Snoutbook page for Gwynnie et Al. Corgis with altitude.

Latest Activity

Jee liked John Wolff's photo
Monday
Dawn Drzaic commented on John Wolff's photo
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Yet another heat record.

"So this was a hike today?  So beautiful there in the Cascades.  My dogs don't hike in summer, it is too hot here. And none of us has knees for those elevation gains.  You have my admiration and envy. "
Monday
Dawn Drzaic commented on John Wolff's photo
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Preacher Mt.

"Is that like going up a 4300 story building?  Or more?  How old is Al?  My dogs and I could never do that not even at their peak. "
Monday
John Wolff posted photos
Monday
Dawn Drzaic replied to John Wolff's discussion Food bags KILL!
"I read this and then I took my dog to swim therapy. The other dog owner admired my corgi and told me how her friend's corgi pup recently suffocated in a potato chip bag! The six year old son in the family feels responsible because it was his…"
May 11
Lois B. Allen commented on John Wolff's photo
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Perks of aging

"Great caption.  Glad to hear his leg is doing well.  "God Bless Corgis"."
May 8
John Wolff posted a photo

Yet another heat record.

Yes, there is a vertical cliff right behind them, and one behind the photographer. No, do not throw the ball. 5700', over 70 deg F., 5/5/13. North wind has blown away the usual Puget Sound air pollution. Another heat record in Seattle next day. A…
May 8
Kathy Losacco replied to John Wolff's discussion Introducing Al to strange dogs -- on their turf, or on neutral territory?
"It's always nice to be around a knowledgeable, understanding dog owner that is willing to help out with certain issues. Maybe she could start a reform school for wayward corgis.  Austin would be in the inaugural class. It's great to…"
May 7
John Wolff posted a photo

Perks of aging

Al's 3rd hike since his accident. No limping!
May 7
Ivy replied to John Wolff's discussion Introducing Al to strange dogs -- on their turf, or on neutral territory?
"This was so helpful a discussion! Took Ein to my friend's house for a visit. Ein was mortally offended when her big lug of a lab (who is also a little blind and deaf) walked a bitthe over Ein's back. Never touch a corgi's back! So the…"
May 7
Beth replied to John Wolff's discussion Introducing Al to strange dogs -- on their turf, or on neutral territory?
"Glad to hear things went so well!  One sensible confident dog can usually manage to avoid conflict with all but the most extremely aggressive dogs, simply by refusing to engage.  "
May 6
Beth replied to John Wolff's discussion Introducing Al to strange dogs -- on their turf, or on neutral territory?
"Maddie is a bit insecure herself so when another dog snarks, she will argue back and a scuffle sometimes ensues (all noise, no teeth).   Jack is Mr. Confident and when another dog snarks, he just turns away and sniffs the ground to say "I…"
May 6
Jane Christensen replied to John Wolff's discussion Introducing Al to strange dogs -- on their turf, or on neutral territory?
"I often wonder the same thing Bev...with Livvy. I think it may be both in Livvy's case as her temperament is more extreme than any of my corgis and I never realized until after she was grown up that what I thought with her being around and…"
May 6
Bev Levy replied to John Wolff's discussion Introducing Al to strange dogs -- on their turf, or on neutral territory?
"So glad Al is doing better. A well balanced dog (as in the Malinois) usually can deal with a little fear based aggression so obviously that made a huge difference. My Sparty was pretty bomb proof when encountering a snarky dog, as long as there was…"
May 6
Beth replied to John Wolff's discussion Introducing Al to strange dogs -- on their turf, or on neutral territory?
"It really depends on the dog and it can be hard to determine just by a description.  Madison can sometimes be a bit snarky with other dogs, and her tendency to do things like stare mean that if there is a dog who is going to decide to have a…"
May 3
Beth replied to John Wolff's discussion Introducing Al to strange dogs -- on their turf, or on neutral territory?
"John, the Malinois may be "nice mellow dogs" but most Malinois are fairly intense.   I personally would not put Maddie (who can be less than 100% with other dogs) in a situation to make a fuss against two large dogs who live…"
May 3

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

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John Wolff's Blog

Happy Birthday Gwynnie, 10 y.o. 4/8/13

Posted on April 9, 2013 at 12:30am 18 Comments

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"…

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We wrote another song

Posted on January 22, 2013 at 12:30pm 6 Comments

John Prine, "Dear Abbey"

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…

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Merry Christmas everybody

Posted on December 25, 2012 at 6:00pm 4 Comments



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…

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Carrie Hale's advice re. Al.

Posted on December 4, 2012 at 1:30am 8 Comments

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…

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Glacier Peak Failure, Aug. 2012

Posted on September 27, 2012 at 2:30pm 7 Comments

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…

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Comment Wall (147 comments)

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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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