Walking on Water

We managed to dodge the showers today and go for a walk when the sun was shining beautifully. Martin had to go and do something on a reed cutter on the canal (don't ask, it's a man thing) so I decided to tag along and take Hugo and Pip on a walk along part of the canal we have never been before.

Pip jumped off the wall
onto the 'grass'

Along the tow path

This is where Hugo fell in

We parked the car and got the dogs out and I stood with them on a slipway whilst Martin got his tools and life-jacket out. Unfortunately, the water is covered with pond weed and Miss Pip jumped down on to what she must have thought was grass only to find herself knee deep in stinking canal water! So, one wet dog.

Through the fields

We started along the tow path, Martin still with us for a few hundred yards until he went off to do whatever it was he had to do. Hugo was excited and pulling ahead, keeping a very keen eye on the ducks. Now, neither of us actually saw what happened but suspect it was something to do with the said ducks but there was suddenly an almighty splash and Hugo completely disappeared under the water. It was fortunate that Martin was still with us as he managed to haul Hugo out and up the couple of feet of bank - poor Hugo looked like a drowned rat. Then, of course, he did what all wet dogs do and shook himself vigorously. So now, two wet dogs and two wet people!

What you doing over there Dad?

I carried on along the tow path with Hugo and Pip and they had a wonderful time sniffing out all the new smells, duck hunting and swan spotting (swans don't like Hugo and Pip and hiss loudly which makes them much more interesting). Hugo's little accident didn't put him off and on several occasions I had to drag him back from the edge - once when there was a twenty foot drop down into a lock, no sense that one! The canal ran out and became a huge field with lush, tall grass so Pip was in her element bounding through it making birds fly up and there was not a soul in sight - this promises to become another favourite place to visit.

Come on Dad, we're waiting!

We made our way back, passing through a kissing gate, which is not an easy task with two Akitas on leads as there is simply not enough room for all three of us to go through at the same time. Hugo and Pip don't comprehend the word 'wait' (something I must work on) and pushed through against my legs (remember they were both soaking wet so not a pleasant experience). The leads became entangled in the gate so I had to do a couple of tricky manoeuvres without letting them go. 

As we got back to the car we could see Martin on the other side of the canal on the reed cutter - Hugo and Pip were most upset to see he was over there and they couldn't get to him so winged and whined until he was finished and then greeted him as if they hadn't seen him for a year.

All the excitement and swimming has exhausted them and Hugo and Pip are now fast asleep. There is a bit of a smell of stagnant water around here though!