[Dailydrool] Walkies and obediance

[Sally King]

I have a friend, Jo, who I met through agility (ie dog training). She has three spaniels.

A few weeks ago we went for a walk together and she was perplexed I would not let Rolph off the lead and would only let Clara off in the meadow, but not in the wood. She clearly felt my training skills were not quite up to snuff.

Yesterday we went for another walk together. As we set off round the golf-course-cum-forest she told me "I really don't think Clara will run off you know. After all, we're both here and four other dogs. It's a pack." I tried to explain about deaf ears and bassetude, but I could see she wasn't convinced.

And later I thought, well, maybe I should give her the benefit of the doubt (Clara, not Jo), so I didn't fix her lead when we walked into the woods.  It wasn't long before her friskiness saw a squirrell. Off she shot like a bullet from a gun. I yelled her name and told her to come. She stopped dead in her tracks and came straight back. Jo was very impressed (so was I).

We had one or two more moments like this. All was good until we got to the edge of the wood, beside the golf course. Here two men were mid-swing as Clara peeled off and ran infront of them. I yelled. Nothing. I yelled louder. Nothing. I positively shrieked. Nothing. By this time she was the other side of the green, making out with a family there.

Apologising to the golfers, I too, ran across the green to find Clara happily helping herself to sausage rolls from the family's picnic. The family thought she was a terribly sweet  puppy who knew no better. They didn't even flinch when I told them she was six!

I somehow doubt Jo will question my keeping my dogs on the lead from now on.

Sally, with Rolph and Clara, UK
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