Back to Home Page. Back to Rooskie Press
Solway Sleuth-Hounds. Illustrations.
I was well on with Solway Sleuth-Hounds. I had just to give it one final reading before sending it back to my creative writing tutor for proof reading. But I still did not have anyone to do the front cover. It was time to find an artist.
The local arts centre helped. They put an advertisement in their newsletter and one of their members contacted me. Finally I was ready to go to see the artist and discuss the cover.
At first the meeting seemed to be more about dogs than art. Rooskie features in the book so I took him with me.
When I arrived the door was opened by one of the artist's friends -- who had her spaniel with her. She recognised me -- and Rooskie -- at once from the dog class. By the time the artist appeared we were both deeply engrossed in a discussion about dog training methods and classes, a discussion which was interrupted from time to time by barks from the artist's own terrier.
Eventually we got down to business and everything went very well and it was arranged that the artist would do a rough sketch and let me see it in about a week. She herself would do the art work but her husband would do the lettering on his computer. And, even better, he would be able to do it in the pdf file which the printer required.
I went back to her in about a week and she showed me a rough sketch and I was very pleased indeed. We discussed it in detail and decided on a few changes.
I felt that I had been very lucky in finding such a good artist as I know that many authors with mainstream publishers are often in despair with the covers that are chosen for them. They can be forced to accept a cover which they are convinced will kill their books dead -- and there is absolutely nothing which they can do about it.
Telephone
This was the month when I finally got the telephone in my Solway chalet working again. I do not drive but I have a chalet at Southerness on the Solway Firth and I go down there as much as possible. The idea was that I could give the dogs a decent walk along the beach but I have found it invaluable for work. I always seem to get much more done there than I do at home.
Unfortunately a few weeks ago a fault developed in the telephone line. This was quite serious as I wanted to join Amazon Advantage and for that I would need internet access at the chalet as I would have to be able to send books to Amazon quickly. So it was important that I received their e-mails at once.
I have already mentioned that I have a chalet at Southerness on the Solway Firth. I managed to get down there for a week in June.
Southerness has the second oldest lighthouse in Scotland. It is built on a rocky point which juts out into the Firth. On each side of this point are two large sandy bays.
At Southerness are some old cottages dating from the eighteenth century, some modern bungalows, some holiday chalets, a hotel, one very large caravan site and two smaller caravan sites. There is also a championship golf course.
See sections on Southerness Beaches, Southerness Lighthouse, John Paul Jones Cave, and Criffel.
The weather was cool, showery and blustery. This suited me. I have never been a sun lover and I do not like it too hot. Also in really warm weather in the summer Southerness tends to be too busy.
I divided my time between working on Solway Sleuth-Hounds and training Rooskie. I began the last reading of Sleuth-Hounds before sending it away for proof-reading. I had hoped to get it finished but I did not quite manage that. But I got to very near the end. As for training Rooskie -- see below.
Rooskie is my little Papillon. He has the Bronze and Silver certificates for the Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog. He is also doing Heelwork to Music and the picture at the top of the page shows him taking a bow. For more pictures of Rooskie go to My Dogs.
Rooskie has been taking part in Events. (In Heelwork to Music they are called Events and not Shows). Rooskie can do the various Heelwork to Music moves all right but we have one problem. Owing to bad training when he was a pup he developed problems when working off lead. And for an Event held under Kennel Club rules he must be off lead. Rooskie now has a very good instructor but it is taking time to rectify this problem.
For Rooskie the month started off badly. We took part in an Event at Coventry. We were both suffering from ring phobia and his two classes on the Saturday were something of a disaster. But I did get him working off lead in the ring at lunchtime. (In Heelwork to Music dogs are allowed to practise in the ring at certain times -- something which is not allowed at other Kennel Club Events.)
On the Sunday I asked permission to do a training round, and worked him on the lead. Rooskie was happy and relaxed. The Event video shows him trotting up the ring jauntily even if his heelwork was not all it could be. But I was very pleased with his side stepping.
At the Event a friend suggested a possible solution. She held him for me while I dashed across to the cafeteria to buy a couple of sandwiches. I was away for only about ten minutes but when I returned Rooskie tugged to get to me and my friend told me that he had been frantic the whole time I was away. She said it might work if someone held him and then released him when I went into the ring.
This is something worth thinking about. When he was taught the Recall in the first place the instructor held him while I walked away, turned and called -- whereupon Rooskie was released to run to me.
Apart from Rooskie's work here was a lovely atmosphere at the Event and everyone was so friendly -- as is usually the case. It is interesting to see how far people are prepared to travel to take part in Heelwork to Music Events. There were some Belgian girls competing and also two girls from Sweden.
I stayed at the dog-friendly Ibis Hotel. There are two Ibis hotels in Coventry. I usually stay at the one in the city centre but this time I stayed at the one in the suburbs.
I remember the Monday morning after the Event. I had plenty of time before my train and I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast. And because an Ibis breakfast is a full buffet breakfast I really could take my time. The full breakfast is from 6.30 until 10 with a light breakfast after that served until 12.
I was down before 10 and collected my food,took it to a table just outside the bar and ate it in the shade of a tree. Very enjoyable. Rooskie lay at my feet. At Ibis hotels dogs are allowed in bars and restaurants as long as they are on the lead. It says so in the brochure in French, German and English.
When I got back home Rooskie's instructor gave me some high grade titbits and said that they were for the Recall and nothing but the Recall. Her titbits were microwaved hot dog sausages. I do not have a microwave but I experimented with grill and oven and finally managed to grill garlic sausages -- which seemed to go down all right with Rooskie.
But the instructor was not in favour of someone holding Rooskie while I walked away and then releasing him when I called. She thought that it might cause stress.
After the Event I had a week at home. First the dog class where the instructor gave me the high grade titbits which were to be used for the Recall and nothing but the Recall.
Then I managed to get down to Southerness for a week. I took Rooskie out in the late evening. and we practised on the golf course. As it was cool and showery it was more or less deserted. I also got onto the Mersehead Sands. This is the large bay to the west of the Lighthouse. There is a path from the Lighthouse but one part of it is very rough -- too rough for my balance. The last time I went along it I went flat on my face in a puddle of thick, clay mud.
But this time I got onto it from the golf course. It is a wonderful clean beach and it stretches for miles. Much cleaner than the beach nearer my chalet -- Gillfoot Bay which is bordered by the caravan site.
But to return to the Mersehead Sands. I walked some distance out from the shore line. The first few days the tide was in and we walked beside the waves.
I let Rooskie run free and kept calling him and rewarding him with the high grade titbits. Sometimes I would reward him, sometimes I would just pat him and send him away and sometimes I would make him do some work before rewarding him.
And it worked beautifully. Eventually I could call him and he would come and go into a simple routine.
But starting a routine cold was still a different matter. He could go into a routine from a fast recall over a distance but starting a routine from beside me was still something to be worked on.
Solway Sleuth-Hounds.
Proofs
and art work
Proofs. My creative writing tutor finished the proof reading.
But there is still some way to go. I do not have all the art work
yet. My Dumfries artist is not ready.
And then there are my own black and white photographs. I am including
photographs of some of the places mentioned in the book -- such
as the Mid Steeple, Devorgilla Bridge etc. Also places connected
with Burns such as the Theatre Royal and the Burns House.
I have now decided to add historical notes to the photographs.
After all if I am going to be marketing myself as a fun way to learn history then I shall have to vary the ways in which I present
the factual information. But these historical notes are going
to take time.
As if that is not enough I had trouble taking the photos. I finally
got round to it in the very last week of July. Instead of going
swimming one Sunday afternoon I decided to try to take some of
them. I was lucky with the first two -- the Theatre Royal and
the Burns House. Then I went down to the river to take the rest
and when I got home I found that the photographs were disastrous.
It had been bright and sunny and there were shadows and some of
the pictures were too dark. I went back on Monday when it was
cloudy-bright and got a much better batch.
I found the buildings easier to take. I had the most difficulty
with general views of the bridges from the side of the river although
I was fine with a picture of the pedestrian walkway along Devorgilla
Bridge.
But regarding the general views, I finally had a stroke of luck.
I managed to snap two canoeists paddling towards the arches of
the Devorgilla Bridge. Cropped that shows enough of the arches
and the canoeists add interest.
Incidentally they were paddling kayaks not Canadian canoes.
I have most of my photographs now. Most but not all. But the remaining
ones should be easier to take.
And then there is the matter of editing them. They will have to
be saved as black and white as they are for inside the book. To
say nothing of putting them into Microsoft Word and compiling
the historical notes. But hopefully the photographs and notes
will help to add an air of realism.
At the very end of the month I went down to Southerness for a
few days and took some photographs there. But for that you will
have to go to the August section.
Even when I have the photographs organised I shall not be finished.
I suddenly realised I shall need sketch maps. So that is something
else to be done.
Computer
I finally did something about getting a new computer for the Southerness
chalet. I badly need one because I am using an old laptop there
and it does not have internet access. I want to join Amazon Advantage
and for that I shall have to be able to receive their e-mails
at once so that I can send them books in a few days.
I contacted a free lance computer engineer. He is going to get
a computer for me and he will install it and maintain it for me.
He came round and we discussed various possibilities.
He also helped with the photographs. I had been having trouble
downloading them to the computer. The engineer told me that the
pins at the end of my camera USB cable were bent. He installed
a card reader for me. And it is working beautifully. A really
easy way of downloading photographs from a camera to a computer
hard disc.
Edinburgh -- and Rooskie
In the middle of the month I had a visit
to Edinburgh.
I was meeting a Papillon owner from New York State. She knew about
me from the Papillon Club. (She is also a member). She and her
husband were on a cruise on the Queen Mary II and they originally
invited me to spend a day aboard with them. Then they found that
a Cunard employee had given them false information and that visitors
are no longer allowed aboard. (security).
But it worked out fine because this way I was able to take Rooskie.
I stayed at Travelodge Edinburgh Central and my friend met me
there and we spent the day together. We all three went a walk
to see the statue of Greyfriars Bobby (she was very anxious to
see it) and then we had a quick look around Greyfriars Church.
While we were looking at the statue a
youth group passed. One of the party leaders said, "Touch
his nose for luck." Afterwards we decided to do likewise
but I could not reach as far as Bobby's nose so I had to be content
with just touching his paw.
Then we went back to Travelodge and had a coffee in the bar before
my friend had to get a taxi to take her back to the Cunard bus
which took her back to Queensferry.
Rooskie turned on the charm and got on very well with her. She
was always picking him up and cuddling him. I don't think I have
ever seen a more doggy person -- and that is saying a lot!
Rooskie made lots of friends in Edinburgh. I don't know if it
is my imagination but I wonder if the anti-dog feeling is lessening.
Dogs were allowed in the bar in Travelodge. And elsewhere I sense
a general easing. After my friend left I took Rooskie on the open-top
bus.
But I am not a city person. I am very much a small town person.
I enjoyed my stay in Edinburgh but I was still glad to get home.
My friend gave me an American book on Small Dog Obedience. I was
looking through it and it did mention that handlers usually smile
and talk pleasantly to the dog and then he wonders why his mistress
suddenly goes all grim and stern and speaks in a different voice
when going into the ring. Worth thinking about.
Something else very interesting. It said that in heelwork small
dogs should still look at their handlers but not necessarily at
their handler's face. It could be easier for the small dog to
watch, for example, the handler's feet.
Rooskie
Heelwork to Music. A Historic Day for Scotland
Thursday the 8th of July, 2004 was an important day in the history
of Scotland. It was the day of the first Scottish Heelwork To
Music class. There is always something very special about the
first of anything and I am really glad that I was a member of
the first ever Scottish HTM class.
It took place in Locharbriggs Community Hall, Dumfries. Before
it, from 6 to 7, was the weekly Kennel Club Good Citizen class,
which Rooskie and I attended as usual. Then at 7 the good citizens
left and those of us staying for the HTM class waited to see how
many people would turn up.
In all there were eight of us. Myself and Rooskie, a lady with
Charlie a Cavalier from the Good Citizen class, two ladies with
collies who have recently got their Good Citizen Gold certificates,
the assistant instructor with her lurcher and three new people
who had travelled from Annan, a distance of about 20 miles. Their
dogs were a terrier cross, a Dalmatian cross (it looked like a
dalmatian but was slightly heavier and had short legs) and a Papillon/chihuahua
cross.
I handed out schedules for the Canine Freestyle weekend in October.
The hall had a wooden floor but with mats for practising the individual
moves.
The instructor started off by explaining how the class was going
to be run. The class was going to be held on the second Thursday
of every month for two hours. The first hour from 7 to 8 was to
be a formal training class. The second hour from 8 to 9 was not
going to be a formal class but a time when people could just practise
themselves. There might be someone they could ask for help.
The idea was that at each class we would be shown certain moves
and then had the rest of the month to practise them in time for
the next class.
We were all at different stages. Some of us had done some HTM
before while others were completely new to it.
We started off with heel free. Much as the instructor disliked
it, we started off by doing heelwork all together round the hall.
Then, if we felt confident enough, this was to be done off lead.
After this the instructor demonstrated how to change the dog over
to the right and we practised working the dog on the right.
This was followed by some individual work. We lined up alongside
one side of the hall and we each took our turn at heeling off
lead up and down the hall and working the dog on both the right
and the left.
Finally something different-- the bow. Rooskie was asked to demonstrate.
Being Rooskie he decided to lie down twice before demonstrating
a perfect bow. After practising the bow we were asked to think
of how we would like to get our dogs to do paw work.
That was the very first session over. And a very useful one it
was for me personally as heel free is what Rooskie needs most.
I was the only one who stayed for the extra hour. Just Rooskie,
me and the caretaker. I was really glad I stayed for the extra
hour. But that is a different story.
Small beginnings for HTM in Scotland. An unpretentious community
hall and eight dogs and handlers. But ambitious plans are afoot.
Next year the class is moving to Glasgow. There are going to be
courses and workshops and Events are planned.
I can see HTM really catching on in Scotland but whatever happens
I shall always be glad that Rooskie and I were there at the very
first class.
Training
I have already said that I was very glad that I stayed for the
extra hour when I had the hall to myself.
I practised heel free. When Rooskie ran off I did not call him.
Instead I just kept walking up and down the hall myself -- and
he rejoined me of his own free will and went into heelwork naturally.
Later I sat down for a rest. When I got up I did not call him
but just started walking -- and again he joined me of his own
free will and went into heelwork.
I felt I was really getting somewhere at last.
The Kennel
Club Good Citizen
At the next class I was told the date of the next Good Citizen
tests. -- the fourth Thursday in August. Rooskie is going to get
another attempt at the Gold. I wish I had longer.
After this we had a few days at Southerness and more training
for Rooskie. But for that you will have to go to the August section.
Summary Quite an eventful month.
Problems with illustrations of Sleuth-Hounds and a research trip to Yorkshire.
The month started quite well. I took more of my own photographs. I took some at Southerness. The Lighthouse both by itself and also with the old cottages. I also took one showing how it is built on the rocks. This photograph has Criffel in the background. I also took a few of the Paul Jones Hotel. These photographs came out quite well.
But there were problems with the picture for the front cover. When I saw it I realized that it was too detailed for the cover and that the title would not stand out clearly. So I decided to save it in black and white and use it for the inside and to start again with the cover.
Rooskie and I went on a trip to Yorkshire. At the end of the first book one of the characters goes to live in Skipton in Yorkshire. She may be going to school in Harrogate. So I would have to check up on Harrogate in the eighteenth century.
We stayed in Leeds. It is atn the end of my favourite railway line -- the Carlisle-Settle-Leedsm line which gowes over the North Yorkshire Moors. Leeds has a good central situation. We stayed in the dog-friendly Ibis Hotel. And we arrived on the very day it opened. So Rooskie is the first dog to have stayed in the Ibis Hotel, Leeds.
I used Leeds as a centre and travelled around on the Leeds Metro. There was one problem. I had an accident with my trolley at Carlisle Station and I had to make a quick dash to Argos to buy another. It was bigger than I wanted. It got me to Leeds all right but I did not have a trolley for Rooskie’s basket. The first two days I just carried the basket but I abandoned it the last two days – which caused problems.
I made a few trips from Leeds. Some of them were rather disappointing but I loved Harrogate – which was the important thing. I went round the Pump Room Museum and bought a History of Harrogate. This gave me the information I was looking for. The Pump Room was not built until the nineteenth century but I had pictures of the well heads in the eighteenth century. Also enough background information to work on. I also drank a tumberful of the waters – and I found them all right. They tasted mainly like water with a slight flavour. The lady in the Museum said she thought they tasted like salt water. Also I did not find the smell objectionable. Slightly like rotten eggs but not bad enough to worry about.
The next day we returned to Harrogate and had a lovely walk in the Valley Gardens – and ice cream outside the little café. Then we walked all round the Stray and back to the railway station. I think I tired Rooskie out --- and that takes some doing.
I shall need to go back to Harrogate again to absorb the atmosphere but I made a good start to the necessary research.
Sydel’s photographs of Rooskie in Edinburgh arrived. There is a really good one of me holding the trolley with Rooskie in the basket. Unfortunately I cannot get it to reduce and I am doubtful how it would load on the web site.
Microchipped. I also got Rooskie microchipped. This was something which I should have done long ago.
Rooskie got a rest from training in August. But he did attend the second Heelwork to Music class. Already a small band of enthusiasts is beginning to emerge. Two of them were on holiday but they had told their friend to take notes. We went on to leg weaving and Rooskie was asked to demonstrate. We were told to think of a new exercise and teach it to our dogs before the next class.
We also did individual routines. This is the important part for Rooskie. He ran off a few times but he did come back to me and Lyn said he was not too bad. I was not getting the Recall command in quickly enough. Something for me to think about. The twin commands of Touch and Cheese are having an effect.
And Rooskie also enjoyed his trip to Leeds. (See above). The Ibis staff were all taken with him and made a fuss of him. And he enjoyed his walkabout in Harrogate – even if it was a bit long.
Summary
Sleuth-Hounds. Progress with the cover at last. Computer. New computer for chalet and then hard disc of old computer failed. Font. I finally decided on the font I wanted for the body of the text of Sleuth-Hounds -- Palatino. I also learned how to go into Microsoft Publisher and change the size of the pages.
Rooskie. A holiday at Southerness and progress in training.
Illustrations Real progress at last
I had originally looked in Google under book covers+ illustrators. And I got nowhere. Then I found a link on a self-publishing site to a designer of book jackets. So now I knew what I was looking for -- book jackets+ designers. I looked up Google and then an old copy of The Directory of Scottish Publishing which I found very helpful.
In it I found a list of designers and I contacted one who is based in Edinburgh. So once the cover art work is complete there should be no problems regarding the design work for the file for the whole cover -- front, spine and back.
Regarding the cover art work, I went back to the artist. I took a number of books which I liked and we gave ourselves a kind of crash course in book covers. Finally we decided on a format with with a silhouette of a horse and wagon in the bottom third of the page and the whole of the top two thirds taken up with a sky scene, a sunset. This leaves plenty of room for the title etc. Later I collected the picture.
I have made an appointment to see the Edinburgh designer in October. I shall take in the picture and also some other material and leave it to him to decide what will work best.
I was also worried about the font for the body of the text of Sleuth-Hounds. I knew not to use many of the fonts provided with my word processing programme. But how and where to get a special printer's font?Then my writing tutor came to the rescue. He told me of a web site where you can buy fonts. I went into the site and found it rather overwhelming with all the info about downloading etc. But my writing tutor said he would get the font for me and I could just pay him.
I looked at books which I liked. Some of them have the font listed at the front. I looked these fonts up on the web site and finally decided on Palatino and my new cover designer advised me to go no higher than point 12. My creative writing tutor was going to get the font for me and then I discovered that Palatino is already on my computer. So that takes care of that.
Then there was the matter of setting the page size. I discussed this with both my creative writing tutor and also with my contact at my printer's. Finally I decided on a size. I also discovered how to go into Microsoft Word and change the size of the page. So I shall have to go through the whole book again and check it in the new font and the new page size.
I got my new computer for the chalet and I am very pleased with it. The hard disc is 200 GB. It has a floppy drive, a zip drive, and a DVD drive and a DVD rewriter. So plenty of scope for back up and storage.
I soon got into the way of Windows XP.
Then after all this the hard disc of my old computer failed. Fortunately I am obsessed with back up. I lost some data but nothing serious as I had everything important backed up on CD several times. Especially all Rooskie's photographs.
I was very relieved when my new computer consultant told me that I did not need to replace the old computer. Instead all that is needed is a new hard disc -- with 80 GB. So now anew hard disc for old computer. Also a new DVD writer as the old CD writer was driving me mad as it made the computer crash.
The new computer is going to stay at Dumfries while the old one is going down to Southerness.
I am hoping that this means that I shall be able to go down to Southerness more often as I shall now be able to do more there. As it is I have always so much work to prepare to take down there. For example I write and print letters at home and take them to Southerness and put them in the envelopes there, and address and seal them. Now with the new computer I shouild be able to do all that there.
I was able to get down to Southerness for ten days. The assistant instructor at the dog class was on holiday so that meant that I did not have to rush home for the dog class.
Workwise I got a lot done. I read and reviewed a lot of books. But this meant that I had to spend some considerable time inserting them into the Bibliography and then uploading them to the web when I got home again.
The weather was wet and windy. Heavy showers and gale force winds with gusts up to 60 m.p.h. Sometimes the wind was so strong that I had difficulty standing.
The beach near the chalet.,Gillfoot Bay. The gales had washed a lot of shingle up onto the beach. I have always had bad balance. I am all right normally but getting across shingle is difficult for me. But I took my stick and managed.
In any case I prefer the other beach -- the Mersehead Sands. But it is further away. However I managed to get a walk along it once during the ten days.
Despite the weather I manged to give Rooskie his walks and training -- concentrating on the Recall and on Heelwork. (see below)
In the Southerness mini mart I bought some children's plastic buckets and spades. They are for props for a routine. For example for Blackpool Belle I hope to make a little jump with a spade placed across two buckets. Then Rooskie can jump over it. And do circles round the whole thing. Then I can take the spade off and he can weave round and between the buckets.
Rooskie enjoyed a ten days holiday at Southerness. (see above).
We had the third Heelwork to Music class. This time we were outside on the playing field.
Rooskie had strained his back the month before. A single inflammatory injection and everything was all right again. But I took him back for a full check-up with the senior vet.
The news was good. The vet said, "I think he's great." He also said that Rooskie could keep on doing his freestyle.
Then I also made arrangements to have Rooskie microchipped -- something which I should have had done years ago.
The dog class. Rooskie running off but coming back when I called him. A slight improvement. The twin commands of Touch and Cheese are still having an effect.
Then Simone got us to sit on the floor and work our dogs from there. A sign of hope for the future?
I let Rooskie off the lead and did spins and circles and he was completely focussed on me. Then I made him sit and scrambled to my feet and got him into Heelwork. That may be a way of starting off in an Event.
Also at an Event I could start on the floor and do paw work, spins and circles -- round me, round my hat (also verses) and weave between plastic buckets and hat. Also use target stick to make jump over plastic buckets. Also try to get him to jump over my legs.
Unfortunately when I tried it at home it did not work.
So I just continued with his ordinary training.
When at Southerness I walked him over the golf course in the evening and let him run free. I continually called him back to me and used the Touch and Cheese commands. (Touch means grilled sausage). Remembering what Lynn told me I did not reward him every time. Sometimes I would reward him, sometimes just give him a pat and send him away and sometimes get him to do something like a couple of spins or some heelwork.
Heelwork. I started it from a novice recall. Then when he came to me I fed him and then got him into heelwork.
Home again. The dog class. We were outside on the playing field -- and there were ordinary dog walkers about. Rooskie went mad and scampered about and then I got him to settle down and do heelwork. He did quite well but I had to have food in my hand. But Simone pointed out that it was in a peak distraction area.
Then practising in my own drive. Rooskie was tending to run off and I suddenly realised why. I had been practising feeding from my pocket. Now I had to move on to a feeding station.
I started off with a mini recall. Then I closed my fingers and kept them at his nose and started off with Heelwork. Then I was able to straighten up. Eventually I cried "Jackpot" and led him to the little container which I had left at the starting point and fed him several pieces of cheese. And he began to get the idea.
I tried it again the next day in the railway booking office. It worked once I got him to settle.
Rooskie still making progress even if it is slow progress. The Recalls. Very good. The class did it the K.C. Good Citizen way -- letting the dog run off and then being called. And Rooskie did some good recalls. The stays. The week before Simone had put him back to the beginning. With a tub of food on table. Rooskie was put down on the mat and told to stay while I walked to the table. Then I took the little tub back to him and rewarded him. We did the same the next week and Rooskie did very well. The tricks. Each dog got a chance to show off it tricks. I did a short sequence with Rooskie. Spins, circles round me, leg weaving and a couple of highs where he goes up on his hind legs and stretchwes his little paws right above his head. He did very well -- but--but--but I was holding food in my hand. Heel Free at fierst he tended to run off but he came back when I called him. And then I got him to settle down and he did quite well.
The second weekend in October Rooskie is going to a big HTM Event. The Saturday is under Kennel Club rules and is judged but the Sunday is a fun day. I shall have to try to get Rooskie to settle on the Saturday but if not then I am allowed food on the Sunday -- and he has been working well with food recently.
There is one thing which makes the October HTM Event rather special. Events are frequently put on video. This one is going to be videoed. But it is also going to be put on DVD. I am really looking forward to seeing it on DVD. That should be much bwetter than a video.
Summary
A very eventful month. Sleuth-Hounds. More progress with the cover. Rooskie. A big Heelwork to Music Event at Coventry. A two day Event. The second day was a non judged fun day and Rooskie suddenly decided to show people what he really could do. At home progress in training.
Illustrations Real progress at last
The next attempt at the front cover illustration did not work out either and I was in despair. Then my artist came up with an idea. She found a book with a cover format which she liked. Then we worked on the roughs for an illustration together. Gretna and Sawney round the camp fire with the wagon in the background. Lucy -- the pony -- is cropping the grass while Rooskie is busily investigating scents among the grass. The rough looked really good.
I cancelled the appointment with the Edinburgh designer. Time enough for that later.
I also reconsidered the font for the body of the text of Sleuth-Hounds. I tried out several fonts but came back to Palatino. I worried that point 12 might be too big and then, after looking at various books, I decided that it was the right size for the 12+ age group.
Then I had to change the Sleuth-Hounds file to Palatino. I did so -- and found that I had lost all my formatting. I thought I would have to go over the whole thing again, until my creative writing tutor told me how to change the font without losing the formatting.
IThis was very much Rooskie's month. He had a big Heelwork to Music Event at Coventry. It was a two day Event held by Canine Freestyle GB. The first day -- the Saturday -- was a judged competition held under KC rules. Rooskie had been going well in training but when he got into the hall once again the distractions proved too much for him. When I saw it was going to be hopeless I just put on the lead and turned his first routine into a training round. For his second routine he did actually work for a short time. But it was a disappointing day.
But things were quite different on the Sunday which was a non judged Funday. There I was allowed to use food in the ring. His first routine was to the music of Blackpool Belle by the Houghton Weavers. I set up props -- two child's plastic buckets with a plastic spade on top making a jump. I had special titbits in reserve -- moist meaty chunks -- and I also had his dish.
It was obvious that Rooskie was not going to work so I quickly picked up his dish and let him see what was in it. He at once became interested and did circles round the "jump." Then he jumped over it and then we proceeded round the ring with Rooskie making big circles round me. Then we did a side-stepping sequence which is one of the things he is good at. Then leg weaving and some highs when he got his little front paws right above his head.
Everyone was very supportive and this routine was received with great applause. Then in the afternoon Rooskie did another routine -- to the music of Teddy Bears' Picnic. I was dressed as a teddy bear with roll top pullover and trousers. And a teddy bear head -- a balaclava with ears sewn on and a tartan bow round my neck. We ended the routine with Rooskie jumping into the picnic basket.
There was a tremendous atmosphere at the Event and everybody was so friendly and supportive. Also the innovative routines and groups were interspersed with the individual routines and this gave a better balance.
And I shall be able to enjoy it for many years to come as the Event was videoed. Even better it was put on DVD. But for more about that see the entry for November.
Rooskie's next Event is on the second of January. A competition held under KC rules by the Paws and Music Association. I was worried when I saw that both Starters and Novice were to be limited to 35 each and so I got my entry in early.
We are not entered in a KC class. We have entered one of the extra classes -- Dances with Dogs. And as we are in Starters I shall be able to work Rooskie on the lead. I am going to use my aerobics and the music will be The Monster of Loch Ness sung by Tommy Scott.
When travelling down to Coventry I decided to travel in easy stages and go by my favourite railway line. Carlisle -- Appleby -- Skipton -- Leeds. I spent a night in the new Ibis Hotel in Leeds and travelled on to Coventry the next day. I spent the next two nights in the Ibis Hotel South as it is better for exercising Rooskie than the city centre one. I spent two nights in Leeds on the way back and managed to fit in an afternooon in Harrogate. In visited the Pump Room Museum again (with Rooskie in his basket on the trolley) and had another tumbler of the spa water. Research. Then I was going to take Rooskie a walk in the Valley Gardens but it was dull and drizzly and so I just went back to the train.
Back home Lynn said to put Rooskie back a bit. To aim for an automatic Sit. I gave him the command and he sat at once but Lynn said that it was not automatic as he thought about it. I was told to use the clicker and not to do anything else for a while.
So I practised at home and Rooskie began to get very excited whenever he saw the clicker. He also got excited about being asked to sit.
But I would not be seeing Lynn for a month as she is now taking only the Heelwork to Music class. Surely I would not have to do Sits and Sits only for a month? I began to add the Novice Recall. And sometimes when I called him I would get him to do a few spins or leg weaving. And it seemed to work.
But distractions? Once at the big dog class the instructor made us practise putting the dogs to heel. She came round us one at a time to check. I practised a few times -- off the lead -- and Rooskie was fine. Then I made him lie down beside me -- off lead -- while waiting for her. Later at the end I did a Novice Recall -- off lead -- followed by a very short Heel Free. The next week I tried it in the bank. And on the cycle path with the lead trailing. And he was attentive and really focussed.
It is too early to see if it is really going to work but the signs are hopeful.
Summary
A rather quiet month. Sleuth-Hounds. Still struggling with the cover. But I was given some tremendous black and white sketches for the inside by an American artist. Southerness. I managed a week down there. A working week in which I finished the rough draft of my talks for the Clan Moffat symposium. Rooskie. The DVDs of his last Heelwork to Music Event arrived. His training. Working both on elementary Obedience and also on the Jackpot system. Going well at class level. Also plans for routines based on Keep Fit.
Still struggling with the front cover.
My artist worked on her new idea for the front cover -- and nearly finished it. But it was rather different from the rough which we had worked out together. And it is not what I was thinking of. But it might be all right. When it is completely ready then I shall arrange to see the Edinburgh designer.
Illustrations for inside the book.
But I was given some wonderful pen and ink sketches by an American artist for the inside of the book. She did a landscape with Criffel in the background, Gretna at her camp fire in the middle distance and Lucy, the pony, in the foreground. Rooskie is in the picture too although very small. He is sitting up on the wagon.
She also did two of Lucy and two of Rooskie. And all four were excellent. In Sleuth-Hounds Rooskie is just a pup -- and Papillon puppies look completely different from adult Papillon dogs. I gave her some of Rooskie's puppy photographs and she did one of him sniffing. I also wanted one of him doing a play bow as a puppy. I only had a photograph of him doing the play bow as an adult but she managed to use that and the other puppy photographs to produce an impression of him doing the bow as a pup.
I showed that photograph to a friend who is the Head of Art in a large comprehensive school and she said that the artist could really capture a feeling in her drawings.
I continued to work on the last -- the fact section -- of Sleuth-Hounds. I took the last of the photographs for the Dumfries Notes and Photographs section. The Midsteeple. I took them around noon but when I transferred the photographs to my computer and started to work on them I found that they were too dark. But I was able to lighten them with the help of the photo-editing programme.
I also set up the page sizes in Royal and transferred my original Notes and Photographs file to it. I also changed the font to Palatino. It took me some time to work out how to do the text wrapping but I managed it eventually.
I have still to do the rough sketch maps.
I looked again at this section and also the large Historical Notes section and came to the conclusiion that what I had was really another little booklet. So I am thinking of putting at the end a large section titled Solway Sleuth-Hounds. The Facts behind the Story. And giving it its own numbering.
After all the marketing plan is to promote the book as a fun way of learning history. Perhaps it may also end up as two books in one.
When I changed the font to Palatino and the size of the page to Royal I thought that I had lost all my formatting. Then later I found that I had not lost the formatting after all. But I shall still have to go through it for one last time.
I managed to get down to Southerness for a week. I finished the rough draft for my talk at the symposium being held in August by the Clan Moffat. Volunteers have been asked to give a short talk. There are various sections. Mine would fit into the Borders Life section. I said earlier that I could give a talk on Dumfries in the Eighteenth Century. And also a talk on Affordable Self-Publishing -- although I realised that that might not be relevant. I received an e-mail back from the organiser saying that he was interested -- in both -- and he would get back to me after Christmas when he would have more definite information.
At Southerness I started work on the rough draft of the two talks. By this time I realised that I also had material for a third talk -- The Solway Firth and the American War of Independence. After all, Richard Oswald, a wealthy merchant owned lands around Southerness, and did indeed found the village. And it was Oswald who was sent as the chief British commissioner to Paris for the negotiations for the Treaty of Paris at the end of the War and who signed the preliminary articles of peace. And then James Craik was a natural son of William Craik the Laird of Arbigland and James Craik later became the personal physician to George Washington. And of course John Paul Jones was the son of William Craik's gardener.
Anyway I finished rough drafts for all three talks and sent them off. I shall now forget all about them while I wait to hear if any of them will be required.
I managed to get down to Southerness for a week which turned out to be very much a working week. (See above). I also tried to train Rooskie and get him used to Jackpot. (See below).
I have been finding it more difficult to get down to Southerness this year as I have been reluctant to miss a dog class.
The DVDs of Rooskie's last Heelwork to Music Event arrived. I looked first at the second day -- the FunDay where I was allowed to use food in the ring and where Rooskie did quite well. The DVD showed me just how hard I had to work to keep his attention -- even with the food. In each of his routines I got him going then I lost him in the middle but managed to get him back and he continued and finished the routine well. The DVD also showed that there was food on the floor dropped by earlier competitors and Rooskie ran off in the middle of the routine and actually found some food and ate it. Without the food I would have been completely lost. But at least I got him to complete a routine without the lead.
Then I looked at the DVD of the first day -- the competition held under KC rules. I looked at Teddy Bears' Picnic -- the HTM routine. Rooskie ran of at once so I put him on the lead -- which meant that his round would not count for the competition -- and worked him on the lead. He perked up and worked quite cheerfully. When he had settled I dropped the lead and let it trail and he continued to work well. I proceeded forward while he did his big circles around me.
His second routine on the competition was Freestyle to Blackpool Belle. There I made a very bad mistake. I did get him working at the beginning and he did quite a bit. Then he stopped. I should either have cut the routine short and ended there or put him on the lead.
At the moment he seems to need either the lead or food.
But we shall struggle on as we both enjoy it. And everybody in HTM is so supportive and I have met some lovely people there.
Rooskie is going to Aberdeen in December for a workshop. And he will be on lead in his next Event in January as it is one of Paws and Music's extra classes -- Dances with Dogs.
I also worked out his routine for his next Event on the second of January. A competition held under KC rules by the Paws and Music Association. I
We are not entered in a KC class. We have entered one of the extra classes -- Dances with Dogs. And as we are in Starters I shall be able to work Rooskie on the lead. I am going to use my aerobics and the music will be The Monster of Loch Ness sung by Tommy Scott.
This got me thinking. In January I shall be using the movements I learned when doing Step Aerobics. But why stop there? Could I not develope the Keep Fit theme? I got out my old Keep Fit videos to see if I could get more ideas.
Almost at once I got another. Keep Fit with a pole. I could get a collapsible walking stick -- which would easily go in my luggage. I have two videos to give me ideas for what I would do. As for Rooskie, he could jump over it, creep underneath it, (more practice needed), go round it and also do a figure of eight with the pole and with me.
Also -- and he is fairly good at this -- I could lay a skipping rope on the floor, put him behind it, step back and give the signals with the pole and so get him working at a distance. He can do Highs, Spins, Bows and Sits all at a distance.
The pole could also be used as a target stick although he has not done much of that.
Then I could also use dumb bells and a skipping rope.
Plenty to work on for the future -- although the most important thing is to get him working off the lead.
I continued with the basic Obedience training. And Rooskie continued to make progress. At the Good Citizen class I have continued to do the Novice Recall instead of the Good Citizen Recall. I do a couple of mini Novice Recalls and then go into a short bit of Heelwork. And he has not been running off.
Another thing. When doing Heel Free, when he tends to edge forward I step backwards and call him to me and I keep walking backwards while Rooskie trots forwards. Then I get him into the heel position again. It seems to be working -- and it might be quite effective in a routine.
I also tried to combine the basic Obedience with the Jackpot System. With Rooskie this has always had a rather limited effect.
I tried it at the big dog class at the end of the class. I had Rooskie's dish and a tin of meaty chunks dog food. I tried to get Rooskie working for a short time then I would say, Jackpot, and hurry him back to his dish and reward him. He was rather slow in getting the idea but if he ran off to investigate a particularly interesting scent I would just start again -- and eventually he began to get the idea. If he ran off he would just get a smell but if he stayed with me he would get a reward -- a really good one.
Then I tried it at Southerness. On the golf course. At first he would just stay and gaze at his dish. Then I would get him away from it and he would go mad and dash around. But -- very important -- he would not run very far.
Then I did get him working for his reward. But it will need a lot more practice.
I also tried it at home. There I used it in conjunction with feeding. I would divide his meal into two sections. I would work him and then Jackpot and then the first part of his meal. Then do the same again.
It is certainly working at home. If only he can get the idea and do it away from home too.
As I said November was a rather quiet month but December promises to be much more eventful.
Summary
Rather surprisingly for December, this turned out to be very much a working month. Real progress was made with the front cover of Sleuth-Hounds. Rooskie's HTM course in the middle of the month meant that I had a rush to get the Christmas cards finished. Also I had more frantic work to catch up with my book reviewing. Rooskie had a course in Aberdeen. I also watched the DVDs of the last Event. A quiet Christmas.
An illustration for the front cover at last.
My artist finished her illustration for the front cover. I scanned it and saved it to disc and backed it up several times. When I went up to Aberdeen for Rooskie's HTM course I took it with me. I spent a day in Edinburgh on the way back and called in to see the designer who is going to be doing the cover. I gave him the cover illustration and left it with him. We had a long discussion about my cover and covers in general.
Rooskie's HTM course in Aberdeen in the middle of the month came at the wrong time as it meant that I had a rush to get the Christmas cards finished. Then I found that I had fallen behind with my book reviewing and my work for the Historical Novel Society. (I am the Children's Review Editor). So more hard work. But I eventually caught up.
This means that I go into the New Year without any baggage from 2004. I have cleared off the backlog and so I am free to press on with both Sleuth-Hounds and also Rooskie's training.
As I said, I had a day in Edinburgh on coming back from Rooskie's course in Aberdeen. I called in to see my designer and then went to Princes Street. I had hoped to see the German Christmas Market. But Princes Street Gardens were closed because of the weather conditions. I stayed an extra night and saw it the next day. And I found it rather disappointing. There was not really much that I wanted to see. Gluhwein which seemed rather expensive. Sausages -- but I am a vegetarian. Lots and lots of candles and candle holders. And a few wooden toys.
There was also a huge wheel.
Down from the Market was an open air skating rink and a few roundabouts.
When I was in Aberdeen there was a huge French market in Union Street. I was told that they come for a weekend once every month.
Christmas was rather quiet. Because of an unfortunate mix-up I missed the Christmas Eve carol service. But I did get to the Christmas family service.
The DVDs of the last HTM Event arrived and I was able to watch them on my computer. Copying is allowed and I made back-up copies. But my DVD writer did not copy the last five minutes. My computer consultant got me a programme which lets me save isolated tracks to my hard disc. That also means that I can select and make a CD--ROM. So I have been experimenting with saving Rooskie's routines to CD.
I prefer working with CDs to DVDs. I have got the original DVDs scratched -- although I did try to take care of them.
But this is all new to me. It has been a learning experience.
Rooskie has not had much training this month. Both the dog classes closed for the Christmas holidays early in the month. But he did have his HTM course in Aberdeen. He worked with the lead trailing. At first he tried to run off again and I was in despair and then I suddenly realised something. He was in a strange environment and among lots of strange smells. To make matters worse I was unsure of myself. And yet he came back to me when I called him. That was real progress -- and it took me some time to realise it.
I was told to work on getting him to Watch.
Back home I continued searching for a titbit which he will really go for. (Lynn gave me a titbit which was to be used for the recall and nothing but the recall. I wended up using cooked sausage which I grilled. And -- as I found out at the Aberdeen course -- it seems to be working. But I still need something else.)
In the supermarket I bought some small trays of beef. I grilled them and cut them into small pieces. It is early days yet but the signs are that this is something he will really work for and which I shall be able to use for Jackpot.
And in the January Event he will be on lead so I have time to work on his off lead work.
I am still planning keep routines. After all I always say that Heelwork to Music is the Keep Fit side of dog training.
So hoping for the best on the 2nd January.
Back to Home Page
Back to
Rooskie Press