God damn the weatherman

Today there was thunder,lightening and heavy rain.

At least there was in the imagination of a meteorologist.

In the real world it was a fine summer's day.

Anthony wished he had not worn his coat.

No sooner had Anthony,Diesel,Rosie and Dylan left the house than their first problem arose.

Akita san was walking down their street only fifty yards ahead.

Catching up with him was in nobody's best interests,not least it's owner's stress levels.

They turned about.

Then turned about again.

Then they turned about a third time.

Practicing walking to heel off the lead would let the akita get a good distance ahead.

By the time they got to the end of the street the akita was nowhere to be seen.

He would be walking around the fields for a while and with the high hedges there would be no way to avoid bumping into him.

They decided to take a detour.

Just around the corner were fields full of sheep,time for some sheep training.

The first field was empty today,the dogs could have a play.

Anthony could run them through their drills.

Heeling,sitting,staying,waiting,lying and most of all coming.

He wanted to have them sharp with sheep around and they were.

The next field was empty too,and the next,they were in luck today.

The finest English countryside,just as it had been for hundreds of years,bathed in the glow of a summer sun and they had it all to themselves.

They found a pond,there could not have been a finer place for the dogs to swim.

Diesel,Rosie and Dylan fetched sticks and chased scents,oblivious to the sheep in the next field.

Anthony kept a close eye on them,recalling them to keep them close and sharp.

Then he saw something,a sheep,freshly sheared and in their field,not forty yards away.

He called the dogs,they came right away showing no interest in their woolly visitor.

While Anthony decided what to do they sat at his feet.

Rosie and Dylan were used to walking offlead with sheep,Diesel was green but he had been very good in basic training.

Over by the fence the sheep was wary of coming closer.

There was a gap in the fence,no gate,that is how it had gotten in.

The sheep had not been moved to the other fields,they were free to wander where they pleased.

A rustle of barbed wire and the problem was solved,the sheep had gone through the fence.

They could relax.

But then Anthony saw something behind them.

Now they were outflanked,a crack platoon sheep was taking up position by the tree line.

Outnumbered,outflanked,in the open and in hostile terrain without any hope of backup,they had no choice.

It was time to make tactical withdrawal,no surrender and no vizsla left behind.

"Come!","Heel!" at the rush they headed for cover,the training was paying off.

Using the concealment and protection of the terrain they made it over the skyline and down the reverse slope of the hill.

It was no good trying to regroup,they had never ungrouped,so they headed for the safety of the stile.

Training had got them through but it was close,next time they might not make it,time for a group photo just in case.