I've Stopped Walking

So the dogs have too.



I like this shot, it's a very, very hot sunny day, but we'll all cool and chilled in the shade. I stopped walking to offer them some water, and good as gold, they all gathered round me and stopped too, just as I've taught them.

Bless.

Offer water little and often as you walk, remembering to have some yourself too. Some of the dogs I can just squirt water and they'll lap the stream, but others haven't quite got that hang of that yet, so I still carry a fold up bowl. Lots of country parks have water available for the dogs, but unless there is a tap I can use to refill a bowl I avoid using shared water. Often it's full of other dogs saliva, and not only will some dogs refuse this, veterinary advice is shared water bowls can spread disease.

Hot Weather - Plenty of Drinking Water

At the end of a walk we all go back to the van and have a drink - on really hot days we carry water as well, stopping to sip little and often. The dogs get the aquabowls, which are fantastic! I love my road refresher bestest of all for travelling in the van, but for getting water to the dogs quickly at the end of the walk, these are great. They don't need taking apart to refill, and as I got the big ones I just bring one indoors to refill every couple of days. To operate, just open the valve, stand on one end, and let the dogs at 'em.


Big or small dogs can use them with no problems - sometimes I put them on the floor of the van for the bigger dogs. They don't all appreciate it, but some do. I don't take them on a walk as they are not very comfortable to hold and it means one hand is 'wasted', I use a smaller more portable carrier.


Bit worried about Scarlet licking her lips while looking at Max...

I use my water bladder in a small backpack, attached to the back is my powermonkey explorer, which charges while in the sun and I can use it to charge my mobile phone while I'm out. I can't find the photo now, but I'm sure it can be imagined.

Snow Angels

Here are two of the dogs I missed seeing yesterday!



When in doubt, Conrad says, just stuff your head in the snow! Or, if you're Nutmeg, just run off into the distance!


Today I discovered that wearing heavy boots you don't wear often in the snow is possibly a mistake. They may keep me dry, but my legs are killing me now!