What to do...

...when its cold and frosty

run

run

run

Dog tierd

  
Earning a well deserved rest and hug after her hour long weekly pupping training session.
And she's doing brilliantly too, succeeding at every task asked of her so far. Only two weeks left, we are sure she'll pass. Then onto her Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog training scheme - bronze level.
   

"Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters".

Phew

This foster parenting is exhausting but I wouldn't change a thing...

Wild world

Oh baby, baby it's a wild world...

Welches Meadow, Leamington Spa

Just like her mum

I take after my dad, Sid - in looks and personality, soft and affable. Whereas Flynn is just like her mum, Kira, head and body shape, bright and bold.

New best friend

Introduced to ten year old Rhys this weekend. They became fast buddies immediately

 

Art lover

Now 17 weeks old, confident and showing signs of Independence

Progress

Now 16 weeks old and coming on nicely. Although at this age its all about praising her for what she does right not, what she doesn't do or knows yet how to do right. She sits beautifully often without asking, walks on the lead - a little kangaroo-like at times but its early days. Her house training is impressive, just within a few weeks we've gone from having 3 to 4 bed mats around the house to just the one in the hall now. And she only needs to be dissuaded once or twice from doing things we don't want her to do but then, she's a border terrier and we are after all, brilliant! 

  

Bashfull

No Mr DeVille, I'm not ready!

 

Sunday Papers

Early signs of intellect...

The way of the Tug

She begins her training from an old master...

Mini Mo

No it's not spaghetti...

Ten week old Flynn, she's a maniac!

Mini Mo

Mini Mo comes tomorrow! 
My cunning plan worked, the campaign only took 2 hours to accomplish. 

My little sister

This is one of seven! My mum is going to retire from breeding now so my line stops here. Apparently we can't afford to buy her which is an awful shame but any donations gratefully received!!!

I rule

A little while back some of my toys mysteriously went missing. Today I found them, reclaimed them, I group them, display them, love them. 

little joke

Mohican

Motaken

First impression

The Chestburster from Tony Scott's 1979 movie Alien.
I'm yet to develop the Hans Rudolf Giger stage.

Talent at just four months old

Look at me

Stripped at last and I was given a complimentary Jubilee bandana!  

How gorgeous am I.  All thanks to my fabulous canine stylist:

The British Dog Grooming Championships 2009

Shampoo'ch - Tina Nicholas. 

Based in Lapworth, call 07973 262296 or email tinaharveynicks@live.co.uk

Kathy Burke

Last week on the Graham Norton Show, both the lead singer of the Scissor Sisters and Kathy Burke revealed they had border terriers. Kathy said " There's no love like border terrier love".  Don't you just know it!

Strip

Whoa its way hot!

Us Borders have highly specialized double coats, a bit like Samoyeds - Siberian nomadic reindeer herders, they keep their coats all year round. Where as we, living in a temperate climate, get stripped throughout the year. A full coat is great for keeping us warm and dry if we're out all day on Fens and Moorland. Truly Teflon but summer in town not good!  

We should get 'stripped' regularly by a fully trained and qualified human hand. If it's cut it's ruined forever. My mate Roxy fell foul to someone who used electric clippers and now stays wet and cold.

I'm lucky, I've always been done by Tina, an award winning professional who spends four hours on me. Can't wait to see her again next week.     

 

My Name

My name is derived from Molly, an initial nickname given to me by my breeder. However that was dropped and shortened to Mo, essentially because I had a mohican when I was a pup. The mohican is still evident today especially when I'm over due for a strip!

See a different side to Bell

http://helena-godwinsays.blogspot.co.uk/

Anthropomorphism

In response to a private reaction to my last post - 'you must watch this', someone was shocked to assume its subject would be everything I'd stand against...

... Hello you're following a dog that blogs!

You must watch this

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=EVwlMVYqMu4&vq=medium#t=125

I spin therefore I am, again

I spin therefore I am

Pig loses head

I killed a pig and hung its head on the wall as a trophy

Herbs

I'm a self-medicating herbalist.

This time of year is great for Galium aparine, more commonly known as Cleavers or as someone coined, the Velcro plant (it's real sticky). Good for the blood and detoxing.

Play

In response to your comments re Hans-Georg Gadamer

 

Bel isn't a loser, she just has fun in a different way.

I refer specifically to the paradox he argued in Truth and Method. 1984. Chapter: Play as the clue to ontological explanation. My understanding being that the seriousness of play is to understand the essence of things but you can only play without being serious.

 

"Why so serious"

 

Hans-Georg Gadamer

My mate Bell came to stay this week. Try as I may, she doesn't get the concept of play.

More sheep

So the little plastic sheep are my latest muse. 

I lived along side sheep when I was growing up in the countryside. The front door opened onto pasture and from an early age became obsessed. Having the perfect vantage point, I studied them meticulously. A deep urge within me could barely be contained, relentless temptation in droves at the front gate. 

Soon I ran with my urge, three or four fields down the lane, I chased and pegged one,  holding it at bay by barking. Border terriers have particularly high pitched voices because we're originally bred to go under ground after foxes, badgers and otters and need to be heard once beneath the earth. The voice is a calling to tell the rest of the hunt that the prey has been located, "here it is, come now". It works really well too, my keeper soon found me but she was not best pleased.  

We debated at length the relevance of instinct and my natural working ability, living within a rural community at the time. It was concluded that the consequences of pursuing my potential attributes were too great. Farmers are legally entitled to shoot any dog worrying their flock. Working through this took a little time and effort on no uncertain terms but that was all long ago now. 

Recently some yews had escaped a few feet onto our narrow pathway. I thought I'd be put on the lead but was just asked to stay close. We walked slowly ahead, each wooly ruminant ambling a short distance to make way for us, we passed through without incident. End of.

Wondering if I should indulge the creative process as a means to express my identity as a working breed within the constraints of domestic modernity. I'm thinking short animation.

Where are the sheep

Not long moved from the countryside into town.

Howl's Moving Castle

This months Film club movie was quite extraordinary. Haven't read the book so my critique neglects depth but essentially a story about eternal love. Lovely animation, sort of sophisticated simplicity. It was most intriguing to watch a Japanese adaptation of period Europe with American actors dubbing. I knew nothing of the author Diana Wynne, but now know she was associated with the likes of Lewis Carroll. That makes sense of why, as one of my fellow club members said, it reminds you of a Terry Gilliam. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen 1988 specifically, for me. I digress, so yeah I enjoyed it. 

Oh hello, where have I been! Hayao Miyazaki also did  Spirited Away 2001. Which I've seen several times over with my mate Julia. It's more bizarre than Howl's Moving castle, a darker tale, less romantic but good. Preferred Howl's Moving Castle because it used more yellow and blues because as a dog, I can see them better than the red and deep earth tones of Spirited Away.    

  

My mate Julia

   

My mate Rhys

This is me and Rhys checking out a new bridge in town, October 2011. 

Below. This is when me and Rhys met for the first time, I was about twenty weeks old and so was he, I think. I'm the cute one looking into his eyes.

All this blogging when I could be outside

MoseyMo TV

Launched my own You Tube channel today  http://www.youtube.com/user/MoseyMoTV

Me and water

To answer a recent comment - about me not liking salt water or any kind...

Natural fresh water is my preferred drink so I love puddles, ponds and pingos. Great to belly down in and cool off when its hot too. See Mo's pond video.

Don't see the point in salt water you can't drink it!

Swimming isn't something I do as such. Although I'll have a go with my fellow border mate, Roxy. She's like an otter in water. 

Roxy, Holly and me spring 2011

Living aboard on the Grand Union Canal 2010

Self Portrait

Weekend sleep over

Hanging with me mate Carter. We grew up together and go back a long way. He was dumped when he was about 6 months old and hid out in a nearby hedgerow for a couple of days and nights before one of my human mates rescued him. He chases balls, bumble bees and tractors and crosses land faster than any dog I know.

My mate Bell

This is another of my oldest mates, Bella. An urban girl, we mostly hang out in Leamington. Although not a pedigree she's more of a ponce than I'll ever be!

I'm particularly interested in the graffiti we come across around some of the canal areas...