Xmas day blog

Well the big day has come Merry Christmas everyone. It's mine and Stars first in our forever home.
Started off as normal a walk over the park. The three wise men followed a large star Dad followed a small one with 4 legs!

Hoomans were busy cooking the gobbler and drinking champagne we just roached on the sofa.

We weren't allowed any gobbler so we got some turkey mince and Xmas veg meatballs from our doggie cookbook. We had them for tea they were nom nom!
We were both bought kong braid toys but we looked after them differently .

Star went for the rip the arms off and pull all the stuffing out of it! In about 5 minutes flat.
I on the other hand cuddled mine.

After more walks it was back onto the sofa.

I think we have more presses to open tomorrow but we are too tired today.
Merry Christmas everyone
🎅🎄🎁🎆🎅🎄🎁🎆🎅🎄🎁🎆

Waseley hills RGT walk blog

A crisp Sunday morning in december a quick sprint round the block to get rid of evening tiddles. Both put in the car for what dad thought it was going to be a 45-60 minutes drive ended up at 35 minutes. Doh !

The car park is big but pay and display £1.20 at weekends for the day. There were about 40 hounds on the walk including 2 borzois !

At the top of the hill we had a quick chat about the light rain weather to cut the walk short - unfortunately the vote was yes to cut it short. I did enjoy the views though.

After the walk we were given sausages whilst the hoomans had hot drinks from the cafe.

Dogs trust Xmas fair blog

What a busy Saturday I've had- up early quick walk round the block and then into the car.
Went to Jollyes pet shop to get Star a flashing vivid collar and then to the RGT centre to get Star some food.

Arrived at Kenilworth Dog Trust half hour early so we had a walk down the road before we went to the Xmas fair. It's on 3rd and 4th 12-4pm dogs welcome.

This is where I came from so it's a great centre but I love my forever home.
There were stands selling Xmas cards with dogs on & cards for dogs to send. As well as dogs trust merchandise and snacks to eat.
We were really looking forward to seeing the guy in the big red suit.

It was busy with hoomans and dogs so Santa needed a helper.

Santa fussed us both but we have already had our Xmas wishes - a lovely forever home, plenty of cuddles and love.

Even still the big man gave us both presents so they are going under the tree. Santa also liked our festive bandanas.

Back home again so I get to lie on the new blanket. Whilst Mom and Star fall asleep.

RGT walk -Star's first blog

Well Star and I survived our first night together. When Dad came downstairs I was curled up in my bed, Star was on the sofa.

Star was bursting to go for our walk over Sutton Park the last Perry Barr RGT walk this year. The early rain had stopped and nice blue sky prevailed.
We went in reverse to the way we have been before. I introduced my new sis to many of my hound pals -
Denny, Milo, Grace, Jake, Lachlan and Sid (he got a sister 2 weeks ago - Tink ) they are getting on well so paws crossed we will be the same !

As you can see we also had a couple of Borzoi's come out with us. Hoomans spoke to Jan who lives a couple of streets away we didn't mind as we were walking with Grace her dog(she pulls quite a lot so has a nose harness).
At the end of the walk we had the raffle and we won a prize.

Yep liver and cream cheese cake I've had one before and it's lip licking lovely. I'm going to take some to my hound pals at doggy training and some to Harry my border terrier mate who lives over the road.
That was the last Perry Barr walk but think hoomans are taking us over to Waseley hills to walk with the Hall Green RGT lot next weekend .

My new sis Star joins me blog

Well today is the big day I go and get a sister to keep me company. Dad gave me tuna on my kibbles this morning to ensure I ate it all. I'm not going to eat her!

Monmore also has their monthly fund raising day so I got my nails cut. Hoomans went to sort the paperwork out for Star but Dad forgot his chequebook so he had to run round to the service station to get cash out. Downside was the £1.99 charge for using the machine.
Paperwork done Star is now my sis let's hope we get on ! I then went for a run in their paddock zoom zoom!

We couldn't quite work out sharing the back seat so Star went in the boot and I had the back seat to myself.
Went to Jollyes pet shop to get me a flashing collar (will review it later)and more biscuits for us both.
Hoomans decided to tire us both out so we had an hours walk over Walsall arboretum. They are spending £9 million redesigning and renovating it all. If you look below it worked !

I'll keep you all posted how it's going with my sis but we are both off to the RGT walk in Sutton park tomorrow!

Stratford RGT walk blog

It may have been a foggy morning but hoomans still got me in the car and drove 50 minutes to Stratford upon Avon racecourse.

There was about 25 of us walking including a lurcher, Whippet and at one stage we got a very confused dog join us.

The was a great selection of different coloured hounds and jackets being worn.

Hoomans had to get a photo of this dog as he is called Flash. The same as their previous dog although he was a lurcher.

The walk was about 50 minutes long followed by coffee biscuits and the raffle.

Didn't win anything in the raffle so I munch on my treats.

Today was also free running I stayed in the car when humans went to KFC and then straight off for zoomies zoom !

Discover dogs blog part 2

Spread across the halls are individual viewing areas holding dogs. To be more precise 200 plus breeds the same as those that take part in Crufts. The dogs are on display in the same kennel club groups with other dogs from the same group - toy, utility, terrier, hounds, working, pastoral and gundog.

If you are thinking of getting a dog this was the place to go.

Each viewing area had at least 2 dogs in with wise owners to answer any queries you may have about the breed- how much exercise the dog needs, what they are like with children, how much they eat anything you want to ask. Each area showed signs encouraging everyone to check its ok to stroke the dogs, hand gel for your hands, stickers to wear when you see a breed you like and written information to take away with you.

Dad went snapping lots of photos of lots of the dogs. As I'm a Greyhound the hound group was his favourite.

But not being totally hound bias he also snapped photos of others he liked. The Italian spinone

Boxer

Parson Russell terrier

Great Dane (Mom's favourite)

German short haired pointer

Dad also took some photos of other breeds but forgot which ones. Let's call it a quiz for you readers (sorry no prize) let's just say he was caught up buying things for me!

Dad has had Ripley on my blog from the pedigree adoption drive programme. Many of us took him for a walk in return for a £1 donation by pedigree. He was there !

But as I'm also on twitter @rolohound my hoomans met at the Kennel Club campaign stand for a tweet up, meeting some of my tweeting friends @sukesu @hilsofhove @collarways @KCLovesDogs. Caroline the lovely lady from the Kennel Club had some cup cakes made specially for the tweet up.

They looked nom nom lick my lips and slopper on the floor! Unfortunately they were eaten before hoomans returned home.

If you missed discover dogs and this blog has wet your appetite then make sure you get there next year! 🐶

Discover dogs blog pt 1

My hoomans went to discover dogs on Saturday 12th November leaving me with Sammy my Yorkshire terrier pal.

Earls court was buzzing with dog owners and future dog owners who come to get information from the 200 plus dogs breeds on display. There were companion dogs, scrufts cross breed shows, obedience displays, rescue centres, police dogs so many things to mention to see, watch and buy.

My hoomans went to a couple of lectures the first was with tv celebrity vet Marc Abraham who was talking about when to take your dog to the vets. He was stressing it doesn't necessarily have to be when we are ill it can be for weight clinics, socialisation skills and advice. Dad even managed to get a photo with him.

They also listened to Carolyn Menteith's lecture on bonding with you dog. (see your dog magazine for her article).

For the dog owner there were plenty of show specials on treats, food and grooming products cheaper than the shops.

Bark and Read was launched by the kennel club with a dedicated reading area for the children with a listening dog provided. This campaign is going into schools with PAT (Pets as Therapy) dogs to enable children to gain confidence in themselves and reading by letting them read to dogs. Us dogs will quietly sit and listen to them and won't judge them if they go wrong. I know it will help reduce the sad fact that 1 in 5 children leave school unable to read.

So what did I get brought? Not sure yet I think a lot of it I'm getting when the big man in the red suit and beard comes. Maybe I have -
2 bandanas, alien tuffie toy, biscuits, refresher disks for my dicky bag, skin and coat gravy (already started that nom nom!).

Check out part 2 of this blog for lots of doggie photos !

Bark & Read Foundation launch blog

Hoomans told me about a great new foundation the kennel club are launching at discover dogs 12-13th November at Earls Court

It's called the Bark & Read Foundation to try and reduce the sad fact that 1 in 5 children leave school unable to read.

The idea is children read to us hounds and we sit there and listen. Sounds relaxing to me unlike mini hoomans we won't judge them, laugh or correct mistakes. In return they practise reading, have fun and improve their confidence.

It's been used in America for a while and works there. The dogs come from 2 charities that go into schools. The Reading Education Assistance Dogs (READ) and Pets as Therapy (already in 40 schools).

Zoe Wannamaker (the very funny lady from My Family comedy show and other telly shows) is supporting the foundation. She says "It's an inspiring idea, we all know that dogs are great listeners. The concept makes reading time fun and helps children's self esteem and passion for reading while they're still finding their voice.

How can we hounds help - ask your hooman owner to donate money or seeing if they can put you forward to be a volunteer to listen to the children.

You can get more info from
www.thekennelclub.org.uk/barkandread

4 days till discover dogs show blog

Heard hoomans talking about discover dogs show which they are going to on Saturday. The show is at Earls Court London 12th - 13th November. Think they are planning what to get me. I like collars 4 isn't enough!

I need to apologise in my last blog about the show, my clumsy paws typed to many letter on the ibone. It's Discover Dogs not discovery dogs. Sorry ! My excuse was I had pulled one of my nails off!

It's a great opportunity to see 200 breeds of dogs ask the owners about their dogs and what the breeds need in terms of exercise, feeding, what the are like with children or any other questions you may have.

There are also lots of stalls selling lovely nice things for dogs treats, food and other great goody gifts.

It should be a great day out so if you haven't got your tickets there is still time to get some.

Chatsworth house sculptures 2011 blog

Hoomans took me to Chatsworth house in Derbyshire to walk me in their huge gardens. It was the last weekend of their 4th beyond limits sculpture exhibits. They have 20 sculptures across the gardens that will be sold at Sotheby's. Will cost too many treats for us hounds.

The sculptures vary in shapes and designs here are a few I examined.

She was naked so Dad told me not to look.

This was at the bottom of the cascade waterfall. I bet the bees loved this one!

This one was a Damien Hurst apparently he's big in the art field. It was strange all red and muscles showing on one side, plain white the other!

Because it was Halloween weekend they also put pumpkins across the gardens for the mini hoomans to find.

Notice how Mom is leaning into me I thought I would play hard to get for this photo!

This bit was also busy so I popped in and got one for my French nanny !

Great exercise in the garden and art to see ahhhh life is good. Bit of relieve before home!

Pumpkin marks the spot ! Bol !