The Labraventures of Carbón, Spanish (ex-) foster dog extraordinaire

Emily_Babbelhund

Emily_Babbelhund

Mama Red HOT Pepper
Location
Regensburg, Germany
Last week we had a wonderful day out thanks to @Naya. An area of Bavaria I hadn't been before and a nice sit down chat with Harley's mum next to a clear blue lake. What could be better?

Before meeting up with Ternaya, Carbon and I had a lakeshore walk. In my search for a loo, I ended up in a public park that was full of shady trails and little coves. The only downside was that it was on-leash only, so I ended up wading into the water up to my undies and then letting Carbon swim circles around me on his leash. Seeing as it was over 30 degrees that day, I didn't mind the resulting wet trousers in the least.

I was VERY proud of Carbon. Even though the environment was very exciting - ducks, kids, bicycles - he did very nicely on leash. If I may say so, I was proud of me, too. Whereas 'PF' (pre-forum) I would have dragged him away from things he was reacting to, this time we did LAT training. The park provided some great opportunities for Carbon, from other dogs barking at him, to kids whacking around a tennis ball, to some very cheeky ducks.

We went through gobs of low cal treats but in each case by the time we walked away to the next area, he was sitting nicely and calmly looking at whatever set him off.

The tennis ball being tossed around was the hardest and we had to start from fairly far away, but he got it in the end. The ducks were the funniest because we started on shore, then waded out to (my) hip level and eventually the ducks were swimming right up to Carbon as if just daring him to try anything. But hey, if Carbon can fall in love with Remy the Cat of Unusual Size, surely he can make friends with a duck?

Then it was time to drive to meet Ternaya at the local youth hostel. Carbon was SO happy to see her and had to sit in her lap for cuddles. He also made friends with her dog-loving colleague, who took him for a walk along the lakeside. It was a great treat for me to talk to Ternaya for a couple hours. When it was time to say goodbye and make the two hour drive back home, I had to stop myself from driving on the left side of the road - I'd really felt like I'd had a mini day out in the UK!

All the photos on Flickr

Carbon doing his best "I am an elegant gundog" pose
P1090624.jpg

Fishing!
P1090668.jpg

Lake Starnberger (just south of Munich)
P1090689.jpg

Carbon's "I'm just a cute puppy" pose
P1090637.jpg

"I luuuurve Harley's mum"
P1090698.jpg

"Yep, that's the spot..."
P1090702.jpg

Getting a personal tour around the lakeshore from a new friend
P1090708.jpg

* I'm going to post this and some of my future posts to 'the other place'. Hopefully that's fine and with apologies to those who end up seeing it twice.
 
HAH

HAH

Moderator
Location
Devon, UK
You should be proud of both of you! It sounds like a thoroughly successful day for socialising and training, and those photos are glorious - Carbon is such a fine hound and his coat is as glossy as a thoroughbred. Beautiful, thank you Emily x
 
Naya

Naya

Moderator
Location
Bristol, UK
For me, it was a few hours of bliss. Spending time with @Emily_Babbelhund and Carbon was a highlight of a very challenging week (80-90 young people from across the world in one youth hostel!). I was missing Harley like mad so it really was a boost seeing Carbon, especially when he literally sat on my lap ?. It was great that Carbon loved saying hi to everyone, especially my colleague and the girls from my group that came over to say hi. I’m glad you enjoyed your day out and thank you for saving my sanity!
 
Emily_Babbelhund

Emily_Babbelhund

Mama Red HOT Pepper
Location
Regensburg, Germany
When @Rosie and her OH were passing through Regensburg last year, one thing that drove her OH nuts on my little walking tour was that I wouldn't let him cross the street without the little green man...even if absolutely no cars were coming. I explained that this is a very German (maybe only BAVARIAN) thing. Even if it is Sunday and not a car is in sight, it is very frowned on to cross the street because "one must always think of the children". In other words, it's all about setting a good example for children, even ones that may be looking down on your criminal jaywalking ways from an overhead window.

Right now there are a lot of tourists in town and you can see their bafflement as all the Germans will wait at the intersection coming from the old Roman bridge, despite there being very light to no traffic there. I use that time to do a nice standing 'wait' with Carbon, so he loves waiting for the green man and getting Leckerlis (treats).

Yesterday we were at the intersection and doing our 'wait/treat' thing, and a German couple came up to stand next to Carbon and me. The woman looked all around (including up at the windows in the facing building), determined no children were watching and started impatiently across the street. "No!" shouts her husband. The wife turns around and says, "There aren't any children - come on!". "No," the husband repeats firmly, "You are setting a bad example for the dog!".

Some things I just love about Bavaria. :rofl:
 
Emily_Babbelhund

Emily_Babbelhund

Mama Red HOT Pepper
Location
Regensburg, Germany
kateincornwall said:
It was the same in Florence @Emily_Babbelhund . I went on holiday with a friend when we were both 17 , we were skint and so we lodged in a convent ! We did the same , went to cross the road before the duty policeman told us we could , he went crackers , we didn't understand a word but his face went very red , in contrast to his white uniform ! xx
Click to expand...
Heh, heh...those guys take their jobs quite seriously. You hardly see them anymore in Italy, though...and if you wait for the light (if there is one), you'll be the only one. My tactic in Italy when crossing a big road is to get as close as I can to a native, preferably a woman with a baby carriage, and cross with her. Also strangely enough, you need to make eye contact with the drivers bearing down to make sure they don't kill you. In contrast in France, the game is to never make eye contact and just keep walking. You make eye contact and THEN they'll keep coming right at you.

I find all these little things fascinating going from country to country. The kind of weird thing is that I think I'm becoming German at heart. Now when I see a mother and child jaywalking in France or someplace else, I get all (internally) outraged and the first thing that comes in my mind is "BUT THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!".

I've been well and truly Bavaria brainwashed. :wasntme:
 
Natalie

Natalie

kateincornwall said:
It was the same in Florence @Emily_Babbelhund . I went on holiday with a friend when we were both 17 , we were skint and so we lodged in a convent ! We did the same , went to cross the road before the duty policeman told us we could , he went crackers , we didn't understand a word but his face went very red , in contrast to his white uniform ! xx
Click to expand...
That is different to how I remember Italy... I spent a year there in 1999 /2000 and soon learnt that a zebra crossing was only a suggestion that a car may, possibly need to slow down to dodge a pedestrian, though it was preferable if the person dodged the car/moped. I soon became street savvy and it was a shock to my OH when I returned and spent the next 6 months 'dangerously' (his words) dodging UK traffic.

I was shamed in Austria, however. I had read of the Germanic tendency to always wait to cross until instructed, but in Berlin everything was so busy you simply had to. However in Vienna I was frustrated by the quieter streets and simply crossed when there was no traffic. Honestly, the dirty looks I got were incredible! Like I had let my dog poo in the middle of the pavement and left it. Which, considering how clean Austria is, is no doubt very severely punished ?
 
Emily_Babbelhund

Emily_Babbelhund

Mama Red HOT Pepper
Location
Regensburg, Germany
Natalie said:
Honestly, the dirty looks I got were incredible! Like I had let my dog poo in the middle of the pavement and left it. Which, considering how clean Austria is, is no doubt very severely punished
Click to expand...
I've seen people here get out of their cars and yell at people that cross without the light. It's very, very badly looked at. As is not picking up your dog's poo. You just don't do it, no, no, no. Heck, I'm afraid to recycle my glass wrong, let alone not pick up a poo.

And I agree on Italy...it's every man (or woman) for himself. Especially in Rome and south of there. I saw a priest get whacked by a car once - he was ok but it ended with him laying across the car's hood/bonnet. The driver got out and YELLED AT THE PRIEST for getting in his way. Yikes. But it does keep you limber, dodging the cars!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top