humans & vizzies came.

Here we are getting ready to set off - it was VERY

wet...the tiny stream had turned into a river & a lake!!

The vizzie roll-call was: Indy, Fergus, Rudh Kai (my nephew...even though we're the same age!), Rudh Maw, Darcy, Maple (my pregnant litter sister!), Jake, Morph, Ollie, Milton, Hugo, Ernie, Enzo, Sasha, Ellie, Kodi, Saffron (another litter sister...used to be called Miss Yellow!)...so there were 18 vizzies (including me!) & 26 humans...fantastic, particularly as the weather was so grotty - thank you so much for making my Sunday so special!!

Here we all are, having a break under the trees...the

humans had coffee & mince-pies...us vizzies had

some yummy liver cake that Mum had made for us!!

Nearly time to go...just a few more photo opportunities!!

When we all got back to the cars, my old mates Herbie & Hazel (& their Mum & Dad, Mel & Simon) were there...they were a bit late so missed the big walk...I was very sad as I hadn't seen them since last year & it would have been good to have a play with them...oh well, another time!

Mum didn't take many photos this time, but her friend Rachel did...if you fancy a look, click on this Smilebox link: http://smilebox.com/playBlog/4d5449324e6a4d7a4f544d3d0d0a&blogview=true

17th to 24th November 2009 - Our Holidays'

One day Mum took me to Auntie Gails and Uncle Rogers - and she left me! I couldn't believe it! One moment I was tucking into my dinner barf and the next thing Mum had gone and didn't come back for ages -  at least eleventy dinners! I was pretty upset for awhile but Auntie Gail gave me chikin wings and lots of ear rubs and let me snuggle on her bed and things were sorta fuzzy after that and then one day...Mum and Dad were back! Parently they went to somewhere called Merica by flying - now I'm not sure about that cos I had a good sniff round and they defo ain't got no wings. Anyways I couldn't go cos it was too far for my car or even my van to go - must be really far cos I'd been to the snowy place called Alps in that!  Anyways, I'm going to let Mum explain cos I wasn't there - she can't write proper like me but spect it'll be ok....

Ok Radar, I'll try my best to write proper like what you do!!

Radar had a holiday with Gail, Roger & Indy because John & I went for a short break to San Francisco. I know we had a great time & it sounds like Radar did too...lots of spoiling - thank you so much Gail & Roger for looking after our special boy!

Anyway, back to our US break in the bustling city of Walnut Creek (which is about 24 miles east of San Francisco)...the best way to describe it is through the pictures we took, so I've put together a short Smilebox...enjoy!

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BTW...I know this is Radar's Blog...(I have thanked him very much for letting me write on it!!) but we wanted to share the pictures with you all & also to thank Rod & Joanie for all their hospitality AND for letting us spend some time with their gorgeous vizzies, Chloe & Bailey.

Patchwork Pup Returns!

Oh dear...I had such a brilliant day on Monday & then it all got spoilt!

After I'd told him all about my day at work, Dad took me out for a walk through the woods & I was having a great time playing with some of my Beardie Collie friends. Then this German Shepherd called Tyson appeared &, suddenly, decided to attack me...don't know why - maybe he was jealous of all the fun we were having. He scratched & bit my back but I was very brave & only had a little cry! Here's a picture of one of the bites...ouch!

Coz there were two pretty deep bites Mum & Dad took me to see the emergency vet lady - she was quite nice & very gentle...she said that I'd need some stitches but she couldn't do them then coz I'd already eaten my dinner - instead she gave me two 'jections...one was in case Tyson put any nasty bugs in me & the other was in case the bites hurt during the night.

Then, yesterday morning, Mum took me to see Vet Ali. Ali said I'd been very brave as both the bites were pretty deep but that I'd have to be brave for a bit longer coz she wanted to give then a good clean & sew them up. I woz a bit scared coz they hurt quite a bit when she pressed them! Mum told me to be a good boy & wait & that she'd come back later - I gave her a big kiss before she went...got her right on the lips...ha, ha!

A bit later Nurse Sue gave me another 'jection...it made me very sleepy so I snuggled down in the bed she'd made me. I woke up with a headache & very hungry coz I hadn't had any breakfast, lunch or anyfing - Nurse Sue gave me this funny chicken & rice stuff from a tin...yuk...if I hadn't been so hungry I'd have asked for some proper Barfy stuff! When I looked I saw that someone had shaved a bit of fur from one of my legs & also from two places on my back...that brought back some horrid memories! In the two shaved bits on my back I could just see, if I turned my head right round, that Vet Ali had sewn up the bites...they were a bit sore but I was feeling too sleepy to tell anyone.

Mum & Dad came to collect me in the afternoon - I was still feeling sleepy & a bit grumpy but after I'd had some Barf & chicken wings I felt much better. And today I've been feeling really good again even though I do look a bit funny with my shaved bits. Here's a picture of me enjoying a lamb rib when Mum & me got back from Agility...yes, I was well enough to do that...no way I'd miss it...it's my favourite!!

My first day at work!

Brilliant...I had my first day at work today at the Juniper Centre in Christchurch. It's a very special place where people with disabilities go to to have some fun...& now I'm helping them to have fun too!

I met loads of new friends & let them stroke my ears & back. A couple of people put their fingers up my nose & in my mouth but I didn't mind...I just stayed very still & calm. My favouritist people today were:

Debbie - she liked me "kissing" her hand & kept coming back for more!
Mark - he gave me three treats...I took them very gently & made him smile which, apparently, he doesn't do very often...I'm going to make sure he smiles loads from now on!

I shall be going every other Monday so I'll let you know all about the other people there...& I'll get Mum to take her camera so that you can see me at work!

I'm a Caring Canine!

Mum took me to meet a lady called Sue this morning. She was really nice - I would've liked to get on her lap & give her a proper Vizzie kiss...but Mum wouldn't let me! Instead I did some "sits", "downs" & "calms" for her - in return, she rubbed my back & ears...ah, so good! She also wanted to look in my mouth so Mum showed her how I've learnt to "open-wider"...she thought that woz very clever & she gave me some yummy treats which, of course, I took very gently!! Then she said I'd passed...I didn't even know I was doing an test...it was just normal stuff to me. Anyway, I'm now officially a Therapy Dog & will be starting work in about 2 weeks - I'm going to be working at a place where special people go to get help...I'm really looking forward to it...I'll let you know how I get on...so watch this space!!

RIP Gay Gottlieb

Such sad news that the doyen of the Vizsla world, Gay Gottlieb, died this morning. We will all miss Gay so much, she has touched the lives of so many people & has ensured the understanding of our red friends. She will never be forgotten.

A walk with Indy - 19th October 2009

I had a really great walk today with my mate Indy. We went to Matchams Forest & walked to Hurn Forest & back...we found loads of things to sniff, did loads of running AND we saw a deer. We tried to run after the deer coz it was Vizsla coloured & we thought it might like to play with us but we didn't manage to catch up coz it was too fast plus our Mums' called us back &, of course, we were very obedient & went back straight away!

We were pretty tired when we got back to the cars...Indy decided he liked my car best & jumped straight in & made himself at home...he didn't leave much room for me though!!!

A tasty new treat!

Mum bought me a new treat today...a pizzle! It looks a bit like a stick (!) but tastes even yummier...it was SO good!

There was only one problem...I couldn't finish it all at once as it was pretty big so I needed to put it somewhere safe. This was coz I thought that Dad would think it was a real stick & throw it away...so I camo'd it...can you see it?!

I am a Vizsla

I just had to put this link on my Blog - the song "Vizsla" by Nancy Simmonds is absolutely brilliant...enjoy!

http://iamavizsla.blogspot.com/2009/08/i-happened-across-this-song-whilst.html

Our Canal Holiday - 3rd to 10th October 2009

I just knew that something was happening!!! On Friday (2nd) Mum was rushing around like a whirling dervish putting things into boxes & bags & then putting it all into the van - I was a bit worried at first coz she didn't put my bed in there...but I needn't have been coz on Saturday morning that went in too!  And then we were off!!

First of all Mum & me drove up to Cirencester to collect Nan Iris & Dad (he'd been to a meeting & had gone to Nan's first)...then we set off for Hilperton. When we arrived I was really surprised coz all I could see were loads of funny long, narrow boats (& a lot of water) - it turned out that Dad had hired one of these boats...called Gawaine...& we were going to spend a whole week on it on the Kennet & Avon canal.

Once we'd loaded everything into the boat Dad gave me a present...he called it a buoyancy aid & said it would help him & Mum get me out of the water if I fell in coz the canal hasn't got sides where you can climb out like a river! What d'you reckon...do I look smart or what?!

As it happened, I did fall in (twice...misjudged the distance from boat to bank!!) but, unfortunately, both times they'd forgotten to put it on me...typical...they got pretty wet lifting me out!!

DAY ONE

We didn't go very far on the first day coz we didn't leave the marina until about 4 o'clock & weren't allowed to "drive" in the dark!! We managed to get to Bradford-on-Avon before the light went, where we moored right by our first lock &, conveniently for Mum, Dad & Nan, next to a very nice pub called, believe it or not, The Lock Inn!!!

Here's a picture of Dad...practicing driving in a straight line - he
said it was quite hard coz he had 60' of boat in front of him!!!

And here's me...getting my "canal legs" & keeping watch!

DAY TWO

We had a much busier day today...Dad said that we managed to cover 6 miles (going from Bradford-on-Avon to Bathampton)...it probably doesn't seem like much but our boat was going VERY, VERY SLOWLY!! As I couldn't do much running around on the boat, I spent quite a bit of time walking along the tow path with Mum which was really good as there were loads of new smells to be smelt - believe it or not, Mum & me could walk faster than the boat!!

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I had a BIG surprise shortly after we got to Bathampton...you'll never guess...my bestest mate Indy (& his Mum & Dad of course!) came to see me for a sleep over...yippee!!! Here he is looking very handsome in his Hurtta harness...

DAY THREE

Today we travelled along the canal from Bathampton to Bath. We left our mooring at Bathampton at about 8 o'clock but although it was only a journey of about 3 miles it took us until lunch time to actually get to Bath...this was because not only was the boat very slow but we also had to negotiate the Widcombe flight of 6 locks...phew! This was loads of hard work for everyone (except for Indy & me...we just played!)...Mum, Aunty Gail & Uncle Roger opened & closed most of the locks...Dad did the driving bit & Nan worked really hard at the pointy end - she had to keep putting the boat on a lead - so it didn't wander off I think... She looked after me as well - I think she thought I might fall in again, I like swimming but two unexpecteds was enough - if I weren't a big dog I'da been scared!

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Unfortunately, Indy, Uncle Roger & Aunty Gail had to go home today...boo hoo! So after lunch they left us & walked back to Bathampton where they had left their car overnight.

DAY FOUR

This was our longest day...the canal changed into the River Avon just after the "Bottom" lock in Bath & we were able to go a bit faster & did about 8 miles finally stopping for the night at a place called Hanham.

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When we arrived in Hanham we managed to moor right next to something called Cleeve Wood...I took Mum & Dad for a really good walk through the trees & up & down the hills. The ground was really wet & slippery coz of all the rain we'd had & coz of the leaves on the ground - I didn't mind but Mum managed to slide down one hill on her bottom...did we laugh?!! After our walk Mum, Dad, Nan & me went to one of the local pubs (called the "Old Lock & Weir") for our dinner. Even though I'm only 2, I was allowed in the pub which was good coz it was cold & rainy outside - I sat under the table & had some chicken wings for my dinner...yummy, my favourite!

DAY FIVE

Believe it or not, today we had to turn round & start to make our way back coz it takes SO long to get anywhere!! So, at about 9 o'clock, we left Hanham & started back towards Bath. It was a really rainy day (in fact it poured for most of the time...yuk!), so Mum didn't take many pictures plus she was pretty busy doing the locks - I think she missed Aunty Gail & Uncle Roger loads coz this time she didn't have any help opening & closing them...!

Swineford Mill & Weir

Nan showing Dad how to tie up properly...

Pretty, despite the rain!

It is Dad hiding under all those clothes...honest!

DAY SIX

Yesterday afternoon we moored up just after the Wash House lock in Bath - it was so rainy & we were all so wet that we didn't manage to complete the last 3 of the Widcombe flight of locks. This morning, however, was bright & sunny plus there were loads of other boats & people around...those last 3 locks flew by coz we had a bit of help!! Once past the locks we motored on pretty quickly (well, quickly for a narrow boat!). Mum & I walked a lot of the time which was good coz I got to meet lots of other dogs & people! At lunch time we stopped at a place called Dundas Wharf - we walked down the old Somersetshire Coal Canal & had something to eat in a cafe overlooking Limpley Stoke...very pretty.

Dundas Bridge

Dad negotiating Dundas Wharf

DAY SEVEN

Having spent another night at Bradford-on-Avon, we spent our last full day motoring past Hilperton to Seend - there were only 4 swing bridges & 4 locks to negiotiate on this 6 mile stretch of the canal so Mum had a pretty easy time of it!!!!

Just me trying to be as tall as Dad!!

We got to Seend at lunch time so, just for a change (!!!), we walked to one of the local pubs for lunch (this one was called The Brewery). After lunch we motored back to a place called Semington for the night - Mum, Dad & me walked into the village & found a really nice place called the Somerset Arms where we had dinner. I was allowed in this pub too even though it was really posh - people kept coming up to Mum & Dad asking what I was (Dad was tempted to say "a dog" but didn't!!!) & commenting on how well behaved I was - I was lying under the table keeping watch & only came out when someone wanted to give me a back or tummy rub!!

DAY EIGHT

We left our Semington mooring at about 7:30 as we had to be back in Hilperton by 9:30. As I hadn't had my morning walk, Mum & I decided to walk along the tow path - we had intended to get back on the boat after half an hour or so but there was nowhere for the boat to moor so we ended up walking all the way (nearly 3 miles...& all before breakfast!)...we got there ages before Dad & Nan arrived!!!

And that was the end of my first boating holiday...fantastic...thank you Dad!

And a special BIG thank to Nan for for not complaining when I kept bruising her legs with my waggy tail & for letting me lick her nose first thing in the morning & for giving me loads of ear, back & tummy rubs!