Dog Vignette

Three border collies, each leading a child on a red lead, the procession criss-crosses, stops suddenly, flops in the shade Who is leading who? The dogs are certainly in charge, child falls flat on face, picks herself up and hurtles forward as the dog suddenly decides to run. Confusion reigns as the dogs hope for a run chasing a car around the farm. My insistent calling eventually brings the procession jerkily back towards the house, where they all flop back down in the shade and are relieved of their leads.

Our dogs are farm dogs hardly ever leaving our farm and very unused to leads and official walks. They get their exercise by chasing up and down the fence barking or running after our cars and bakkies. My youngest has suddenly decided that we must take them for walks on the leads. This after she decided that as well as a pony she also wants a puppy, a cat, a squirrel, a rabbit and a parrot. We discussed in detail what we would need to do to look after this menagerie. I promised to help her train the puppy (while privately hoping that it would wait to materialise at least until our Senile dog departs this mortal coil) So we are practising by training our adult dogs, who are rather confused but good naturedly participate in the “walks” eventually protesting by collapsing in the sand under a tree and refusing to budge. I have to take the role of Pied Piper as cooperation depends on my calling them encouragingly from the front and am followed up the hill by a black and white tangle of dogs, children and leads..I just wish I had it on video for you!