It's official. He is no longer 'the puppy'. Does it not seem somehow appropriate that he should celebrate his birthday on the day (6th March) that the most prestigious of Canine Conventions (Crufts) opens this year in Birmingham. Not that we'd want to associate a chap of such illustrious working blood with those Pampered Pooches!
Whatever!
Here he is with a selection of his pressies:- the bear will probably last all of two minutes (he has an almost disdainful disregard for cuddly toys): as soon as he finds the seam he'll have the stuffing out of it! The way he's licking his lips you could be fooled into thinking he's already 
helped himself to one of the Dentastix since they're just about his most favourite thing. So much so that, just lately, he's only been getting them as a reward for being extra clever (or well behaved) in his training. So, we'll see how long they last!! And the bag is full of retrieve dummies which are covered in real pheasant pheathers. Another of his most favourite things - retrieving dummies that is, not the p.ps. However, he quickly becomes bored if not asked to do 'different' or more difficult retrieves so he is limited to just a couple each session with the object being to stretch him a little more each time. He proved his mettle the other day. I'd hidden a 'blind retrieve' in the garden whilst he was still in the house. I came in to fetch him and in the time it took me to turn round, pick up my gloves and put them on he was out of the house and found, fetched and returned to me with the feathered dummy!
helped himself to one of the Dentastix since they're just about his most favourite thing. So much so that, just lately, he's only been getting them as a reward for being extra clever (or well behaved) in his training. So, we'll see how long they last!! And the bag is full of retrieve dummies which are covered in real pheasant pheathers. Another of his most favourite things - retrieving dummies that is, not the p.ps. However, he quickly becomes bored if not asked to do 'different' or more difficult retrieves so he is limited to just a couple each session with the object being to stretch him a little more each time. He proved his mettle the other day. I'd hidden a 'blind retrieve' in the garden whilst he was still in the house. I came in to fetch him and in the time it took me to turn round, pick up my gloves and put them on he was out of the house and found, fetched and returned to me with the feathered dummy! And on the subject of finding: since our last session with Rory the Trainer we have walked miles in search of rabbit and hare in order to be able to 'bring home the rabbit pen lesson'. All I can say is that there is no greater deterrant to finding fur than taking a dog out on a lead. I have seen plenty of Hares and a couple of rabbits (in the far distance) but the would-be gundog, nose habitually to the ground, has seen none. All have long since scarpered by the time he is anywhere near where they had been. At this rate, it is going to take a long, long time. So we're back to hunting off the lead but under close control and if he flushes a rabbit I'll just have to be jolly damned quick to reprimand him before he gets 'out of' control. That'll be fun. He's having a scratch here but it's the nearest I can get to a photo of him laughing.......
No comments:
Post a Comment