Becs  Offline
The Clique Chick Queen
Joined: Dec 10, 2005
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Posts: 10127
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114301 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 1
Lab Names: Hartley (black lab) Zorro (Golden retreiver) Flo, (JRT) Ted (mini dachsi) & Mouse (brown Lab)
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Location: gloucester
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 Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 3:17 pm Post subject: He blinkin' well did it!!!! |
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Hold the headlines!!!! Breaking News!!!! Zorro did IT!!!!
He swam  On his own - voluntarily!!!
It started at gundog class this morning. as it was so hot the trainer decided to do some water training mid-class. Up until now, Zorro has always just splashed around in the shallow end, refusing to get any dummy that is out of his depth and hoping that his offering of a small piece of pond-weed would be acceptable!
So Zorro and I watched and admired the other dogs doing their swimming over the pond to blind retrieves and the like, feeling a bit like the kids sat on the side of the school swimming pools with varuccas until it was Zorro's turn and we headed down to the 'baby-shallow-end' of the pond. Zorro happily got into the water up to his knees and did his normal 'splish-splash I was taking a bath routine' whilst the trainer threw a dummy and I shouted encouragement but it was very clear that, as always, Zorro had risk-assessed the situation and found it wanting.
So I rolled my trousers up and got in with him, took him by the collar and waded out to the deeper water and, Bobs your uncle, HE SWAM!!!! He needed my help to steer him as he only has a reverse-rudder but everyone was shouting encouragement and throwing biscuits and bits of kibble for him to swim for and the whole atmosphere became very party-ish  It was absolutely grand, and I couldn't stop grinning like a loon! My Ol' Gundog swimming!!!! 
And when we got out of the pond, did he ever swank about it! We finished with a walk-up and my Slow Ol' Gundog, who normally manages to steal a quick 40 winks during walk-ups, was BOUNDING halfway across a field to fetch a blind tennis ball from some shrubs, AND remembered to keep his eyes open to mark AND retrieved his marks at a fair cracking pace! He OWNED that walk-up!!!
And soooooo, not being one to let the grass grow under my feet, I took him out to another pond this afternoon, got in with him, and he was actually, honest and truly, CHOOSING to swim on his own after dummies without me having to steer him or hold him up or anything (other than stand in the pond! ) Unfortunately, the pond had a bit of a steep slope to the bottom and was very slippery and so I slipped over and ended up wet through to my undies, and it was a bit of a long walk back to the car but it was absolutely 100% worth it, just to see Zoz swimming!
I was very close to the brink of pensioning Zorro off from this Khaki-Malarky as he has so many 'wont do's' and if he'd had got any slower with his retrieves I'd have had to start checking his pulse, but now I think we are 'Green for Go' and it's just a question of releasing the inner-gun-dog a little further!
Can you tell I'm rather proud of Zorro!?! <<cheesy grin!>>
Becs and the Ol' Gundog Gang!
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sheens  Offline
Fudgeys Mum
Joined: Feb 08, 2006
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Posts: 17201
Posts Left: 0
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45442 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 1
Lab Names: Fudge aka Boldmam Zafira 21/06/05
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Location: Herts
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| Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 3:20 pm Post subject: |
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WTG Zoz you keep your mum on her toes 
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shadybug Offline
Lab Servant
Joined: Aug 15, 2006
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Posts: 4452
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11202 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 5+
Lab Names: Shady Kiah Norman, Sampson and Rohan
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Location: Northumberland
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| Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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Yay WTG Zorro no stopping him now Becs 
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_Jules_ Offline
And the Girls
Joined: Sep 27, 2005
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Posts: 33574
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242523 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 2
Lab Names: Mojo, Pickle, Pood And Twoee
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Location: Essex
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| Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY :
Will this boy ever stop surprising you, eh?
And why are there NO PHOTOS of you in the pond, eh, eh, eh???? 
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Jules, Mojo, Pickle, Pood and Twoee.
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Chocice Offline
Labgirls luv Chocolate
Joined: Aug 14, 2008
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Posts: 5752
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53283 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 1
Lab Names: Cadbury DOB 3/2/2008 and Merlin (Shetland Sheepdog) 17/12/2010
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| Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 3:30 pm Post subject: |
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WELL DONE ZORRO!!!!
What a clever boy - clearly it needed to be warm enough so he didn't feel cold coming out again.
(Mind you, had to giggle at the image of you slipping in the pond, knowing that that is exactly what would happen to me if I tried it!)
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Sophie
"Well, it is Cadbury...."
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Your so clever to save yourself until you have an enthusiastic audience armed with treats. Keep up the good work.
