I promised to tell you all about my experiences at school. Ailsa chose the ACT Companion Dog Club for my education because it has great facilities – lots of fields and paddocks which they use for training and which can be used for exercise at other times.
My first teacher was called John and he was really nice and understanding when Ailsa told him about my background. He said straight up that I might like to do the first class twice which was very generous of him – that was to build my confidence for future classes. During the first term we learnt to do things like walking on a loose lead without tripping Ailsa up or pulling on the lead, sitting, dropping, waiting until I am told before eating dinner. I learnt it all and passed but in the middle was the unfortunate incident I referred to last time so John and Ailsa thought it would be a good idea to repeat this course. I did not mind because it meant that I got a good supply of little treats during the class and I was top of the class with my new teacher Greg next time around.
After that I moved into the intermediate class where we did more of the same plus coming when we were called, and learning to heel and drop and to stand for inspection. I was doing well but when we got to test day there was someone else as the teacher testing us. I am a really friendly dog and I like to greet people with a kiss, this teacher looked nice and unfortunately I chose to give her a kiss during stand for inspection. I did not think it was very fair that she failed me when I was trying to be friendly.
We had school holidays after that and Ailsa and my friend Mildred who is more than 10 dog years old decided to go to Sydney so Ailsa could collect some glass she had bought and they could meet Trish and Pauline for lunch on the beach. I had no idea what they were talking about but I was pretty pleased when they said come on, we are going to have lunch by the beach. I just love driving in the car – I have my own seatbelt – we always say “Click Clack front and back to keep us safe” when we do it up – and then I sit in the middle of the back seat so I can see in every direction and help Ailsa drive. I have my own waterbowl in the back and a supply of dog biscuits in case I get hungry.
This was early June and it was quite cold and foggy when we left Canberra very early in the morning – we drove for a long time and then stopped for coffee and water and an opportunity for me to stretch my legs at Berrima. Imagine my surprise when I got out of the car and the grass – which I know is supposed to be green – was all white and cold on my paws. Ailsa said it was frost and it would be warmer where we were going. We had coffee and dog biscuits outside a café under a heater and lots of people came over to pat me and told me I was beautiful.
It is a long drive from Canberra to Sydney and takes several days – we left Canberra just after night and drove to Berrima, then after a break we drove on just stopping for petrol, we went along the M5 towards the airport and suddenly it was dark so I thought it must be night and fell asleep. It did not feel as though I had been asleep very long before it was light again so I had to wake up. I was really surprised when I saw we were by the airport where I had changed planes on my way to live with Ailsa. I waved my tail hard and woofed hello to all the people there who had been nice to me. It was a bit of a shock though when we went under a bridge and there was a big rumbling overhead – Ailsa said it was a jumbo landing but I could not see any elephants. I barked loudly anyway to frighten it away.
Sydney is not like Canberra – it is very crowded with lots of cars and lots of people and no trees. It was slow driving through the city and then we were on a big metal thing that went across some water – Ailsa said it was the Harbour Bridge. I was shocked when this big noisy thing came towards us very fast and I barked and growled at it, fortunately it worked because it went by us instead of over us – Ailsa said there was no need to worry it could not get us because it had to run on tracks and could not move off them so as long as we stayed off its tracks we would be safe. Soon after we stopped at a house to collect Ailsa’s glass. There was a cat at that house and it batted my nose so I gave it something to remember me by, then Ailsa hustled me back into the car – a bit rudely I thought.
We set off driving again and went down a big hill, across another bridge with lots of water and things called boats floating in it and up another big hill, then Ailsa said she would show me where she used to live so we went and saw her old flat and then down another big hill to Manly – I was surprised because the houses ended and beyond there was just all this blue water – Ailsa said that was the ocean and it was bigger than Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra.
Next thing I know we are driving inside a house! To make it even more strange it was full of cars and we kept driving upstairs. I thought maybe I was dreaming. We went on up and up. Eventually Ailsa found somewhere to stop the car and we all got out and walked over to this little room. I wondered why we were just standing there when nothing interesting was happening when suddenly the walls slid together so there was no door and the floor started dropping away. I don’t mind admitting that I was scared and flattened myself on the floor to reduce the impact. I kept looking at Ailsa and Mildred wanting them to do the same and save themselves but they just stood there talking. Suddenly it stopped and the walls opened up again – I was not risking being caught in there so I bolted out. We had fallen down all those stairs and were at street level again! I think we were lucky nobody was hurt.
By now we were getting hungry and we were meeting Trish and Pauline in the Corso. We found a seat to wait for them and lots and lots of people stopped to pat me and ask about me. At one stage they were queuing up to make a fuss of me – I am sure the other dogs were jealous. One man even knew I was a Koolie – Ailsa said that was because he was from the Bush.
When Trish and Pauline arrived we decided to have fish and chips and eat them down by the beach. Ailsa and Mildred and I went and found a table overlooking the ocean. It was even bigger than I thought and between it and the land was a strip of funny gritty stuff and people were lying on it without many clothes on. Mildred said that was the beach and they were getting a tan and making their skin change colour and that dogs were not allowed there – I did not think that was very fair, I really wanted to go and give all those people a good licking.
An American man came along with his wife and his son and he said hello to me and said that when he was seven years old his daddy had come to Australia and taken a Koolie puppy back to California for him, so he knew what I was too. I gave him and his little boy lots of kisses.
Then it was time to get in the car to go home and we had to go into that little room again. I did not want to go but Mildred carried the parcels and Ailsa picked me up and carried me and told me it was safe and I would be alright. She had a last surprise for me – we drove a short distance and there was another beach with no people and she said this was a dog beach and I could go and have a run on it and go in the water if I wanted. There was no holding me back – I ran down – that gritty stuff is deceptive – it is soft and you sink in it unless you move fast, then I ran in and out of the water – it was lots of fun. I had to be rubbed down with the towel to get the gritty stuff out before I went back in the car.
After all this I was so tired I had to leave Ailsa to drive and I curled up and fell asleep. When I woke up we were still driving and it was very dark so it must have been the middle of the night. I told Ailsa I was hungry so she said we could stop and get some chicken. Yippee – my favourite. We stopped at a café that was full of children and we sat outside and shared some chicken and chips and lots of the children came out to say hello to me. After a quick walk around the car park it was back in the car and home to Canberra. I don’t know how long we were away but I think quite a time with all those dark nights but what a great trip.
Next time I will tell you some more about my education and my travels with Ailsa.
My first teacher was called John and he was really nice and understanding when Ailsa told him about my background. He said straight up that I might like to do the first class twice which was very generous of him – that was to build my confidence for future classes. During the first term we learnt to do things like walking on a loose lead without tripping Ailsa up or pulling on the lead, sitting, dropping, waiting until I am told before eating dinner. I learnt it all and passed but in the middle was the unfortunate incident I referred to last time so John and Ailsa thought it would be a good idea to repeat this course. I did not mind because it meant that I got a good supply of little treats during the class and I was top of the class with my new teacher Greg next time around.
After that I moved into the intermediate class where we did more of the same plus coming when we were called, and learning to heel and drop and to stand for inspection. I was doing well but when we got to test day there was someone else as the teacher testing us. I am a really friendly dog and I like to greet people with a kiss, this teacher looked nice and unfortunately I chose to give her a kiss during stand for inspection. I did not think it was very fair that she failed me when I was trying to be friendly.
We had school holidays after that and Ailsa and my friend Mildred who is more than 10 dog years old decided to go to Sydney so Ailsa could collect some glass she had bought and they could meet Trish and Pauline for lunch on the beach. I had no idea what they were talking about but I was pretty pleased when they said come on, we are going to have lunch by the beach. I just love driving in the car – I have my own seatbelt – we always say “Click Clack front and back to keep us safe” when we do it up – and then I sit in the middle of the back seat so I can see in every direction and help Ailsa drive. I have my own waterbowl in the back and a supply of dog biscuits in case I get hungry.
This was early June and it was quite cold and foggy when we left Canberra very early in the morning – we drove for a long time and then stopped for coffee and water and an opportunity for me to stretch my legs at Berrima. Imagine my surprise when I got out of the car and the grass – which I know is supposed to be green – was all white and cold on my paws. Ailsa said it was frost and it would be warmer where we were going. We had coffee and dog biscuits outside a café under a heater and lots of people came over to pat me and told me I was beautiful.
It is a long drive from Canberra to Sydney and takes several days – we left Canberra just after night and drove to Berrima, then after a break we drove on just stopping for petrol, we went along the M5 towards the airport and suddenly it was dark so I thought it must be night and fell asleep. It did not feel as though I had been asleep very long before it was light again so I had to wake up. I was really surprised when I saw we were by the airport where I had changed planes on my way to live with Ailsa. I waved my tail hard and woofed hello to all the people there who had been nice to me. It was a bit of a shock though when we went under a bridge and there was a big rumbling overhead – Ailsa said it was a jumbo landing but I could not see any elephants. I barked loudly anyway to frighten it away.
Sydney is not like Canberra – it is very crowded with lots of cars and lots of people and no trees. It was slow driving through the city and then we were on a big metal thing that went across some water – Ailsa said it was the Harbour Bridge. I was shocked when this big noisy thing came towards us very fast and I barked and growled at it, fortunately it worked because it went by us instead of over us – Ailsa said there was no need to worry it could not get us because it had to run on tracks and could not move off them so as long as we stayed off its tracks we would be safe. Soon after we stopped at a house to collect Ailsa’s glass. There was a cat at that house and it batted my nose so I gave it something to remember me by, then Ailsa hustled me back into the car – a bit rudely I thought.
We set off driving again and went down a big hill, across another bridge with lots of water and things called boats floating in it and up another big hill, then Ailsa said she would show me where she used to live so we went and saw her old flat and then down another big hill to Manly – I was surprised because the houses ended and beyond there was just all this blue water – Ailsa said that was the ocean and it was bigger than Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra.
Next thing I know we are driving inside a house! To make it even more strange it was full of cars and we kept driving upstairs. I thought maybe I was dreaming. We went on up and up. Eventually Ailsa found somewhere to stop the car and we all got out and walked over to this little room. I wondered why we were just standing there when nothing interesting was happening when suddenly the walls slid together so there was no door and the floor started dropping away. I don’t mind admitting that I was scared and flattened myself on the floor to reduce the impact. I kept looking at Ailsa and Mildred wanting them to do the same and save themselves but they just stood there talking. Suddenly it stopped and the walls opened up again – I was not risking being caught in there so I bolted out. We had fallen down all those stairs and were at street level again! I think we were lucky nobody was hurt.
By now we were getting hungry and we were meeting Trish and Pauline in the Corso. We found a seat to wait for them and lots and lots of people stopped to pat me and ask about me. At one stage they were queuing up to make a fuss of me – I am sure the other dogs were jealous. One man even knew I was a Koolie – Ailsa said that was because he was from the Bush.
When Trish and Pauline arrived we decided to have fish and chips and eat them down by the beach. Ailsa and Mildred and I went and found a table overlooking the ocean. It was even bigger than I thought and between it and the land was a strip of funny gritty stuff and people were lying on it without many clothes on. Mildred said that was the beach and they were getting a tan and making their skin change colour and that dogs were not allowed there – I did not think that was very fair, I really wanted to go and give all those people a good licking.
An American man came along with his wife and his son and he said hello to me and said that when he was seven years old his daddy had come to Australia and taken a Koolie puppy back to California for him, so he knew what I was too. I gave him and his little boy lots of kisses.
Then it was time to get in the car to go home and we had to go into that little room again. I did not want to go but Mildred carried the parcels and Ailsa picked me up and carried me and told me it was safe and I would be alright. She had a last surprise for me – we drove a short distance and there was another beach with no people and she said this was a dog beach and I could go and have a run on it and go in the water if I wanted. There was no holding me back – I ran down – that gritty stuff is deceptive – it is soft and you sink in it unless you move fast, then I ran in and out of the water – it was lots of fun. I had to be rubbed down with the towel to get the gritty stuff out before I went back in the car.
After all this I was so tired I had to leave Ailsa to drive and I curled up and fell asleep. When I woke up we were still driving and it was very dark so it must have been the middle of the night. I told Ailsa I was hungry so she said we could stop and get some chicken. Yippee – my favourite. We stopped at a café that was full of children and we sat outside and shared some chicken and chips and lots of the children came out to say hello to me. After a quick walk around the car park it was back in the car and home to Canberra. I don’t know how long we were away but I think quite a time with all those dark nights but what a great trip.
Next time I will tell you some more about my education and my travels with Ailsa.
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