Sorry to hear that Fib, was it the track a couple of km's past Surd? Wondering if it was a farmer trying to access the fields? Either that or I would guess idiots throwing something as they drove past though I've never heard of that. Keep your chin up.

No, it was near the Belezna railway halt. The signpost says "Légrádi Hegy Unom Bánomi - Dűlő".
I was not causing an obstruction or anything and the broken window was on the verge side, not the road side. We did see the same young man pass us twice in a white Suzuki Swift and I suspect it was him.

Ah, okay - that's pretty remote there. Do you think it could have been an attempted break in but they were disturbed? Can you not access the forest from the end of your garden?

That's awful...sorry to hear. I know it might sound naff but try to remember its a bad day, not a bad life. I am sure you will find somewhere suitable to walk Charlie soon enough.

As Polgardi says ... take it as a bad day and not bad life ...... this was clearly an opportunist who was probably just driving along the road and decided here was an opportunity to try and nick something. It can happen anywhere ..... just don't leave anything valuable, i.e. satnavs, in the car.

Well, it was not as costly to fix as it might have been. 12,000 Ft for a new glass from the local Pilkingtons agent, which I fitted myself this morning.

When I first bought my two puppies four years ago I had lodd looks from my neighbours because one was a Tibetan Spaniel and the other a Shar-Pei and they didn't conform to the village norm which is large, black and shaggy and therefore they weren't considered to be REAL dogs.

Taking them out walking caused comments because mine wore harnesses with matching leads and I became know as that eccentric English woman with the two funny dogs ...... and would you believe it they travel with her in the car?

Naturally, being British, when winter arrived the girls spent more time in the house than they did in the garden. One day a neighbour enquired whether I'd got rid of the dogs as he hadn't seen them around. When I told him they were in the house he was aghast and asked how I expected them to protect me when I treated them so well.

That was four years ago. My peculiar ways and my funny dogs are now acceoted as part of the village scenery. Sadly I lost my first Pei a year ago and she now been replaced with another Pei puppy who's now 5 months old and she's quite the star of the village ... everyone calls her "little bear".

It would be nice to see a photo of the girls, preferably walking so as not to be too off topic. I miss walking around Hungarian villages and meeting the dogs. Many of fiercest looking became quite friendly when I stopped and talked to them and take a photo of them. I think they are just lonely as most of them seemed to enjoy a little contact. I met a Pyrenean Mountain Dog in Szentgyörgyvár which changed from a fierce guard dog to a giant cuddly toy in about thirty seconds. I found talking to the dogs was a good way of meeting policemen as well, as they must have been asked by the villagers to find out what I was up to. All the police I met were very friendly after I showed them a piece of paper which said in Hungarian "I am looking for a house to buy and I like taking photos of animals". It would be nice to see a photo of Charlie too.

This is Charlie out for a walk at a local fishing lake:

Same here. Two of my neighbours asked if our dog slept inside at night and you could clearly see how shocked they were when I told them yes! It's unheard of in the village, as is walking the dog to the shop during the winter in her fluffy pink coat and pink jewel studded collar

Whenever I see dogs outside in Hungarian gardens they look so sad especially those which are chained up! :-(

Completely agree. There is a dog in a village near us and though not chained up, he is always in the garden come rain or shine. He is obviously extremely intelligent as whenever a car or person passes, he starts spinning round in circles at high speed, funniest thing you ever saw - of which I am sure he is aware and does so for the attention he then receives

In UK people don't tend to treat their dogs like that but these days they often leave them locked up alone in the house for 8 hours or more at a time, which is just as bad in my opinion.

We have just got our puppy, Lucy, a viszla. Can't wait to take her out for a walk in the forest.

Oh, I'm not sure Fib. Whilst I don't agree with dogs being left at home for hours on end every day, I think I would rather witness that than dogs left outside in below zero or 40+ temperatures with little or no shelter and no social interaction.