Back to Basics
We have been feeling a lot more confident with Ellie and her behaviour recently – she will walk more or less to heel, sit and wait beautifully before eating, and if you haven’t been licked to death within 5 minutes of entering the house, she will lie down quietly and leave you alone. Progress - - at last.
Even when I take her down our quiet country lane by bicycle, well, I’m on the bike and she runs alongside on an extendable lead to a point where she can then run free, we have improved immensely. No longer do I feel quite so vulnerable when we see a rabbit dart across our path or a pheasant flapping in the hedges – she will look at me, I say “NO” and she, rather reluctantly, continues her gentle trot..
But it has to be said, there have been many a time that Ellie has spotted a rabbit and sped after it, oblivious to the fact that we are connected by a lead which unravels to a point at which it no longer can, and I am then rather unceremoniously yanked off my bike and dumped into a bush, puddle or dirt track. By the time I collect my dignity and pride from the ground the rabbit has disappeared and she is looking a little sheepish – or is that just caused by the tone of my voice?
And whilst we are on the subject, why is it that for weeks we will see not a soul, but the one time I am lying prostrate on the ground in an ungainly heap, someone walks by, always with a beautifully trained dog, always very together. On asking if I am ok, I have to smile – or is that grimace? – ignore my aching back and bloodied knee, and jump up with a nonchalant nod of my head and cheery comment – hoping I haven’t just knocked a tooth out too…..actually I think I would cry if that happened, it would all be too much. Ellie would probably just lick up the blood and look innocent. She has a very good innocent look that we call the ‘plastic face’ – but more of that another time.
So as I was saying, we have moved on – it must be a year since I lost her for an hour in the long grass fields that surround us, and even longer since she adopted someone else on a walk and went off with them – luckily they didn’t want her and escorted her back to us some half an hour later.
But today, oh dear today, we let ourselves down – and rather badly too. We had enjoyed a lovely walk and were making our way along a footpath that runs along a very large country house with huge grounds and beautiful outdoor pool, when Ellie spotted her very good friend Elsa , a beagle. Elsa has helped Ellie with doggie etiquette, many a time putting her in her place when she becomes overbearing or over stepping the mark. But today they played chasing each other – well actually, Ellie chases Elsa – it doesn’t seem to work the other way around.
Suddenly Elsa jumped through the fence of the country house and raced around the garden chasing a squirrel. Not wanting to miss out on the fun, Ellie followed and the 2 dogs continued to race around the garden, thrashing through daffodils and skidding through mole hills. On command Elsa returned to her owner with Ellie, luckily, I thought at the time, in hot pursuit. Straight through a gap in the fence leapt Elsa, Ellie tried to follow but ricocheted back into the garden – she was too big to fit through.. At this point, from the corner of my eye, I was aware of the gardener to the far right. He seemed unaware of our presence, so I ran back to where Ellie had entered the garden and tried to call her back, but she wasn’t having any of it. She stuck her nose in the air, obviously smelled eau-de-squirrel and raced off towards the pool.
The words “bloody hell” floated in the atmosphere as a hot flush swept over me. Please not the pool I despaired. Like most labs, Ellie is very partial to a dip, especially after a long hot walk.
I called her in my happy, come-and-play voice, I called her in my come-right-now voice, no response. She was having a whale of a time, and by now was a sizeable distance away, tip toeing around the pool and racing after birds. Seeing that she was missing out on the fun Elsa jumped back into the garden, to be recalled straight away . Obviously she obeyed, which made me feel even more useless. The gardener, bless him, was either being extremely tolerant of us or was still blissfully unaware and was busily tending his bay trees.
In absolute desperation I yelled out the word “TREAT!” and lo and behold 5 seconds later there was Ellie panting expectantly beside me waiting for her reward; which of course, I had to give, if rather reluctantly.
When I’ve found the number for the dog trainer, I think I’m going to re-name her……..
If you are not already a member, take a minute to signup for free membership at SwapaDog here