I got an email this week from one of my cousins Spottie Dottie – well everyone calls her Dotty really- she’s nearly 4 year old and a Border Collie, just like me. I’d asked her about my Dad, Beinn, and my friend, Einich, who is training to be a search dog too.

“Dear Scout, Thanks for asking me to write a bit about being a search dog for your blog.

The most exciting thing I have done was searching the near the top of the headwall of Coire an Lochan in the Cairngorms (Scotland) – it was very snowy and icy and I smelt the person who was hiding from a long way away – I started running down the snow and ice and Kaz was behind me – she slipped and slid past me going very quickly and had to do something called an ice axe arrest to stop herself from getting hurt – I just continued all the way to the bottom and carried on searching and finding the person – it was great as I was being assessed at the time and they thought I had been very clever not getting distracted by Kaz falling. (She was ok)

Earlier this year Kaz and I were involved in a 2 day search for a man who had gone missing overnight from a nursing home and who needed urgent medication.  We were searching a large area of woodland and I found him lying under a fallen tree – Kaz got to him and did some first aid and he survived which was really good news I’m not too keen about helicopters – I don’t mind the noise coz Sue played noises to me when I was a small puppy – it is the down draft from the rota blades and it is very bumpy when we fly.  Also we don’t get in and out like you do on a plane – we get winched into it on the end of a big line and sometimes the harness that keeps me safe can be a bit uncomfortable!  Kaz always looks after me though so I know I’m safe I'll try and send you a picture of me and Kaz being winched into the helicopter!

Lots of love Dottie

ps Beinn is very handsome – all the girls like him!  He is now passed his exams to be a searchdog and I often work with him – last weekend we were out most of the night in the Langdale valley.  Einich is a very clever little dog and is doing brilliantly with her training – I think she will soon pass all her exams just like me (Kaz says she looks just like me from a distance and even barks the same – which is a bit confusing sometimes).

PS from Scout: You can hear what Mirk has been up to and see my mum playing with some of her pups on a you tube clip at http://www.wellbalancedpupmirk.blogspot.com/

and have a look at Dotties blog at http://www.sardalakes.org.uk/dogblog.html see you next week!