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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>I have a friend, Jo, who I met through agility (ie
dog training). She has three spaniels.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>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.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>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.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>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).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>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.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>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!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>I somehow doubt Jo will question my keeping my dogs
on the lead from now on.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Sally, with Rolph and Clara,
UK</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>