Not being a fashionista, Bicester is not always my favourite place to visit. I am usually dragged there under duress by visitors staying with us or the more trendy members of my family. However last weekend we visited the beautiful Claydon House which is about half an hour from where we live down some of the tiniest country lanes (or maybe that was Tom Tom having some fun with us). If you ever get a chance to visit the house … click to continue
This is not a dog post. It does however feature creatures that have shown loyalty in service of their people and country. Like dogs. Yesterday’s visit to Bletchley Park, the home of the code breakers and the birthplace of the modern computer, was uplifting and touching. The guide brought history to life in a way that my teachers at school were never able to. We live about 5 miles from the Park and I can’t believe it has taken us … click to continue
Dogs seem to have featured prominently in companies’ April fool’s hoaxes. You can see why. The aaah factor gets people talking and makes the headlines. Virgin announced Pet Therapy on Virgin flights saying that they had whittled down hundreds of applicants to award wings to a small crack team of five. The Pet Engagement team made their selection on the basis of grooming and personality. According to the Virgin Travel blog, Chief Pet Recruiter Donald Gillespie said: “Our Flight Pets … click to continue
Like the rest of the country we have been enjoying walks with the bouvies in the unseasonably warm weather. On Sunday Lucy found a dried out and discarded corn on the cob which she guarded for at least half of her walk. She chewed it, ate chunks of it and wouldn’t let us near it. It was bouvie walk treasure. Corn on the cob is one of my favourite things. Coming from South Africa it was a regular summer … click to continue
Apparently there is a growing trend for pet owners to bag up their dog poo and leave it on beaches. Bad owners! What’s the point? In fact if it wasn’t bagged up at least it would degrade over time. I too have seen evidence of this grotty behaviour on our walks in the local area. There are bins at all the main points along the walk so it is hard to understand people’s thinking on this one. According to reports on BBC news … click to continue
Everyone has heard of the Wright brothers Orville and Wilbur. Famous for inventing the airplane. Much has been written about these bowler-hatted and bow-tied brothers and their obsession with getting a fixed wing aircraft off the ground. Not much however is known about Orville and his beloved St Bernard, Scipio. The dog was bought as a puppy in 1917 for $75 and his new owners went to the train station to pick him up. He told his nephew they were … click to continue
Bouviers are not a well known breed and ours are never recognised. Mostly they are mistaken for giant schnauzers. They aren’t very put out by this (particularly Stella the chubby one who is pleased not to be mistaken for a hippo) as any attention is most welcome. There have been one or two more famous Bouviers – probably the most famous being Lucky who belonged to President Regan. Apparently she was a gift and by all accounts the delightful … click to continue
The Irish Guards were dressed up in their traditional scarlet tunics and bearskins today as they received shamrocks from the Duchess of Cambridge to mark St Patrick’s Day. Even their mascot the Irish Wolfhound, Conmael, stood to attention to receive his shamrock on his collar. He also wore a scarlet coat. Conmael has been the current mascot for four years and made his debut at the Trooping of the Colours on 13 June 2009. … click to continue
At Christmas Stella and Lucy (the resident bouvies) were given two lovely large jute bags of biscuits from the ‘dogs with taste’ Barkery. They had the Muddy Paws flavour with dog safe chocolate and the very crunchy Bis-Scotties. They really loved them It’s worth having a look at their doggy celebration cakes which are a work of art! I should add a thank you here to Ian and Nikki who introduced Stella and Lucy to these fabulous treats. Ian and … click to continue
I love Paris. Not only because it is one of the most beautiful cities and I love French food, but also because I love the way the French include their dogs in all aspects of their lives. They are with their owners in restaurants, salons, the Metro and in all the parks. Dogs are as much a part of French life as is the baguette. On a trip to Paris and whilst strolling through the Jardin de Tuileries I spotted … click to continue