I as to be asking a favour of you! As you lurve me can I purlease ask you to complete the below questionaire?

 https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WAGG2012

I as been informed by the ‘lady in the know’ (not typist as she knows nowt) that it will not be taking very long (so if it does let me know and i will shout and grrr on your behalf!) and also the mostest impawtant fing is you can get free noms and money off for noms sent out in the post as a fank you (ow generous is ‘lady in the know’ – she musn’t be feeling well!)

One of these could be winging it's way to you! (purlease note I said one as I does not want to be loosing all my noms!)

Almost sounds too good to be troo don’t it? The only slightly negative bit is that i as to mention *reads from official looking paper*  “we can only be asking my UK furiends to be doing this as we is not aving the pocket money to send goodies too far” – i did offer to nom em on your behalf but ’lady in the know’ said no, clearly her generous mood as passed!!

Anyway, fank you for reading, partaking and sharing wiv your furiends *cough – subtle hint – cough* you is the bestest pals a doggie could ave!

I is off now (got to hide the noms before they all get sent to you lot!)

• Me = Bryn
• Travelled to Scotland to meet Stuart and his team (Trossachs SAR) who are sponsored by Wagg (see the link)
• Dad and Typist keep needing to be rescued (may not bring them next time)

The final thing Stuart had lined up to teach us about was accelerant dogs. Now these dogs are trained to find accelerants which have been used to start a fire, and Jonathan and Flint demonstrated the test they do to ensure that the accelerant dogs are detecting accelerants and not just any burnt hydrocarbons (big long word from me!)

I think Flint was pretty certain, and Dave (who was the assessor) confirmed that Flint had got it correct, not that I had any doubt in my anipal!

Before heading back to the Inn for a well-deserved rest, we were joined by one of the firemen that Stuart and his team work with (well typist had waited a long time to meet one) who confirmed what we already knew – that Stuart and his team (all volunteers) do an amazing job and are superstars!

Not the fireman from the story!

By the end of the day, I was relieved to be pushed (I don’t jump) back into the boot of the car as I was dead on my paws from so much excitement.

Before heading home on the Sunday, I spent some time getting to know Dave a bit better. He has two accelerant dogs and explained more to me about how his dogs’ work (he was not as easily to distract with sticks as Stuart) He explained that both his dogs are trained to detect minute traces of flammable liquids at fire scenes.

Dave, Flugga & Selkie (they are Wagg dogs too!)

Once the fire is out, (obviously) the dogs can be used to search the scene and will indicate the presence and location of any samples containing flammable liquids that need to be taken and sent for laboratory analysis. This can save a great deal of time in the investigation of fires especially the larges scenes particularly where there has been significant damage. As with the Search and Rescue dogs the training is all based on retrieving so in essence, what we call work, is just a game to the dogs (it really is a dogs life). In their work they are looking for what they associate to be their toys and when they smell it they tell me by what is call a passive indication, they sit and look at it, so that the evidence is not disturbed or destroyed.

That Dave really knew his stuff, and that explains why he was the one carrying the clip board doing the assessments. I got him to pose with typist for some pictures (aint they good) before saying our goodbyes.

Your meant to be looking at me guys!!!

I guess that will have to do!

Before starting the long drive home, dad decided to show typist and I a bit more of Scotland as this was our first trip over the border. We started off with a trip to Loch Katrine

It was stunning!

where I had a good run

Action shot!

And ended the day with a paddle in Loch Lomond (and yes they insisted on singing the song – badly!)

"On the bonnie bonnie banks of Loch Lomond...."

When we started on the long drive back to Thirsk, I decided to catch some zz’s and let dad and typist take control, after all I had been working very hard all weekend

• I is still Bryn ( Daltons roving reporter extraordinaire)
• We are with our furiends Trossachs Search and Rescue team in Scotland (they are a bit ace!)
• Rescued dad from field (quite impressive)
• Rescued typist from river (just as impressive)
• I played fetch (highlight of day)
• Are now hunting for the burger van??!!

 Yes my furiends an actual burger van, where the two legs ate burgers and haggis and sausages and drank cups of tea and I got nowt. I will have to reread my contract!

It actually exsists!

So once they had all stuffed their faces we headed off to our second fire station of the day (at this news I thought typist was going to faint!) to do some enclosed spaces rescues, at this news typist nearly did faint as she is not a fan of small places.

So yet again typist and dad changed clothes (3^rd change for typist, 2^nd for dad) and set off on their hands and knees. Stuart knew I was more into sticks than small details so he didn’t do a lot of explaining on how these searches work; however I assume it is the same principal as an open area search using smells on wind, and guiding the handler in to the body.

Is you ready dad, they is coming?!

Once typist and dad were in position we sent in Gayle and Taz, who did a super job of rescuing them both and making sure typist was still breathing.

She looks alive to me

And then we sent in Iain and Glen, and as typist was getting acclimatised she remembered to take some photos

Look at the boots! I want some

Well done Glen

and a video of being found

Stuart did distract me from my stick long enough to tell me that all the training is carried out as play, with the reward being a favourite toy. What an ace idea!!

Once we had rescued dad and typist for the second time,

O there you are, No i wasn't worried, ok maybe a bit!

I got them to pose for some group photos

Did someone say Cheese??

• I’m Bryn, the roving reporter – hello!
• Arrived in Scotland, lovely hotel
• Went to Fire station – no firemen (gutted typist)
• Watched two very impressive open area searches
• Rescued dad (hurray)
• Overheard a conversation about throwing typist into the river (very excited)

You will never believe it but they were telling the truth – the very next thing we did on our Scottish weekend away was go down to the River Forth and chuck typist into it!

Calm down, obviously as we all quite like typist we did ensure she had all the correct equipment (doesn’t she look snazzy)

She would like to me point out so was wearing MANY layers!

And then they sent in the lovely Aiyla in to pull her out (all seems a bit barmy if you ask me!)

Aiyla in her working coat

Stuart used the ‘chucking in typist’ technique to show off how ace Aiyla is. She is a Newfoundland dog who has been specially trained to rescue people from the water, and she is so fantastic if needs be she can rescue more than one person at once!

Firstly typist had to wade out a suitable distance from the bank,

Stop waving we is waiting!

Think thats far enough

and then duck down in the water and wave n scream like a mad woman (which she found surprisingly easy!)

Realistic aint it?

Within minutes Aiyla was in the water racing to rescue typist,

Aiyla to the rescue!

 although typist did say it felt like an eternity before Aiyla came to the rescue.

Go Aiyla Go!!

However, after further discussion with Aiyla’s dad John, we discovered that she is just as clever as she looks and she carries out her own full assessment of the situation before entering the water. How clever is that?

Once all the two legs thought that Aiyla would jump off a jetty to perform a rescue, and when she didn’t this confused the two legs, so they had a closer look and realised that she had spotted and avoided some rather jagged rocks which they had all missed. Knew us dogs were clever!

You got her! Way to go

Anyway I digress, so Aiyla swam out to typist who grabbed onto her special rescue coat (Ailylas coat not typists) and was towed to safety!

Safe at last!

Hurray for Aiyla, well typist was so excited she was sent in again, which meant that poor Aiyla had to go in again and to make it even harder this time John went in as well and Aiyla had to rescue them both.

Thats not fair two people to one dog!

Look at her - thats two people at once! I is impressed!

I don't know why John looks so tired, Aiyla did all the hard work!

Well watching Aiyla do all that work made me hungry so I was very pleased when lunchtime was announced, especially as someone had mentioned a burger van….

Hello Typist here, I can’t believe Dalton let me have full run of his blog this is so exciting, there is so much to tell you, and not just about Scotland, there are so many other things we can discuss … Sorry what’s that Dalton? Typical.

Ladies, Gentlemen and anipals, Dalton changed his mind (which he keeps informing me is well within his rights to do as top dog) and has decided that he would like me to introduce you to his Ginger furiend Bryn. Now because Dalton cares about me, yes you do Dalton, and was concerned I was going to be eaten by the Loch Ness Monster, Dalton didn’t send me to Scotland alone, instead he sent me with the very handsome and brave Bryn.

Ok not a great introductory photo but its all I had!

Now Dalton feels that Bryn will be more eloquent than myself in telling you all about our Scottish adventures and so I will pass over the story telling to him…. (replaced by a dog, I deserve better than this…)

Hi All, Bryn here so lets start our story at the very beginning…

The journey from Thirsk to Scotland was pretty uneventful, a few toilet stops, some good sniffs, and only the one diversion.  It felt colder as we moved north, but that was fine as the sound of the windscreen wipers sent me into a deep sleep which I was really enjoying until dad made a very strange, loud noise and woke me rather suddenly. Apparently he and typist had had a disagreement about how long the journey from Thirsk to Scotland would take and at that moment typist had just been proven wrong (I wouldn’t have put it past him to have organised to close that road himself – he does hate to be wrong!) So after a warning glance in his direction, I resumed my dreaming.

The warning worked as I was then allowed to snooze all the way until the hotel, and here’s the good news they allowed doggies so I was shown up to my room (I let typist and dad carry the bags) and I settled down for a good nights snooze (well travelling is tiring) and I knew I had a busy weekend ahead.

Here is dads n typists bed….

Looks comfy right??

My bed - can't you see it? Its the green towel!! Unfair me thinks

The next morning  was an early start (9am on a Saturday!!!)  we met Stuart from Trossach SAR at the fire station (typist was most unimpressed not to see any fireman – I quickly reminded her she was here with us!)We all piled into Stuarts van (I was less than happy to see once again I was in the boot) and we headed off to watch Jo and Mitch carry out an open area search.

Jo & Mitch

It was SO impressive, it took them next to no time to search a massive area, and they successfully rescued two bodies who had got lost (I was pleased to see they had got lost with a sleeping bag and flask – now that’s forward planning!)

They are the tiny dots you can see!!

Stuart explained that when searching an area the handler has to do a lot of calculations before setting off to search, taking wind direction and various other details into account, to ensure nothing is missed.

I don’t know who they were kidding the dogs clearly did all the work and I had a very busy morning too trying to encourage people to play fetch.

Throw it...Throw the stick!!

Jo and Mitch were so fantastic that we managed to see them do two full searches of different areas. Once all the hard work was finished Stuart let Dad and typist play rescues, dad went to hide (which he didn’t manage so well)

We can see you!!!

 and typist took on the role of the buddy (cause you should never go out alone) and walked with Iain leaving Glen to do all the hard work.

After that we all got back into the cars, which I did with much excitement as I heard someone say they were throwing typist into a river and this I had to see….

Look how far away Scotland is!!

Anyway this weekend my generosity reached new levels and so I sent her up to Scotland to meet the Trossachs search and rescue team. I know your first question will be what is a young Yorkshire based doggie doing with friend in Scotland so I will start with some back ground information, in the way all good stories start….

Once upon a time some bright spark at Wagg HQ decides to provide food parcels to some doggies. Now I do not know who the bright spark was but when I find out, I am going to give him a piece of my mind, giving away MY food, doesn’t he know who I am…. Anyway I digress!

Meg - Winner of the WAG award and starter of a beautiful friendship!

About 11 years ago Meg (one of the Trossachs SAR dogs) won the WAG award and that is where our friendship began, and now we send monthly food and treat donations to Stuart and his gang.

Joanne & Gigha, Iain & Glen training with Strathclyde Fire and Rescue

So that’s the history taken care of. Right, back to the present and typist in Scotland. Stuart was always inviting us to go and visit but Scotland is a very far distance from here and other work commitments meant Wagg were never able to send anyone, however now I is in charge I fought I would send typist.

She hasn’t shut up from telling about it since she got back and so I fought I would let her share all her stories on my blog (is I not the kindest doggy in the widest world) and so for a while I am handing my blog over to her (first instalment coming soon)…..  but don’t worry I will be back!

I was having so much fun racing across fields but then I came across this big black and white thing, the boss said it was a cow (the first one I’ve met!) and stopped running so we could be properly introduced. I wasn’t too sure at first so I stayed slightly out of sight, but I finally overcame my initial nerves enough to touch noses, it was a very nice cow but I am extremely pleased it was on the other side of the fence to me!

 

They was SO big!!

3.5 miles later and I was still raring to go, but the boss was looking slightly worse for wear so we all called it a day and headed home for a drink and a lie down!