Hello all

[Sarah]

Well, Daryl's nagged me so I thought I'd introduce myself since I'm hoping to join you all from mid January!

I'm Sarah, previously trained as an outdoor pursuits instructor in the Lake District, been working in A and E as a Health Care Assistant and finally decided to study medicine. Spent my first year in the Caribbean at a med school which also happened to be a vet school and somehow found myself owning an Italian Greyhound (IG) called Isla. I grew up with animals as I lived on a farm in Hampstead Norris for my first few years and my mum was an RSPCA inspector. I spent most of my time in the Lake District and Caribbean 'borrowing' other people's dogs, and never imagined that I'd ever have my own hound.

We had a fantastic year, lots of long walks on the beach and in the rainforest, and swimming in waterfalls (IGs are not supposed to like water, or thats what the books said, but I think I gave up on the dog books about 5mins after I got her!). Every Saturday we took the local orphans to the beach, took part in the local hash (paper chase across the muddiest parts of the island...for a prize of rum- obviously not for Isla!). When I was in class, Isla spent her time at the vet school where the students learnt to palpate her and practiced their bandages, which Isla thought was great! We spent the rest of the time at the scuba school, or out turtle researching at night on the beach. I think everyone on the island knows Isla, and the only thing she seems to be afraid of is Mona monkeys which is fare enough!

I then found myself getting a place at med school in the UK, and unfortunately Isla was faced with 6 months of quarantine:( But, instead of staying in kennels she is staying with a friend of mine in Atlanta, USA and is having a great time on the farm, and is winning lots of prizes at dog shows. She also gets to go to work with my friend at the hospital and is training to be a therapy dog, so I don't think she'll have much chance to miss me! She's the kind of dog who loves to be really busy, but try getting her out of bed in the morning and its a different story (also where the dog books were wrong!).

We will be moving to Caversham in January, so if anyone can suggest some good classes to take her to, vets, walks, activities, etc that would be great. No idea how she'll be at the SAR bit, but she'll pretty much do anything for a squeeky toy and she can run really fast. She's pretty smart, but she does have a 'what's in it for me attitude' so bribery essential. I'm hoping her sight hound instincts will be in their somewhere and I know she'll love socialising and training (once she gets over the British climate after the Caribbean!). I've still got lots to learn about her and dogs in general, especially training, and being apart from her for 6months has been very strange, so will be looking to others for lots of advice on handling (and any dog warmers greatly appreciated).

[Sarah]

I'm also setting up a wilderness medicine group at uni (Warwick), so if anyone has experience training or giving talks, or could point me in the right direction, that would be great. Anyone fancy giving a talk on SAR dogs?? Cheeky, but thought I'd ask

[Daryl]

Hi Sarah - I don't nag!

I will let the guys that live in the Reading area help you out about courses n stuff.

Dog Warmers we can do - Thermatex support our team and they are VERY good!! (If only they did human ones!)

With regard to a talk, I am sure we could help you out.

Enjoy the forum!

[Sarah]

thanks for the reply Daryl, Thermatex sounds perfect...Isla used to shiver when we went from home 32-34c to the rainforest which dropped to 30c....so Caversham temperatures are going to very welcoming! And she still slept under a duvet at home in the heat!