Ben Nevis

[Laura-Anne]

Hey guys looking for peoples opinions on something Im really not sure of, well im fighting my head and my heart.

A few of my friends are thinking of doing Ben Nevis all together for various charities. im thinking of doing it only if we're not going on holiday so this is purely hypothetical. Would be going to Dogs Trust or Oldies (http://www.oldies.org.uk/) from me.

Ive thought about maybe taking one of the girls with me. I really want to take Muffin, would love be able to say she made it and have the memory of us doing this together especially as she is so special to me out of all the dogs I have owned. But on the other hand Im thinking shes 14, what if she doesnt make it (which I really dont like to say) I know Muffin does things which are incredible for her age and I know I probably do push her more than I should for a dog of her age. But I know she can do it with those things. My heads saying what if she cant do this one. I dont know where to draw the line with her because she is a very healthy dog, but I dont really know how much her age is affecting her body without her showing it to me. Im pretty sure shes losing her hearing at the moment i dont want to ruin things by pushing her too far, I want to enjoy her for as long as possible.

On the other hand Im thinking Totts may not have the stamina, although she is young she always lags behind me and Muffin and she is so short legged. But i know JRTs have done it before...

Im thinking I may have to do it alone, and I probably am just being selfish wanting them there. I think the fact im questioning it so much kind of speak for itself.

Any thoughts would be appreciated

Laura

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http://www.justgiving.com/Laura-Anne-Innes Please support our cause. Any donations would be greatly appreciated. Laura x

[kendal]

best person to comment on this would be John as he has done ben nevis, but i would say no probably to both girls. unless you going to do some serious training with them(not class, im talking getting them used to long distances and steep inclines ). totts could probably handle it if you work on her but i dont know about muffin. yes she bounds about like a nutter but i dont know if she could hack the whole walk. even you would need to put in some training for it. before we did ben lomond we were hill walking for months. getting ourselves and the dogs used to steep inclines and long distances.

totts is a possible but i think you would need to test muffin and work her up to it. remember its clambering over rocks, uneven ground, loos grovel and stones under foot.

but its a fab idea and id sponsor you.
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microchiping and grooming www.chipnclip.co.uk

[Laura-Anne]

Thanks Kendal

Yeh we're planning on starting long walks i believe someone said next week then work it up. Suppose there is no harm in me training both of them and keep a close eye on both of them and see where to go from there.

See I wasnt even sure whether I should be training Muffin for something like that. I can try keep her mind young but I know I cant do anything about her body other than keep her to her ideal weight or just less. Do you think overwalking her, too long walks, to strenuous walks could be damaging her now at this age?

I dont know how difficult/dangerous it would be for me to carry Totts in a rucksack or something if she were to get too tired on the walk even after all the training? Of course I wouldnt want to do it the whole way or even the majority but just if it were to get too much, which obv wouldnt even be a possibility with Muffin

Were planning the climb for mid september

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http://www.justgiving.com/Laura-Anne-Innes Please support our cause. Any donations would be greatly appreciated. Laura x

[lesley]

i guess u can only see how the dogs go with the longer walks and take it from there. if muffin is 14 then might be a bit much for her to expect her to do it all. but no harm in trying the longer walks and see how they go. 2 months might not be long enough.
i say good on you tho!!!! its something that i would never be able to do! i get breathless walking round the glen! i'd def sponsor u for it tho!

[Laura-Anne]

Thanks Lesley. I think im going to definitly do it (as long as it doesnt clash with our holiday ). Wish I had done it a few years ago when Muffy was younger although I dodnt know her age at the time. One of my friend sjust done it at the weekend for charity with his family and none of them trained at all they say one of the members is 60 and made it up and down without training :O although it took him much longer.

Im not underestimating it at all. I dont want it to be a strain I want to put the work in for it, if I'm going to do it best do it properly

Ill need to look into the dangers and if im even able to take a dog the full way. I reckon ill train the two unless Muffin struggles, maybe I can tackle something smaller with Muffy in training at some point depending how her health keeps up.
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http://www.justgiving.com/Laura-Anne-Innes Please support our cause. Any donations would be greatly appreciated. Laura x

[John Thomson]

Just a quick post on this for the moment......underfoot is VERY hard on dogs feet.

Murphy is a fit dog and he was shattered after this........it is all on leash as it is simply too dangerous to let them off.

John
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John Thomson
www.cumbernaulddogtraining.co.uk