Thursday, May 5, 2016

Rescue Setter Holiday

Morning walkies before breakfast, enjoying the cool fresh air and the morning sunshine, promises to be another hot day. Sherlock is so eager to go out for a walkies, he barks excitedly for me to hurry up as I put on my shoes, get the water ready, check the poop bags and cut up some training treats before we set out...
Sherlock is a nifty wee thing, weaving hither and thither searching for scents, but always ready to come on call...almost scary, he's been browbeaten into some kind of mechanical heel response which I would actually love to get rid of: I want him to think for himself about how to walk in the team and move smoothly, confidently in the pack, noticing autonomously when to come hither.
I think Sherlock has room to grow in size...mentally, emotionally and body all need a good stretch...as he slowly learns to stand tall, analyze scents, trust his pack...
Although he goes wild for cats which I'm not too happy about, he did set and hunt this pigeon...he kind of wakes up as the walk progresses, getting more and more focused, coming alive...
He just needs a little more time and he should a handsome quirky gentleman, true to his name...a man with a dark past, and a bright future...
Meanwhile Lady Claire sits demure among the daisies: I have many friends who train their rescued English setters for field trials, winning some events even, spreading the word about the skill and true blue companionship of these excellent bird-dogs. I know in my heart that Lady Claire would outshine them all: today she let Sherlock take the point, never invading his space...the ultimate skill of a gundog, knowing when the bird is taken by another, and moving on to other prey. She is such a gem!
Photos by Lelantos

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