Scooby in the Winter
 
"There is no bad weather, just wrong clothing" – I just could not get this saying out of my mind in early January.  This time I was going to Scooby for one week in the winter.  Packing was easy in the summer.  Rain is seldom expected and you can take a number of T-shirts, etc., and still will not exceed the allowed weight of the luggage.  But now...??  I have been watching the weather forecast to see whether it is supposed to be wet or cold.  Just before the departure it was predicted as wet and cold.  So I am packing for layers the 'onion way' -  old jeans, numerous sweaters to wear on top of each other, ski underwear, two pairs of gloves, hats, waterproof jacket. The sleeping bag had to be packed in the hand luggage and the lined rubber boots had to be worn. They just would not fit in the suitcase (that caused some curious stares at the airport in Frankfurt).
 
Much to my surprise, I was welcomed with bright sunshine in Valladolid.  That quickly changed, however, on the first working day.  Dreadful rain the whole day which was expected to last for a  few days.  Then the frost came.  The number of sweaters and T-shirts worn doubled immediately.  We all walked around like "Michelin Men."  However, the happiness of the dogs compensated us for it.  You could definitely tell that they do not get visitors in the winter as often as in the summer.  Despite the bad weather, they welcomed us like mad, wanted to play and were seldom persuaded to seek shelter in the protected areas while we were in the paddock. Thanks to the rain gear, the weather was not really a problem.  The winter has its advantages too: playing with the dogs in the summer always left you with some 'battle scars' and scratches and bruises were a daily occurrence.  But not in the winter...  thanks to the heavy clothing, I did not get a single scratch this time.  Various nice 'paw marks' which are generally left by the dogs directly on the skin and which contribute to the typical Scooby scent, landed on the rain pants instead of the skin (it's quite popular for puppies to jump on the volunteers with poopy paws), etc.

The work is the same as encountered in the summer aside from some obstacles here and there.  The water can freeze (what may have a direct affect on your own shower activity) and some tasks cannot be started until later in the day - when the lines thaw out again.  But that is not a problem as there is always plenty to do, for example, put winter coats on non-cooperating Galgos.  Why wear them if you can play with them?  That's where the Galgos and the volunteers do not share the same opinion.  You can complete other small repairs and always realize throughout the whole day how much you are needed.
 
The week just flew by and was - of course - eventful as ever.  Twelve puppies in the nursery room, many new animal arrivals from the surrounding area, many known faces of dogs and cats to say hello to, many dogs leaving on their journey to their permanent homes, a sleepless night filled with worries over a sick Galgo (she pulled through!!) ... that's Scooby for you.

Again, there were some especially nice happenings such as reconnecting with some friends at Scooby.  On my second day there (to my total surprise), Maria from Santander stood at the door.  She stayed for a week.  We met during the summer and I was so happy to see her again. Carolina from Scooby Cuellar came for a visit; Oscar who spends almost all his free time to help at Scooby, his wife and of course Christiane of Scooby Germany.  We met there to choose dogs for introducing them on German platforms. And we flew back together on the day of the snow storm and landed in the Netherlands instead of Germany - thanks to a snowed-in run way. That also is part of our work with Scooby  - it makes sure it never gets boring!
 
I can only suggest to volunteers to visit Scooby in the winter one time and not just the summer. It really is worthwhile and the animals are so grateful for your visit during this cold time of the year.  Or even better - visit in the summer and the winter!  My next trip for the summer is booked already with the plans for the winter in the works as well.  The winter work gear is stored with friends near Scooby - so the rubber boots have a chance to fit in the suitcase the next time.  The right clothes are all that counts.