Trophy Hunting

Life can sometimes be a battle with a headstrong dog like Cleo. She has an instinct for trophy hunting. It started about a year back when scent tracking. Having completed the track in her usual overenthusiastic way, I unclipped her and let her roam while I coiled up the tracking line. She found part of a dead sheep which she carried around proudly, moving off whenever I got near. That time it took me an hour and a half to catch her, even food didn’t work. Then there was the embarrassing time at agility when she grabbed a glove I had left on the ground and refused to give it up until she had shredded it. I obviously needed to do more work on the retrieve, on a long line so that I could control her. That has worked, though the trophy hunting instinct is still there. Out on the fells, she collects bones of long-dead sheep, but now she brings them to me. Sometimes near the end of a walk, we do a deal, she lets me put a lead on her as long as she is allowed to carry the trophy for the rest of the walk. The last four excursions she has brought me three leg bones, a sheep’s pelvis and a two skulls – all ended up in my pocket and taken home for disposal. Well, that’s one way of clearing the countryside of sheep remains after the winter.

Mike FulkerIMG_6261

3 Replies to “Trophy Hunting

  1. Well at least you have a great nic name for her – “the bone collector” 🙂 If nothing else – you could have have your own sheep skeleton in no time 🙂 🙂 🙂

  2. Hi Mike! Came over on the advice of Dee, Ludo’s Mom. Wanted to say HI! From me and Katie my sheltie-girl.

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