Archie discovers something tastier than kibble...

Today promised good weather again, and we contemplated going a run in the car to some place that Archie would like, but in the end we just took a wander across the Meadows, as he loves it for a free run about. Bonus today because we met several dogs, with varying degrees of success and fun.

First of all we met Brodie. Brodie just kept whacking Archie and sending him spinning. Archie tried hard to play with Brodie, but Brodie was just too rough. Archie came and sat behind legs for safety. We also met Mozzie, a young black lab who knew Brodie and didn’t stand any nonsense from him. Archie mainly watched. In fact, he went and sat with a young boy who owned Mozzie. I wasn’t quick enough to get a photo of Archie licking the wee lad’s face. The two children were used to being gentle with a dog, obviously.

Then we met Bob, a daschund/labrador cross. He was very playful, but wasn’t allowed off the lead as he’s in his teenager phase and runs off chasing cyclists. I told Bob's owner about the water pistol deterrent, but she didn’t think it would work on Bob. The dogs ran around and around tying the adults up with Bob’s lead. But they usually ended up with Archie pinned on his back under Bob. No wonder Archie loves meeting dogs who don't bully him, but just play.

We had a cuppa and a scone at Peter’s Yard and we could have been somewhere exotic. Sunshine, outdoor eating, Swedish waitresses offering Archie a bowl of water. A couple of sweet little toddlers were running around the nearby trees, and Archie was keeping an eye on them. They got a bit near. A bit of a ‘woof’ slipped out (under his breath), but I heard it and had my pistol at the ready!

On the way back he went too far ahead and we turned and walked back the way we had come. He didn’t notice us. We called him, and he didn’t notice. We called him some more. He ignored us. There was something Very Interesting in the grass. We walked back and YUCK! He was eating some sort of poo!! He’s never done that before, but he obviously loved it.

When we got home he had his yucky poo-ey muzzle washed and he flopped on the floor, displaying all his bits. He's not looking his best here. In fact, he looks like a wee woolly ratbag. He can be brushed and look lovely and within minutes his hair's like a particularly unkempt shagpile rug. I'm thinking that first puppy haircut can't be too far away...