Maturing

Living with Telfer and observing him is a fascinating experience. It is a case of "who is watching who" because his eyes are constantly following us. He seems aware of everything that is going on in the house, even when he is nowhere near, presumably due to his immense hearing and scenting ability. He can hear a sweater being pulled on and shoe laces being drawn tight, not to mention the correct drawer being opened (where our outdoor clothes or gloves are kept. From wherever he was in the house, suddenly he is in front of me, all bright-eyed and expectant.

He still loves his games in the woods. They are "HIS" games because he instigates them. Usually the 1st half of a walk is taken sedately just enjoying his world of scents and sounds which are too faint for me to know about.

Then he will suddenly stop walking and stand still staring to the right or left, his body tense. That means he want a race. Usually I walk on a bit leaving him standing there before either shouting OK or just pointing in one direction. Off he goes, racing between the trees and leaping through the bracken with his white-tipped tail flashing his progress as he overtakes me on his own parallel route before swinging back onto my path well ahead of me. Then he always stares back at me with that "what are you messing about" look.

Occasionally he misjudges my speed and he realises his intended route is bringing him behind me, so he turns and extends it until he just wins !

We are very lucky in having a family friend who loves having Telfer when we go on holiday. We think he gets totally spoilt really for he gets so excited if he hears the name Chris. He knows the way to her house when we go by car. As we drive up a nearby road, which is 2 junctions from the road she lives in, he watches intently and the moment my hand touches the indicator switch he starts barking excitedly.

Taken by Chris when being "boarded out"

This next picture was a total surprise. It was taken on a very windy day on a hilltop and Telfer was happily frisking around and barking as dogs do in a wind. The camera happened to freeze his movements in the middle of an excited bark !

Not what it seems !