Home again, via Machelen

 

Mont St Michel + St Valery en Caux

 

huelgoat, st malo

Now in St Malo.  Sun almost set and we´re parked just behind the harbour, in the last empty space which I nipped into when I saw a LandRover reverse out of it in my mirror.  

Arrived yesterday in Huelgoat and we went for a meal including lots of lamb bones and fat which I took out to Ragnar.  This morning went for a walk in the forest of big rocks.  

 Off to Mont St Michel very early tomorrow before it gets busy.  

Somewhere in France

Last night we stopped somewhere in Belgium, at a busy, wet and fairly miserable place along the motorway.  But it was a safe place to stop so fine to sleep for a few hours.  Today we stopped at various places along the way and Ragnar could snooze while I read my book.  Of course we also had short walks at every stop and he was very keen to roll on grass and sniff all the new smells.  He's absolutely safe in the van now, sitting before I attach the lead before he jumps out.  I had planned to drive a bit further this evening but I saw something crawling on my arm and thought it was a tick so I pulled over as soon as I could to deal with it.  (Not sure if it was a tick, it looked different from the ones I've seen before, harder and more tiny beetle like.)  The place we're stopped at is a deserted aire with lots of space to walk. 

  

Toilets and taps.  A height barrier of 2.2m so I can just get under it.  All the noisy lorries are on the other side of the roundabout.  Ideal place to stop for the night so we'll stay here.  Sun setting behind me. Much nicer end to the day than yesterday.  Should get to Huelgoet tomorrow.  

2 nights camping

Currently spending 2 nights away with the van, without going home in the middle like we did at the start of the week.  Last night was spent at a good spot on the edge of the nature resort between Stroe and Den Oever.  Am now at the carpool bit bij Robbenoordbos. 

 

Howling, running, Ragnarring

 

Busy day for Ragnar.  I had to go and do a couple of things in town and wantéd to leave him at home so that he wouldn't be waiting for too long in the car.  Klaas was at home.  He told me when I came back that Ragnar had watched me leave and then sat in the garden and howled like a wolf.  Much louder than the 2nd night here when he howled quite softly.  After a while he came inside and settled down ok.  

He let me trim the nails on one of his forefeet this afternoon but after one foot he'd had enough.  Last time I tried I only got the dew claws done before he jumped up.  

This evening we went for a walk along the canal and for the first time he had a truly mad gallop about in huge fullspeed circles.  All my previous Danes have always had their crazy 5 minutes during walks but I hadn't seen Ragnar do it yet.  I think this is another sign that he's definitely feeling at home here now.  

I've also had mail contact with his first owner whose phone number was still registered on his chip.  She's going to arrange for it to be changed to mine.   

Vet visit

First vet visit this morning.  Vaccinations up to date.  He sat beautifully on the scales.  (72kg)

Heart check.  Chip control.  

2nd night away

Met up with Carin in Petten last night and had a walk on the deserted beach there then I drove to the parking place just before Zwanenmeer at sunset and we camped there for the night.  This morning I drove to Den Helder and we walked along the dijk and then drank coffee and read in the van till the library opened at 10 so I could hand in my books there.   

The tide was almost fully in but there was a tiny bit of sand he could jump about on before it disappeared. 

First night away in the van

Yesterday Ragnar and I drove to Utrecht in the evening.  Had a stopover for a short walk in Vinkeveen.  

He's totally van safe now, sitting while I put on the lead that's attached to the van before he gets out.  We had a brief visit to Rianne and a short walk behind the Julianapark before driving up to the carpool place on the outskirts of Baarn where we lived on our first ark on the Eem.  I always like to see what's changed there if I'm passing.  

This morning up really early so we could get past Amsterdam before it got busy.  Another stop in Petten to check our meeting place for Carin later today. 

He still pants a fair bit in the van, not sure if it's nerves or just that it's getting warmer but he's definitely calmer than he was and knows to lie down before we drive off. 

 

Saturday photos

 Yesterday morning went for a walk in a nature reserve place where dogs were allowed if on the lead.  There was a 3k route marked but when we were almost at the end of the circuit there was a locked gate with a stile, which Ragnar can''t get over so we had to walk back the way we came to get out. 

Later in the afternoon it was warm so Ragnar got a damp scarf to wear to keep him cool.  

Vet test visit

Last night Ragnar and I spent our first night in the van together.  Just in the garden, in front of the garage.  He was a bit nervous at first and panting a lot, but soon settled down and we both slept reasonably well.  

Then this morning first took him in the van to the Friday market in the woods.  Thought it would be a good place to get him used to seeing more people as he's been quite isolated here the last 2 weeks.  I put the noseband on him so that I could keep him close to me more easily but he was having none of it and just lay on the ground and pawed at his nose till I took it off again.  Maybe it was a wee bit too tight - his head is wider than Angus's was so I'll make some adjustments before trying it again.  Mind you, Angus didn't like it either but did accept it more easily.  

So we just walked back to the van which was parked further along. It was a bit too busy on the market anyway.  Drove home via the vet's so that I could take him in to make an appointment for next week.  Angus never liked going there so I wanted to be sure he would walk through the doors without a problem.  He was fine, if a bit hyper.  

No photos yet today as far too busy with dogwrangling but here's one from yesterday, when I put an old duvet cover over the cushion in his bed so that he's more visible on photos against the lighter background.  

Beach car run

 

Fly me to the shops

 

Gave him a couple of the calming tablets I got for Angus for the channel crossing last year to see if that would make him less nervous of being left in the car while I went in to the nearest supermarket in the next village.   

Not sure whether it helped him feel any better or not but he wasn't barking or howling when I came back and no-one had phoned me to complain (I left my number in the front window.) 

On Saturday he wouldn't even contemplate going with me and now he's finding it reasonably normal.  So that's good progress.  

Trump photo bomb

Trying to take a photo last night when he had his head visible against the white wall I didn't notice till afterwards that Trump had appeared on the tv.  

Took him for another short run in the car before the sunset walk last night.  I noticed a strange rasping sort of noise as we drove off and at first I thought it was a sign of something wrong with the car, until I realised it was Ragnar panting very quietly.  Although not entirely happy with being driven as yet he does seem to have accepted that jumping in and out isn't as scary as he first thought.  
 

First car beach run

 This morning, as the Agila was parked out the front and he's going to have to get used to that as well I decided to take him down the the Kuitje in that.  Slight hesitance before jumping in but he trusts me more now (and knows that the car is where the chicken treats live).  

No photos as I just didn't think of taking any as I was so busy with making sure he got out the car in a controlled  way.  He still pants a fair bit in the car from nerves but he recovers more quickly too.  He's also not following me about quite as much as he did in the beginning as he's learnt that I don't actually disappear for good if I'm out of sight briefly.  

 

I like this photo as the light makes him look almost the colour of a Weimeraner.  In reality he's darker and more grey than brown.  

Food for thought

Gave Ragnar his breakfast in the van this morning and he jumped in and out a couple of times, getting more confident with each entrance.   

Later: when we came back from our morning walk I let him eat in the van again while I sat on the bed and he stayed inside a bit longer, looking around him.  Obviously my bucket is quite interesting...

 

Still later:  After our last walk when it was almost dark he was keen to jump into the van even before I produced a treat as he knows that that's where he gets them.  He does seem to have learnt this remarkably quickly.  Tomorrow will try a run down to the beach and if he refuses to get in again we can always walk home from there.