All in a day's beagling....

It looks really nice and warm out there, can we go for a walk Mam ....pleaseeeeeeee!




Pretty please!



Where did that ball go???




Where did that Ruby go?????




Time for a little relaxation



And some......

No worries at the Quarry......

For the last few days we have visited a different walking venue, the quarry! It is an old, filled in, grassed over type of quarry and a very good spot for off lead play for two naughty beagles!

Oscar was excellent, though as you can see, still with lunge lead attached (just in case!). Ruby has proved herself to be a very good girl, and is at last getting the hang of the fetch game. I even had my youngest daughter, Sam (Samantha) in tow, so lots of fun was had by all - even the sun was shining - yeay!!!

Smaller photos than usual as we used Sam's camera

After chasing Ruby all over the local park for days now (such a naughty girl) I have decided she needs to be on lead just like her brother Oscar (also a naughty dog - well, as far as recall goes). So I hatched a plan that might work and not pull my arms completely out of their sockets!!!

Two collars, one coupling chain and one extender lead. As you can see from below it was a rousing success (if you don't count the few incidents where Oscar and Ruby looked like a Push me-Pull me). I haven't given up altogether on off-lead play but I'm giving my stress levels a time to lower!!!

There is something in the air!

There is a funny smell in the air, Mam - I think I like it!




I think I can smell it too, Mam!!!



I think it might be coming from this here hole!



Yep, definitely coming from inside this hole, over here Oscar!



We could be onto a winner if only I were thinner
I'd scamper down this hole even quicker than a mole
But alas my girth is big and it's much too much to dig
If only I were thinner we'd have had rabbit for dinner!!!

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Here are some views from Tunstall Hill - a nature reserve in Sunderland and a fantastic dog-walking territory

The Missing chapter - George

Since starting my blog it has troubled me that I have written about my two beagles Oscar and Ruby but not about my first beagle, and indeed first ever dog, George.

Since I was 5 years old I'd always wanted a dog but circumstances meant that it wasn't possible, even when I got married and had children it really wasn't a practical idea in the house where we lived. So after a house move and when my hubbie finally caved in to my begging, we set about looking for a dog. I wasn't worried about which breed but Phil my hubbie had a fancy for a beagle and I was happy to agree.

Through the Kennel Club website we found a breeder and set off to meet a beautiful six week old beagle pup we named George. He was gorgeous and we fell in love there and then. Two weeks later we went to fetch George home and we were so thrilled to have a new member to our family.

Over the first few months George settled in no problem and we couldn't help loving him to bits. He was such a little character, the way he ragged his favourite soft toy, and raced about each day having his mad half hour and generally endearing himself to one and all. He loved his walks and loved to meet new dogs and humans alike.

The only down side was that George had a series of episodes where he seemed to be suffering from sore limbs and he would act as if his neck was stiff and walk like a very old dog. The vet advised steriod injections and these worked like a miracle cure, so much so that in a matter of hours George would be back to his normal self and be full of energy.

However, after suffering a further episode the vet suggested that it might be wise to check out George with the help of an x-ray to see if there were any visible neck problems that may be causing the problem.

An appointment was arranged and I dropped George off at the allotted time giving him a quick pat on the head and leaving him to have his x-ray. Two and a half hours later I received a phone call from the vet telling me that George had passed away under anesthetic. To say we were all devastated was an understatement. I felt as though my heart was smashed to smitherines, it felt so unfair, so wrong, after all he had only gone in for a routine x-ray. I so wanted to believe it wasn't true, alas it was true and we all cried and cried.

George we discovered later had a disease which affects about one beagle in a thousand each year called steriod responsive meningitis. He was a ticking time bomb and could have collapsed at any time. Some beagles out=grow this condition but sadly not our beautiful George.

George was only 8 months old - here are some photos of his short but we hope very happy life

The amazing Beagleasorus

Two thirsty beagles snapped having a drink in the beck - what a strange image they make - it looks like they have morphed into a very strange creature indeed!

We're tagged - thank you Sapphire

The game's rules are:

1. Open your first photo folder
2. Scroll down to the tenth photo
3. Post the photo and tell the story behind it
4. Tag 5 more people





This is one of my favourites of Oscar at about a year old - We'd had an extra long walk and Oscar climbed onto the new sofa and looked so heavy eyed and he'd been extra good at coming back to me that day, we couldn't move him and snapped this shot instead