It's not just the kids that ignore me

I know how his mind works....

"yes, I know that I am a gun dog, and I know that this is not a bird AND I know that I will be told off for retrieving stones ....... but.......... there's the slightest chance that if I don't make eye-contact with you then I might be able to get away with pretending that I have not heard you and you might not take away my new best thing"