1000 sighthounds 2014 blog

So it's the second time I've made the hoomans take a holiday in Devon so I can go to 1000 sighthounds charity day out. This year is the third time it's been organised by the greyhound sanctuary.

Lots of nice people in high vis jackets told Hoodad where to park. The registration tent was as soon as you came in £3 per dog to go on the walk. We were there at 10.30 so I scoped out some of the other breeds there.

I also spotted lots of whippets, Saluki's, Deerhounds and lurchers. The walk started at 11 so Star and I got ourselves to the starting tape.

The walk was down the field up a concrete path through the woods and then back down the fields about 45 minutes. It was quite a fast pace so I didn't get to sniff many hound bottoms.

On returning from the walk I saw a stand from a nice lady from Bristol university doing research into dog dental hygiene.

Hoomom had to answer a 4 page questionnaire that asked questions such as

Name, age, racing name, food I'm fed, how often I eat bones or dental chews, have my teeth brushed, medical history and lots more. In the meantime I was being fed smackos whilst the lady looked at my teeth, took photos of them and took a swab from inside my mouth.

Lastly my height was measured. I enjoyed taking part in the research I wonder if they will need me again.

The rest of the day was a fun dog show, dogs trust giving free microchipping and other doggie stands. Hoomans decided it was too hot to stick around so we left all the other doggies to it and went off to see Exmouth.

Microchip blog

Did you know June was national microchip month. As a greyhound I'm chipped and have an additional identification as my ears are tattooed. In many parts of Europe they just use tattoos. As I'm Irish both both of my ears are tattooed whereas British greyhounds only have 1 ear tattooed.
Anyway enough about tattoos microchipping is very important so that if you dog runs off, jumps the garden fence or is stolen the chip can be read and the owner can be contacted. Look as the video below and see how excited dogs get when hoomans come home.

Being chipped is great but are your hoomans details up to date. Have you changed mobile or home number due to pesky cold callers or moved house. If so you details need updating.

I have petlog premium and when I go to Grandad's in Kent for the weekend Hoodad tells petlog via the computer that I'm there. He's also saved the address for other holipop places that we visit.

Please fur friends either get your pets chipped and check your details.

Note: As of 2016 it will be compulsory for all dogs to be microchipped and your contact details up to date.

Birthday walks blog

Today is my hoomoms 40th birthday so I must start by saying
Happy Birthday Hoomom !
For her birthday we have gone on holipops for a long weekend in the Peak District. After presents were opened hoomoms had lunch in the Lathkill hotel but then it was walkies time. More precisely to do more walks from our Peak District North book.

The walk we did was
Walk 19. Surprise view
medium hardness 1.2 miles
The first challenge was for Hoodad to get the parking ticket. He was in a line and the meter only took cards and the machine price didn't match the board - a bit confusing then !
The first stretch is a gentle climb to the view and then up more of the hill.

When you reach the top we turned right and head to the nice big rocks. Hoomom kept telling me slow down as we stepped between the rocks - she's a slow coach I think she would be quicker with 4 legs - Bol !

It was a cloudy day but still hot walking hence the panting. At the top we admired the views and had some photos taken.

We then walked down the hill and back to the car.

At the car we got water and got to try new treats. They were Noomie

Hoomans went to a outdoor shop to get some laces whilst Star and I got a few minutes shut eye. Hoomans then had a bright spark idea to take us for another walk.
Any of you who read my blog regularly will realise I'm not a normal 2 x 20 minute walks a day dog. So off we drove for the next walk.
Walk 8. Tip memorial - easy 1.5 miles
We had tried to do this walk before but Hoodad miss read the book and turned it into a hard 4 mile walk up a very steep hill. The last time on the way back he realised where he went wrong.
The car was parked in the free car park up the path into the woods then down towards the reservoir. It's called Tip Memorial as you go past the memorial of the faithful Border collie called "Tip" who stayed by his dead master for 15 weeks during a harsh cold winter.

The memorial is at the dam at
Ladybower reservoir.

Which I'm sure you all know what the reservoir is famous for?

Only practising the famous bomb raid. After walking past the dam it was a toilet stop for the hoomans in the visitors centre before a short walk back to the car for more treats and water.

Did I forgot to mention the dog book tells you were the nearest dog friendly pubs or cafés are and they are all stile free walks. If you go to the Peak District with your dog then well worth buying !

GBGW walk blog

Today my hoomans organised their first greyhound walk as part of the Great British Greyhound Walk (GBGW). The venue was Pype Hayes park in Erdington, Birmingham.
It's the 5th year of GBGW and the 4th time I've been on a GBGW walk and 4th location. Star and I had our blinged bandanas to show off.

We waited in our pop up tent whilst other hounds arrived. We had other hounds showing off their bandanas.

We had 4 lurchers on the walk. One of them was Millie wearing her honorary greyhound bandana. We do doggie training with Millie she's a lot better behaved than Star and has a helicopter tail when she gets excited.

At 11am we set off together into the secret garden a lovely flower section of the park that not many people know about. Then round the lake before a group photo. Star was walk leader as she loves being at the front. Whilst Hoomom & I were back markers wearing our dog walking high visibility jacket.

The weather was slightly overcast but warm. So lots of happy hounds.

As you can see from the next photo you can see the view that my twitter buddy @roundaboutjack had.

On reaching the junction of the cycle track we had a quick break for some water and then those doing the short walk headed back to the car. 13 of us went off onto the long walk. Along the cycle track through the fields and round to the shop for hooman toilet stop and cold drinks from the CO-OP whilst Hoomom handed out mini sausages.
Then walked back to the cars were Sam had lovely bowls of cold water for the hounds and squash for the hoomans. But I had a surprise liver cake that Hoodad sliced up into places and handed out.

Hopefully every enjoyed themselves and we had donations adding up to £20 that we will send off for GBGW. Thanks to everyone for attending my walk 31 greyhounds and 4 lurchers.
Here's to next years walk !

Crufts 2014 is coming blog

The 4th February is 30 days till the start of Crufts 2014. So I'm getting excited and want to share with you all the reasons to go to the greatest dog show in the world.

Crufts 2014 is from 6th-9th March 2014 at the NEC Birmingham with good access from the train and parking for 16,000 cars. So is Crufts expensive for all the things that I'm going to tell you about. I think it's very good value for money. Adult tickets in advance Thursday & Friday £16.50, Saturday & Sunday £17.20, best in show tickets on the Sunday are £17.50-£22.50 on top of the day ticket. Better still make it a family trip out under 12's go free!

Hopefully I have started to wet your appetite to go but here are 10 good reasons.

1. See thousands of dogs

Last year 2013 over 20,000 dogs were judged over the 4 days. Each day has a different group being judged. This year

Thursday 6th March : Working & Pastoral
Friday 7th March : Terrier & Hound
Saturday 8th March : Toy & Utility
Sunday 9th March : Gundog


When you walk round the show you can see all the pre judge grooming taking place, the highs and lows of the ring and maybe even see a future champion on display either for the group of best in show.

2. Trade Stands - aka treats and nommies

Crufts spreads itself over 5 halls and trade stands are in all of them so as you can imagine there is everything a hound can want - insurance, medication, toys, clothes, leads, treats, food and for the Hoomans stands are selling dog walking clothes & shoes.

In amongst the trade stands are many charities raising awareness of the work they do and selling their merchandise.

3. Discover dogs

If you love dogs but can't decide which one you prefer here is the chance to see over 200 breeds in a dedicated area in hall 3. Here you can ask questions about grooming, leads, the breed itself; useful if you are considering getting a dog or want advise. If you come down on Thursday 6th to the greyhound stand you can meet Star and I between 8.30-12.30.

4.Demonstrations

Free to watch are demonstrations of young handlers, good citizen scheme and dogs doing their test on the day, Police dog demonstrations, children safety around dogs, scruffs and many more.

5. Celebrities

Last year over 40,000 visitors went to Crufts but Hoodad managed to find a couple. Jodie Kidd the model and dog lover was at the Samsung electronics stand with Doobby her Jack Russell and posed for photos with a larger breed a Great Dane. Hoodad also had his photo with Peter Purves who has co presented many a Crufts show as well as being a ex Blue Peter presenter (Hoodad showing his age).

As well as hooman celebrities there was also some famous dogs there. The Arden Grange stand had a demonstration of how the dogs are trained to do tricks for their roles on TV. Some of the dogs there were Skye's from Midsummer Murder and Wilson from Channel 4's Friday night dinner. Wilson is related to Wellard the dog that used to be on EastEnders but is very photogenic with hoomom.

6. Crufts on YouTube

When you are visiting the show you can link your phone, tablet or laptop to the free wifi and view the live YouTube channel or watch coverage on any day, judging and many other good clips.

7. The main arena

As well as the 5 halls there is more to see in the main arena which is free to enter with any day ticket to the show. The exception is for the best in show programme which is from 3pm onwards on the Sunday. Here you can see the flyball competition, agility competition for both professionals and rescue dogs with all the various breeds ranging from small up to large dogs.

8. Heelwork to music

Heelwork to music is dancing with your dogs and doing some great dog and handler tricks. The queen of Heelwork to music is Mary Ray and she is always warmly received when she performs. There is also the competition to see who can win the cup.

9. Meet your friends

I have many friends on twitter who I have met on various walks, dog shows or on meet and greet road shows. Hopefully some of you can see me on the discover dogs stand. But on the Friday for the hound judging I am sure that I will see many of my friends watching the greyhounds being judged. Last year when Star was at Crufts she walked round and met a twitter friend Hetty (@Hetty_BG). Hetty was the 1st dog in the UK to be trained by Guide Dogs & support dogs to be a guide & seizure alert dog. Everyday she gives vital warning of her hoomoms seizures keeping her safe.

10. Best in Show

I can't finish without talking about the best in show. How does a dog get to be considered to be best in show. A dog or bitch must win its group and then be judged against the other class winners (dogs and bitches judged separately). Once a best dog or bitch of the breed has been chosen they are judged against each other to be crowned the best of breed. The best of breed then represents the breed in the best in group. The 7 group winning dogs are then judged to crown the overall best in show. 2013 was won by Jilly a Petit Bassett Griffon Vendeen from Oxfordshire in her last ever dog show.

Hopefully if you have never been to Crufts before my top ten items have made you want to go.