Sunday 30 October 2011

A Day in the Life of Bertie - Bertie and the Bike

Bertie is a confident puppy and very anxious to prove to the big dogs that he is just as capable as them. Thus he gallops after them and follows the progress of the Kong. He hasn’t yet acquired the speed to keep up with them and attempt to retrieve it. 
That’s acceptable, though, as Frodo the Faller never retrieves so Bertie always has the company of a big dog no matter what is going on.
He is nearly as tall as Jenna – not difficult as she is a fairly short Labrador but with a terrific turn of speed. He is keen to join his friends and relations in the back of the dog car and can easily jump into the boot but sits in the passenger well at my feet for the time being. He climbs up and downstairs, though not as frequently as he wishes because he is still  growing and jarring the joints can damage them. He barks at people who approach too close without being invited. He is doing his duty as a guardian of his humans. All in all, he is quite a grown-up pup and very little fazes him.

However, one day last week we had just commenced our walk in the forest when a bike appeared on the horizon, coming down the hill. We called the dogs to us, as usual, but for some reason didn’t manage to catch hold of Bertie. The cyclist slowed and steered past carefully. He was now behind Bertie who took fright at the strange apparition – a crouching figure with a huge head and bug eyes on a wheeled frame, a veritable ogre. Have you noticed the sound that bicycle wheels make? It’s a sort of ticking and there’s nothing quite like it.

Bertie fled, tail between his legs, ears pinned back, the fiend following and gaining slightly. No amount of calling was going to persuade him to turn round and face the  monster or brave a path that took him near it. The cyclist obligingly halted and Barry was able to reach Bertie and reassure him while the cyclist slowly rode past.

Suddenly our brave puppy was once more just a little chap out in the wide, worrying world. He stayed close for a while then gradually regained his confidence and became again the courageous canine we usually see.
I am linking this post to 'I Saw Sunday', 'Camera Critters' and 'Pet Pride'

25 comments:

  1. Ah, a bicyclist must indeed look like a strange creature to to a pup! Poor Bertie. And what a considerate bicyclist!

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  2. What a gorgeouse post with wonderful photos. I love hearing about your dogs. :-) I felt for poor Bertie with that 'monster' chasing him! What a darling he is.

    Thanks very much for linking to I Saw Sunday, it is good to have you along. x

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  3. Aah poor Bertie! It is interesting to try to look from their point of view-I can see why a cyclist would be scary. Cassie was scared of a ribbon tied in a bow which happened to be on the floor. She took a long time approaching it and dodging back in case it got her, before bopping it with her paw and leaping back. THe last thing that really scared her was our fancy dress donkey ears!

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  4. Hey Bertie! Good to see ya with Frodo and Jenna!


    Woof woof
    from Bozo
    Pets forever

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  5. Great dogs. Thanks for your visit to my blog. Where in the Midlands?

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  6. all of your pups are so wonderful :)
    bikes scare me a bit at times, especially the messengers on crowded city streets, they're homicidal!!

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  7. We had a border collie many years ago - believe it or not she barked at ALL british motorbikes - not japanese, italian - JUST british bikes. How we laughed.

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  8. How sweet ! poor "little" Bertie who has grown so quickly ! Each time I see a picture of him he looks taller ! He seems to fit into the group very nicely !
    You should go with Bertie to Oxford to get used to bicycles, lol, remember ?

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  9. Thank you all for your comments.
    Mary, he was a very nice cyclist. Some just don't bother.
    Thank you Susannah.
    Sarah, it's amazing the things that frighten our pets. I can just imagine Cassie with the ribbon.
    Thank you magiceye and Bozo:-)
    vivinfrance - I enjoyed my visit to your blog. I was in Lincolnshire.
    Dianne - bikes on pavements are a nightmare.

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  10. Denise, that is so funny! Our first Labrador (more than 40 years ago . . . )only barked at ladders and double-decker buses.
    Ingrid - you're so right. Oxford would habituate him:-)

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  11. I love your cute doggies, Bertie sounds really sweet. Beautiful photos.

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  12. makes me feel good to see dogs at play and loving their lives

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  13. You do have such handsome doggies and I can just imagine how spooked Bertie was -- some bikers spook me, too!! Hope all of you have a great week!!

    Sylvia and Sam

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  14. what a delightful post along with beautiful photos!

    those doggies are absolutely adorable!

    thanks so much for sharing and have a nice day!

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  15. Oh, poor Bertie. He has grown so much, I'm sure other people don't realize he's still a baby. SO much to learn from the big dogs, and he wants to do it all, I'm sure. Glad he has Frodo for company when he's not competing for the Kong.
    Give him a tummy-rub for me, please, Janice. He's adorable. And a cuddle for Frodo, too.

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie’s Guide to Adventurous Travel

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  16. Ah what a great post
    and lovely photos of your lovely dogs.

    It made me smile!


    Happy Sunday

    Fiona

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  17. What wonderfully playful photos!

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  18. Beautiful dogs!

    Thank you for visiting me.

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  19. I too can be frightened by the unknown. Just a part of Bertie's growing up I'm sure.

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  20. I especially like the last photo. Bertie looks full of joy and energy.

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  21. Such wonderful companions to share a walk with. Great photos and Bertie is a fine growing creature. Several of my dogs were frightened of bikers as well. For good reasons, me thinks,

    Elizabeth

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  22. Bicyclists can be scary! Once out walking our (then) dogs with my Dad, a cyclist on the SHARED path kicked the little poodle out of his way and sent her flying. Perhaps some dog-angel has whispered in Bertie's ear to beware?

    Lovely post, lovely walk/dogs/photos.

    Isabel x

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  23. Little Bertie is trying to grow up but there are still many things he has to learn first. How to deal with bicycles for example. He is a very handsome pup.

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  24. Such a love! Just a beginning teenager. He is so special.

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