Gunner's Calendar - July Pic

Gunner 10 August 2012

Gunner was 5 when this photo was taken. It's in what was our special running and training area - not that Gunner and I were doing much training when he'd got to this age. Although I know differently now - thanks to young Skipper and Co. - I didn't think there was much else I could teach the dog after he'd done 4 seasons of work. So, we just used to go down to this area and hunt about and then sit around in the long grass and watch the birds flying around us.  This particular piece of ground lies below and alongside our own fields and, being poor quality farming land, was always left fallow so was a haven for wildlife. We often saw snipe, newts and other creatures we couldn't identify in the long grasses. Gunner thought it was great for hunting in and would snuffle and sniff all over the place.  No other people (except the farmer very occasionally) ever went there. No other dogs either;except one, who I think belonged to a local farmworker and which used to be given a run on the 'way to work' very first thing in the morning, but only for two or three years. So it felt like it was 'Our Place'. It always will now.  Soon after this photo was taken the land was fenced off for 'beasts' and several ponds were scraped out, which were supposed to attract wild life. Strangely, there is less wildlife there than formerly which is what happens when man interferes with nature. Anyway, I don't go down there anymore with the dogs.  Also, the land is now incorporated within the territory of a local shoot so dogs are most unwelcome, especially spaniels... though goodness knows why when they are welcomed onto other local shoots. But then, this particular shoot owner is quite neurotic!!!
Anyway, on this particular day we had been mooching about in the long grass, the sun was shining and the birds were singing and it seemed all was right with the world. Gunner was happily relaxed and had just caught sight of some Canada geese strutting around not far away from us...... he never missed a thing....