It’s now two weeks since we started walking Beanie & Biggles separately at the park, so we decided to give them a session together to see if their desire to run off as a pack had been tamed at all. It seemed promising – they had some great chases with other dogs and each other but stayed in the field. They lost their own balls, found or “borrowed” others and generally had a great time.
It’s not really my ball, but it’ll do…
Rather than pushing our luck, we put them both back on lead just as the other dogs were leaving and headed up to the “Pond” cafe for hot drinks. While there, we met another new Beagle – a handsome, happy and friendly young boy called Patrick. It sounds like his owners may bring him to the puppy field for a run around in the near future. If all the Beagles we’ve met in the park turned up at the same time I think there’d be more than 20. Beagle popularity is definitely on the up!
On the way back I suggested going back through the field and giving our two pups one more brief session off-lead. Not one of my smartest ideas, but it’s the kind of thing that pops into my head after a sugar-filled hot chocolate.
Once released the two of them shot away, raced each other round the field at break-neck speed, and promptly disappeared into the trees. Although we couldn’t see them we could keep track of them with our ears, because our noisy little boy was baying his head off as he tried to catch his sister. The desperate “Aaarf! Aaaarf” circled round to our right, then grew faint. We sighed, and Susan started off towards the trees while I held stayed put in case they returned to our last known position. Susan had only got a few feet away when the baying grew louder. A lot louder! I looked towards the sound and saw Beanie bounding over the hill straight towards me, with Biggles bringing up the rear as only a Biggles can. They both sat for treats and we re-leaded them easily. So, they did run off a bit, but it was an improvement over the disappearing act they pulled a couple of weeks ago. The separate walks really do seem to be helping to fix the problem as well as manage it.
Back at the car, we found a lovely present waiting for us from Sheila (Kirby’s Mum) – a ball on a rope. It’s now in my coat pocket, ready to be unleashed during Beanie’s off-lead session tomorrow (assuming the snow doesn’t make the roads impassable). Beanie says a big “Thank You” to Kirby & Sheila!
Finally here’s a shot I took of Biggles yesterday. After meeting up with Ben & Co for another great play session while Beanie was having her agility class, he snook into the putting green for a solo treasure hunt. It proved quite successful! Indiana Biggles came back with a burst tennis ball, a couple of empty crisp packets and – his largest find to date – a punctured and heavily weathered football.
