Firstly the water babe. Training on Saturday saw us on some very different ground, namely a big pond. The usual gang of five were there bright and early at 8.30am and some of us more keen for a dip in the water than others. Poor Holly and Tor needed some extra encouragement to 'go in' - in fact Tor got very good at retrieving a dummy on a line by grabbing the line and pulling that rather than fetching it in the more conventional way.
But, back to me. I watched Sweep and Percy dive head first into the pond for their retrieves (they are Cocker Spaniels and a bit excitable) and then it was my turn. Charlotte through in a dummy and I headed into the water (rather gingerly I should add as it was bloomin' cold), grabbed the dummy and swam straight back to Mum for lots of praise from EVERYONE! Thankfully Charlotte had brought Rose with her to collect the dummies that Tor and Holly didn't go in for, so once she had done that we all went for a testing walk around the lake - the chance for a swim and a few ducks etc for distraction etc. We had another chance at water work and I went in again and brought back another dummy.
We finished the lesson with a warm up exercise of some hunting, which Charlotte said I did very well. She was especially pleased that I listened to Mum's whistle AND retrieved a dummy she threw. Her comment at the end of the lesson was 'we'll make a retriever out of him yet'!
So, you may be thinking I am also labeling myself as a working dog, but no that accolade this week must go to Murphy. Yesterday we were having a walk in a new wooded area we have found near home and Murphy was bobbing about along the hedge with a neighbouring field when he became a bit more structured in his bobbing, like he was following a scent. Sure enough, a minute later he flushed a pheasant out of the hedge and (rather naughtily I thought) charged off across the field after it. Mum blew her stop whistle and I sat down. She then blew a recall and Murphy came running back looking very pleased with himself.
The whole episode has left me thinking. After our recent visit to the vet Murphy has started taking some tablets for his joints. Mum said they are very special and will help to stop him getting stiff legs as he gets older. Well, I don't know about special they seem magical - he's only been on then for two weeks and he set off across that field like a rocket!
