Jovial Monk wrote on Jul 7^th, 2024 at 5:50pm:


Can she beat two German Shepherds at lure chasing?

Socks makes me laugh—a good thing.

After her dinner she settles down, then she whines a bit, a signal to me. I go to Socks, indicate for her to leave the bed and take her “blankets” and get Socks to hop back into her bed, then cover her with the “blankets” the top layer of which is a small floor rug.

So you might think she is feeling the cold. Not a bit of it. I think it is maybe wanting security, a den? By the time I am thinking of hitting the sack Socks is usually half out of her blankets, head resting on the floor!

By morning—completely out of her blankets and showing no sign of cold tho the heater has been on low all night.

Dogs!

A mock trial soon: a 600 metre long course! That will show what Socks can do! By contrast the previous “fun run” was over a disappointingly short course.



This is lure coursing—dogs chase an artificial lure. Hopefully photos and/or video will be available.

Socks sure can run really bloody fast!

Have I stated that Socks was a clever dog?

Not clever—genius!

Her turn at the mock trial “Tallyho!” and she shot away at the speed of light (OK, slight exaggeration) then she seemed to just stand there and I was puzzled and worried. Need not have worried, Madam had worked out where the lure was going to go!

Nearly got the bloody lure on a fast long straight stretch! People with me were flabbergasted! Never seen anything like it.


Socks is likely more intelligent than Jaye and about as intelligent as TVI™!

After finishing her run on Saturday the bitch was panting pretty deeply—for a couple minutes. Socks was born to run!

To the dog park after shopping. Couple irish terriers there, we know them of old. Went into the other, bigger, more varied part of the park, met another old friend. Thinking “time to go home?”

Another dog entered, a crotchety old male Staffy—doesn’t like Socks’ lightning speed.

Let Socks back into the smaller part of the dog park—three new dogs in there incl an aggressive bulldog and an American Staffy puppy. Was surprised Socks didn’t use her HUGE speed advantage to get away from the bulldog, dunno why???

So back into the bigger part of the park, again thinking of going home when a German Shepherd was added to the pack in the park. Yup, soon verified the Shepherd was a well socialised, companionable animal that Socks had met before—a little bit of hesitation by Socks—the Shepherd is a BIG dog but a bit of sniffing and the two dogs remembered meeting each other before and were happy together.

Socks must have run 15Km in the 90 minutes at the park. Some of the other dog owners there asked how Socks had done in the mock Trial and I told them how uncannily she had worked out where the lure would travel and almost grabbed it on a high speed straight!

I must have walked 5Km! All pleasant tho.

A new owner of three dogs was in the smaller part of the Park. I want Socks to have company of her kind so joined the owner and her 3 dogs. The bulldog was a bit aggressive, lunging at Socks, jumping up at me, wanting to bite Socks.

Surprisingly, Socks did not run away—would have left the solid, shorter legged bulldog in the dust.

Eventually I got Socks back into the bigger part of the park. THEN the silly bitch showed the bulldog her turn of speed and the young woman who owned the bulldog and the American Staffordshire puppy and one other, older dog was in awe at Socks’ turn of speed.

Man, I am SO glad I adopted Socks back in Feb 2022. The (relatively) ugly duckling turned into the most spectacularly beautiful, graceful, clever and sweet tempered dog.

Now if I could just teach her not to jump at me and other people!

Of to the local medium smoke for some food shopping then on to the dog park. Oh boy, LOTS of fun today!

Moved into the park, only the Irish terriers, not that interesting. So go into the next bit where someone I hadn’t seen before was exercising her dog. Bit bigger than Socks, quite solid and, alas!, rather overweight. Usual bum sniffing, circling etc. Then a tug of war toy was found—Socks and the other dog having a great time, pulling on the toy, growling continuously but amicably you know?

Told the owner about my joke of Socks being disabled—can’t walk, only run and we had a nice laugh. OK some of Socks’s friends were in the other part so we took our leave letting the other owner and dog go home.

Blow me down, Socks had another tug of war with another dog! A few dogs there, most, sadly, rather overweight incl another new dog, a very fat chocolate labrador.

Socks is, literally, SNORING in her bed, will have a good sleep tonight I reckon!

Wow, woke up earlier than normal and there was a surprise—Socks had hopped onto my bed. That hasn’t happened for ages—wonder why last night?