The M(w)ating game

 Ever since he first appeared in public during his first season in the field people have been saying he's a handsome chap and  "so steady for a spaniel" that we should breed from him. Steady spaniels are a rarity! Steady handsome characters even more so. Indeed, all through that first season at our local shoot it became almost embarrassing when the Keeper kept insisting we were going to "put him across" such and such a bitch!
Over the next three seasons a number of bitches were suggested as potential mates - some whom we knew and a few who were just hearsay. For the first couple of years we didn't concern ourselves too much, after all he was too young and there was plenty of time for "that sort of thing".  Then it became more serious. Last year two of the prospective candidates, their dates being "due"

 refused to have anything to do with him. We later
discovered that their owners had got the dates wrong! Well, it happens. Another prospective candidate was proposed by a shooting colleague but her date was clearly passed by the time we were introduced.
So the fourth season started with none of the potential matings having amounted to anything. By the end of January this year two of the possible matches had 'gone away' - one unfortunately due to a heart attack and the second due to 'circumstances'.
The third we had heard no more of and so assumed she too had 'gone away'.
It seemed that a son of the Bestest Gundog was an

impossible expectation. Time went on and I began to look around for pups elsewhere. That proved to be less simple than it sounds. Not many well bred working pups come to market, most being sold by word of mouth. It even crossed our minds that a well bred bitch could be purchased just to mate with our chap! Desperate times demand desperate measures. 
Then out of the blue one day a couple of weeks back the phone rang just as we were leaving the house: "Do you still want to breed from your dog" said the lady at the other end of the line after the usual pleasantries. I picked myself up off the floor, dusted down the phone, composed my voice and responded (trying not to sound too eager): "Yes". So it was that Meg (the third of the prospective 'wives ' who had passed her due date when we first met her 18 months ago, from whom we'd heard no more and had therefore given up hope of ) came to visit.  Rory-the-trainer's advice when consulted about the affair was to "be patient". Wise words.

The first meeting of the couple did not go to plan. It was a very, very hot day and the pair of them hadn't a clue what they were supposed to be doing. We assumed nature would take its course! Nope. Not that simple. Thinking about it though  if you put an inexperienced couple in a room and tell them to 'get on with it' - 'oh, and by the way we'll just stand by and watch to make sure it all goes OK' - you could expect things to be a little bit fraught. So it was. We humans were as nervous as the dogs - wanting things to go well. It became clear matters weren't going to plan so we abandoned the idea for that day and rescheduled for the following morning. When it all looked a lot more optimistic. Nonethelesss, the couple were still being pretty coy. They clearly liked each other but Meg was bent on being a real tease and Gunner was nothing if not the gentleman. We humans began to despair. No pups after all. And then, just when we turned away thinking it was a hopeless case (clearly there's a lesson in that!)  - oops & Bob's your uncle. I don't know what Gunner and Meg thought but we humans were elated! As is the case with such matters, we arranged a repeat meeting two days later. There was no hanging about then. In fact, they virtually ignored us in their rush to get together!  Now there's nothing to do but wait. I now know how an anxious grandparent must feel awaiting the birth of the first grandchild! Hardly daring to look forward or plan but finding it impossible to not do so. As for young Gunner: he's pining for Meg (I say he's in love but it's more likely in lust!!):  He rushes to the window every time he hears a car; looks out the window then at me as if to say "Isn't she out there?";  whines & howls whenever I leave him at home. The 'affair' has not left him unmoved....... In his work he is nothing if not persistent and he certainly has a very good memory..... what that means for his 'private' life I have yet to discover....   Now there's nothing to do but wait....... 63 days and counting......