Friday, October 14, 2011

Seagulls

I've been too busy to blog, a whirlwind of commitments and capers. After obedience training Claire and I stopped by at Vegie's house to pick up some clothes his Mum was handing down to me...beautiful fabrics and designs, lots to wear this autumn, I am really pleased. She was so kind as to make me lunch, too, and I admired her collection of bone china and venetian glass. Claire was after their cat in a quiet way, so we closed the door on the room with the cat and asked Vegie and Claire politely to sit under the table and on the rug by the door respectively- they were really good.
I was so busy talking and having fun I forgot to take pictures! So here are two from the obedience training, "Wait". Dodo sensei changed the venue to get Claire used to the idea of being obedient in various different locations, and not to get distracted.  I'm really proud of the increased separation distance and time she can wait. After asking her to wait when you're visible, you walk round behind the dog and finish up at her side: isn't she a good girl, in spite of the tantalizing view of the pigeon park.
And then today I am proudly wearing the striped top Vegie's Mum gave me, and off to the Bayside Marina to visit another friend. I let Claire run free on the boardwalk and she went hell for leather right up to the end and without my realizing must have jumped right in after the seagulls. I was chatting and naively didn't go with her, thinking there was nowhere for her to disappear to...and after a bit, I called...she didn't come back, even with two women tweeting and chirping after her, so I thought I'd go and reinforce "Here" with some owner presence...only to find her swimming in the sea! Aghast, I grabbed her lifejacket (thank God she had one on) and pulled her out, and she seemed quite unfazed by it all. I then had to wash her down with fresh water, and she continued to career wildly along  the gangplanks getting great exercise chasing the seagulls.
  

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