Monday 30 June 2014

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.

Sunday 29 June 2014

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 !

Sunday 22 June 2014

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 !