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John Wolff
- 60
- Seattle, WA
- United States
- Blog Posts (28)
- Discussions (1892)
- Events
- Groups (7)
- Photos (402)
- Photo Albums (3)
- Videos (21)
John Wolff's Groups
John Wolff's Discussions
Introducing Al to strange dogs -- on their turf, or on neutral territory?
Started this discussion. Last reply by Kathy Losacco May 7. 29 Replies 0 Likes
Safer Snacks. NEW! Improved!
Started this discussion. Last reply by Napolean (Joan and Gabby) Apr 23. 1 Reply 1 Like
Dramatic dog rescue
Started this discussion. Last reply by Snickmom Apr 17. 7 Replies 1 Like
Gifts Received (7)
Snoutbook page for Gwynnie et Al. Corgis with altitude.
Latest Activity
Dawn Drzaic commented on John Wolff's photo
Yet another heat record.
Dawn Drzaic commented on John Wolff's photo
Preacher Mt.
Dawn Drzaic replied to John Wolff's discussion Food bags KILL!
John Wolff posted a photo
Yet another heat record.
Ivy replied to John Wolff's discussion Introducing Al to strange dogs -- on their turf, or on neutral territory?
Beth replied to John Wolff's discussion Introducing Al to strange dogs -- on their turf, or on neutral territory?Beth replied to John Wolff's discussion Introducing Al to strange dogs -- on their turf, or on neutral territory?
Jane Christensen replied to John Wolff's discussion Introducing Al to strange dogs -- on their turf, or on neutral territory?
Bev Levy replied to John Wolff's discussion Introducing Al to strange dogs -- on their turf, or on neutral territory?Beth replied to John Wolff's discussion Introducing Al to strange dogs -- on their turf, or on neutral territory?Beth replied to John Wolff's discussion Introducing Al to strange dogs -- on their turf, or on neutral territory?Profile Information
- Hometown:
- Duluth, MN. Seattle since 1976.
- About Me:
- I'm an over-the-hill mountain climber. I take the dogs on long hard hikes and backpacking trips in Washington's Cascade mountains (West Pembrokeshire), including peaks above 8000', but mostly we maraud about the neighborhood, striking terror into the hearts of evildoers, amusing children, and playing soccer. Mostly, they're couch potatoes.
We lost Sirius, our first corgi, after 7 years, a choking accident.
Check out our song! See below.
Trying to be the person my dogs think I am.
- Welsh Corgi Breeder?
- No
- About My Corgi(s):
- Gwynnie is the best dog in the world. Al is even better.
Al is Gwynnie's nephew, from Haley pwc of Bellevue WA (Carrie Hale). Wonderful temperaments, quiet, playful, strong, great with kids, no health problems so far. Their poop don't even stink (YMMV), although Al is, technically, an SOB.
Al would be a good obedience dog; he's always watching you to see if he's doing OK. Independent-minded Gwynnie would flunk (our fault, not hers). Al is an unabashed love-sponge extrovert who'll fall asleep in your arms.
They greet me at the door like I'm some kind of god. It's bad for my ego problem.
Vacuuming is a contact sport, akin to hockey but more violent. They LOVE herding their soccer ball on the paved playfield. Al kicks it hard with the tip of his snout (OUCH?), has poked the ball airborne 8 times in a row, and can aim it unerringly back to me. Their ball-control is done by the committee method, so they seldom score. They never tire of this. Al is an incorrigible ball-hog: I feed Gwynnie softball passes, but Al gets them anyway. This is a great way to exercise a corgi.
A soccer ball turns Al into an ANIMAL.
Pneumatic Sphere Consultants' Technical Report:
Best: 7-8" dia. Nike Jr. child's basketball, toothproof.
Excellent: soccer ball, fastest, carry farthest, durable. Padded balls invite teeth, but is soon removed.
Very good: a volleyball (light, lively, toothproof).
Good alternate: a water polo ball.
Yard sales or secondhand stores, $1-2.
When children fawn excessively over them ("Ew! They're so KEWT! Are they FRIENDLY? Can I PET them?") I introduce them as "Killer" and "Fang".
Hiking:
You can't outwalk a fit corgi*. The Pembroke Welsh marmots can hike all day, 20+ miles with much elevation gain, and the only terrain they can't handle is coarse boulder fields and deep snow. The only time I have to wait for them is above timberline in hot sun; when they start seeking shade, I feed them scraped snow or make a pupsicle out of them (see photos, and the Chillybuddy cooling vest). They're amazingly sure-footed and can handle steep, rugged and brushy terrain; I no longer worry about them falling on rock. I do worry about dog-induced rockfall. They don't bother wildlife, and are so quiet they scare me -- hiking in my blind spot, I often look about and call for my missing dog in growing panic, only to find it at my heels. We've spent nights as high as 9,000' in good weather.
I learned how to sleep with Al entirely inside my wet mummy bag. 1 corgi counts for 3 on a Three-Dog Night, like an electric blanket.
I carry a chest harness and stout leash for safety belay mostly on scary river log crossings; be careful [see my post], a corgi can slip neatly out of a chest harness in a vertical hang!
I've tried to post some useful hiking tips. Their coats resist weather, dirt, and insects.
Peace is a corgi snoring softly in your ear at night. Uh, SOFTLY, Gwynnie, softly...
*UPDATE 9/12/12 Al lamed-up on day 6 of a backpacking trip, so I carried him out in an improvised sling. Cause unknown, likely a knee problem, but don't know for sure and don't know if it's totally healed. He seems fine in the city, X-ray inconclusive. Guardedly optimistic 4/10/13, he seems fine.
- I have:
- Pembroke
John Wolff's Photos
John Wolff's Videos
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Joker Mt. summit
Added by John Wolff 0 Comments 0 Likes
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glissade
Added by John Wolff 3 Comments 4 Likes
John Wolff's Blog
Happy Birthday Gwynnie, 10 y.o. 4/8/13
Posted on April 9, 2013 at 12:30am 18 Comments 9 Likes
She has climbed 7 mountains this year, and we failed on an 8th. She gets to go more often lately because Al is recuperating from last September's injury. She's maybe a bit slower than she used to be, but I don't have to wait for her unless it's icy or really steep. She gets the occasional "corgi toss"…
Continue We wrote another song
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 12:30pm 6 Comments 6 Likes
Dear Abby, Dear Abby, please answer my mail,
My ears are too big, and I don't have a tail,
My legs are so short, I'm just 6 inches tall,
The world is so big, and I'm feelin' so small.
(signed) New Puppy
New Puppy, New Puppy, you have…
Merry Christmas everybody
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 6:00pm 4 Comments 7 Likes
Especially at this festive time of year, want is keenly felt, and abundance rejoices. So we wish continued prosperity to our comfortable friends, and patience while the wheel of fortune turns for those in difficulty. Health to all of our smaller friends who reliably remind us to watch the doughnut, not the…
Carrie Hale's advice re. Al.
Posted on December 4, 2012 at 1:30am 8 Comments 2 Likes
Our breeder Carrie Hale (Haley PWC) offered to kennel Al & Gwynn for 5 days, and there's nobody better. She's a font of information and advice about all things corgi, generous with her time.
We got to meet Dante, Gwynnie's sire, Al's gradsire, and Autumn Rain, and Twyla. Superb friendly beautiful adorable dogs. I could've cuddled corgis all night.
We learned that Al is a bit underweight, so his rations get increased, Most important, she said he's favoring his left rear…
Continue Glacier Peak Failure, Aug. 2012
Posted on September 27, 2012 at 2:30pm 7 Comments 6 Likes
Al claims the first failure on Glacier Peak's South Ridge by a Pembroke Welsh corgi without supplemental oxygen. We could have done it easily had we been willing to walk the glacier unroped -- as many do -- but Al doesn't do glaciers unroped. As he points out, "Nobody falls into a crevasse that they can see." So…
Comment Wall (147 comments)
- At 3:02pm on April 6, 2013,
Ingrid & Ein said… Hi John, actually someone posted the link to your food bag page immediately after the post was made about the corgi who died. There are a handful of mycorgi users on Reddit.
- At 9:19pm on March 10, 2013, Jane Christensen said…
Actually John, the drought was so bad around south western MN last summer that we didn't have many mosquitoes either:) Lake Superior was low too. Actually the last 2 winters were dry ...kinda scary! MN does NOT have 10,000 lakes right now!
- At 1:21am on February 6, 2013,
Geri & Sidney said… Thank you John! I had forgotten he was February and got a nice thrill to see him myself.
- At 1:22am on January 26, 2013,
Gromit, Sparkle, and Doug said… Thanks, John, glad you enjoy the pictures. Believe me, the feeling is mutual. Like most I envy your corgi adventures and the spectacular scenery in which Al & Gwynnie take you hiking.
- At 11:12am on December 27, 2012,
Kristen & Nora said… - Hi John, I've admired your amazing pics on MyCorgi for quite some time now and saw this today: http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/the-40-most-influential-corgis-of-2012
Is that little Gwynnie at number 23 of 2012's most influential corgis?
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