Open Meeting of FoGH

It was the FoGH Open Meeting at St Barnabas School this morning. It seemed very well attended and this must have really pleased the organisers. This newly formed group is doing all it can to promote the Park.

I even recognised a few people that I hadn’t even met before last Wednesday, when I first went to the Park to photograph some of the dogs and walkers. I ran a slideshow from the laptop of some of the dogs I have photographed over the past few months since the blog began and received lots of good comments, so thanks for that.

Here’s a few of the dogs that came along this morning, in between the table legs and shuffling punters.

Open Meeting of Friends of Grosvenor and Hilbert (FoGH)

Rupert, Miniature Schnauzer

Rupert, Miniature Schnauzer

Scamp, Tibetan Terrier X

Scamp, Tibetan Terrier X

Scamp, Tibetan Terrier X

Scamp, Tibetan Terrier X

Musket, Springer Spaniel

Musket, Springer Spaniel

Baxter, Goldendoodle (eyeing up a treat on the table)

Baxter, Goldendoodle (wait for it)

Baxter, Goldendoodle (gone!)

The Lazy Dog Walkers of Grosvenor Park

Back over to Grosvenor Park this morning to seek out the Lazy Dog Walkers. Aptly named group. Yes, they really do just stand about in the middle of the football pitch chatting and launching tennis balls from those ball-flinger things.

Good socialising for the dogs though.

Don’t forget about the FoGH Open Meeting at St Barnabas School tomorrow morning (Saturday). I think I’m still due to go along. Might even take Barney if dogs are allowed.

The Lazy Dog Walkers

Barney, German Shepherd X

Lily, Collie X Greyhound

Jasper, Whippet

Jasper, Whippet

The Lazy Dog Walkers

Jack, Labrador

Ollie, Border Terrier X

Ollie, Border Terrier X and Diesel, Labrador

Grosvenor & Hilbert Park

Dog Photography in Grosvenor and Hilbert Park

Change of scenery this morning. I took Barney over to Grosvenor Park after being contacted by a local Tunbridge Wells group called Friends of Grosvenor and Hilbert Park (FoGH).

FoGH launched in 2011 to support the Tunbridge Wells council bid for Heritage Lottery Funding. This process is still on-going and they are keen to promote use of the Park and have many events lined up for the future including an Open Meeting this Saturday (28th Jan) morning at St Barnabas School Hall.

Somebody from FoGH had seen my blog and asked whether I’d be interested in taking some pictures of the dogs that use the Park, so over I went.

I didn’t realise there was so much to it. I was born and brought up in Tunbridge Wells and have used the Park’s facilities, but only really to take the kids to the play area and the pond. There’s so much more to see further round and it’s a great dog walking space. I’ve got quite used to walking in the Southborough woods which are fairly enclosed and as a change, I really enjoyed being out in the open. Photographically, this made things simpler as I could spot dog walkers in the distance and shimmy on over.

Apparently there’s a group that meet up (could this be the Lazy Dog Walkers of Grosvenor Park?) on one of the football pitches each morning as a sort of social thing. I think I may have missed them by going a bit later but I will try to catch them in the next day or so.

Met some friendly owners and lovely dogs and I’ve grouped a few together here. Must mention Louise, the lady in red with the Westies (with the red coats). They all looked so colour coordinated. Louise sent me a lovely email after viewing my blog with suggestions about how to describe her dogs and much praise for what I was doing. There really are some nice people out there.

Suzy (left) & April, West Highland Terriers
(my favourite picture of the morning)

Suzy & April (right), West Highland Terriers

Suzy is a “cheeky little scamp and likes chasing squirrels, who always manage to run faster than her (thank goodness)”, she also has plenty to say for herself, unlike older and wiser April, who “is much more reserved and would rather be back at home curled up in front of the fire that traipsing round the park in the cold and wet.”

Daisy-May, Tibetan Terrier Cross (who is like “a hormone in a fur coat, if she doesn’t like a dog”)

Robbie, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

8 year old Robbie, is diabetic, needs insulin injections daily, has impaired hearing and only 25% vision.

Ness, Shih Tzu/Cairn Terrier Cross

Ness, Shih Tzu/Cairn Terrier Cross

Nina, Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Nina, Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Nina, now 4 years old, was rescued from her cruel owners at the age of one. She had been so badly kicked and punched that she had to have her front right leg removed. Luckily she was rescued by South Coulsdon RSPCA and rehomed by her loving new owner who told me Nina is “her best mate.”

Sky, Border Collie

Lily, Springer Spaniel

Alfie, Shih Tzu (has just had a haircut!)

Mia, German Shepherd (“loves sticks”)

Mia, German Shepherd

Poppy, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier (has “a zest for life” but is prone to disappear)

Poppy, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier (big yawn)

Poppy, Shih Tzu

Rosie, Labrador

The Dog Snapper on the Radio

Did you know that there’s a radio program dedicated to all things doggy? No, well until a couple of months ago, nor did I.

BBC London’s ‘Barking At The Moon’ show goes out every Thursday from 10-12pm on 94.9FM. The aim of the show is to celebrate all things dog.

I met the two presenters, Jo Good and Anna Webb at Discover Dogs at Earls Court last year, where they were presenting some of the awards. They very kindly asked me on the show and I’m due to go on next Thursday week (2nd Feb)* at about 10.30pm. I’ve been listening to the show ever since I found out about it and the range of guests and dog-related subjects has been rich and varied. Charities, rehoming services, doggy fashion, therapists, behavior experts, groomers, film and TV stars and nutrition (they are very big on the benefits of green tripe) have all featured.

So, I will go on and have a chat about the blog and photographing dogs. I’d love to get a couple of shots of Matilda and Molly (Jo and Anna’s dogs) for the blog post to follow. These are very special dogs indeed; the only two dogs that are allowed into Broadcasting House. Sorry Barney, no trip to London for you.

Here’s a link to their Facebook page; they are very close to 2000 likes so if you’re mad about dogs and I know there’s plenty of you out there, click on the like button.

* I had to add in an asterisk, as when I was writing this blog post this morning, Anna gave me a call as they had bumped me off the show (I was due to go on this Thursday). This was due to the fact that Charlotte Gainsbourg is in town for one night only and they had managed to book her for the show. Anglo-French actress and singer Charlotte is a real celebrity and comes from great stock being daughter of Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin. How can a lowly dog snapper from Southborough compete with that?

Stick Thief Brian

Here’s Brian, a three year old English Springer Spaniel, who is a familiar face in the area. A lot of his siblings are still local too, including Marley, Riise, Dotty and Max.

The owner had stopped to make a call and was sitting on a log in the woods. Brian started eyeing up Barney’s stick and went in for the steal. Barney is such a wuss and gave it up far too easily for my liking. He then spent the next couple of minutes barking at Brian while he teased him about the stick. Barney is not really much of a barker but this really miffed him. Never mind Barney, plenty more sticks in the woods.

The Dog Snapper To The Rescue

Did my Good Samaritan bit on Monday morning. When I was making my way towards the farmer’s field over towards Bidborough, I passed a woman who had a Cairn Terrier (Bibi) on a lead and was looking a little worried.

She had lost Tilly, a Patterdale Terrier who had gone off exploring and hadn’t come back.  We could both hear a bit of whimpering somewhere in the woods and as she called her, Tilly would bark a little.

The area to search in was pretty thick so I put down the camera and the woman minded Barney while I waded in. Finally I found Tilly near a section of barbed wire fence. Luckily she wasn’t hurt or anything but part of her collar had got wrapped around the barbed wire and she couldn’t free herself. She just needed a helping hand and once free, happily ran back.

When I returned, I found out that the woman was looking after the dog for the owners who were away in the Caribbean. She was very grateful and only too happy for me to get a picture of the two dogs for the blog.

Tilly, Patterdale Terrier (front) & Bibi (Cairn Terrier)

by a Weald Way marker

Yorkie Photo

This is Nellie, a 9 year old Yorkshire Terrier, with what looks like, the remains of her Christmas bow.

Springer Spaniel Pup

I’m coming across lots of new pups on my walks at the moment.

This little chap is Archie, an English Springer Spaniel that’s just 3½ months old. The owners are now living locally after moving down from London.

Tricky to photograph, as he was such a live-wire, but really glad I did.

Japanese Spitz crosses

These last two from 2011 are both crossed with a Japanese Spitz.

Sydney is a very pretty Japanese Spitz / Papillon cross whereas Jack is Japanese Spitz / Jack Russell.

Sydney, Japanese Spitz/Papillon cross

Jack, Japanese Spitz/Jack Russell cross

Sydney (right) and Jack

Sydney (left) and Jack

Shankly and Bear

Came across three new owners I’d not met before around Christmas on the way over to Bidborough. I had photographed one of the dogs though, Rafferty, a Border Terrier.

As you know, the weather has been very wet and the ground is boggy and squidgy. This was reflected in the way Shankly, a two year old Jack Russell, looked. He looked great in his own scruffy way, with his wet, curly, muddy coat.

Slightly more refined looking was Bear, a 22 month old Welsh Terrier. I think he’d just had a nice trim in time for Christmas. Unlike the others, it looked as though he had better things to do than hare about in the mud.

Shankly, Jack Russell

Rafferty, Shankly and Barney

Bear, Welsh Terrieray K

Bad Boy Labradoodle

Monty was in disgrace when I met him. This Labradoodle had nearly managed to get hit by a car when he ran out in the road around the Modest Corner area.

So he was back the lead and being walked by the disgruntled owner. Oh dear.

og photography Kent

Mince Pie Thief

I never did get round to putting up my greedy Barney picture so here it is.

Christmas Eve, stockings hung up on fireplace, glass of wine and mince pie left out for Santa, but my dog just couldn’t wait.

Apparently they taste better when you eat the tin foil as well.

 

Another Boxer Pup

Well, what d’you know? On Christmas Eve, I’d set off with Barney and was walking down dog poo alley (you know, the alleyway between Prospect Road and Holden Road) and came across Jessie, a 17 week old Boxer. I had only recently photographed little Ollie, the ten week old Boxer and here we are again with another one, just as gorgeous. She was certainly eager to get playing but had just finished her walk and was on the lead.

Hope to see her again soon, hopefully off the lead around the Common.

Black Dogs on a Bright Day

On this most foul day with it coming down in buckets, I thought I’d get this up from the middle of December taken on a lovely Winter’s day.

The mother and daughter owners were walking three black dogs between them. The owner mother had charge of a mother and daughter combination herself, by way of two black Labradors. The mother is Cassie (11 yrs) and the daughter Inca (7yrs) and they were two of the most well-behaved dogs I’ve ever come across.

The lovely two year old Working Cocker Spaniel is Aster and she had great fun running around with Barney.

g photography Kent

New Year’s Day Twoofers

What a great way to start the New Year!

I saw on Twitter that a few dog walkers were going to get together at Broadwater Warren so what better way to get to know the faces behind the Twitter names. Eleven owners and eleven dogs could have been tricky but they all seemed to get on fine. It was good to chat to the owners as we went round, some with dog-related businesses and others just keen dog people.

Unlike in previous (individual dog) posts, I can’t name each and every dog here. But, in time, I’ll get to recognise them and will be able to give each of them the credit they deserve.

Twoofers as I believe this dog walking group been named, will hopefully become a regular monthly meet up so I shall be along there again. Look forward to seeing you all next time and Happy New Year.

Noodles

Ziggy

 

og photography Kent