We are family!

On Sunday morning my extended family of Aberdeenshire wire-haired fox terriers met for a woodland walk on the Leith Hall estate. 

On arrival I was delighted to spot my big brother Rupert, one year older than me. 

Even better, our parents turned up too. Front to back we have Jimbob (dad), myself, Rupert, and Vikki (mum), 

After a brief 'meet and greet', us pups set off in purposeful fashion for the bluebell woods, with the humans trailing behind, nattering away of course.

As time went on, it is just possible that Rupert was finding my insistent attentions a teeny bit irritating.

What are little siblings for, if not to be a pest?

Of course, when I am home with my human family I am always impeccably behaved and never ever a pest.....*

*Gail says "I wish..."

Nobby the apprentice field assistant

Well friends, it's been a busy and interesting ten days!

Gail didn't tell me before we set off for Torridon a week last Tuesday that she would be spending most of her time conducting surveys of local plant life, having volunteered to take part in the National Plant Monitoring Scheme, and that I, Nobby, would be assisting her with the field work.

Well I am pleased to report that I took to the role like a duck to water (and believe me, there is plenty of water in this part of the world).

Look, here's me, guarding the SW corner flag of a 5 m square of 'wet heath' on the Kinloch Estate, wherre  Gail was surveying the plantlife with fellow volunteer Graham. 

I should point out here that Gail was planning to leave me in the car but Graham said no, no, he'll be fine, let him come with us. What a nice man, don't you think?

While the humans got stuck into identifying different types of heather, sedges, moor grasses, bog myrtle and bog asphodel etc. I gave them absolutely no cause for concern by scrambling up and over nearby rocky ledges, and I even helped by making sure the marker poles did not fly away in the wind.

You have probably already figured out that botanical field work in NW Scotland does not wait for warm and sunny weather.

The next day, we ventured into the birch woods on the steep northern flank of Ben Shieldaig, where primroses were still in bloom and the rocks were covered in a baffling variety of mosses. We are in 'temperate rainforest' habitat here. 

When Aberdeen neighbour Kirsty came over to stay in the middle of the week, we took a bit of time off the plant stuff and went for a nice walk along the coast (see 25 May post). 

But on the following morning I was disappointed to be left in the car while Gail, Kirsty and Graham checked out the plants in a native pinewood area (located too close to the North Coast 500 road for my safety). 

Finally, and just 'cos it's pretty, I'll leave you with a picture of me amid the bluebells near our cottage. 

Happy Nature Friday friends! Do go and visit the other posts in the LLB Gang's always enjoyable blog hop.

 

Free range puppy in Torridon

Celebrating reaching the age of four months by demonstrating my bold and independent terrier spirit on a walk to Rubha na h-Áirde Glaise.

Later the same day.

Look, I'm still only a puppy... 

Classic or Quirky?

Nobby at 4 months old

Bertie at four months old

Although Gail tells me her father would sometimes remind her "comparisons are odious" I note this does not seem to deter her from making frequent observations about how I might or might not resemble my distinguished predecessor Bouncing Bertie.

It seems that whereas Bertie had what might be considered 'classic' wire-haired fox terrier markings, with a black saddle across his back, my dark patches are somewhat non-standard - one might say quirky, characterful, unique even. 

Apparently my eyes are ears and bigger than Bertie's and my face furs are more white. 

We both made a strong impression at puppy class, although not necessarily, Gail says, in a good way...

Strangers would often compliment Bertie on his fine, alert terrier stance, and I do believe that in this regard I can be considered my distinguished predecessor's equal.

But as for any contention Gail might make, that I am "an even naughtier and more wilful" puppy, well might I just point out it's well known how the human brain is capable of blanking out past traumas, and memories can become distorted over time...

PS Gail and I are in currently in Torridon and will report back more fully later in the week. Meanwhile, here's a sneak preview of me enjoying a walk in the bluebells near Shieldaig with new friends Max and Nell. 

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside...

The weather was cold and foggy when we left Aberdeen on Tuesday morning, and cloudy, damp and midgy when we arrived later afternoon at the Torridon cottage. 

But I'm delighted to report that it was all blue skies and sea at Hopeman on the Moray coast, where we broke the journey to meet Gail's old friend A-M for a stroll beside the pristine beach, and contemplated the pleasures of owning a brightly painted beach hut. 

A-M used to lodge with Gail in the days when Hamish the Westie was also in residence. She remembers Hamish as being stubborn. A Westie? Stubborn? Imagine that! 

We all had a lovely walk, and I was allowed off lead for a stretch by the beach, but reined back in as we approached the cliffs. 

Gail's friend hasn't been having an easy time of late, and has not been venturing out much. But for sure, a walk beside the sparking sands, accompanied by a jolly little dog, would help lift anyone's spirits, don't you think?

By the end of the walk A-M was asking Gail when my breeder would next have puppies available. 

Happy Nature Friday friends! Remember that time spent outdoors enjoying the peace and beauty of the natural landscape, with or even possibly without your dog, is not only good exercise but great for overall wellbeing. 

PS Readers interested in the geology of this area will surely want to visit Bouncing Bertie's blog post from August 2012, where, in his own inimitable fashion, he describes his experience of accompanying Gail and her erstwhile colleagues on a field trip along the Moray coast...

Zeus and his Top Knot

It was a lovely sunny morning in the park as I was gearing up for a pow wow with the Big Dogs. 

(Gail tells me I am not a Big Dog and never will be, but she cannot see inside my mind.)

My first encounter was with this fine fellow.  I didn't catch his name but I can tell you he is gentle and has enviably long legs.  I think he is quite a bit older than me and I am gradually learning that some senior dogs, although friendly, have limited appetite for playing with young pups. Especially if those puppies are hyperactive WFTs! 

So onto the next Big Dog. He is called Zeus. We see him in the park quite often and Gail always admires his handsomeness.

Zeus is a Russian Black Terrier. It might be that he is embarrassed about being Russian just now, and is sporting an ever so slightly effeminate top knot not just to keep his furs out of his eyes but also to counteract any suspicion of aggressive Putinesque tendencies...

In fact, Zeus is a Good Sport and not aggressive at all. (And not Russian in anything but breed name.)

Nobby's rules

Any ball in the park belongs to me. Even, no especially, if another pup claims it as their own.

No matter how big or small, every human and every dog I encounter must be prepared to stop what they are doing and play with me.

Subclause to the above: Gail is not allowed to sit down quietly and read in the evening if I am in the room. 

"Play nicely" is not a thing. 

I should be allowed to eat my meals when I feel like it. If I happen instantly to regurgitate, 'recycling' should be permitted. 

If when out on a walk, we reach a busy road with lorry traffic, I should always be carried in Gail's arms.

Puppy class is for girly swots. 

Responding to shouts of "Nobby, COME!" is only necessary when distractions are wholly absent. 

A leaf being blown across the grass 100 meters away counts as a distraction. 

Bicycles and brooms are to be reclassified as "Nobby's toys".

PS Gail's friend Kirsty and her daughter Monica looked after me for a few hours on Thursday while Gail went cycling with her pals. When Gail picked me up, Kirsty (a retired vet with much experience of dogs) said; "That's one wild puppy you've got there!" That was a compliment, right? 

Always keen to visit neighbour Kirsty and wee poodle Ella

Blossoming along with the cherry trees

Happy Nature Friday friends! Don't forget to visit all the other posts in the LLB Gang's ever wonderful blog hop.

Meet Spike

Photo from https://www.theguardian.com/uk

I want to introduce to you this little fellow, Spike the dachshund.

I've never met him, although I think we would be friends*. He used to live in Mariupol, Ukraine, but is pictured here enjoying a quiet stroll by the Dnieper River in the city of Zaporizhzhia. He and his family have just been rescued after they spent two terrifying months sheltering from Russian bombardment in the maze of tunnels under the Azovstal steel complex. 

Spike's family continued to feed him enough to keep him alive, even though by the end of their ordeal the  humans were only eating one tiny meal of 'soup' (just macaroni and water) once a day.

We see so many pictures of refugees fleeing from this horrendous war, leaving almost all their possessions behind, but often clinging on to beloved pets. Gail heard this week about the friend of a friend here in the UK who has offered to house a displaced family from Ukraine - the Ukrainian family all have their visas and are ready to travel but are waiting for a rabies certificate for their dog.  

I, Nobby, am beginning to understand how us pups are treasured by our humans and how we should treasure them too in return. 

Gail and I hope that Spike and his family stay safe and can start to rebuild their lives in peace before too long. Even though Spike is a dachshund, we suspect he won't be wanting to go burrowing underground any time soon. 

*Gail says: Nobby is at that delightful stage of life where he thinks all dogs, and all humans, are his friends! 

'Lively mind' or 'attention span of a gnat'

Last week's lesson at the Awesome Paws Academy was all about 'focus'. Apparently. Or so Gail told me later. In truth I wasn't paying much attention at the time.

I did later overhear Gail discussing the whole puppy class thing when we were out walking with her friends M and J. She was bemoaning my lack of concentration and poor school performance in general. 

Phrases like "attention span of a gnat" were being bandied about. 

Well, what is the point of having your own blog if you can't use it to put the record straight? 

So throughout last Wednesday's hour long class I was in fact focussing intently on fellow students Pedro, Kelvin, Chewy, Ezra and their humans. Also on any stray treats scattered about the place. And noises coming from outside. And so forth. 

Gail's complaint seems to be that I was "all over the place" and not paying any attention to her. 

To which there is only one possible response. 

GAIL, IT'S TIME TO LEARN IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT YOU!

And while we're at it, what about some praise for my lively and and enquiring mind?

I'm pleased to report we did have a lovely outing to Ballogie Estate with M and J on Saturday and, apart from the small matter of me sprinting after two mountain bikers at the start of the walk, I put on a compelling show of being Perfect Puppy (aka Nice Nobby), staying fairly close to the humans even when not attached to my walking string. 

What I learned in Torridon

I think most of my readers already know that as well as the house in Aberdeen, Gail has a cottage in the Northwest of Scotland, overlooking Loch Torridon. 

After four days in Torridon over the May Day Holiday, sharing the cottage with a couple of Gail's friends from Down South, these are some of the things I learned: 

There are two neighbours whom I might one day be allowed to chase. Meet Irish terriers Dooley and Duffy.

Other neighbours will always be off limits. As apparently will their poop (despite it being yummy!)

The weather can, and does, turn on a sixpence.

The hills are bigger and more spectacular than those around Aberdeen, and Gail has promised that when my legs are strong enough I shall be allowed to climb them. But for the moment I'm to stick to the lower ground.

Some visitors are inspired to rise early and exercise their artistic gifts in the early morning light.

Others prefer  to relax after an afternoon dip in the loch.  (In this part of the world, humans seem to get dressed in stretchy tight fitting suits to go swimming. Weird or what?)

Gail's favourite thing of course is to sit outside in the spring sunshine with a lively fox terrier puppy on her lap. 

And finally, I learned that the last light of the day is often the most beautiful. 

Happy Nature Friday friends!