Thursday

The Dog Rambler E-diary

top 20
October 2011
Walk Dogs on walk

Along the River Almond

Length

6 miles

Jerry, Jolie, Lucas, Otis, Ozzy, Penny, Phoebe

A new recruit today in the form of Penny. Her sisters Chloe and Hannah have been out with us numerous times. Although not for some time now. Penny is a relatively recent addition to their family and was out today because Chloe, Hannah and their owners were off for the weekend to do some clicker training for dogs. It will have been one of Pennys first times away from the others since her arrival from the cat and dog home. She was a little nervous in the car as we travelled around colleting everyone. As each new dog got into the car she shuffled ever closer to the window. Determinedly looking out so as not to catch their eye. I too was a little nervous not sure how she was going to get on once the walk began. As it turned out I had nothing to worry about. After a few hundred yards on the lead she looked very keen to get in amongst the rest. It soon became apparent that her and Jolie were sparking up a great relationship. Fantastic news as they are both staying at The Dog Ramblers Links Street boutique style dog hotel for the next few days.

As we strode down the gravel track running parallel to the railway line with the rumbling noise and smell of Edinburgh Airport on the other side. The dogs bustled along tripping over each other in their keenness to get some running done. Our first route along the River Almond on leaving the track did not help them. Very overgrown the half visible track would fade and come back. Brambles hidden in the decaying wide umbrella like leaves of burrs catching us and trying to trip us up. Jerry and Penny were not disheartened and had soon strayed off the barely visible path and were flaying through the tangle of undergrowth. It was not long before Jolie and Ozzy were into there too. At times only heads or tails visible. Eventually we were beaten and had to turn back. A pleased look crossing al the dogs faces. Poor Gustave had seen very little with his low stature and Otis and Lucas had kept close to me most of the time. Lucas fending off the early attentions of Jolie. This became a ritual as we progressed along the better river path, heading with its flow in the direction of Cramond. Jolie would throw herself through the air at him and land right by him on just the right place to nibble his neck. She struggled to get a reaction from him. Sometime he would chase off with her, Penny, Ozzy and Jerry. But more often than not he would soon sneak back to fight it out with Gustave as to who was going to walk right behind me. Otis generally being a little further back. The madness up front continued with them hardly on the path or heading almost right out of sight. From such a quiet set in the car to this utter madness was a major turnaround for them all. The real test came when I just caught the sound of voices on the wind. Then not too far ahead a couple of women walking quite slowly. Another look and I made out a couple of dogs. This was it then. I called them all back. And they came. I asked them to walk to heel. And they just about did, with a lot of cajoling. Only when we had just about caught the women up did the dogs begin to falter and then spread themselves out. Eventually nosing around the other two dogs. But quite gently and leaving them quickly to pursue their own fun again in chasing each other. The dogs had already had one fun dip in the river but were ready for another as we neared our turning point under the high road bridge, singing with the traffic burling along the A90. They splashed about with Ozzy taking a dip. Swimming hard again the current.

Jerry looking for stones to chase. The others a little less interested this time only dipped in and out of the water, before charging off again. We did not form into a single entity until on the final leg along with river bank just before turning back onto the track to the car. At last I had a bunch of dogs around me. As if they had never been mad at all they settled quietly back into the car.

Nick

Photo slideshow from the walk

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Nick Fletcher The Dog Rambler 9 Links Street Musselburgh East Lothian EH21 6JL

www.thedogrambler.com nick@thedogrambler.com t. 0131 665 8843 or 0781 551 6765

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