chaliepud

I'm into the last 60 pages of Jamaica Inn and am now completely drawn in to the story and desperate to know how poor Mary ends up! In the meantime I have girls to collect from a party, son to take to badminton, dogs to walk and homework and revision to supervise!

Ha ha! Will see what I can do later when I'm on my computer.

That's good to hear, hopefully you will find another dog that needs walking soon.

Oh what a shame.. I'm sure it's the right decision though, for both of you. GSD's can be very high drive and if he wasn't responding to your methods then you are best removing yourself from the situation and letting someone with experience of these types of dogs step in, hopefully the owners will take on board what has occurred before choosing another walker. I'm glad you don't feel too bad about it, there will be many other pups out there that will be more suitable, in fact probably most other dogs would be more suitable!

Thanks everyone! I got the box in our local Newsagent, there were lots of different sizes and they were very reasonably priced (£2 for this one) and I'm trying to think of uses for the other sizes! Hi frankie, there are so many books on there I am very keen to read, hopefully this will help me get through them all.. I did buy The Dynamite Room yesterday though so their odds have lengthened ever so slightly! I still have some DC's Diane but I think I need a little break from them so will concentrate on what's in the box for a little while I think. Whilst they are all very different the general theme is the same and I need a change!

I bought it today!

Hope you enjoy them both Diane, two books at one go, I can't do that as I lose track of them both! m halfway through Jamaica Inn and thoroughly enjoying it. Very atmospheric, just like Rebecca.. Which other books by DDM can anyone recommend?

Sorry I haven't replies before, I have my parents and brother here for my Mums birthday and have been otherwise engaged.. How very dare they! I would stick to one hand in the collar, but as you grab it pull down and towards you so he is right against your side, hopefully that will give him less room to manoeuvre! It sounds like distraction will be your best technique too, changing direction suddenly to keep him on his toes and changing pace too, not too fast or you may get caught out when he accelerates! There will be loads of info on YouTube, just make sure any advice you take note of is given by someone who advocates positive training methods. How did it go today? Wish I was a tiny bit closer to give you a hand!

Sounds lovely Claire.. I have my parents and brother here to celebrate Mums 70th birthday. We've spent the day in Windsor and just hassle birthday cake.. Having a quiet couple of hours then off out to a nice Italian for dinner.

I bought it today, on your and Claire's recommendation, will have to put it in the Book Box though, hopefully I'll pull it out soon!

How exciting Diane, shame it wasn't a great read, probably why it took so long? What's next?

Ok, try not to feel defeated, I think a dog like Moses would be a challenge to anyone, clearly he is in need of lots of training and stimulating exercise. 6 months pups are hard at the best of time.. but when they are large....!!! Did something spook him perhaps? Is there a command that he is very good with, like a Sit maybe, that is usually a dogs default command when they want something! Instead of telling him no, which surprisingly few dogs actually understand, perhaps tell him 'Sit' in a firm but not scary voice, then have a treat ready for him so he is instantly rewarded. I am presuming he is quite tall, I'm not sure how tall you are, but maybe you would be better in a situation where he is jumping, to actually hold him by the collar (you'll need to be strong) and physically restrict him from bouncing on you.. hold tight and be patient, there will come a break in the madness and then you say the command that he is familar with, again firmly and loud enough so you know he has heard but not shouting, don't repeat yourself, just be patient, as soon as he does as you ask, tell him "Good' or 'Yes' and treat. He will begin (it could take a while but hopefully not too long for a clever boy) to make the connection between listening and getting a reward. I would also ask the owner if there are any particular commands that Moses is familiar with and pays attentions to. A good leave wouldn't go amiss, nor would an attention command, I use 'Watch', I praise my dogs for looking at me, that way I know I can (nearly) always get their attention, and they know there are always opportunities for extra food! You're doing a great job frankie, I'm sure if he could get some off lead play time he would be easier to handle, the behaviour you are describing is all frustration based, so the more little bits of training you do on the walk to mentally stimulate him, the better he should be.. You could teach him to sit before crossing a road, to do little about turns as you walk along, use a treat to lure him at first, then add a command.. teach a Watch. Pop onto YouTube, avoid Cesar Milan like the plague and look up some good dog trainers like Dr Sophia Yin (RIP) and Chirag Patel and see their reward based training methods to give you inspiration. Good luck and keep up the good work! (Oh, and maybe you can put something on your arm to protect it in the time being?)

Great review for what sounds like a great book which would be right up my street.. Definitely one for the wish list!

I have 'If I Stay' on my TBR shelf, I'm not sure when I'll be reading it, could be after Jamaica Inn or in 70 books time, it's in the hands of the box! I'm looking forward to it nonetheless! I may have bought it due to your recommendation but I'm not sure.

I'm actually quite happy with my TBR amount, I probably have around 100 unread books, 70 or so that are on my shelves and I want to read soon, the other 30 are in a cupboard as I'm not so keen, quite a few were given to me or were impulse charity shop buys, they may make it to the big boy shelves at some point, they may not. I have enough books to offer variety but not so many that I feel flustered when choosing a book, and I'm happy knowing that I have a good chance of reading them all before I shuffle off this mortal coil.

I am open for business, I made chocolate chip cookies today, help yourselves!

BOOKS READ IN 2015 1. Cruel Summer - James Dawson - 4/10 2. Mrs Sinclair's Suitcase - Louise Walters - 8/10 3. A Dog's Journey - W. Bruce Cameron - 5/10 4. Jamaica Inn - Daphne Du Maurier - 9/10 5. Instructions for a Heatwave - Maggie O'Farrell - 7/10 6. The 5th Wave - Rick Yancey - 5/10 7. The Guardian - Nicholas Sparks - 6/10 8. The Fever Tree - Jennifer McVeigh - 8/10 9. Summer at the Lake - Erica James - 7/10 10. The Dynamite Room - Jason Hewitt - 8/10 11. Academy Street - Mary Costello - 9/10 12. Half Wild Sally Green - 8/10 13. The Moonfield - Judith Allnatt - 10/10 14. The Giver - Lois Lowry - 8/10 15. Johnny Got His Gun - Dalton Trumbo - 10/10 16. 13 Little Blue Envelopes - Maureen Johnson - 8/10 17. The Best of Me - Nicholas Sparks - 6/10 18. On Mystic Lake - Kristin Hannah - 6/10 19. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown - 5/10 20. The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes - Anna McPartlin - 10/10 21. The Lower River - Paul Theroux - 4/10 22. The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah - 10/10 23. Marina - Carlos Ruiz Zafon - 4/10 24. Orphan Train - Christina Baker Kline - 10/10 25. All The Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr - 6/10 26. The Girls from Corona Del Mar - Rufi Thorpe - 8/10 27. The Snow Angel - Lulu Taylor - 8/10 28. Winter Garden - Kristin Hannah - 8/10 29. The Confectioner's Tale - Laura Madeleine - 8/10 30. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying - Marie Kondo - 10/10 31. Starshine - John Wilcox - 10/10 32. Home Again - Kristin Hannah - 8/10 33. We Are All Made Of Stars - Rowan Coleman - 10/10 34. The Whole30, The Official 30 Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom - Dallas Hartwig - 10/10 35. We Never Asked For Wings - Vanessa Diffenbaugh - 10/10 36. Pushing The Limits - Katie McGarry - 8/10 37. After You - Jojo Moyes - 9/10 38. Library of Souls - Ransom Riggs - 8/10 39. Paris for One (Quickreads) - Jojo Moyes - 6/10 40. The House We Grew Up In - Lisa Jewell - 8/10 41. Wake - Anna Hope - 9/10 42. Sheltering Rain - Jojo Moyes - 7/10 43. The Ashgrove - Diney Costeloe - 9/10 44. Everything, Everything - Nicola Yoon - 8/10 45. Inside The O'Briens - Lisa Genova - 6/10 46. The Lie- Helen Dunmore - 3/10 47. Catching Snowflakes - Nora Roberts - 3/10 48. The Next Together - Lauren James - 5/10 49. The Dandelion Years - Erica James - 9/10 50. Together for Christmas - Carol Rivers

Titles in my Book Box. 11.22.63 - Stephen King 13 Little Blue Envelopes - Maureen Johnson All The Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr After the Fall - Charity Norman After You - Jojo Moyes Alone in Berlin - Hans Fallada A Long, Long Way - Sebastian Barry A Possible Life - Sebastian Faulks Academy Street - Mary Costello Americcanah - Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche Among Others - Jo Walton At Home - Bill Bryson Bay of Secrets - Rosanna Ley Before I Met You - Lisa Jewell Between Sisters - Kristin Hannah Bird In Hand - Christina Baker Kline Birdy - William Wharton Blackout - Connie Willis Blitz - Molly LeFebure Boy, Snow, Bird - Helen Oyeyemi Caleb's Crossing - Geraldine Brooks Cannery Row - John Steinbeck Catching Snowflakes - Nora Roberts City of Fallen Angels - Cassandra Clare Class - Erich Segal Coastliners - Joanne Harris Confectioner's Tale - Laura Madeleine Confess - Colleen Hoover Divine Evil - Nora Roberts East of Eden - John Steinbeck Etta and Otto and Russell and James - Emma Hooper Everything, Everything - Nicola Yoon Fractured - Teri Terry Frank Skinner - Frank Skinner Generation Dead - Daniel Waters Ghostwritten - Isabel Wolff Gorsky - Vesna Goldsworthy Half of a Yellow Sun - Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche Half Wild - Sally Green Here's Looking At You - Mhairi McFarlane Her Mother's Shadow - Diane Chamberlain Home - Toni Morrison Home Again - Kristin Hannah I Let You Go - Clare Mackintosh I'll Give You The Sun - Jandy Nelson In Defence of Dogs - John Bradshaw Inside The O'Briens - Lisa Genova In The Shadow of Blackbirds - Cat Winters Instructions for a Heatwave - Maggie O'Farrell Johnny Got His Gun - Dalton Trumbo Keeper of the Light - Diane Chamberlain Kiss River - Diane Chamberlain Library of Souls - Ransom Riggs Liberty's Fire - Lydia Syson Little Beach Street Bakery - Jenny Colgan Little Bird of Heaven - Joyce Carol Oates Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez Lucky Us - Amy Bloom Marina - Carlos Ruiz Zafon Miss Garnet's Angel - Sally Vickers Mist - Mary Fitzgerald More Than This - Patrick Ness Mothers and Daughters - Leah Fleming My Animals and Other Family - Clare Balding My Brilliant Friend - Elena Ferrante My Cousin Rachel - Daphne Du Maurier Not A Drop To Drink - Mindy McGinnis Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck One Step Too Far - Tina Seksis Only Ever Yours - Louise O'Neill On Mystic Lake - Kristin Hannah Orphan Train - Christina Baker Kline Our Endless Numbered Days - Claire Fuller Parade's End - Ford Madox Ford Paris For One (Quickreads) - Jojo Moyes Postcards From No Mans Land - Aidan Chambers P.S. I Love You - Cecelia Ahern Pushing the Limits - Katie McGarry Second Hand Heart - Catherine Ryan Hyde Secrets of the Lighthouse - Santa Montefiore Shadowplay - Laura Lam Sheltering Rain - Jojo Moyes Suite Francaise - Irene Nemirovsky Summer At Little Street Bakery - Jenny Colgan Summertime - Vanessa Lafaye Swan Music - Sarah Harrison Summer at the Lake - Erica James The 5th Wave - Rick Yancey The Angel's Game - Carlos Ruiz Zafon The Ashgrove - Diney Costeloe The Beachside Guest House - Vanessa Greene The Bed I Made - Lucie Whitehouse The Best of Me - Nicholas Sparks The Bookseller of Kabul - Asne Seierstad The Bronze Horseman - Paullina Simons The Captain's Daughter - Leah Fleming The Carriage House - Louisa Hall The Coldest Girl in Coldtown - Holly Black The Cornish House - Liz Fenwick The Courage Tree - Diane Chamberlain The Crying Tree - Naseem Rakha The Dandelion Years - Erica James The Dynamite Room - Jason Hewitt The Falls - Joyce Carol Oates The Fatal Englishman - Sebastian Faulks The Fever Tree - Jennifer McVeigh The First Casualty - Ben Elton The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August - Claire North The Food of Love - Anthony Capella The Girls from Corona Del Mar - Ruth Thorpe The Girl Under the Olive Tree - Leah Fleming The Giver - Lois Lowry The Guardian - Nicholas Sparks The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood The Happy Home FOr Broken Hearts - Rowan Coleman The Hare With Amber Eyes - Edmund De Waal The Heavenly Italian Ice Cream Shop - Abby Clements The Horse Dancer - Jojo Moyes The House on the Strand - Daphne Du Maurier The House We Grew Up In - Lisa Jewell The Ice Twins - S.K Tremayne The Invisible Ones - Stef Penney The Italian Girl - Lucinda Riley The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes - Anna McPartlin The Last Telegram Liz Trenow The Letter - Kathryn Hughes The Lie - C.L Taylor The Lie - Helen Dunmore The Light Years - Elizabeth Jane Howard The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul - Deborah Rodriguez The Lower River - Paul Theroux The Man Who Broke Into Auschwitz - Denis Avey The Miniaturist - Jessie Burton The Moonfield - Judith Allnatt The Museum of Things Left Behind - Seni Glaister The Next Together - Lauren James The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah The Other Side of the Bridge - Mary Lawson The Painted Bridge - Wendy Wallace The Paying Guests - Sarah Waters The Pearl - John Steinbeck The Perfect Present - Karen Swan The Prisoner of Heaven - Carols Ruiz Zafon The Proof of Love - Catherine Hall The Psychopath Test - Jon Ronson The Rabbit Back Literature Society - Pasi Ilmari Jaaskelainen The Red Pony - John Steinbeck The Saffron Trail - Rosanna Ley The Scapegoat - Daphne Du Maurier The Sea - John Banville The Secrets of the Notebook - Eve Haas The Seven Sisters - Lucinda Riley The Shadow Wife - Diane Chamberlain The Ship of Brides - Jojo Moyes The Sight - David Clement-Davies The Snow Angel - Lulu Taylor The Stand - Stephen King The Sunrise - Victoria Hislop The Things We Never Said - Susan Elliot Wright The Throwaway Children - Diney Costeloe The Time Between - Karen White The Truth According To Us - Annie Barrows The Twilight Hour - Nicci Gerrard The Two Week Wait - Sarah Rayner The Way Back Home - Freya North The Way You Look Tonight - Richard Madeley Together for Christmas - Carol Rivers Tomorrow, When The War Began - John Marsden Two Brothers - Ben Elton Unbroken - Laura Hillenbrand Unwind - Neal Shusterman Wake - Anna Hope We Are All Made Of Stars - Rowan Coleman We Never Asked For Wings - Vanessa Diffenbaugh What Alice Forgot - Liane Moriarty When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit - Judith Kerr Where Love Lies - Julie Cohen Where My Heart Used To Beat - Sebastian Faulks Whiskey Beach - Nora Roberts Winter Garden - Kristin Hannah With Your Crooked Heart - Helen Dunmore

Hi! I wasn't going to do a blog for 2015 but then I saw all the book jars and got tempted.. So here is my version, a Book Box!! There are around 70 book titles in here, all are books I have wanted to read at some point in the last few years, so hopefully this will encourage me to get around to reading them sooner rather than later, maybe this way I will be less inclined to add to the titles too!

Hopefully you'll meet some other dogs soon.. That will be an important time for you to try not to be tense on the lead, better to try and control with your voice and treats if you can, as he may sense you being tense and be either over exhuberant or nervous himself. All dogs are different in how they walk on the lead, my boys have been very chilled but the girls have always preferred to be slightly ahead with no real slackness in the lead, but not pulling either if that makes sense?

It sounds like you're going to be fab dog walker, you're doing everything right with the praise etc! Is he friendly with other dogs? Hopefully he will get a chance to have a bit of a play at some point. I like the long coated GSD's but they tend to be heavier boned and more prone to injuries and arthritis, over here the short coated are more common but I know a few long coated and they seem to have soppier temperaments which belies their size! Maybe his tail will thicken up over time, he's still young and being a rescue his coat may have been a bit out of condition for a while.

Wow, sounds like a baptism of fire your first walk being with a 6 month old GSD! They are great though, so intelligent, so just be sure to praise all the good behaviour (will the owner let you take treats or a toy?) and try and ignore the less good behaviour. Are you able to let him off the lead for a bit of a play anyway or is it mainly street walking.. Just wondering as I bet he has a load of pent up energy (hence the jumping up and humping!) Shame you can't take a pic, is he short or long coated? Dark or light? A description will do!

I wasn't feeling down, but helping out at my 9 year olds football training this evening was fun.. I went in goal for 5 mins and let 3 goals in, kids thought it was hilarious!

I think our copies are with a younger relative at present. I'm sure I remember enough to join in any conversations though! This may be interesting for you to read.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malory_Towers .. so interesting to see where the books are set! ")

When are you going?? Just so I know when to check back..... Shame you're not closer, Jojo would love to be walked regularly by you, especially if you took yummy treats and a ball with you as they are her favourite things! :)