[Joan and David are retired teachers from Victoria BC. They've owned many dogs, but took a twenty-year break until finding Blarney two years ago. He's the "apple of our eye" as they say. Their lives have been charged since he came aboard. They wouldn't say he rules but he sure packs an influence that's well beyond his twenty pounds! Catch more from this lovely family at http://livingwithblarney.blogspot.com/]


Yesterday afternoon, when the August sun was at its warmest, we decided to take Blarney for a quick dip at his favourite lake spot.

He loves to chase a ball into the water and can be tempted to swim a few steps over his depth to fetch one bobbing. It's no small feat for such a tiny mouth!

He has to approach the ball from just the right angle and strike with just the right force to capture it. It lodges in the side of his jaw like a cigar. We call it the Churchill pose after the famous British prime minister. Blarney easily becomes obsessed with the game. He'd play until he dropped if we had the energy!

Yesterday one bad throw went out beyond his usual range and the wind carried it out even more. He began to pace the shore with short forays into the shallows while we encouraged him with "GO!" and a waving arm. He watched the ball blow along the beach and hang in a clump of weed. We were sure the ball was a goner.

We called Blarney and made moves to leave. It was like a trigger to set off his courage. He launched himself and began the swim while we stood with mouths agape. "He's going!" I whispered.

There was a moment or two when we'd thought he'd turn back especially when he missed his first pass at snapping the ball, but he got it and brought in a good crop of lake weed as well.

"Good boy!" we chorused. Wow!


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