Walk Your Dog Day

Well, I get 2 or 3 walks every day anyway, but during the week they are mainly around our neighbourhood & I mostly stay on my lead because there are roads & cars.

Weekends we go to exciting new places where there are loats of new smells to sniff, doggies to meet, places to explore & fun to be had!

As Sunday was "Walk Your Dog Day" on Dogs with Blogs, I asked mum & dad if we could go to my favourite walking spot, Nightingale Wood. It's on the Tara's Trails website, but we had managed to find this one on our own a while back.

So, off we set in dad's car, which is now adorned with my lovely Christmas present from Miss Sunshade

There's a handy map at the entrance to the wood, though it's actually very easy to find your way around as it's nicely signposted & with good non-muddy paths. And yes, I did steal that wellie boot to play with!

As soon as we got going mum got that blasted camera out! For pete's sake mum, can't a guy enjoy a nice stick in peace? I'm NOT posing!

As it's still fairly cold & wintry here, there was hardly anyone about. Look how much space there is to run about in!

We did meet a 2 year old Boxer. He was on his lead so dad called me back & put me on mine in case he wasn't friendly. Quite the opposite! He was really cool & just wanted to play. His mum & dad said he just has to stay on his lead as he is naughty & doesn't come back when called. I am working hard recall at the moment so I could sympathise with him. He showed me some of his best boxing moves & we had a whale of a time until the parents said we had to move on.

These woods are really geared up for us doggies, even having a state of the art "Dog Dip". I didn't fancy it today as it didn't look as nice as where I had my swim last weekend. I'm sure it will be good in the summer though.

Mum & dad were wandering along holding hands (yuck!), whereas I just wanted to get on with the walk. Trouble is I'm a bit of a wimp & only go about 50 metres ahead before stopping dead & waiting for them. Added to this they keep hiding when I'm not looking so that I have to go & find them. They say it's to help with my recall training, but I think they're just meanies!

Today there were lots of men running through the wood. Dad said they were doing cross country racing. One man was going ahead & laying this white stuff on the floor in blobs & arrows. Dad explained it was so the men knew where to run. Trouble was I just couldn't resist eating it. Mum panicked at first, but dad promised her it was only flour. I hope no-one got lost because of my impromptu snacks all along the route!

There are 2 routes around the wood, & we did both today as I was having such fun & being such a good boy. What a great mum & dad I have!

We even went off trail & did some stalking through the grass & baby trees. This was the best fun, much better than walking on the paths.

There were lots of smells to trail, and I felt quite at home sniffing about. I didn't find anything to chase though. Maybe they were scared off by mum & dad crunching after me in their wellies!

We were out for AGES & I was totally pooped when we got back in the car. Even my ears look tired!

Licks

Oscar x