Really Unusual Things We See On Our walks

The great thing about walking with your dog, as well as the fresh air and exercise, is having the chance to discover some really interesting and usual things.

In Chaddesley Woods last year, Maimee, Tumble, Belle and I came across one of the saddest sights we have ever seen during our forays.

If you've been lucky enough to watch a buzzard in flight, and we bet you have, you'll know what a magnificent spectacle it is to see it soaring high above the fields with outstretched wings. They often fly in pairs and mew like cats.

They fly with their tails fanned out (red kites have smaller tails) and their wings are slightly tipped up at the ends. Last year, we were walking past a big log pile at the edge of the woods and there, laid out as if it was fast asleep, was a dead buzzard.

Buzzards can live for about 12 years so we don't know how old this was one was or how he died but there wasn't a mark on him.

Our owner would never have got this picture of Fantastic Mr Fox if we hadn't been on our leads in Chaddesley Woods. Just sitting there in the brush enjoying the early evening sunshine almost as if he knew we were there but wanted to pose for a snap before bounding off into the undergrowth.

You can see a fair few foxes in the woods if you're out at dusk. And if you're not lucky enough to see one, you can generally hear the dog foxes barking.

Muntjac deer which are about the same size as a dog are another common sight in Chaddesley Woods although our owner's never been quick enough to catch one for the family album because they're shy and pretty nippy on their hooves.

We saw a mum and baby one year, just standing in the middle of the track near the log shed and we've seen others leap across the undergrowth, disappearing with a bob of their little white tails.

Like the foxes, if you don't see them, you can hear them barking which is why they're often referred to as barking deer. We found this male muntjac skull (the males have little pointy horns) at the edge of a field adjoining the woods.

Two months ago, we found a sheep's skull, again in a field along the edge of the woods, which must have been picked clean by carrion crows after a fox had had his fill.

Another find by our owner last year was one of the strangest. Maimee and I missed it because these six spot ladybirds were hibernating on a gate post at the edge of the woods and we tend to keep our noses to the ground.

Tick Bite Prevention Week

As this week is Tick Bite Prevention Week, it's well worth mentioning the risks of picking up tick-bourne diseases when you're out and about in parks and woodland.

The coldsnap may well be keeping these tricky little critters at bay right now but once the temperatures begin to rise, ticks tend to hide out in tall grass and shrubs looking for dogs to snack on.

Luckily, Maimee and I have so far managed to avoid picking up a tick on our travels but a few of our friends have ended up taking one home after a walk.

Ticks are always bad news for dogs because if they latch on and bury their mouths in your skin, they can spread disease and, if not expertly removed, can make you feel really poorly. In some rare cases, if they're not spotted and treated, they can be fatal.

There's no need to panic if your owner ensures you get a monthly flea treatment but if you're unlucky enough to pick up a tick, the sooner it's located and removed, the lower the disease risk.

It can take days or even weeks to spot the symptons of a tick but if your owner notices that you're looking stiff, lame or have swollen joints and are off your food, then they should check beneath your fur for signs and book a vet's appointment.

Ticks tend to attach themselves to areas where there's less hair, in crevices around the tops of the legs and in between the toes or even on your ears but some of the peskier ones can simply bury themselves into the fur around the head and along your back.

Removing them can be a tricky business because you have to ensure that the mouth part is taken out of the skin so even though you can buy tick hooks which do the job, if your owner has never removed one before, a visit to vet is advised.

http://www.tickbitepreventionweek.org/

Snow business like the Clent Hills

Anyone who thought the snow had disappeared needs to take a hound hike up the Clent Hills. Today the white stuff was banked up to waist height in some parts along the forest tracks and almost reached the tops of our owners wellies. The whole area has been turned into a magical winter wonderland and once we reached the summit of Walton's Hill, the sun sparkled off the diamond white icicles and snow-covered boughs of every tree and shrub.

The Clent Hills is a wonderful place to walk in all weathers but today it really was like taking a trip through Narnia. The hills are a haven for fallow deer but our owners were shrieking with such hearty gales of laughter as they slid and teetered along the paths that the noise would have scared an elephant, let alone a deer.

Elaine (pictured in her ridiculous lumberjack hat with Clare and Ann) is our Clent expert and has enjoyed plenty of walks in the area with her flat coated retriever Jack. Sadly, Jack left us for doggy heaven earlier this year after a sudden illness and we're all still coming to terms with not having him around.

As all dog lovers know only too well, losing a best four-legged friend is a heart-breaking experience and it feels strange to revisit favourite walks alone especially when you're used to carrying a lead and hearing the jingle of an identity disc on a collar.

But Elaine's a game girl and we're helping her get back into her stride. We all had a fabulous time up on Clent today. Grab your wellies and a funny hat, check out my page and follow our route.

Hello and Welcome

Daisy, Maimee and Alice ready for the off

When you consider that Britain's dog population is now (wuffly) about 8.3 million, it's easy to understand why dog walking is one of most popular past times. Whether it's an energetic gallop across the Malvern Hills, a leisurely spot of squirrel chasing in a local wood or an amble around the park, a good dog walk will always send your spirits soaring.

Living in Worcestershire means that Maimee and I get to explore a whole range of country delights and meet up with chums and their owners every week.

How far you go depends on how fit you are so as Maimee and I are both ten years old and my arthritis means I can't go as mad as I used to and Maimee is disabled because she suffered ruptured achiles and crutiate ligaments, our choice of walks are pretty gentle.

But this blog is aimed at dogs of all ages and abilities so it's up to you and your owner to choose one or two that you like and try them.

We've paw-picked some of our friends to recommend walks that are tried and tested across the country and we hope that you'll get in touch with us to offer tips and walks to share.

Wherever you go, it's essential that you follow the countryside code particularly when you're out and about on farm land and nature reserves. We all love to run and snuffle to our hearts content but if there are signs warning of nesting wildlife and birds and grazing stock, be a good dog and stay on the lead.

And remember, no-one likes to step in a great big pile of dog poo and your owner can be fined up to £1,000 for letting you foul in a public place, so make sure they take plenty of poo bags and pick up your business as you go.

It's outrageous how many owners pick up poo and then hang it in bags on tree branches or just discard them on the side of woodland tracks and pathways. If there's no dog poo bin, then it's far better to move it into a ditch with the aid of a stick rather than bag it and leave it.

And if you see a sign on your travels telling your owner to "CLOSE THE GATE" or DON'T FEED THE LIVESTOCK" don't ignore it.

The countryside's for everyone to enjoy and, understandably, not everyone enjoys the company of four-legged companions so if you're the boisterous type, make sure your owner keeps you under control at all times.

And for heaven's sake, show some consideration to farmers. They have a tough enough job as it is without having to worry about their animals and crops being disturbed by unruly dogs.

If there's a sign saying "PRIVATE, KEEP OUT" it's there for a reason. Dogs can't read, owners can so make sure your owner sticks to the public footpaths with you and doesn't allow you to go galloping off across fields. Especially at this time of year when the ewes are tending lambs.

Follow the rules and enjoy your walks.

Grab the lead!