MRS DOWN'S DIARY

The first shoot of the season has just finished. Much earlier than usual but in this case no pheasants were shot.

Ducks only. It seemed incongruous to be beating in bright sunshine and most of the team on the shoot had cast off their coats and jackets and were busy wrecking smart jumpers and pullovers on the brambles. John was picking up with Holly our spaniel as Meg, the Labrador, is now too old for a full day out in the field.

Before leaving home we had to tempt Meg into the kitchen with promises of endless treats and then shut her in. "Shall we just take her in the Landrover?" I asked John, but he said she would just whine and fret all day. Better to be snuggled up to a nice dried pig's ear to chew. Just as long as he does not think that is the way to pacify me when I want to go out somewhere special.

Holly proved a scene stealer. Direct her to pick up a duck on your left, and she shot off to the right. Sometimes. Next favourite trick was to come back with a bird and then loiter with intent several yards in front of John coyly refusing to give up the bird. Oh how we laughed.

The problem has been that she is so competitive with Meg and not used to John's full attention. Historically it appears she has not been keen to surrender her bird in case Meg takes the credit.

"She'll learn" John said, and it's true. By the end of the shoot she had "remembered" to stay with John until the shooting had finished and then work to pick up the birds.

"If I let her pick up whilst the shooting was going on she would just race to pick up a bird and then drop it as soon as she marked another one." Whatever. Holly thoroughly enjoyed herself .

For full feature see West Sussex Gazette October 10