Save the Water

Once in a while,  very kind friends of our humans who understand the importance of fish retrievers like us keeping up our swimming skills, invite us to play in their holes in the ground with water.

I have spent the last 2½ years trying to teach Tobermory to swim properly.  He did some research on the writing box and discovered something that small human puppies do which they call “doggy paddle.”  I have repeatedly explained to him that they don’t have webbed paws and a tail to use as a rudder.  This is why they look so ungainly when trying to emulate our swimming prowess and he really should not try to copy their technique.

Finally, I have persuaded him to use his natural tools.  Now Tobermory keeps his paws under the water instead of using them to splash in the mistaken belief that this provides forward motion.  He also uses his tail for steering which is what it was intended for, other than clearing those stupid little tables that humans like to put in front of sofas.

 

Now, if I could just make him understand that diving is also supposed to be elegant.   I’m all in favor of Tobermory doing his own research to find out new ways of doing things, but I wish he would take a little guidance from me.  He has now discovered the “bomb dive.”  Whilst I understand how much fun it is, we are in a drought and he needs to learn a streamlined dive to keep the water in its proper place.

Talisker

Peeing in the kennel has consequences

There used to be a big metal box in a cupboard that hummed loudly sometimes.  I’m not sure when it decided it was time to hum but somehow when it was cold outside, if it hummed, the inside of the kennel would get warmer and when it was hot outside, the kennel would get cooler.   A little while ago, when it came to the end of a hum, we could hear it peeing in the cupboard.

When we were puppies, Mummy got very scary if we peed inside so we learnt very quickly that life is much more comfortable if you go in the garden.  The metal box refused to listen so suffered the ultimate punishment.  Mummy sent it away, but it didn’t go easily.  It took three humans with big bags of metal extracting instruments several hours to remove it.  They didn’t seem to be enjoying the task much, which is not very surprising.  A metal box that pees in its cupboard obviously has no regard for personal hygiene.  I think they must also have suspected it might try to hide under the kennel, because the human in charge sent one of the others through a hole in the floor to catch it.

 

We now have a new metal box in the cupboard.  It has much better manners, doesn’t hum nearly as loudly and has obviously heard how scary Mummy can be as it hasn’t peed inside once since it came to live with us.

Tobermory

Respecting Space

One thing I have learnt from my extensive studies of human behavior is that they respect personal space very seriously.  My brother doesn't seem to understand this concept.  My sleeping box is MY sleeping box.

Talisker