Dottie's Blog For 2009
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
9th...A few things have been happening
Did you see the ITV programme the Lakes? It's on a Monday night and the searchdogs were on it and will be again next week - searchdog Beinn (handsome boy) was on with his handler Roger and I think it's going to be trainee dog Bute next week - make sure you watch it!
Here we go with a couple of piccies ....yesterday we did team training and Kaz acted as the casualty - it was body Glen's first try at first aiding since he joined Kaz's team and here he is (on the right) - Kaz is the casualty with a pretend head injury. Then the other piccie is one of me licking Kaz when she's defenceless - it was Daryl - he made me do it - apparently kaz doesnt like my tongue up her nose!
Me and the idiot pup Dram have had a nice few days - first off there have been acouple of callouts for people who have been lost on the fells - Kaz and me and the idiot pup went off to do a demo to a bunch of lovely WI ladies the other day and just as Kaz was talking to them about what we do on the hills and stuff - and the dog pager went off - Kaz had to say that it wasnt really a setup! There was a search on for a lady lost on the fell near Esk Hause. The ladies of the WI really enjoyed Kaz's talk and me and the idiot pup got given some biscuits and cuddles (Dram was really happy). We drove back home and on the way up the motorway Kaz rang handler Elly who was also out and about with work and they decided that they were going to go to Keswick base and see if they could help out - but just as Elly and Kaz were getting near the pager went off to say that the lady had been found....so we went home again!
On Saturday me and Kaz and Daryl and the idiot pup Dram went out for a realy long walk near Castle Carrock with their friends - it was a lovely day and we all enjoyed the sunshine - me and the idiot pup Dram ran all over the place and got really muddy - the walk was about 16km and the humans managed to get a stop for lunch at a pub in the middle of it while us dogs plus out new doggy friends Shadow and Burt were left outside waiting...hmmmmm. Here is a piccie of us at the start of the walk in Gelt Woods....
31st...Two nice days out
Kaz and Daryl and me and the idiot pup Dram have had a really nice weekend. Yesterday we went up onto the Caldbeck Fells - blimey it was a bit crowded though, we thought we were all alone, but we ended up bumping into Kaz and Daryls' team mate Matt and his girlfriend and then when we were coming off, we bumped into trainee searchdog Molly and her owner Glen - it was very cold but me and the idiot pup had a great run round. After that we went to Keswick so Kaz and Daryl could meet up for a drink with handler John Leadbetter (...now then Dot we had serious things to discuss - the fact we were in the pub is immaterial!) - then today we have been up to Cawdale Edge (where I had my find on New Years Eve - I showed the idiot pup Dram where I had been and we had a real good time running up and down the hill (Although last time I was there it was very deep snow). Kaz was very sad though, there was a deer and a baby deer both dead on the fellside - I'm not sure what had killed them.
Me and the idiot pup are now rolling around on the floor in the lounge while Daryl is pretending to do some paperwork for his job (I didnt know you humans did work with your eyes shut and your mouth open!)
So, that's all the news for January - keep blogging Dot fans!
28th....Kaz got woken up
We went training on Tuesday night to Whinlatter - it is still a bit icy there but we had a good time - me and searchdog Jake went on a big circuit in the woods and we found all the bodies - although I got extra ones coz I also smelt some others (that werent in my area) and went and barked at them...coz I can! After that we all had some yummy cake that handler Laura had made - it was to celebrate handler Ellys birthday - but she wasnt even there! Still the cake was good.
The next night Kaz and Daryl were both a bit tired from work so they had gone to bed around 9.30pm when Daryl woke up coz the phone was ringing. It was Penrith team leader Ian asking whether me and Kaz could go and search for a man missing near Brampton. Daryl explained that Kaz and I cant go on our own, and that any searchdog callout also needs a mountain rescue team to be involved, so Ian rang a few of the Carlisle based members and me and Kaz and Daryl met them at Brampton police station. We then drove out to Gelt Woods and search for a while - it was reall fun - steep, muddy and woody - my favourite (but not Kaz's favourite somehow!). We didnt find anythinhg but by the time we go thome it was about 2.30am and Kaz wasnt too cheery when she got up at 6am the next morning!
22nd....callout and a very long drive for Kaz
Kaz and Daryl had just got home from work tonight at about 5ish and were just getting ready to go to the pictures, when both of their pagers went off for a Penrith team callout. It was a search in the Kershope Forest for 2 people who had called in to say they were lost - now, let me tell you something, the Kershope forest is sooooo far North we practically have to take a passport to get their - no kidding it's in Northumberland and very close to Scotland. Kaz got me and Daryl in the car and they left the idiot pup Dram at home in the warm kitchen - searches are just no place for idiot boy collie puppies! Daryl still cant quite get about properly and so he was 'manning' base - he called out the other searchdogs while Kaz and me drove up to Kershope - blimey she wasnt enjoying the drive it was really really foggy, and it takes forever! After about 1 and half hours we got to the forest - just got out of the van and would you believe it - the helicopter picked them up! Kaz had a phone call from John and Olly (handlers to Skye and Kitt) saying they'd been on the M6 on their way up and were now going home again for a drink. Kaz and me had a quick walk at the edge of the forest to allow me to stretch my legs and run around after the interesting smells then we drove home - we didnt get in til quite late and Kaz and Daryl missed their film (the idiot pup Dram was quite please to see me)
16th....and then an avalanche happened for real!
Kaz was working in Penrith on Friday when her pager went off and she was a bit surprised to read 'Avalanche on Glaramara person buried' - she grabbed me and jumped in to the car and drove to Keswick - luckily the man who had fallen managed to get himself out and his two friends needed help to get out, so I wasnt really needed - we went back to the Keswick base and met up with Elly and Mac and Meggy and had a cup of tea. It was a bit of a reminder that the sort of stuff we do which we have fun doing, is for real. Kaz and I drove home and the idiot pup Dram was waiting for us - I told him all about it. Since then it's been pretty quiet really, but a couple of things have happened.....handler Les Teflord is having a knee operation and so we have to wish him lots of luck - apparently search dog Kess is going to take it easy while he is recovering! Also dogs body Jackie Woodrow managed to fracture her pelvis (ouch) whilst cycling - poor Jackie is now back home trying to rest! So we are all sending out best wishes to them and hope they are up and about very soon
10th Jan....Two fun days in the snow
On Saturday me and Kaz and Daryl and the idiot pup Dram went to Clogh Head so that us graded searchdogs could do some avalanche training as it is pretty likely that we could be called into action sometime soon what with all this snow - it was good fun - some of the trainee searchdogs and their handlers acted as bodies and so did Russell from Cockermouth team and Helen the Vet. It was VERY cold with really stong winds. We did some digging and got people buried. It's quite a different thing doing the avalanche search as I have to stay where I can smell the body and dig as quick as I can until I can see the body then get into the hole. I am pretty good at the digging bit, but I do need to get more practice at getting in the hole when I can see the body - normally on a search I would run back to Kaz and get her to go into the hole; still Kaz was pretty happy. The idiot pup Dram had a go and was really good!! We stayed most of the day and had a great time.
Today we all went to Hartside for Penrith team training - it was another good day and I got to try out more of my avalanche skills. Also it was an important day for body Glenn - it was his first day as a probationer member with our team and he enjoyed it very much. We all played on the snow and here are some pictures of the two days.................
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7th Jan....The snow is falling - hooray
Well....it's all been happening here then hasnt it? The idiot pup Dram has been a flamin' lunatic - ok so it's white, cold and can taste good on your tongue but it does not mean the idiot has to rush out of the house into the garden and stick its head straight into the biggest pile of snow it can find, then run back inside to Kaz and look all cute! I have been very cool in the snow - although when Kaz isn't looking, I guess I have been having a roll around in it too. Kaz's team and I guess all the others in the Lakes have been pretty busy - lots of calls to help out the ambulance service and stuff. On Sunday, Kaz had a team pager and off we went to a search for 2 people who had left Mardale Head at midday but hadn't yet turned up after hopefully walking to Kidsty Pike, Highstreet and Loadpot Hill. Kaz and some of the other search managers worked out some routes which needed to be searched - Kaz and me were about to set off and Daryl was doing radio stuff and running base, when the missing people called in to say that they had got back.. It was very good really :-) for the people but sad in a way cos Kaz said lots of the other search dogs were coming over and I was looking forward to a great run round with them all.
Since then we have been flamin cold at home and work - Kaz got stroppy last night and Daryl made her 3 - yes 3 - hot water bottles - what a really nice bloke huh! But he woke the idiot pup Dram up when he came into the kitchen who then jumped all over me and woke me up!
Kaz says I also have to say a couple of hellos - firstly to Molly Whyle who hurt her leg slipping over in the ice - lots of love from us; then to Grandad Ron and Grandma Jeanie who have just lost their old dog Charlie; and finally to handler John Leadbetter who has a bad chest infection.....Skye says hurry up and get better cos she wants to go out and play in the snow!
Anyways take it easy Dot fans!!!!!!!
We had a really great Christmas - me and Kaz and Daryl and the idiot pup Dram stayed at home on Christmas Day with grandpa and grandma and we had fun - the humans played on a thing called a Wii (hmmm sounds like something me and the idiot pup do after a long drink!
We then travelled down to Worcester to see grandpa Ron and Daryls family - that was good fun too and me and the idiot pup Dram got taken out and about for lots of walks.
When we came home we were going to spend New Years Eve walking to Mosedale Cottage near Haweswater and spend the night in the Bothy with a few people, but just as we were getting ready to leave home in the afternoon Kazs team pager went off for a search for 2 ladies who were lost after going for a walk in the High Street area.
Kaz and I drove directly to Bampton whilst Daryl went to base to organise radios and stuff. It was very interesting driving conditions because of the snow and Kaz did really well getting our car almost up the fell road, but then she couldnt go any further and luckily the people living at Moorahill Farm were behind us and gave us a lift the rest of the way in their Landrover.
When we got to the farm, Kaz and me set off to search up the valley towards White Bog - it was pretty hard going for Kaz as the snow was up to her waist in some places - I was fine though as I have four paw drive! After about half an hour Kaz heard that the rest of her team had arrived at the farm and were now on the paths as well. After a while I smelled something and ran up the hill for a couple of hundred meters. I got a bit excited and barked a couple of times so that Kaz could realise that I knew I could smell someone but hadnt got there. Eventually I found the two ladies - they were going up the hill because they decided they were going in the wrong direction. But as soon as I barked at them they were really pleased to see me - Kaz caught up with us and we all walked back off the hill together. Kaz was also very pleased with me. It was a bit late to then go to Mosedale cottage so Kaz and Daryl rang everyone and they all ended up coming round to our house for the night - just to make it authentic, Jon Stevens slept in our very cold, unheated conservatory!
Anyway - I wanted to wish all my Dot fans a very happy New Year and I look forward to blogging more in 2010 - keep up the emails - I love to hear from you and I might even let the idiot pup Dram have a go too!
Click the year to read her story - 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
This blog is written by Dottie - a tri-coloured border collie bitch born in late November 2004. The entries follow the trials and tribulations of training a human (Kaz Frith) to work with a search dog ....upto the point where Dottie graded as a searchdog
and everything that's been happening since with Dottie, Kaz's team and other stuff. (Please note that this blog is a personal account and does not represent the opinion of SARDA Lakes).
