A very good morning’s dog training with Sam after making a fuss of Diana and then off to Harlow where we did a range of obedience, retrieving and quartering work which Sam accomplished as well as any of them.
Daniel left for his two-week holiday in Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands, and I gave him £20 to make sure that he brought home nice presents for Diana and the girls.
It was a much finer and warmer day than of late and I swung both of our bedroom French windows open and let the air circulate.
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The rising sun had woken me up quite early and so I stayed in bed with Diana for a while and fondled her and massaged her back which she appreciated as she is in the middle of a period at the moment. A nice shower and then breakfast with most of the family before taking Sam out for his morning run.
This was very enjoyable. I started him with a long memory retrieve and then an unseen one and he performed these perfectly and so I did no more. Then I walked him to heel and cast him off into the wind on the rough ground near the coating works by the gravel pit nature reserve.
He needed bringing back a couple of times as he was boring forward on a scent but obeyed me at all times and then eventually came on to a very solid point. I got forward and stroked him and then flushed the brace of pheasants that he had held well. The best point that I have ever seen him make.
Then a couple of difficult water retrieves - one across the river and the other over some tough weeds in the pits - before letting him play safely with a couple of young girls on bicycles. A rest once back, feeding the doves and then having a coffee with Di.
Soon time for a fine roast chicken lunch and then to load up the car to drive down for this afternoon's training session at Harlow. I took the best four of the six rabbits down there and they were taken gladly by other handlers for training, and I also got Sam to retrieve one as well.
After the latish start, I joined a small group of two other dogs and that of Alan, the Club Secretary and trainer, and we did a range of obedience, retrieving and quartering work which Sam accomplished as well as any of them.
His only faults were a repeat of the grumbling and growling towards other male dogs and his running a couple of strides forward to the shot of a dummy launcher and I must try to get on top of both of these faults. In all, a good day for him.
Time to call Wiggly on the car telephone on the way back. She had a good evening yesterday entertaining her friends who were praising her on her house, but she sounded a little frustrated today at trying to put on her new door lock without chisel or drill.
Daniel left for his two-week holiday in Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands, but he first stayed to have lunch with us and I gave him £20 to make sure that he brought home nice presents for Diana and the girls.
I tidied my desk this evening, completed entry forms for two working tests and then updated this day's journal. Time still for a bath and hair wash before another full and welcome night's sleep.