A dog on a mission

A sort of break in the continuous rain allowed local dog-walkers to grab the opportunity to venture out after lunch. I passed this little spaniel with its green ball in its mouth and that wonderful, all-consuming look of purposefulness in its eyes. At a time when the legislation on the docking of dogs' tails is back in the news, is that tail not just wonderful?

The focal zoom filter (in Picasa) gives an illusion of movement through the landscape.