While ever Grotty Groom is still not monopolising most of Baggy's time, Furry Mama will continue to make the most of it. Since Baggy's sister Debby re-found Minty Mutt's inner puppy, Furry Mama and Mint are going on longer and longer walks. Today Furry Mama chose the route. She had a vague plan. As we got to the end of Baggy's lane there was a neighbour on top of a shed or summer house he is building. His two spaniels came charging at Minty and Furry Mama, barking their heads off, very aggressively. They literally threw themselves at the fence, baring teeth at Mint. Normally, Mint just looks at them, as if to say, "Really? You seriously want to take me on in a fight? Pah!" Today, all his hackles went up, his ears went flat on his head and he hauled Furry Mama up the road out of the way. Clever Bird wondered if it was because yesterday on our walk, two spaniels (completely separately, over an hour apart) also tried to attack Mint. Because (fortunately) on both occasions they were on leads, Mint just looked at them with the disdain that they deserved. Sadly though, he's actually been attacked a few times. He never retaliates if he's off the lead or away from Baggy. But if he's on it, he will protect Furry Mama and in an instant, pin the aggressor to the ground. Because of the new laws in this country, even though Mint is no threat to anyone (unless they threaten his Mama, then he would be) she tends to keep him on the lead. Clearly this is actually not ideal!
After chatting on the phone with Calum about it, Clever Bird concluded that maybe today he was just thinking, "Right, I'm not taking two big dogs on and Mama is weak, so I'll get her out of here". Clever Bird really does wish that people would train "small" dogs not to be so aggressive though. It's the big dogs that have bad reputations, but most of the time it shouldn't be! If they do it out of fear, then they should be muzzled. Mint has quite a few scars on his face from separate attacks. Sorry, bloggees, rant over.
So Furry Mama set off past the dogs on her planned walk. Then she noticed a footpath sign that she had not seen before. Change of plan. Baggy and her furries have lived in our house for over six years now, but in the last few weeks, Clever Bird has discovered quite a few new walks. Clever Bird is not sure how far the walk today was, but we were out for over an hour-and-a-half. Part of it was through fenland so was really muddy, which was a strain on Baggy's healing stomach, but it was just soooooooo beautiful.
The hills were quite steep too (Suffolk is not flat, no matter what people say), so Baggy was trying to walk and do inner core strengthening exercises at the same time, to protect her back.
It's amazing how therapeutic being out in the stunning Suffolk countryside actually is, for body and soul............
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