A dry and sunny day to recover, training Sam under close control across the river in Mill Meadow to make him more responsive. Then showing him work and play some tricks for the little boy opposite. Then to my office to make a couple of long telephone calls about the campaign and then update this last couple of days' journal.
I had trouble getting to sleep as I was full and hot from a late meal and outside day with mind full of political campaigns and dog training. Even so, I was awake early and got Diana and I our morning drinks so that I could get going. It started and so I launched a dinghy and transported Sam across to Mill Meadow for some quartering practice.
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We disturbed a pheasant before I released him, but I then kept him under closer control as he worked his way along the meadow. His running was very fragmented as a result, but the ground was covered. I carried on this discipline as I ran him around the games lawn getting to do jumps and retrieves but also stopping him at all stages with the stop whistle and making it count each time. It came hard to both of us but did him some good. Then time in Willow Close with Chris James and the family opposite keeping Sam under control and letting them stroke and pet him. I got Sam to do some tricks for the little boy and retrieved a dummy that he had hid etc. and he has won a new friend. To my office to make a couple of long telephone calls about the campaign and then update this last couple of days' journal.