03 December 2011, 22:01
IanFSo proud of the Cocker Spaniel today!
Out beating today with Jo and the hounds - just had to let you know, that little brown dog was AWESOME!A hen Pheasant got pricked, landed in a deep gully and promptly ran for distant parts. A couple Wiemaraners and a Border terrier had a mooch around for ten minutes but with no result.
About then, there was a disturbance on the opposite side of the gully, excited yapps from Jeger (our Cocker spaniel) as she apparently located and chased a very mobile bird through the rough. We tried to get a view of what she was up to, but the intervening cover was just too thick. There was suddenly a loud splash (did I mention the gully had a swiftly flowing stream running through it?) and shortly after, whining and sounds of a dog in distress.
Well, ignoring the blackthorn, I barreled through and, leaving various patches of skin and clothing embedded on the briars, managed to get down to the water. There I found Jeger trying to get out of a deep pool, desperately attempting to climb up a shute against a high volume of water. She was hanging on by her fore-feet & really not looking very happy. A grab to the scruff of her neck & a spluttering mutt was dragged out & onto solid ground once more.
Jo, unable to see what was going on, blew a recall on the whistle & Jeger shot off to see 'Mummy'. After a bit of mutual re-assurance that both were OK and non the worse for the aquatic adventure, the Cocker turned, charged back into the bush and returned to continue searching the area.
I was still trying to find a way back over the water when Jeger once more came leaping past me and promptly dived back into the pool.
Soddin dog! I had only just rescued it from death by drowning & here it was once more, paddling up under the bank, through and under the scum, twigs and other debris that was rotating on the surface of the water.
The bank was deep and under-cut, so for much of the time I was unsure whether the dog was stuck underwater or simply paddling out of my view. I really was concerned that she had got trapped under-water & that we had just lost a marvelous little 'deer' dog.
A snort, & a couple of feathers slowly rotated out from under the bank, swiftly followed by a thrashing hen bird and a dog-paddling 'land shark' in hot pursuit. The pheasant swam across the pool before burrowing under a branch, collapsing in a soaked heap. Jeger hauled herself out and promptly looked at me as if to say 'right, I've got the damn thing out, now pick it up if you will'.
I obliged, and we made our way back over the 10' stream and up through the thick briars to applause from the guns. It was only right to hand the Pheasant back to the Cocker, who then proudly took it over to Jo, sat up nicely and placed it into her hand.
What a result, & what a fantastic display of tenacity and determination. These little hounds have such a huge heart, it is really wonderful to see them working, totally un-phased by thick cover - or by the size of the quarry!
Proud is not the right word for how I felt, when she delivered the bird to hand.
Now, both hounds are gently snoring in front of the fire, re-charging the batteries before the next outing - & I just had to share with you folks!
Rgds
Ian
