Paws for a Puppy: August 2013

Saturday, 17 August 2013

Soon be time for Barnaby's introduction to agility

Barnaby will soon be old enough to attend agility classes

Barnaby says: " Helen says that in a months time I will be one year old. Well my birthday is September 29 actually, so it will be in just over a month's time and guess what when I have come of age I can begin taking agility lessons.......Oh what fun that is going to be.

But first dear Sue Baker, from Up N Over Dog Training Club, Upper Heyford, who has taken on the role of my personal trainer, says I still have a lot to learn before I begin jumping hurdles, climbing dog frames and leaping through tyres.

Barnaby and Sue Baker of Up N Over Dog Training Club

I mustn't, for example jump up and give people a big furry cuddle when I see them and I must sit still at all times while waiting for instructions. These are things I do not always do, I find it so difficult to hold back when someone enters the room who I long to hug. Sue is helping me curb these enthusiasms but as I still tend to go for the big hug, she is showing me how to stand still and simply smile rather than rush up towards them at 70 miles an hour. Yes Sue is a very special person, exceptional actually as she loves doggies like me even when I am naughty and trains us dogs to all levels of Kennel Club Good Citizen Awards. As Sue has been doing this for more than 10 years so there is nothing much she doesn't know about training dogs like me.

The lovely thing about Up N Over is the amount of friends I am making. I'll tell you about them all next time."
Barnaby

Barnaby Peacocke

Meet Barnaby Peacocke the purebred Border collie with merle eyes who was born in the Cotswolds September 29 2012.

He lives with Helen and two pesky cats Harvey the ginger mog and Buster the Burmese who is convinced he comes from royal stock and is therefore rather up himself. Helen? Oh she is just Helen. Nothing special about her except that she is particularly fond of Border collies, and is considered a pretty good cook.

Barnaby was selected to live with them when Helen’s beloved Border collie Pythius-Peacocke died November 12 2012. His death broke her heart. He left some pretty big pawmarks to fill which is where Barnaby comes in. He has been called on to fill her life with puppy antics and become her constant companion. His main job is to ensure she’s as happy with him as she was with Pythius. Will he manage to do that? No one knows – only time will tell.

Pythius Peacocke

Pythius the Border collie wants to say a few words

I lived with Helen for more than 12 years, during which time we walked the Cotswolds and most of Oxfordshire in order to obtain information for the four Paws books we wrote together: Paws Under the Table, Paws for History, Paws Along the Way and Paws in the Cotswolds (Wychwood Press - £9.99). They were good times. Together we clambered up many a high hill, scrambled through the undergrowth of dense woodland danced through streams and ran free across meadows and fields.

Before I finally took my bow as the arthritis in my legs become too painful to bear, I first looked round for a little chap who could take my place. It was the least I could do before leaving Helen.

I discovered Barnaby in a farm house at Old Sodbury. Given our many walks in the Cotswolds it seemed logical to organise a puppy for her who was born in the countryside we loved so much.

He is a dear little chap, though I fear he is going to lead Helen and her friends a merry dance, such is his energy, especially when he wants to turn right when they have decided to turn left. BUT, yes there is a BUT, this little chap is very, very fond of his food (something that never really bothered me) and Helen is a food writer and a smashing cook – so I reckon they will get on. Within a few days of Barnaby moving into Rose Cottage, Helen was cooking up rabbit stews and shepherd’s pies for his food bowl and he was woofing them down as if he had never been fed before.

I watch from on high, but with interest.