Harry Dog Blog

Harry and the Big Footsteps

2012-02-05T22:05:00.002Z

First snowfall of the winter. Not the light fluffy stuff that drives Harry wild, but plenty of trails to sniff, and lots of big footsteps that need investigating. He is probably trying to work out which are mine.

Harry and the big dogs

2012-01-28T13:43:00.000Z

I just missed a nice photo opportunity. There were two large dark dogs, and Harry was looking between them at me. But the camera takes a second or two to turn on and point. I caught Harry a moment later when the big dogs had moved away. Harry is far more interested in big dogs than dogs his own size. He even drops his stick to follow them.

Harry Lost and Found (again)

2012-01-14T11:54:00.004Z

Harry and me had a nice walk in the frost. Me taking photographs. Harry sniffing.

A man and a dog came by. There is a picture of the dog sniffing Harry as Harry sniffs one of the many scent posts put in by the local council.

In the next minute or so I took a few more pictures.

This is a detail from the final picture before I realised Harry was no longer with me. In fact if I'd looked at the final picture I would have seen that Harry had followed the man and dog and gone under the bridge (red circled).

I started looking around, calling 'Harry!'

By the time I did get to the bridge he was no longer in sight. I asked a couple of dog walkers. But they hadn't seen Harry as pictured in an earlier image on the camera. So I started looking round more this side ...

After 10 minutes searching I ran home to get the bike to explore the other side of the bridge.

Before leaving home I checked the answer phone and was relieved to hear that Harry had been found and somebody had read his tag and taken him to the vets. A few minutes later I met a very trembly Harry at the vets. He hates the vets. (He had tagged onto a big group of dogs and people and followed them down the river to Abingdon Lock, and then the people realised Harry wasn't with any of them.)

Harry and the fallen branches

2012-01-07T17:29:00.001Z

High winds have blown down a bumper lot of branches. There is more than enough to keep Harry going this year. Happy New Year.

Wishing you all a Harry Christmas

2011-12-25T01:50:00.000Z

Harry watching the baby

2011-12-17T18:25:00.000Z

Just a week to go before Christmas, and Harry visited the crib on the Market Place in town.

Harry looking like a mole

2011-12-07T22:42:00.000Z

Harry looks a little like a mole with his tiny paws in front of him. He often lies on the top step looking dreamily down like that.

Harry very close to a horse

2011-11-27T22:13:00.002Z

Today on a walk round Marsh Baldon Harry got very close to a horse. We had to cross fields with horses grazing freely and one horse came right up to Harry and sniffed him. Harry did not seem to even notice the big animal towering above him. It might as well have just have been another pair of tree trunks rather than horse legs.

Harry pounces on the green ring

2011-11-19T12:18:00.000Z

The picture shows Harry pouncing on a toy he has just found - a green ring that has been broken and left behind, or lost, by another dog. But Harry did not give up his stick for the ring. The stick is still best.

Harry has carried hundreds, possibly thousands, of sticks

2011-11-07T22:13:00.007Z

Harry will often carry a stick in a rather uneven way - perhaps because it is easier to pick up near the end. Then after a while, unaccountably, he will drop the stick and forget about it. He has carried hundreds, possibly thousands, of sticks, and there is often a little collection outside our front door - sticks of all shapes and sizes.

Harry is a Hot Dog

2011-10-29T20:19:00.000+01:00

Harry is being watched through a thermal image gadget on the market place, and as you can see he is a hot dog.

Harry, the Dachshunds and the sticky burr

2011-10-22T14:18:00.002+01:00

Harry went on a new circular walk round Radley Lakes and who should he meet but Roger with his pack of dachshunds. None of the original members of the pack has survived since the last time Harry saw them about six years ago. They used to all gang up on Harry and bark very fiercely. The new pack of younger dachshunds were much better. Not a bark to be heard.

A few minutes on, and Harry sat down and refused to move. Under his chin a sticky burr had got stuck. I pulled that off but for the next few hours he seemed to have something stuck in his mouth too. I am glad to say that cleared without an expensive visit to the vet.

Harry teaches a young lab sparring

2011-10-15T00:11:00.002+01:00

It was all waggy tails today between Harry and this 18 month old Labrador. The young lab could run at twice the speed of Harry but waited for Harry to catch up then they would sniff each other all waggy tailed.

They would then set off again. Harry would try to chase the young lab with a terrier's "Grrr Grrrrr Grrrrr".

All very playful. Tails wagging.

The young Lab would then suddenly dance away from the slower Harry, and then come back for more of the playful sparring.

Harry gets lost

2011-10-09T23:01:00.005+01:00

Harry was on a walk with me - dawdling some way behind - me lost in thought - him lost in smells - when a lady with another dog came along.

She saw nobody with him, thought him lost, and tried phoning the number on his collar tag. As there was no reply she connected her lead though his collar and led him away in tandem with dog.

We sometimes loose each other for a while but this is the first time something like this has happened.

How did Harry come home on his own in the car?

2011-10-02T21:57:00.005+01:00

Harry curls up with the leopard after what was a very confusing day...

He came home on his own in the car. But how did he do it?

It started when we took him out in the car to do a new doggy walk near Wallingford, but just before reaching our destination the car made some strange noises, and broke down just across the Shillingford Bridge.

The breakdown van came promptly, and we got in up front with the driver, but Harry had to travel alone in the car on the back of the truck. It is the first time he has travelled in a car by himself. He looked very glad to get out when we got home, and curled up next to the leopard.

Look Behind You Harry

2011-09-25T22:42:00.000+01:00

One of the young family members has arrived home with a new pet. Harry has not given it much attention apart from trying to pull it by the tail every now and then. But it does not move.

Harry Looking Startled

2011-09-17T14:43:00.000+01:00

Harry has just emerged from delving into a dark tunnel and looks startled by the light.

Harry was having fun on the walk this morning... chasing sticks thrown by me, chasing squirrels, or squizzles as Harry thinks of them, and eating bread left for the ducks.

Harry and the Giant Puffball

2011-09-04T23:54:00.001+01:00

We were out on a walk today and saw at the edge of the field a fungus that looked as big as Harry. Harry didn't go too close.

Harry on an old picnic table

2011-08-30T23:27:00.001+01:00

Most of the time Harry waits around for food to come down to him from a table. But when he gets up on the table - there must be food to follow.

He did get a treat.

Harry having a lazy wait

2011-08-21T20:13:00.000+01:00

I expect some dogs would get inpatient when their human starts talking to somebody for ages or starts taking lots of photographs. Not Harry. He just decides when the wait has gone on long enough and settles down for a rest. Here he is having a lazy wait by the River Ock.

The Road is Long

2011-08-08T00:20:00.001+01:00

Harry has been staying with Grandma for about a week while we were away in a cottage. There were places we would have loved to take him, and others, like the cottage, that said Dogs Not Allowed. Anyway, back home now. I took Harry out on a very familiar walk this morning which he enjoyed. The picture was taken on an unknown walk this afternoon. He usually enjoys something different - but maybe only after he has checked out and got to know his local territory again.

Harry and Pushkin asleep on the sofa

2011-07-28T23:53:00.003+01:00

Harry is flat out at the end of another day. Perhaps he is dreaming through some of the highlights "Get Ball... Drop Ball ... Get Ball ... Drop Ball ... Get Ball".

Pushkin gives less away, curled up in a self contained ball.

Harry and The Bird Bath

2011-07-17T22:26:00.002+01:00

We got a bird bath for the garden. My wife put a little water in the bowl, and some crumbs of bread around the rim to attract the first birds.

When Harry first went out into the garden his attention was not immediately grabbed by the new birdbath. But he did started sniffing around a lot. There was something he liked.

Warmer ... warmer... warmer... Harry likes bread.

Big Baby Harry

2011-07-09T23:26:00.000+01:00

This is not the sort of grown up doggy behaviour we have come to expect from Harry. Normally he trots along on his walks, sniffing every now and then. Often lagging some way behind as he sniffs out things to eat. But today he was lagging a long way behind and got a carry. What a big baby he now looks. Harry!

Harry at the Street Party

2011-07-03T16:56:00.002+01:00

On the way home from one of Harry's usual walks he discovered there was a Street Party going on in Exbourne Road. There were tables piled high with sandwhiches - but all out of reach.

Harry is going to see if he can organise a Street Party in our street where all the sandwhiches are at street level. That would be more yummy.

A nice kick about at Caldecott Rec

2011-06-25T22:58:00.004+01:00

One of Harry's favourite games involves kicking a football. If I say "Stay!" he will wait patiently on the goal line and play at goal keeper.

The ball may look like it is going way over his head into the goal.

But if it is anywhere near, Harry will stop it. I can never dribble the ball past him he is just too good for me.

Harry meets a Tiger

2011-06-12T10:15:00.000+01:00

The tiger was a not very scarey tiger admittedly, but a stuffed tiger being held by a stallholder at Jericho Street Fair. So no harm came of the meeting apart from the tiger getting a wet nose pushed into its face.

(For anybody who likes bubbles, like Harry does, there are pictures of bubbles at the Street Fair on the Not Abingdon Blog)

Harry on the steep bank

2011-06-05T14:59:00.003+01:00

My wife is going away for three days and her biggest worry going away is that we will not notice if Harry's water bowl runs dry. If it did then just about every walk we do has access to a River. The bank on the picture may not look that steep but there was the risk Harry would fall in.

He had two or three goes then decided against and had to wait until there was an easier incline a little further on.

Gone are the days when he would have just tumbled in and scrambled out.

Harry Yawning

2011-05-30T19:43:00.001+01:00

tired of waiting for his owner to come up with a decent caption for this picture. Can anybody help.

Harry Dog Keyrings

2011-05-22T20:39:00.000+01:00

I took this picture of Harry waiting for his food and am wondering whether there are any manufacturers out there who might like to start making Harry Dog toys, or possibly even Harry Dog keyrings.

Cat on a Lead

2011-05-14T23:15:00.001+01:00

Dogs on leads are ten a penny. Most good dogs can be found walking attached to a lead most days of the week. Some even spend most of their walking time on a lead. But a cat on a lead! Harry is confused. You may be too! When does that ever happen?

Harry and the special buns

2011-04-30T20:53:00.003+01:00

Harry is trying to understand why he is not allowed to eat these two currant buns. They are part of a tradition that goes back over 250 years in Abingdon, and I will leave them to dry then varnish them as part of my bun collection. So I have given Harry a bit of bread to eat instead as he was very good for posing with and not eating the special buns - marked with the letters C & W for the Royal Wedding of Catherine and William. More about the special buns on the Abingdon Blog.

Grandma Arrives at the house

2011-04-17T23:14:00.000+01:00

Harry makes us feel very welcome. This is a standard greeting for a family member arriving home.

Harry and the First Great Western

2011-04-10T20:05:00.000+01:00

In the village of Steventon today our walk was blocked when some barriers came down unexpectedly in the middle of the road. After waiting for a bit there was a great roar and a flash of blue. It was all over in a couple of seconds. The barriers went up again, and we continued our walk. I then explained to Harry "That was a Railway Train."

Harry and Hero the Rocking Dragon

2011-04-03T23:01:00.001+01:00

Harry does not know about this yet but I have paid for his name to be engraved on one of the scales of Hero the Dragon when it gets carved in the near future. Brian, the main carver wanted to know what initial or surname to put with Harry. I thought hard and then said 'Harry The Dog'.

Harry and the Buns

2011-03-27T10:12:00.001+01:00

Here in Abingdon there will be a Bun Throwing to celebrate the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate. 4000 buns will be thrown from the top of the County Hall, and people and dogs will crowd to catch them. Harry would love to catch a bun. It would be the best thing could ever happen to him.

Where dogs act like sheep and squirrels are too tame

2011-03-20T17:34:00.001Z

Here is Harry and another Border Terrier eating grass. The other Border came from Thame and was out for a walk along the river bank in Abingdon. After having a quick sniff of each other they started grazing the grass together, and looked a bit like a couple of sheep.

Although a bit chubbier than Harry, the other Border has a good turn of speed, according to the owner, and has been known to catch squirrels. The squirrels must be tame in Thame.

It's a Dog!

2011-03-12T21:05:00.002Z

Little children seem to look in amazement as Harry walks past, and then the parents will say something like "It's a dog!" as though up to that point the only dogs they have ever seen were in picture books. Anyway the hair is growing back and the wounds are healing. Harry does limp a little so the foot is probably still tender. But we will soon be throwing sticks for him to chase.

Harry on The Mend

2011-03-06T13:29:00.002Z

For a few days after the operation Harry had not wanted to go out for walks, and would walk about outside as if confused and then want to go home. Last Tuesday that changed, and he did want to walk and was pulling on the lead to go to his old haunts. On Wednesday the bandage was taken off and the vet discharged him. He is still not quite as lively as usual and looking a bit like camel with parts of his coat pulled off but he is one the mend.

Harry House of Hammer Dog

2011-02-26T12:55:00.002Z

Harry had an operation on Tuesday to remove some lumps. None were malignant. The one on his foot is quite benign (and could reoccur), and the other 3 benign (and won't come back). They also removed some things from his gums which in time would have made it difficult for him to eat. So Harry has been a bit sad and sorry and sore since. He went back to the vet yesterday to get the foot dressing replaced. He has a bit of a temperature and has gone off walks but not off food. The vet also gave us a lampshade Harry can wear when unsupervised to stop him scratching wounds. We got the little jacket for Harry because he looks a bit like something out of the House of Hammer Horror films with the stitches up his side.

Harry under a tree

2011-02-19T10:32:00.002Z

Harry went to the vet last week because of a swelling on his foot that sometimes makes him limp. He will be having an operation on Tuesday to remove it, and possibly the toe. The vet says lots of dogs loose a toe and it is not a big deal. At the same time, while Harry is under the anaesthetic, the vet will remove four other lumps. So Harry is going to look a bit patched up afterwards. Hopefully none of them are anything serious, but that will be checked out too.

Harry's Valentine's Day Greeting

2011-02-14T06:30:00.003Z

The scent mark outside the front door this morning, the one that kept Harry sniffing for ages at the start of the walk, may have been a Valentine's Day greeting - who knows! And those may have been Valentine's Days greetings that Harry left along the walk this morning.

Harry and the ultra clean bowl

2011-02-05T12:32:00.009Z

We got back from our walk this morning, and I said "Harry! Come and get breakfast!"

But there was a problem. His bowl was nowhere to be seen in the kitchen. It was not in the hall. Not even outside. Harry was starting to take on a hang dog look.

Then I had an idea and looked in the dish washer. Life is full of suprises. That is probably the first time it has been there for a wash. So Harry got his breakfast this morning in an ultra clean bowl.

Harry and the Green Gym cake

2011-01-29T21:08:00.021Z

Harry and I joined the Green Gym this morning. We started by doing some litter picking. Harry cleared sticks as the rest of us filled bags with discarded drink cans and bottles.

After an hour of that we went back to base where the Green Gym members were drinking coffee and eating lunch.

Unfortuneately, somebody had left their lunch box open on the ground and before I knew what had happened, there was a cry, and Harry ran off with a cake in his mouth.

So after all that exercise Harry still put on weight.

Harry and The Dog Flap

2011-01-23T12:57:00.001Z

The dog flap allows Harry to go out into the graden whenever he wants, but on this occassion he is just checking what is happening. Undecided. He only decides to come all the way when I say 'Football Harry!'

Harry is always up for a game of football.

Harry and OJ

2011-01-18T07:54:00.001Z

Harry met my sister's cat, OJ, who is visiting these parts for a few days. OJ is used to dogs, having spent kittenhood with a Doberman, and recent years with a Staffie. OJ is short for Orange Juice.

Harry and the Books

2011-01-16T13:55:00.002Z

Surrounded by books, Harry lies on the back of a chair, with half an eye on the world outside, looking down on West St Helen Street from a first floor window. He is not the sort of dog who gets excited and barks at things going by or the postman. He is waiting for one of the pack to return, and when they are all safely back, he will get down and look for a game to play, or lie down near the radiator, or in his basket.

Little Harry ... Big Shadow

2011-01-09T23:06:00.006Z

Sometimes it is Big Harry ... Small Shadow. Today it is Small Harry ... Big Shadow.

Harry's shadow is part of him. You cannot always see his shadow but when visible, it can vary from a tiny pooch, to a great dane of a dog.

All of these dogs are Harry in some inexplicable way but it is best not to think about it too much. Just let the shadows come and go as they will.

Into 2011 with a bang

2011-01-02T23:44:00.000Z

Harry didn't enjoy coming through into the new year.

As a puppy, Harry didn't worry about fireworks. But now he has got to a more mature age, they worry him a lot. At midnight, Harry just stood their trembling. They also worried Pushkin, the cat, who started going round the house on his elbows to avoid being hit by the enemy fire.

Anyway, that did not last long, and apart from that 2011 has been OK.

Boxing Day Rest

2010-12-26T14:52:00.003Z

It has been a busy time over Christmas. There have been so very many things for Harry to do. For one thing, he has to make sure all the poor doggies out on the doggy walks around Abingdon were given a doggy treat for Christmas.

But now Boxing Day is here, Harry can hang up his red hat until next year.

We saw no boats came sailing in

2010-12-25T09:09:00.002Z

We saw no boats came sailing in on Christmas Day on Christmas Day because the boats were frozen in on Christmas Day in the morning. Merry Christmas all the same from a land locked Harry at Abingdon Marina.

Snow Dog Harry

2010-12-18T13:48:00.001Z

Harry had a nice walk in the snow and scampered around in the strange white stuff. It was falling so fast that if he had stayed in the same place too long he might well have turned into a snow dog. So we kept moving and every now and then Harry gave himself a good shake. Harry could even lick the snow off the tip of his nose.

Dog in a Manger

2010-12-04T16:48:00.005Z

A 'dog in a manger' is a phrase referring to a dog who does not want to eat the hay but wants to prevent other animals from so doing. It is a term for a spiteful, mean spirited creature.

Harry is not being a 'dog in a manger' in that sense. He is a a dog who would rather not be in the manger. But I am holding a treat to get him to sit there for his photo - which is why he is begging with paw up. Something our children taught him when he was a puppy.

Schrodinger's dog

2010-11-27T17:31:00.006Z

Schrodinger's cat is a way of picturing the principle of superposition in quantum physics as described by Erwin Schrodinger.

Schrodinger's dog is Harry's first go at quantum physics.

Harry says "I want to be home"

2010-11-21T09:49:00.006Z

It looked very nice to us. There were some newly landscaped parts with lakes and a huge sundial with seats, some grassland, a cemetery, some lovely old houses, and a cut through woods. But Harry was not enjoying the walk. Every step was made with a heavy paw as if to say "I want to go home, and be curled up on the sofa"

Sticks are ten a penny

2010-11-13T22:44:00.002Z

Sticks are ten a penny this time a year but that does not stop Harry thinking that the stick he has is the most wonderful object in the world.

Your Dog Harry

2010-11-07T16:01:00.021Z

On Thursday Harry was interviewed for an article about dog blogs to go in the January edition of Your Dog magazine . Harry has been on Radio Oxford and in the Oxford Mail before, but this is the first time he has been approached by a national dog publication - and so is understandably excited.

Harry on an obstacle walk

2010-10-31T22:09:00.004Z

Another new walk today through some fields to a farm then back again on higher ground.

For Harry every style presented a new challenge. He climbed over one, squirmed under another, but he got stuck on the one in the picture and needed lifting over.

A bit further on, as we approached the farm, a big dog started barking.

Come on Harry' I said ' Its OK.' and it was OK. No sign of a watchdog.

The return route was much easier. Even the sun came out to shine.

Harry takes a break from the computer

2010-10-24T22:43:00.001+01:00

Now Harry has started to do more computer work himself (namely the silly twitter thing) he is to be found often resting by the computer trying to compose another tweet. The strain is beginning to tell as you can see from this picture. He does not seem to realise that is what people like about him is his innocence. Hopefully he will realise before it is too late.

Harry in a Field

2010-10-22T12:42:00.001+01:00

I have finally found Harry's tweet. It is called Harry Dog Tweet. Last weekend Harry had a walk in a completely new field he had never been to before. There was an extra spring in his step and an extra alertness to his nose because it was so new. The field can be found by driving to the Village of Appleford and taking the footpath to Long Wittenham.

Harry's starting to tweet

2010-10-09T15:03:00.025+01:00

Harry has opened up a twitter account somewhere but I have not yet been able to find it to tell you where it is yet. He has already done his first tweet about a squeaky ball he found. But as with much that goes on in Harry's life I am the last one to know. For all I know he may have a facebook account as well. If any one does find his twitter can you please let me know so I can link to it.

Guide Dogs

2010-10-02T14:04:00.000+01:00

Guide Dogs for the Blind were in town today collecting for their good cause. I went along to ask whether Harry could become a Guide Dog. But at age 10 they thought he was possibly too old to train.

Harry Found some apples and a sausage roll

2010-09-18T21:05:00.002+01:00

Harry found a lot of apples on the ground today. Some looked a bit mushy and he was not tempted by them. But a bit later he found a sausage roll and wolfed that down before I could stop him.

Come and play with me!

2010-09-04T20:52:00.003+01:00

Harry has just been let out into the garden. He looks back and says "Come and play with me!" He wants to play ball, but Grandma who let him out does not want to play ball. She thinks Harry should play by himself. Photo by Grandma.

Harry and Frou Frou wait outside the Coop

2010-08-21T13:09:00.003+01:00

The owners have gone inside and so the doggies have to wait outside tied up to a post.

Frou Frou has a matching pink harness and lead. Harry has a mismatching green collar and black lead. Harry is hoping he does not have to wait long. So probably is Frou Frou.

Harry happy to be back

2010-08-14T22:40:00.013+01:00

Harry was left with his Grandma for a week while we went away. First thing that struck us on the return was how white he was looking. Perhaps old age is creeping up on us all - Harry not excepted. After a week apart we start remembering younger days and as a puppy Harry had quite a dark face.

On his first walk Harry was often absorbed - checking scent marks.

He slept happily after the walk and a meal remembering familar smells in a dream.

Harry's going on a Summer Holiday

2010-08-01T17:09:00.004+01:00

Harry is off on his summer holiday and will be taking a well earned break from doing this blog next weekend. He hopes to come back refreshed and with lots of fresh ideas about how to take this blog to the next doggy level.

Harry and The Deputy PM

2010-07-24T17:06:00.003+01:00

Harry nearly met Nick Clegg, the Deputy Primeminister today. Nearly but not quite. The chemistry was not quite right. Harry was more interested in sniffing something on the pavement. Nick Clegg was being quickly ushered between the Guildhall and a waiting car.

Lots and lots of sticks

2010-07-17T10:27:00.003+01:00

It has been quite windy and there were lots and lots of sticks falling from the trees. This one has trapped Harry's front paws.

Cooling Down

2010-07-11T21:39:00.002+01:00

Harry often goes in for a paddle and a drink of water at this shady spot near the weir pools. It was another hot day.

July Haircut

2010-07-04T17:20:00.003+01:00

After some dry sunny weather the grass is no longer looking quite so green. Harry has had his annual strip and is no looking quite such a shaggy dog either.

If England Need a New Manager

2010-06-28T23:18:00.008+01:00

England were outplayed by Germany. After that huge huge disappointment then should England decide that they need a new manager to replace Fabio Capello - the man with the trademark spectacles - Harry will be ready. He would like to see some young greyhounds on the wings and a bulldog as captain, and is open to suggestions for other positions...

Harry and the Morris Men

2010-06-20T13:04:00.002+01:00

Harry is a bit worried about the tail like object the Morris Man is holding. After a quick pose, Harry decided it was not too wise to hang around too long. He did not want to turn into a tickling stick. You never do know with these ancient traditions what they get up to.

Harry on England's second game

2010-06-18T23:09:00.000+01:00

Concerning the nil-nil draw against Algeria, Harry would have like to see more passion from the England players. All the flags draping the land. People spend all their savings to go to South Africa to watch and then the players look like they can't be bothered.

World Cup Harry

2010-06-13T17:05:00.005+01:00

Having watched the first England game against the USA, Harry has a couple of tips for the England goalkeeper.

Firstly... Always keep your eyes on the ball.
Secondly... always get everything behind the ball to stop it. There is nothing in the rules that say a goalkeeper cannot kill the ball with his teeth.

Harry and The Pig Play Ball

2010-06-05T12:06:00.004+01:00

Harry got on very well with the little pig after an uneasy start. Harry was a bit unsure at first because he thought he might have to share the ball with the pig. But the pig turned out to be real fun to play with because he let Harry have the ball all the time.

Big world out there

2010-05-30T00:14:00.004+01:00

I just wonder whether he needs a bigger world than we can give him. We have done what we can for him, but he may well have bigger ideas. There is a whole world out there. Maybe one day he will decide to leave us to see what is out there and just catch a lift to somewhere different.

A is for Alzheimer's

2010-05-22T16:55:00.004+01:00

Harry put some money in the tin for the Alzheimer's collection, and got a little sticker so the next person with a collecting tin would know he had already paid. He is having a rest under the garden bench next to the gnome still weraing the A for Alzheimer's and seems lost in his own thoughts about this that and quite possibly the other.

Harry on The Railway

2010-05-15T23:18:00.003+01:00

This is where the footpath crosses the railway between Culham and Radley. There were no trains coming when we crossed so it was quite safe.

Harry and The Armaleggan Morris

2010-05-08T16:08:00.003+01:00

Lots of people dancing in town today. This group with blackened faces and tatterred clothes are called the Armaleggan Morris. They dance in the Border Morris style. Harry is a doggy in the Border terrier style so they got on.

Mut Shots of Harry

2010-05-03T22:24:00.007+01:00

Harry chased another cat out of the garden this morning. It was Pushkin's friend.

The Cat Protection League may well have a file on Harry by now with some Mut Shots to warn cats what to look out for. This would be the profile...
the front view...
and the view from above so that he is recognisable to any cat considering jumping down into our garden from the wall or fence.

Something Wrong

2010-04-24T18:07:00.002+01:00

Harry ate so much grass on his walk this morning, and then did not want his real food. He was not even interested in a treat. So something is wrong. He is happy enough in himself though and will play games.

Tennis Fence

2010-04-17T17:01:00.005+01:00

The tennis fence has been put there to keep the balls in the tennis court and keep the likes of Harry out.

Harry at the Zoo

2010-04-05T19:41:00.008+01:00

We have just been to the Zoo, and there are pictures on my Not Abingdon blog. But having transferred the images from the camera to the computer I got a bit if a shock. I was not really shocked to see this Hamadryas Baboon from Africa...
nor was I shocked to see this Indonesian Babirusa, a very rare and unique animal which has the looks of a pig but the insides of a hippo.
What shocked me was to see that Harry, an English Border Terrier, had got among the zoo animals.

Drinking The River Thames

2010-03-27T17:52:00.004Z

Harry seems to prefer it to tap water.

Grandma was not In

2010-03-20T16:37:00.004Z

Harry and me got four bags of compost and took them over to Cumnor for my mum. Harry likes visiting my mum but this visit was very confusing as she was not in, so after unloading the compost we went away again without seeing her. This walk in the mud and the rain in the fields nearby must have seemed a bit of an anti-climax to Harry.

Bigging Up Tintin

2010-03-13T11:24:00.014Z

The start of the Abingdon Arts Festival and as in previous years different artists each paint a part of a famous painting which is then assembled together. The event is called Bigging Up Titian - as they are doing Bacchus and Ariadne by Titian.

"I thought somebody said Biggin' up Tintin."

Harry on Otmoor

2010-03-06T22:41:00.005Z

We took Harry for a walk on Otmoor today. Otmoor is marshy fenland the other side of Oxford . Most people there have either large cameras or binoculars because there are lots of birds to watch.

This picture shows Harry back in the car having enjoyed a new place to walk, and looking into the camera. Otmoor is not just for birds. Dogs like it too but they need to stay en piste.

Let us Pray

2010-02-27T10:18:00.002Z

Dear Lord... We pray for all the poor dogs who haven't got a proper home, and for all the poor dogs in the Battersea dogs home who are still looking for a home, and for all the poor dogs who have to go to the vet in the next week. Amen.

This far and no further

2010-02-20T11:10:00.005Z

We went for a walk alongside the riverside this morning (pictures are on the Abingdon Blog) and I got some way before realising Harry was no longer with me. He wasn't even in the same field.

So I went back and found him standing at this point. It was his way of saying "This far and no further". He has not been that well during the last week, and was certainly not up for a trek all the way to Culham. He is now at my feet, sleeping off what was a very short walk.

Harry Visits The Helen and Douglas House Stall

2010-02-13T10:16:00.002Z

There was a charity stall, under the County Hall, raising money for Helen and Douglas House - the local hospice for young people. Harry is just showing that he supports this good cause, especially after the ladies running the stall made such a fuss of him. He got very waggy tailed and excited going first to one then the other. If you hurry, you may still catch them, and they might even make a fuss of you too - that last bit is addressed to dogs.

Harry and Pushkin - a complex relationship

2010-02-06T11:22:00.000Z

Pushkin must be about 14 years old but still has no problem leaping the six foot wall at the bottom of the garden.

In the house, Harry knows that Pushkin is the boss, but outside in the garden it is a different story, and Harry will chase any cat away - including Pushkin.

Doesn't Know his own strength

2010-01-30T17:50:00.000Z

Harry just does not know his own strength at times. He will take on anything, and forgets that he is such a small dog.

Harry's Acrobatic Trick

2010-01-23T14:27:00.000Z

Still a few last Christmas Trees waiting to be taken away when the compost recycling lorry comes round next. Here is Harry trying to balance one on his nose.

Lost in the Snow

2010-01-17T17:22:00.000Z

In the snow last week, Harry lost his lead. In some places the snow has left a lot of water on the ground so there is still the hope that his old lead is down there somewhere.

Warm Snuggle

2010-01-07T20:05:00.000Z

The excitement of yesterday has given way to the realisation that snow is cold, and after four walks in the snow, each colder than the last, Harry is glad of some warmth.

Snow on Snow on Snow

2010-01-06T20:06:00.000Z

He was dashing about like a mad thing in the snow.
Nothing beats freshly fallen snow.

In The Bleak Mid Winter

2010-01-04T18:40:00.000Z

In The Bleak Mid Winter Frosty Wind Made Moan
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a bone.

What 2010 Holds For Harry

2010-01-01T22:08:00.000Z

Harry had an interesting 2009 with an appearance on local radio and in the local paper.

So is Harry concerned about what the new year holds?

Not really! Harry is more concerned about how he holds that stick.

Harry Christmas 2009

2009-12-27T12:47:00.000Z

Good News! Harry does like his Santa toy this year. It has a tennis ball inside and can be swung round. Lasts Year's toy was a failure.
Harry Christmas!