A Dog Is For Love

Daisy and The Donkey

We have had a lovely weekend with my friend Jane staying with us. Yesterday we went to the Queen Elizabeth Country Park, on the Sandringham estate. There were some lovely walks through the woods and along the open grassy rides. Then it was great to spread out the rug and have a picnic in the October sunshine.

Jane with Hazel and Daisy

Today, we have been to Felbrigg, a National Trust estate, and again walked through the woods, enjoying the autumn colours. It was a very cute moment when Daisy saw a donkey in a field. She is very inquisitive and friendly so went over and poked her head through the fence to meet him. He approached and they nuzzled each other for a few minutes. It was a lovely sight!

 

Crèche for Dogs at Royal Norfolk Show

The Eastern Daily Press reported today that dogs heading to the Royal Norfolk Show on 1st and 2nd July this year will be able to take a rest at a new “crèche”.

The idea came from the newspaper's cartoonist Tony Hall who regularly visits the show with his 10 year old border terrier Harry.

Mr Hall thought dogs, and their owners, would both benefit from somewhere for the pets to have a lie down, while the humans headed off to areas of the showground where dogs are banned - such as food tents, and livestock pens. He wrote to show manager Sarah de Chair and she wrote back - to Harry - with a letter from her own dogs Digger and Dougal saying it was a good idea.

The crèche will be in a marquee near the dog show and will carry the name, and a cartoon banner picture, of Harry.

Many dog owners love to take their pets to the show but there was a need to for them to have a bit of “respite”, especially during times of hot weather. It will help to prevent owners from leaving dogs in hot cars - in the past staff have, on occasion, had to break into cars to free distressed animals. 

In previous years a small area was provided, run by the RSPCA, but the new marquee will provide a much greater area with 35 cages where people can leave their dogs for up to 2 hours for a small donation.

So, if you live in or are visiting Norfolk, have a great day out with your dogs!

People wanting to use the crèche should visit there as soon as they arrive to arrange a stay.

Dogs Trust Open Day at Snetterton - Sunday 7th June

This year's Fun Dog Show and Summer Open Day isto be held at Dogs Trust Rehoming Centre Snetterton, North End Road, Snetterton, Norfolk, NR16 2LD on Sunday, 7th June 2009 at 12:00pm- 4:00pm. An entry fee may be applicable.

There will be lots of attractions and activities including Agility Demonstration, Giant Dog Tombola, Raffle, Tombola, Trade Stands, PDSA Mobile PetCheck, Games for all the family, Eastern Area Prison Drug Dog Team display, Refreshments and much more!. There is also an opportunity for your dog to take part in the Fun Dog Show in which your dog can compete to win a rosette or even 'best in show’!

Friends, family and dogs are all welcome. I went to last year's event and it was a glorious day and great fun.

If you have any queries please contact Dogs Trust on 01953 498012. 

Lovely weekend walks in Norfolk

My friend Jane came to stay at the weekend and we were fortunate to enjoy some nice sunny weather. We took the opportunity to take the dogs out for a walk at the Holkham Hall estate on Saturday. We walked by the lakeside up to the obelisk and back - a short walk but long enough for the puppy at the moment. There was goose poo everywhere and Daisy developed a strong liking for it, eating it up every chance she got! I kept pulling her away but she managed to eat some nevertheless.

If you want a longer walk there is great variety at Holkham with a mixture of lakeside, woodland and parkland to explore. Dogs are allowed everywhere on leads, except in the Hall's formal gardens. You can also walk through the extensive pinewoods along the coast and explore miles of unspoilt beach and sand dunes.

On Sunday we went to Castle Acre, a delightful and historic village. We walked around the 11th century castle ruins and then down the quiet lane to the ruined priory. There are also nice riverside walks here and plenty of public footpaths through neighbouring countryside. We saw a large group of ramblers setting off for the day. Most importantly, in my opinion, there are a couple of lovely tea shops for refreshment. We sat outside with our tea and shortbread enjoying the peace and the spring bird song. Delightful!

A walk among the snowdrops

February is approaching and during these dim days of January the snowdrops have been pushing up through the damp, dark soil to give us a magniicent display next month. It is amazing to see those lovely drifts carpeting the woodland floor and, in some places, a massive carpet of blooms. 

This is a great time to get out with your dog and witness the hope of spring that these wonderful flowers bring. If the day is bright they will look all the better and you will feel invigorated and with a sense of renewal.

There are several places you can visit and one of the most spectacular is Walsingham Abbey in the village of Little Walsingham, NR22 6BP. Usually open throughout February, it is best to telephone beforehand to check opening times. The estate number is 01328 820259. One year I went and the flowers hadn't yet opened so it is always advisable to enquire.

Under the National Gardens Scheme Norfolk - www.norfolkgardens.org - you can visit Lexham Hall, near Litcham, close to Swaffham, PE32 2QJ. Open Sunday February 8th 2009 11am to 4pm for the snowdrop walk, the estate encompases woodland, parkland, lake and river walks. Dogs are allowed on leads for the February opening only. 

Dean Spanley

Last night I went to see the recently released film “Dean Spanley”. There were several points of interest for me in this film: it is a period piece; it was filmed on location in East Anglia; and, of course, it has dogs in it!

The star cast includes Peter O’Toole, whose portrayal of the cantankerous, hard-hearted, geriatric father is nothing short of brilliant. Must deserve an Oscar, surely? Sam Neill is in the title role as Dean Spanley and Brian Brown plays a “colonial” who gives a whole new perspective to the occupation of conveyancer. Quite fancy that job myself!

It is an unusual and intriguing story of love and loss, centering around the reincarnation of Dean Spanley, who was a dog in his former life. Sounds quirky I know but it is the sort of thing I just love.

It was great to see familiar locations such as Holkham Hall and estate, Norwich Cathedral and the historic Elm Hill in Norwich, a street full of wine merchants in the film. There were also wonderful scenes of Wisbech in Cambridgeshire, which I have never visited but will now.

My favourite part of the film was when the two dogs, a scruffy grey mutt (most loveable!) and the Welsh Springer “Wag” went for their short adventure. It was truly joyous and captured the essence of what it must be for a dog to enjoy freedom and what comes naturally. Their doggy sleep under a tree was a wonderful “aahh” moment for me. This then leads up to the inevitable sad part but soon we are returned to humour and a happy ending.

In Peter O’Toole’s character, it is wonderful to finally see a heart hardened from so many years of denial suddenly melt, allowing joy to once again find its place there.

What a Good Girl!

I recently enjoyed a lunch-time meal with a friend at The Walpole Arms in Itteringham. This is my very favourite dog-friendly pub with a lovely traditional bar with open fire and beautiful old beams. The food is delicious.

On this occasion I ordered Norfolk Dapple cheese sausages with basil mash and ratatouille. When the dish arrived, there were three enormous sausages, so I decided to keep one for my dog Hazel as a special tea-time treat. I wrapped one up in a serviette and put it on the chair next to me by my handbag, to ensure I wouldn’t forget it.

As we ate our lunch, Hazel lay down under the table and I commented to my friend that she was such a good girl and that I could take her anywhere – she was so well-behaved. We didn’t hear a peep out of her.

 As we went to leave I reached for my bag and the sausage and, guess what? No sausage! I looked under the table to see a very satisfied-looking Hazel and just a tiny piece of remains of the serviette! What a good girl indeed!

My Favourite Norfolk Walk

There are so many wonderful places to walk with your dog in Norfolk, it is hard to choose a favourite. However, one that combines all my favourite elements is at Wells-next-the-Sea on the north Norfolk coast. It offers huge expanses of sand, quintessential beach huts, grass-tufted dunes, fragrant pine woods and endless skies. Added to that, it is a paradise for dogs and their owners and I love meeting other people with their dogs. I always come home knowing the names of the dogs we have met, but never the owners’!

My golden retriever absolutely loves to swim and is never happier than when she is running in and out of the water. We normally park in the pay-and-display car park and go up the wooden steps near the path to the woods. This takes you to the part of the beach where dogs are allowed. There is only a small section that is restricted. Hazel seems to get the whiff of the sea a couple of miles away from the coast and usually starts to squeak excitedly, so once we arrive she is more than eager to get down to the shore!

As we reach the top of the steps the sea comes into view and she is off! I never have to worry about her bothering any people as she has only one objective in mind. The sea is a long way out at this point so she arrives before I do and then runs back to proudly announce “I’m wet… I’ve been in!”

The sands are so vast, joining onto Holkham Bay, that it is never crowded. Out of the holiday season you sometimes only see a handful of people. Sometimes a rider or two on horseback are cantering along the edge of the surf. This is a place where I always feel totally invigorated, at one with nature and free as a bird. Looking at my dog’s face and her wagging tail I am sure she feels the same.

Eventually we head back via the pine woods. This gives time for dog drying before we get back in the car. However her coat is capable of holding a mountain of sand! I like looking out from the pine fringe to the blue water in the distance. My favourite colours are combined there – shades of blue, turquoise and pale sand gold.

Heading back home, I know we will have that most satisfying of sleeps that only a long walk in the bracing air induces. And when I hear Hazel squeaking in her doggie dream I am sure she is running in and out of that water again! 

Pictures: Wells-next-the-Sea and Wells horses courtesy of Martin Pettitt