Merry meanderings # 13 Not that kind of dog

All the essentials in the boot 5-4-09

 "Now.. you has all heard the talk about my Boy Bugler and The Understudy goin off and doin Workin Tests. They's both been pretty stuck up about it - my Boy Bugler even get a bit big -headed just cos he got papers. (OK I know - I am a proud daddy and he is a chip off the old block but I ain't let on to him about this little story or he'd be tooooooooo much).

Gettin a pep talk 5-4-09

Off to the 'off'

"Well, back in the day when I was just a young whippersnapper with no idea of what excitement my life did hold in store for me, I too did spend a spring doin "workin tests". She did say it was the kind of thing a would-be bestest gundog should do so off we went - Her & me & the Big Boss. As soon as I did get in the boot I smelled something odd: all those 'things' we were takin. Where were we goin? We did go a long way in the car and when we got to There it was just as I'd thort - a very suspicious place. Lots of cars and dogs with their peeps. All looking very serious.
"Not a good sign" I said to myself.
But She did tell me it was ok and that I should just be brave and be myself and all would be fine.
I went along with that. All us dogs and our peeps then left the cars - and we left the Big Boss ("Not my thing" he said - I grew a little uneasy when I did hear that.)
I did not know what was coming. This was not like anything I had done before in my time. I was very suspicious.
But I did go with her quietly.
I didn't see much of what was goin on 'cept a dog would go off with its person to do something and then come back and the next would go.
Soon enough I found out what they was doin tho cos it was my turn.
I went with her into the woods and she made me sit, then did take my lead off and give me my usual instruction:-
"Go seek!" She did say.
"Do what????" I said
Well, She did repeat Herself.
I looked around, at the wood ahead, at the strange human standin' next to Her, at the other strange peeps either side behind her - ahead at the wood again.
"You want me to go huntin' as if I'd not a care in the world and leave you? Here? With these strange humen? You has gotta be jokin?"
I gave Her my best serious I-cannot-do-that look.
But "Go Seek!" She did say again.
"Ahhhaa" I said to myself. She did mention Test when She was talkin to the Big Boss. This  must be the Test.
She was tryin' to see if I would look after Her through thick & thin, stick close to Her when there was Danger about.
Well, I was gonna make sure I passed that Test cos She my Person and I Her bestestgundog..... I stick with Her through Everythin......... There were a few smells of interest so I did just sneak a few paw lengths to either side of her - but no way was I goin' further than that. Didn't want her to worry about the strange humen.

Focus!

After I did pass that test a man did fire a gun; I looked; he did throw a dummy into the bushes. Well, I knew that She did love nothin more in all the world than when I did bring her somethin. So when She did tell me to "go fetch" I thort that since She was so stressed, I'd go get that dummy fast as I could and bring it back to Her and make Her smile. So that what I did. The strange human did say:
"He's got a good nose" and She did smile even more.
I s'pose I passed that test too then.
And then it was our turn to leave the wood. I was so relieved that I had looked after Her so well and not let Her down.
We did do two more tests after this one. Each time it was the same: long journey, lots of strange dogs and peeps and havin to do the things in the woods. I sensed that She was a little more comfortable with the strangers so, when She did say "Go seek", I did go just slowly a little way away from her for the second test; She said I was a good boy after so I spose I did judge it right. I trieved the dummys even quicker. The last time we went I thort I could go a little further away from Her when She gave me my instruction because She did look quite relaxed - but I not went far or fast cos I wanted to make sure I was still close enough to Her to keep my eye on Her and the strange humen. She told me again I was good boy and, again, I did please Her with givin' Her the dummys very fast.
"He'll make a good beatin dog" the judge did say when I finished my last test.
She was over the moon. I had passed all the tests. I was already a good beatin dog but now the Judge had told me I would be one She was really really pleased.
That's humans for you!"
Now - since I did pass all my tests and not bring home papers, just What Did My Boy Bugler get papers for??????
Obviously I not that kind of dog............................."