Taking Sam for his first Pointer Training Session with him excelling in the water on a hot and sunny day
I was first awake at 7.30am and crept into the bathroom to get washed and shaved without waking the dog. Diana was still in bed and so I took advantage of that fact and Sam obligingly waited until afterwards to be fed. In Ropes Hill Dyke, I could let Sam out after he ate and he could find a good spot in the bushes but in Paxton I have to get him to go in the garden still and clean up after him. A panic to try and find the dog whistles without which I could not have gone this afternoon but Diana found them for me and so I could go. We reckoned that, if Sam’s ailment was anything like chicken pox, he was well past any infectious stage, being on the antibiotics.
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I telephoned Steven and Nigel to let them know I was at home and arranged to go back with Steve to Norfolk next Tuesday and to see Nigel tomorrow for a site visit to seal the deal on Cambridge Street. I just had time for the garden chores and this last two days’ journal before an early lunch and quickly out afterwards with Sam for his meeting with others of his kind. The Discovery gave us a comfortable ride in what had become a very hot spell but once we had arrived and were away from the air conditioning, it was unpleasantly hot. Sam ran around with the other dogs and ended up panting furiously to try and cool down. If I chose my moment, I could control him but, once he was running away with the others, I risked disobedience to try and stop him. We were put in a group with three other puppies as beginners and Sam got on quite well.
Being hot and the right stage, they were introduced to water training for the first time and Sam excelled at this; being the only one that would swim right across the stream to collect the dummy whilst the others would only paddle. In fact, he had to swim to save the others losing the dummy and was the top of the class. He managed the other exercises quite well but was more jumpy and bouncy than the bitches and small dog that he was placed with. A steady drive home and then tea of toast and cakes in front of the TV with the others, watching "The Simpsons". I struggled this evening to get my journal data back onto the Mac but managed it in the end which left a couple of hours for me to attempt some paperwork on a warm, sultry evening.