Twenty minutes chasing pheasants through the olive trees

Great excitement on the morning walk - pheasants! The two troubadors stumbled across half a dozen pheasants merrily feeding in the long grass. It would be difficult to say who was the more startled -the pheasants or the dogs. The birds immediately took flight, rising vertically from the undergrowth with a thunderous crash of their wings and much clucking.The boyz by contrast froze solid,rooted to the spot in absolute amazement and an all absorbing canine delirium. After a minute or two, during which time the pheasants had travelled at least five hundred yards, our brave sheepdogs started hurtling around nose down through the wild flowers in an attempt to track their elusive prey. Every so often we would catch a glimpse of one of them in the distance in happy, carefree pursuit of the now long gone birds.It might have helped their chances if they had gone in the same direction the birds went. This teaches me two things.Firstly, dogs really are living proof that hope can triumph over experience.Secondly, if you're looking for a sensible hunting dog that can prowl stealthily through the forest then don't consider Polish Lowland Sheepdogs..

The morning walk took place at six this morning. I'll wait to see if anyone raises the issue of the planned five o'clock start.