Monday 21 April 2008

Proper Gundog, Ringcraft, Spring Blossoms and Maisie - Coming in and out of Season what a relief

We are taking 'proper' gundog lessons with Susie Zarpanely in Richmond Park - she's the business. I thought I was quite strict as well as soppy but Susie stands for no nonsense and she really got results from Hamish. My pup did me proud and boy did he love Susie. Tough love seems to work - when he got praise he really enjoyed it. I could really see how much my voice had become background noise to him.
Hamish will go to his first show on May 11th and Susie is helping us prepare. It's me who needs the lessons most but Hamish is a bit fidgety to say the least. Oh, god what have I let myself in for?
Teasel shows us how it should be done. So far Hamish isn't very impressed...How fantastic we're getting some proper sunshine in the back of our garden at long last.
Enough to make you go mad with excitement (well, if you're a Vizsla pup)Warmer nights mean you get to go to the pub and sit outside, ok well, actually this night was still freezing though and we froze to death. Lucky we had a Vizsla to keep us warm.
Attack of the 50ft Vizsla....?
They say Japan is glorious in Spring but Victoria Park is a lot closer.
Steven and Hamish finally have that Father and Son talk.
On Saturday we went to Maisies for dinner. We had lovely grub and great company and the dogs wrestled like they were in the park but did settle when we asked them (not for long though).Hamish stares out at the night sky as Nancy and I take some air on the balcony.

Monday 14 April 2008

Hamish's Weekly Highlights including Hot 'n' Humpy in Hampstead

This week started off with a surprise meeting with Iris and Flo. We haven't seen them for ages because Iris fell off a horse at work and broke all the bones in her foot. She's nearly better now but still limping along and not going for long walks. Hamish was very pleased to see them both.
Sometimes we meet friends for coffee on Broadway Market, it's really nice to sit outside and Hamish enjoys the sunshine and lots of attention.
On Saturday we went up to Hampstead Heath. I think the Heath must be our favourite place for walking with Hamish, he seems to love it more than anywhere else and get's a real burst of excited energy and a bouncy spring in his step.Once he discovered they're not just for eating, Hamish quickly became very skilled working with sticks.
We met up with Ruby on the Heath (it was planned) but Hamish got such a shock and nearly went berzerk with excitement. It was like he was saying "Look, look who's here, so far away from home - how the heck did she find us way up here, oh, oh I think I love her, oooops no scratch that last comment?"Ruby and Hamish would like to have puppies but they don't really know how to go about it....Ruby says "Am I doing this right dad?"Waiting for the train, a bit tired out.



Then complete exhaustion (man and beast) at home on the sofa.

Friday 11 April 2008

Hamish Goes to Leigh on Sea with his Favourite Friends

Unfortunately I wasn't there...but see how much fun they had. Hamish has never been so tired and quiet which is a sure sign he enjoyed himself.

Monday 7 April 2008

Meteors, Snowtime, Sleeping Lazy Bones and Romance in the City

Wow! Super Snowy Sunday Surprise. Surprised that his garden was suddenly white, Hamish had to be carried out to pee this morning but once he got to the park he was super-excited and had a ball with all of his friends. He was sliding around and diving in and peeing on all the snowmen - not popular with the real mummies and daddies, but hey! it's a park and it's a vertical surface.
Luckily Maisie has spots. We haven't seen her in a while - she's been in season. Still giving off a strong signal to Hamish though and he was a bit on her case.Retrieving is much more fun with a white ball and snow. Hamish did really well to find it and loved the challenge. Really I think these were some of the most enthusiastic retrieves I've seen him do.
Photocall for humans too. We all had a really nice morning together; cold, but even more fun than usual in the winter wonderland.
I was away last week and Hamish stayed for 3 days with Ruby. I came back to find that they'd been getting very romantic together.
Sound asleep in the back of Joe's jeep coming back from a long walk on Hampstead Heath.
Mr. and Mrs. McKahn snuggling up after a hard day's work.
The day after..............today most of the snow had gone apart from these meteors (goalposts really) - still good enough to pee on.
Ermmm? Three's a crowd I think. Stop wrestling and get your paw out of my armpit. Steven is trying to sleep (pretending to I think). This is actually the first time Ruby's even seen a bed never mind get up on one. Sorry guys but she lovvvvvvvvvvvvvvved it.This is the cosy scene I found when I came out of the shower this morning (yes, I know it's a dog and he shouldn't be in the bed). Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...Two sound asleep lazy bones - both as bad as each other.