Animals

[amateur51]

Cycling home a few weeks ago, a Barn Owl took off from a fence post at the side of the lane and flew ahead of me for some distance. Magical. One feels almost as though one has had a glimpse into a secret world.

Indeed Mr Pee, if a barn owl had been cycling home as you suggest

These owls - what will they get up to next?!

[Lateralthinking1]

Most of the ones round here go hang gliding. A couple are training for the Olympics pentathlon.

[vinteuil]

I deserved the time a barn owl put the wind up me. As a teenager I was talking with a friend under a street light and heard an owl hooting further up the street so I did my (I thought) famous reply by blowing through my thumbs. A few puffs later and the bird literally parted my hair for me.

Chris - love the story: you were clearly a Wordsworthian:

There was a Boy, ye knew him well, ye Cliffs
And Islands of Winander! many a time,
At evening, when the stars had just begun
To move along the edges of the hills,
Rising or setting, would he stand alone,
Beneath the trees, or by the glimmering lake;
And there, with fingers interwoven, both hands
Pressed closely palm to palm and to his mouth
Uplifted, he, as through an instrument,
Blew mimic hootings to the silent owls,
That they might answer him. And they would shout
Across the wat'ry vale, and shout again,
Responsive to his call, with quivering peals,
And long halloos, and screams, and echoes loud
Redoubled and redoubled, a wild scene
Of mirth and jocund din. And, when there it chanced
That pauses of deep silence mock'd his best skill,
Then, sometimes, in that silence, while he hung
Listening, a gentle shock of mild surprize
Has carried far into his heart the voice
Of mountain torrents; or the visible scene
Would enter unawares into his mind
With all its solemn imagery, its rocks,
Its woods, and that uncertain heaven, receiv'd
Into the bosom of the steady lake.

This Boy was taken from his Mates, and died
In childhood, ere he was ten years old.

[1800-1805]

[Lateralthinking1]

Very moving:

I like these:

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS6KYg4JyoqB_T6ZEDH-tGXmqRLFCorjoCW5KftXuXfY3GIiyqu

and these:

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRMgoMYlKH8Cu7UVk6wSp4h9ybsQXIanlPQcWAzZHv8mVuNDZWpiw

I am quite pleased that I can't speak about them with any knowledge. Knowledge would spoil it for me.

[Mary Chambers]

Cats for me too, nearly every time, although I once had a lovely Cairn Terrier, but then they're very cat like with pretty faces. We/I have owned three black and white cats, the sort Old Possum, [T.S Eliot], called Jellicle Cats for some reason.

I had a Jellicle cat, black and white and 'rather small', as described by Eliot. I will never, never forgive Andrew Lloyd Webber. I still have my Old Possum with the Nicolas Bentley illustrations.

The only dog that's ever really appealed to me was a King Charles spaniel puppy (not mine), one of the prettiest creatures I've ever seen. Otherwise, cats for me.

[EdgeleyRob]

The only dog that's ever really appealed to me was a King Charles spaniel puppy (not mine), one of the prettiest creatures I've ever seen. Otherwise, cats for me.

Golden Labradors every time(and I've owned one or two over the years).The most beautiful,intelligent,loyal and cuddly animals on the planet.

[Chris Newman]

Chris - love the story: you were clearly a Wordsworthian:

There was a Boy, ye knew him well, ye Cliffs
And Islands of Winander! many a time,
At evening, when the stars had just begun
To move along the edges of the hills,
Rising or setting, would he stand alone,
Beneath the trees, or by the glimmering lake;
And there, with fingers interwoven, both hands
Pressed closely palm to palm and to his mouth
Uplifted, he, as through an instrument,
Blew mimic hootings to the silent owls,
That they might answer him. And they would shout
Across the wat'ry vale, and shout again,
Responsive to his call, with quivering peals,
And long halloos, and screams, and echoes loud
Redoubled and redoubled, a wild scene
Of mirth and jocund din. And, when there it chanced
That pauses of deep silence mock'd his best skill,
Then, sometimes, in that silence, while he hung
Listening, a gentle shock of mild surprize
Has carried far into his heart the voice
Of mountain torrents; or the visible scene
Would enter unawares into his mind
With all its solemn imagery, its rocks,
Its woods, and that uncertain heaven, receiv'd
Into the bosom of the steady lake.

This Boy was taken from his Mates, and died
In childhood, ere he was ten years old.

[1800-1805]

Ah, The Prelude, wonderful stuff, vinteuil. It's a digression, I know. WW writes fascinatingly but almost innocently about the psychology of children. His description of the mountains leering over him in punishment as he guiltily rows the stolen boat is terrifying. And it was years before Freud, Jung and others began to categorize and label symptoms and effects. Of course, later children's authors like Dahl exploited things knowingly. IMV nobody really gets into the mind of a child as WW did until J Meade Falkner wrote Moonfleet.

Digressing again. I cannot strictly claim to be an Old Wordsworthian but I taught at Bishop Wordsworth's School for some years.

[Mahlerei]

Never been a great fan of cats but had a variety of dogs, among them a German Shepherd and a sweet-natured Dalmatian. My son's husky is an adorable creature, as are our two mini lops, Charcoal and Butters.

Sign at our local pet shop:

A dog comes when you call it; a cat says leave me a message and I'll get back to you.

[Lateralthinking1]

Has anyone experience of being paid as a dog walker? I don't have much knowledge of dogs. How much knowledge do you need?

Last year I spoke on the phone to a very nice woman in America who was married to a successful ex-forces General. Long story. Somewhat troubled at the time. It leads to bizarre places!

But in a nutshell it was a really, really, good conversation. She said he gave it all up to walk dogs for small amounts of money and because of it had never been happier in his life.

[scottycelt]

Golden Labradors every time(and I've owned one or two over the years).The most beautiful,intelligent,loyal and cuddly animals on the planet.

I agree, Rob ... when they look at you with those big bright eyes it's almost as if they sense exactly what you are thinking.

It's strange how, generally speaking, men prefer dogs while women favour cats as pets. The unshakeable loyalty of a dog is the clincher for me, but a cat's haughty independence is certainly impressive!

[Nick Armstrong]

Has anyone experience of being paid as a dog walker? I don't have much knowledge of dogs. How much knowledge do you need?

Last year I spoke on the phone to a very nice woman in America who was married to a successful ex-forces General. Long story. Somewhat troubled at the time. It leads to bizarre places!

But in a nutshell it was a really, really, good conversation. She said he gave it all up to walk dogs for small amounts of money and because of it had never been happier in his life.

I imagine there might be insurance requirements....

There seem to be many sites on the subject, I'm sure you could find someone 'in the know' to chat to about it on one of those sites e.g. http://www.dogwalkingbusiness.co.uk/

[Richard Tarleton]

Has anyone experience of being paid as a dog walker? I don't have much knowledge of dogs. How much knowledge do you need?

Last year I spoke on the phone to a very nice woman in America who was married to a successful ex-forces General. Long story. Somewhat troubled at the time. It leads to bizarre places!

But in a nutshell it was a really, really, good conversation. She said he gave it all up to walk dogs for small amounts of money and because of it had never been happier in his life.

I'd just like to point out that there is a downside to being a paid dog walker. In my line of work I'm afraid we are rather, , on the receiving end. Nowadays people are supposed to "pick up" after their dogs. There is a depressing tendency for dog walkers to empty their vanload of pooches onto the same bit of green open space each day for said pooches to, er, empty themselves, without a thought being given to picking it up. Unless the dog walker attends to his responsibilities, which few do (it's impossible, with dogs scattering from the van) it can become an anti-social menace.

[Ferretfancy]

I'd just like to point out that there is a downside to being a paid dog walker. In my line of work I'm afraid we are rather, , on the receiving end. Nowadays people are supposed to "pick up" after their dogs. There is a depressing tendency for dog walkers to empty their vanload of pooches onto the same bit of green open space each day for said pooches to, er, empty themselves, without a thought being given to picking it up. Unless the dog walker attends to his responsibilities, which few do (it's impossible, with dogs scattering from the van) it can become an anti-social menace.

I agree Richard, dog lover as I am. Where I live, paid dog walkers often have packs of dogs numbering a dozen or more. The Hampstead Heath authorities are trying to introduce bye-laws to prevent this, as they can be a bit of a menace to others.

[Mr Pee]

Do you keep Ferrets, ferret?

[Lateralthinking1]

I am always concerned to get things right so would try to deal appropriately. It would only be one or two at the same time. And I'd be going on a bus to the first place. I haven't got a van.