Football Crazy

Teasel has shown an increasing interest in joining in with people playing with footballs in the park, so yesterday we bought her her own football from the toy shop for £2.

But when we took it to the park today for her to play with, before she even got near it a big black labrador (possibly called Harvey) came up, bit the football - puncturing it - and went off, leaving us with a rapidly deflating ball.

Teasel played with the punctured ball a bit, and a couple of other dogs played with it too. By the time we left the park it was completely shredded so we dropped it in a bin before we went home.

Christmas

We have both been ill over Christmas, but managed to alternate walking Teasel, so she still got out twice a day.

Teasel got several presents - Colin and Kate had given her a wrapped present, which she had managed to retrieve from under the Christmas tree a few days ago and have a go at, but today she got to have a proper go at it (see photo). Although once she had managed to get the present out of the wrapping she went off with the bow, so I think she was a bit confused about what the real present was. She also got a soft polar bear - which she played with - and a Humunga Tongue (which I'd bought before we got her) - which she didn't - and a cloth frisbee.

Probably the present she liked least was the dose of flea treatment we gave her, although we did wait until she was asleep.

New Teeth Coming

Teasel's adult teeth are beginning to come through.

Castlemorton Common

We took Teasel on her longest car journey so far. To meet up with my brother and his family at Castlemorton Common near Malvern. Before we set off we gave Teasel a quick run in the local park (photo).

Teasel was good in the car until we were only a few miles away from our target - The Marlbank Inn - where we were to rendezvous and eat before heading out for the walk. Teasel's third pub in a week.

The pub was very welcoming and Teasel got a dog biscuit on arrival - although she was a bit fidgety and wanting to be getting on with the walk while we were eating.

The walk on Castlemorton Common was quite muddy, and most of the puddles were frozen over - although Teasel broke through the ice on one puddle and got a bit damp. There were cows and horses that she had a little bark at. When the sun went down it got quite cold and Teasel started shivering. We dried her off with a towel and headed home.

Weight: 4.0 kg.

Going on the Train

Today Teasel went on the train for the first time. We walked over to Redland Station and caught the 11:26 train to Sea Mills. (Which is also the first time I've been along the Avon Gorge on the Severn Beach Line). Teasel was a bit concerned in the long tunnel under The Downs, but behaved herself well.

At Sea Mills we got off the train and walked along part of the Sea Mills Circular Walk, following the River Trym (which Teasel had so bravely crossed last week in Badocks Wood) to the road bridge at The Dingle and back to catch the 12:42 train back home.

Teasel was off the lead most of the time, apart from when we had to cross roads and near the railway station.

Weight: 3.8 kg.

Celebrations

Today is our 8th Wedding Anniversary, and Teasel's 17 week birthday. To celebrate we decided to go out for lunch to a dog friendly pub somewhere near Cirencester. I did some poking around on the web and found The Tunnel House Inn near Coates, their web-site said "And don't forget to bring the dog", so it sounded like a good bet. The pub itself is about quarter of a mile off a minor road up a dirt track, and was very welcoming to Teasel and provided us with a celebration lunch.

After eating we walked a little way along the disused canal from the southern tunnel entrance, although Caroline was a bit concerned that Teasel would dash down the steep banks and end up in the remains of canal, which had a thin covering of ice.

Afterwards I took Teasel for a short walk around the Cotswold Water Park before we headed home.

Ice At Ashton Court

I took Teasel to Ashton Court today. When we got there it was 1°C and there was frost on the ground so I made her wear her jacket. Once she was running around off the lead she didn't seem to care about her jacket.

Teasel was quite intrigued by the ice on puddles in the path and tried digging at it and skidding around on it.

Teasel finished her six week puppy class this evening, and graduated with a certificate and a rosette.