Holidays In The Snow – Coniston February 12, 2013
Posted by goldendogbakery in Border Collie, Dog Blog, Dog walking, Dog Walks in The Lakes, Holidays with Dogs, Ziggy.Tags: australian red collie, Coniston Old Man, Coppermines and Coniston, cumbria, lake district with dogs, self catering with dogs, walking the wainwrights
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Not sure what I love more – snow or holidays?
Snow! No Holidays – no snow – holidays, no wait snow. I tend to bounce around a lot at this point, not knowing which way to go. But then when we headed off early for our hols to beat the snow I thought I was going to miss out on it.
I resigned myself to a nice simple holiday in Coniston – we’ve been before. We usually stay in a lovely little flat above the Coppermines Office where I love looking out of the window to see the other dogs going for their walk. I’m never jealous Mum and Dad walk me loads when we go on holiday – so much i have to sleep all the time.
When we went to get the key from the office – I was greeted by shrieks of Ziggy from the girls in the office – did they know I was coming? I was a bit disappointed that we didnt go up to the flat, instead we went to Lavender Cottage.
Lovely that it was I couldnt see out of the window – but then mum opened up the top portion of the stable door in the kitchen and I could pop my head out into the cold and look at the mountains. Parts of Coniston Old Man were in view and I was looking forward to doing this again.
By now it was snowing and Dad had abandonned the car in the parking area whilst they located the cottage. Now he needed to move it – there was about half an inch of snow but I think he’s been drinking he couldn’t move the car in a straight line.
The cottage is lovely – I’m not allowed upstairs but it doesn’t matter because there was a lovely rug to lie on and I had my own bed.
Lucky Me December 6, 2012
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It looks like I’ve been featured as a guest on another blog. Apparently I have great motivation.
http://reflectionscoachingblog.wordpress.com/2012/11/30/joie-de-vivre/
Fun & Games September 2, 2012
Posted by goldendogbakery in Border Collie, Dog Walking in Staffordshire, golden dog bakery, Ziggy.Tags: australian red collie, Cannock Chase, Dog Training, dog walks in staffordshire, lake district with dogs
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Need to start off with an apology its been so long since I posted but Mum’s been busy with her other business.
As a result she’s decided not to pursue making dog biscuits as a business enterprise for the time being. This made me very worried. Apparently there’s more work involved than she first thought because despite the fact that most dogs like me, enjoy indulging in most things unsavory such as cow pats and sheep droppings, human health and safety rules apply when making doggy biscuits and I’m not allowed in the kitchen. Given that I’m top chef – makes things a little difficult doesn’t it. Also we need insurance, proper labelling etc etc.
Market research has shown that the price that people are willing to pay for their doggy chums treats is low in comparison and retailling through a 3rd party would means few pennies for both parties.
She says she may revisit in the future but for the time being needs to concentrate on her coaching business .
This has seriously worried me, however I’m assured she will continue to bake for me – phew!
This is me, taken yesterday, I’ll be two in September and getting more and more hansomer – well so Mum & Dad keep saying. We spent the day on Cannock Chase and I just loved rolling in the heather.
I have lots to share with you but think I’d better save it for another time. I’ve learned how to remove my collar, been up to Coniston in the lakes for a week, and taken up cycling (well kinda).
Quick Update June 3, 2012
Posted by goldendogbakery in Border Collie, Dog Walking in Staffordshire, Dog Walks, golden dog bakery, Goldendog Bakery Update.Tags: Border Collie, cauldon canal, dog blog, long walks, redundancy
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Hi folks, I’ve not blogged for a while Mum has been busy with other things.
Firstly she was made redundant at the beginning of March – I really don’t know how that figures. Suddenly she has more time on her hands but then has no time to make lovely crunchy golden biscuits or take dictation from me to write my blog.
What it has meant though, despite the rain is lots of lots of longer walks. My favourite is a walk of the lower stretch of the Cauldon Canal from tunnel pool to the old Basin at Barnfields then across a stretch of the river Churnet. That’s my favourite bit as I get to chase sticks. Trouble is mum is really rubbish at throwing them into positions where I can’t see them and the game comes to a very quick end.
Mum’s been doing lots of stuff upstairs on her laptop. Blogging for her own business Reflections Coaching and I’ve taken to going and lying with her during the day because I just like to have company.
Herding Instincts April 18, 2012
Posted by goldendogbakery in Border Collie, Dog Taining, Dog Walking in Staffordshire, Dog Walks in The Lakes, Holidays with Dogs, Walking the Wainwrights.Tags: Border Collie, brett trafford photography, chasing sheep, Dodd, dog behaviourist, Dog Training, health and safety of my dog, Ingrid Grayling, scafell pike, sheep chasing cumbria, sheep worrying, Walla Crag, Ziggy, Ziggy Trafford
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My last post talked about the wonderful time I had on Scafell Pike. That really was the highlight of my holiday. Well, that and getting to work herding the sheep.
Ziggy – taking time out from his heavy work schedule to take in the view from Walla Crag
You see, over the course of the week I decided I wanted to follow my destiny. I am of course a collie dog and that means I have a natural instinct to herd sheep. In addition, in a cold week in march, just before lambing, all the sheep should be safely ensconced in the farmers fields and not on the fells, so when I saw a couple of sheep on Latrigg, one on Scafell Pike and a handful on Dodd I felt it was my very own duty to use the talents I was borm with to fetch them down from the fells and back to safety.
My humans were horrified, once I turn my paw to something I have true dedication and felt that it better to fulfill my task before returning to their calls and whistles. A collie dog just has to do what a collie has to do.
So my humans decided to take me to a shrink. They told her they were worried that I would anger a farmer. The very nice shrink lady allowed me the opportunity to demonstrate my skills on her own flock of sheep and then showed me that they were actually silly creatures and I should ignore them.
Well that’s fine by me and after a week of practice I now see that my Mom Human and Dad Human need MY protection from the sheep and cows we see on a walk. So I now choose tasks that involve protecting them by staying close rather than herding the sheep. As long as I’m in gainful employment I’m happy.
That’s all for now – am off to sample some of that new batch of biscuits we made yesterday.
Nom nom nom!
A note from Mom! –
Ziggy was allowed to run free on the fells when there were no apparent sheep. However, you can never be 100% certain there are none. As dog owners it is our responsibility to ensure that our dogs remain under our control and if not farmers will shoot without a second thought about how much our pets mean to us. We are regular fell walkers and want Ziggy to have the freedom to run free however he had a strong natural herding instinct. Sadly all a farmer would see is a dog chasing his livestock.
Ingrid Grayling is one of the top dog behaviourists in the country and was entirely understanding and supportive of our problem. Yes, it was an added expense to our holiday and yes it meant we had to take time out from our walking to go, but for the long term health and happiness of Ziggy it was priceless.
Highest Dog In England March 16, 2012
Posted by goldendogbakery in Dog walking, Dog Walks in The Lakes, Holidays with Dogs.Tags: australian red collie, chasing sheep, corridor route, golden dog bakery, lake district with dogs, scafell pike, snow shoes, spiders, top dog
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Holidays are such fun.
Last week we went to the Lake District again just so that I could chase sheep! My humans weren’t too impressed I can tell you. But more of that to come later.
I just wanted to share with you that last Monday I was officially the Highest Dog in England and possibly held that title for a number of hours if not all day. How can I be sure? Because when we took the corridor route up to the top of Scafell Pike, there was snow and only one set of paw tracks – mine!
My humans are incredibly jealous of my 4-paw drive. They struggled and slid and even had to strap contraptions called spiders onto their feet to stop them falling over, I simply bounded across the snow and rocks it was great fun.
Here, from my holiday photo collection is a pic of a rather windswept me on top of England’s highest – Scafell Pike.
A windswept top dog!
So So Sorry March 12, 2012
Posted by goldendogbakery in Uncategorized.Tags: dog baking, holidays with dogs, holidays with dogs in the lake district, homemade dog treats
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How time flies. Can’t believe its been over a month and we’ve not blogged. We have no excuse except things have been a bit busy with work, holidays and baking and selling doggy biscuits. We have lots to tell you and will be back very soon – but just to tempt you a little here’s a photo of me waiting for cousin Max to arrive on a recent holiday:
Changing your perspective http://dld.bz/ March 5, 2012
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Changing your perspective http://dld.bz/aXPVw
My Best Friend – Cousin Max January 30, 2012
Posted by goldendogbakery in Border Collie, Dog Blog, Dog Walking in Rutland, Making New Friends.Tags: a little help from my friends, best dog toy in the world, german short haired pointer, travel sickness in dogs
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I’ve been hearing things about cousin Max for months. My human has received text photos and all sorts, yet I’ve never met him.
Then strange things started to happen. I’m never sure why humans do what they do. And on this occasion they started to put lots of stuff in the wheel machine so I got in. I hadn’t used to like the wheel machine it used to make me very sick but it takes me to exciting muddy places.
I was beginning to wish I hadn’t. 2 hours, my human said – that’s like 2 days in dog time! Then I met him. Cousin Max. Cousin Max isn’t really a proper dog. For a start he’s foreign, has short hair and splodges all over him. I think he can’t be bothered to wash off the mud. In fact I know he can’t. He’s a wuss and doesn’t like water.
He’s a bit full on too. He’s younger than me and won’t leave me alone. Outside its “lets play Zig”, in the garden “lets play Zig”, in the house “lets play Zig”. I was sooo tired after the weekend I slept for ages. But it was just after Christmas and he bought me a mooing cow. Its ace. So I love cousin Max. Mum human says I’m going to meet him soon in the Lake District so I’m gonna get him in the water – if exhaustion doesn’t get me first.
Meet Maxyboy! The German Short Haired Pointer.
Maxed Out! January 15, 2012
Posted by goldendogbakery in Dog Blog, Dog Walking in Rutland, Making New Friends.Tags: cousin Max, german short haired pointer, home made dog biscuits
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Just a quick post this week. We’ve been away to friends of my humans. I first met them in April when I was just 5 months old. I think they were expecting to see this cute little cuddly puppy and I’ve grown so much.
Uncle F and Aunty FabF must have been really really impressed with me because shortly after they adopted Cousin Max – a German (foreigner) Short Haired Pointer and I met him for the first time.
We took some home made snacks as a thanks for letting us stay gift. I took flea buster bones and Mum Human took chocolate truffles. Cousin Max is great fun. We’ve run, chased, run, tug of war, run, splashed, run, muddied, run, barked, run, eaten, run, crashed, run, wrestled and run together. I have some great photos and will share a couple of the next couple of weeks, but for now I’m completed Maxed out and would rather curl up in the corner and snooze.
In the meantime – Cousin Max has his own blog.
goldendogblog 