Dottie's Blog For 2008
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
23rd July - 2 callouts same location
Last night Kaz and I were just about at Whinlatter for training when the dog pager went off for a call to Langdale - 3/4 of an hour later and Kaz, Daryl and me and Elly and Mac and her navigator were bimbling up the Band (Note from Kaz....Well it was pretty quick bimbling Dottie) looking for a family who'd got lost in the mist. After about half an hour we were called and told that another group were also missing in the area - but they got themselves sorted very quickly. Anyway we got up to 3 Tarns and were about to start searching either side of the ridge south along the Crinkles when lovely searchdog Comet located them after hearing shouts so we all turned back round and went all the way to our cars - half way down Daryl hid for me and Mac so we'd be fooled into thinking that we'd found the people we'd been looking for and not get fed up. We eventually got home at about 2345 so Kaz was a bit tired and grumpy this morning! Here's a piccy of the Band and the Crinkles (in daylight) so's you know what I am talking about. Kaz was quite happy about last night though - she said it's the first time she's walked up the Band in the daylight!

21st July - New car for me and a couple of callouts
Last Tuesday Kaz and I went training in the forest at Keswick - it took a bit of time as the idiot humans couldnt get the key to work in the lock for the gate! Anyway we eventually got in and had some fun looking for the bodies. Then Kaz and I went to grandmas because Kaz had to go to Plas-y-Brenin very early in the morning and she was going to look after me. We were just going to bed when the dog pager went off for a search at Kirby Lonsdale for an old lady - Kaz decided we couldnt go and when she got back in the evening we found out that sadly the lady had died and been found in Windermere.
Then on Friday Kaz went to get her new car - well actually it's a van and it has been specially fitted out for me and all my things - it's just like having a house on wheels and I've been checking out all the little cubby holes and stuff - it's marvellous!!
On Sunday Kaz had been painting the house (under my careful instruction) and she had just put everything away when the team pager went off for a callout - a search at Haweswater - so Kaz and me and Daryl jumped in the van and went down to start a search of the Coast to Coast footpath when the man was reported as being found - hooray!!
Today I am sitting pretty in the back of the van with the doors open watching those 'pesky ducks'.
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14th July - Sad news from SARDA England
It was very sad today - Fern the dog who belongs to SARDA England Handler Bill Batson has died.
She had been very ill recently but was thought to be recovering. Unfortunately she developed an infection that she was unable to fight.
Fern was on the callout list for 2½ years and was involved in 20 searches finding 3 people. We all send our love to Bill
14th July - Another fun-filled weekend
On Fridays in the summer Kaz has the day off and she spent the whole day painting bits of the house. It was dead boring and I was very pleased when she finally took me out for a nice walk - then her and Daryl took me to something called a 'drive-in-movie' and we watched a really old film called Grease - agghh Kaz and Daryl know all the words and sang along with the songs - I had my paws in my ears most of the time!
On Saturday Kaz had to do some studying for hre university thingy and she stayed at home but I was allowed to go with Kaz's team to a place called Dalemain where we did some fundraising - I was made a real fuss of by lots of people and had a great day! Here's a nice picture of me.....
After I got home from collecting, Kaz told me that she was taking me back to the drive in movie with some of her team mates as they were going to be watching the Italian Job with some bloke who's name's Michael Caine - anyway she was just getting the tea ready when her team pager went off for a callout at Haweswater - so she went to it and unfortunately it took so long that we didnt go to the film in the end!
On Sunday we went to do a dog demonstration for some people near Cockermouth but the person organising it had messed up the dates so we ended up going for a nice walk instead and then had tea and cake at body Terry and Mary's house (ohh and loads of fuss for me)
8th July - Busy week
Did you all know that it is the 75th anniversary of Mountain Rescue in the UK this year? (No - nor did I).... but nevertheless Kaz and all the team have been involved in a big day over at Langdale Ambleside. I went with her to the rugby ground where I did a dog demo in pouring rain (honestly I really must complain about being made to work in bad weather). Les did the talking on the PA thing and John and Skye and Glen and puppy Molly helped us show what we do - we were of course brilliant. Then my grandma and grandad came over and watched Kaz and her team (they also pursuaded Elly to join them for the day) enter the Its a Knockout - and they came 3rd!! On the Sunday me and Kaz and Daryl took a group of young people out on the hill as part of the celebrations (I think we were all glad to get home on Sunday night - I was whacked!!). Here are a couple of piccies of the 2 days........
2nd July -Coniston Training Weekend
It was the Coniston Weekend and quite a few of us went over to camp in the pouring rain at the Coppermines. Lots of puppies were there - Moss with Mike, Bruach with Tom, Einich with Joy, Molly with Glen and training with me were searchdogs Vinny, Kess, GInny and Mist - trainees Skye and Kitt had a great time working big areas up at Leverswater. Overall a really good weekend - apparently the handlers all enjoyed themselves on Saturday night in the hut!!
22nd June - Wet weekend and a callout
Kaz and I were staying with grandma and grandpa this weekend which was good coz I got loads of tennis ball games and extra treats when Kaz wasnt looking!! Then yesterday afternoon just as the rain was pouring down, Kaz's dog pager went off for a callout to some missing mountain bikers on Crossfell. It took me and Kaz (well her really) 25 mins to drive down to the base and then just as we were going to get out and search they turned up so we went back to Carlisle for some tea! Kaz is in the office today but for a change I'm typing my blog at grandpas pc - he has an eye on me making sure I dont break anything.
This weekend its training at Coniston - Kaz rang body Kim last night and has arranged for us to pitch our tent with hers.Last time Kaz camped on a SARDA weekend her and Jess ended up re-doing their tents 3 times coz handlers Macca and Mike Blakey kept taking the outer off and turning it round so they couldnt get out! Keep your fingers crossed for handsome trainee Jake (with Laura) who are on assessment.
16th June - Been away in Birmingham
Kaz and I have been away with Kaz's work in Birmingham - it was good fun and I got loads of fuss. On the searchdog front it has been quiet - Kaz reckons it's because it has been nice weather that no-one is getting lost at the moment.
Other bits of news are that Dave Watt was filmed for ITV Border last night about our new supporters club called the Friends of SARDA Lakes - here's a piccie of him and also the link to the pamphlet (notice I'm on the front!!) you can cick on it for more information about joining!

Also here are is a rather attractive shot of Merlin who belongs to Dave Lewis who was a dogsbody with us - he moved to Worcestershire and now they have defected to supporting the SARA team there - traitor. Hi Dave, Merlin and Sharon - we all send lots of love to you!!!

12th June - Threlkeld Primary School Day out
Ohh I had loads and loads of fun with Kaz yesterday - we went to Conisotn to meet the year 4, 5 and 6 children and me and Kaz were given 8 children to take out for the day - with Mrs Smalley who was their teacher. We went up to Boulder Valley and Kaz showed the children all about how to boulder and they had great fun climbing all over the rocks. Then me and Kaz got them to try to search for someone - but it took them ages and ages to find them - and I then showed them how quick it was using a superior searchdog and I found the person in 23 seconds!!! After that we had lunch then Kaz let them work out a really interesting route round the side of Coniston Old Man and we had a bit of an adventure getting back to the centre. Everyone had a nice time (especially me) - so hello to everyone at the school!!
11th June - Threlkeld Primary School Day out
Kaz and I are going to be helping the teachers from Threlkeld Primary school tomorrow taking the children up Consiton Old Man - I am really looking forward to it coz I know I'll get loads of fuss made of me!!\
Then Kaz and I will be away with Kazs work until next Monday so the dog blog willl be quiet til then! Take care Dot Fans!!!!
9th June - Hot day's training
Kaz and I went to her team training today - it was being held over near Dufton Pike and we were asked to look for some missing people in an area of very steep ground which used to be an old mine working. Kaz and I worked with our navigator Daryl and it was really hard work as there wasnt any wind and the ground was rough - in fact both Kaz and Daryl slipped over but I was brilliant as per usual (coz I've got 4 paw drive unlike you humans). After about 2 hours we moved to another bit of the mine workings and I found one of the missing people (well it was Dave from Kaz's team pretending he'd been out all night when actually he'd just bimbled up there and hidden)......after we found them we all went to the pub for the important (well that's what Kaz said) debrief. Here's a couple of piccies of us in action!!
30 May - long day and then doing some filming
I had a long day yesterday with Kaz - she had a meeting in Stockport followed by another in Ambleside in the evening and I went with her - I had quite a bit of fuss but not too much in the way of tennis balls being thrown!! Tonight Kaz and I are at Kirkstone Pass to do some filming for the new BMC Mountain Safety DVD which should be a load of fun and I'll get to show off my superior talents!!
Dont forget if you are out and about in Kendal tomorrow then we will be doing some collecting around the town - come and say hi!!!
28 May - doggy callout
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26 May - Went for a walk and ended up on a callout
Kaz and friends from the team took me for a walk on Helvellyn on Bank Holiday Monday - we were sat at the Hole in the Wall eating some food when Kaz's radio suddenly burst into life - Patterdale team had got two callouts so Kaz radioed and said we could help - so Kaz, me and one of them went on one callout and Dr Andy went on the other (....and next time I'll keep my mouth shut...). Turned out our casualty was at Ruthwaite Lodge - so we ended up descending down a really bad and steep bit of ground for about 500m and while Kazs teammate and I went to help the casualty, Kaz was asked to go down to a Patterdale team vehicle and pick up a stretcher (have a look at the route she took). After a while the Patterdale team were there and helped out and then Kazs team turned up to carry off the casualty (who had a fractured and dislocated ankle - ooohh painful) - Apparently Kaz's legs are pretty stiff today!!
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20 May - Weird or what?
Do you remember last year when Kaz and I helped a doggy called Sam, his owner and friend after Sam had hurt his leg. Well this weekend Kaz and I were camping at Hollows Farm in Borrowdale - just as we got out of the car a voice shouted 'Kaz is that you?' - and then Sam came running towards us!! Turns out that Mark (the owner) and some friends were camping there as well - what a surprise - so me and Kaz joined them for a quick drink in the evening. Next morning Mark came over looking worried - Sam had cut himself badly and he asked Kaz to have a look at it - she told him it would need stiches so poor Mark and Sam had to go back to the vets. Sam ended up having an operation to make him better and Kaz is worried that she has some sort of curse on her!!
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18 May - Kaz is back from Belfast
Finally Kaz is back from working in Belfast - she was there for a couple of days at meetings and she managed to get in some sightseeing at the Giants Causeway and even got to go to the Bushmills Distillery (she told me it was very interesting but that I wouldnt have liked it)...I miss her loads when she's away from home. So what's news then?:
Our training officer and general top bloke Mick Guy was on a rescue the other day and managed to turn his ankle and tore some ligaments - get well soon Mick!!
Kaz's teammate Glen - his new collie puppy Molly has broken her leg jumping up (but the vet says she's get better really soon)
Kaz and I went for a nice walk at lunchtime with searchdog Mac and Elly - Mac and I ran round with tennis balls and Elly and Kaz gossiped!!
Kaz is in the office today and she and Steve are working on their new email and IT systems - I'm lounging around chewing the pink pig but am very happy cos I will be training tonite and seeing all my friends!
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9 May - Kaz is back and off again
Kaz and Benny and Les went to Norway to help with training their dog handlers to work like me and the others - they had a really great time apparently and stayed in a lovely hut in a place called Tjorn near Stavanger - Kaz says I must say hi to everyone so here goes: Hiya and lots of love from Kaz. Here are some piccies of the trip.......and you can even read Helen's dog blog - (dont worry it's in English!!) www.mist.dogsandmaps.com
She's been away for 6 bloomin days and tomorrow and Sunday we have a training weekend in Langdale but after that she's goimg away to Belfast til next Thursday and taking the pc with her....marvellous! So no blogging til then.
Other news from the dogs is that Laura and her handsome hound Jake passed their first assessment in Coombe Ghyll last week so hopefully they'll soon be on the list - hooray!! Poor old Mac has been told he has a bit of arthritis but he's got some medicine and Elly hopes he'll be ok........
27 April - Kaz is off to Norway
Kaz and Benny and Les are off to Norway to help with training their dog handlers to work like me and the others and I'm going to miss her lots and lots but I will be going to see grandma and grandpa for the 6 days so I will be getting lots of fuss and cuddles from then to make up for it! So when she gets back I may allow her to put some of her photos and video clips up!
In the meantime here is a clip of me at the recent Helicopter Training (I did enjoy it really - I know it doesnt look like it!) - click on the piccie to start it (It might take a while if you are on an old-age technological thing).......
25/6th April - Long Weekend
Me and Kaz and 3 others from her team were on the hill helping some of the teams from the RNLI (Lifeboats to you and me). They were going to be doing a team building weekend in Ullswater and me and Kaz and Glenn were there to help them navigate from Patterdale to Mardale Head via Borredale Hause, Angel Tarn, the Knott, Kidsty Pike while the team and the two Ians came the other way. In the middle of the day they had to do a load of excercises and build a boat and get across to the island in the middle of the tarn. Unfortunately, the weather was really bad at that point as you can see from the pictures below....Glen and Kaz and I retreated to the tent!
