Freedom !

My name is Archie and I am a sinner.

Today was a HUGE red letter day.

Today I got to get off the leash for the first time.
The Nippy Wee Wifie took me to the field opposite the house.

This time she brought some new bondage equipment.

Forty feet of bright orange 6mm polypropylene rope.

She walked me around on the leash for a bit and took me far into the field, away from the gate. After a while she looped the orange rope round my collar and quietly slipped off the leash.
She wandered about as if nothing was happening. I cavorted around, the rope trailing behind me, not really aware that I was "free" ..

Cunning Wee Wifie had deliberately not fed me that morning. I had been on slightly lighter rations the day before too.
I was ravenous. The extra yummy rewards in her treat bag were particularly attractive.

She called me to her a few times and each time I returned to her I got ecstatic praise and beefy sweeties.
Then she upped the ante and produced a retrieve toy.

I love that toy, it's a rubbery ball with a rope threaded through it. She threw it for me. I ran like the wind to find it and brought it back, dropping it obediently at her feet. Again and again and again.
She was well pleased with me.

Afterwards we went back into the house and I ate a well earned breakfast.
Later in the afternoon we went out again. This time, minus the forty foot of rope.

It was a bit of a risk. I was well fed,and less inclined to work for treats.

But I worked for praise, for the sheer joy of retrieving my ball and for the rewards of this new "game".

Before I could get bored with the fetching game we walked further into the field, under the bridge and into an area where I had never been before. There were many new scents to explore.

Cunning Wee Wifie knew that I would get sidetracked at some point.
She watched me carefully as I sniffed my way up a dry stane dyke and found a particularly interesting rabbit burrow.

Once I was engrossed in scratching and snuffling far away from her, she calmly turned round.
And walked AWAY from me ! Kept going. Never even looked back!

I never noticed at first, engrossed as I was with the rabbity smells.

When I realised she wasn't around any more my head shot up. I scanned the horizon for her. She was MILES away !

I immediately lost interest in the rabbit burrow and pounded across the frozen grass to catch up with her. Good grief, that was close, nearly lost her there. Better keep a closer eye on her in future.

She was very pleased to see me coming back to her of my own accord and rewarded me highly with beefy nuggets.

Then it was another game of fetch the ball and back home for tea and a good snooze in the crate.

Aye, it was a good day today.