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'Twas exercise time for said poodle. I have one of those extension thingies so that I can chuck a tennis ball a long way with little effort. Anyway, the ball sailed out over the lawn into the orchard, bounced twice and came to rest. I looked a little more carefully, and I noticed that the ball was no more than a foot away from a rabbit (a wild one) - which had completely ignored the ball. Meanwhile, of course, the poodle is at top speed, going hell for leather into the orchard (and he can be pretty fast when he feels like it). As is his wont, he dropped his body as he approached the ball and skidded in for the "kill" (he thinks that's a great game). In skidding, his body turned - and his hind quarters actually crashed into the rabbit, which had been watching all of this with interest. Well, the dog looked at the rabbit and the rabbit looked at the dog. Then the dog picked up the ball and galloped back towards me whilst the rabbit sauntered (I kid you not - it was a definite saunter) to the back of the orchard and disappeared.

I'm gobsmacked.

Mike

What a cool dude of a rabbit (is it me or does the bunny smily look rather rude?)

Yes, they're hunting dogs. And he has all of the hunting moves - you should see him break the spine of a pig's ear! But no - all rabbits, wood pigeons, squirrels etc. are perfectly safe. Not so the balls coming into the garden from next-door's children - those are despatched with no mercy. I feel he's a little confused.

Mike

Even that's one cool and calm rabbit, or it's one that might well have Myxomatosis ... either way your dog should have gotten the beast!!!!

I like your dog!

Awwwww, sorry Mike I've been giggling at your dog's behaviour (& Rosey; yes I can see what you mean! ).

I have two greys; Dana kills anything that doesn't get out of the garden quick enough. Picture WW11 type siloettes on her dog bed; 3 foxes, several squirrel & countless rats. Orry on the otherhand came running in, terrified, tail between his huge thighs, eyes showing white 'cos there was a MOUSE on the lawn!!!

For the record, we had Orry measured with a pony stick: he's 7.2!!! IE huge!!

MW

I once knew a french guy who used to hunt wild boar with a pair of Poodles.

I was talking to him in a pub, my own standard poodle-Claude-by my side and the french guy says "of course the thing with poodles is they are completely fearless" whilst bending forward to stroke the dog.

On seeing the approaching frenchman Claude whimpered and hid under the table.

"Yeah, totally fearless " I said

mamos

MKG wrote:'Twas exercise time for said poodle. I have one of those extension thingies so that I can chuck a tennis ball a long way with little effort. Anyway, the ball sailed out over the lawn into the orchard, bounced twice and came to rest. I looked a little more carefully, and I noticed that the ball was no more than a foot away from a rabbit (a wild one) - which had completely ignored the ball. Meanwhile, of course, the poodle is at top speed, going hell for leather into the orchard (and he can be pretty fast when he feels like it). As is his wont, he dropped his body as he approached the ball and skidded in for the "kill" (he thinks that's a great game). In skidding, his body turned - and his hind quarters actually crashed into the rabbit, which had been watching all of this with interest. Well, the dog looked at the rabbit and the rabbit looked at the dog. Then the dog picked up the ball and galloped back towards me whilst the rabbit sauntered (I kid you not - it was a definite saunter) to the back of the orchard and disappeared.

I'm gobsmacked.

Mike

Rabbits are hard:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuZg9AN-QQc

Not sure what's going on the stoat's head though...

:D

Thats fantastic, I used to have a springer who came from a long line of gun dog champions, unfortunately he was scared of water, so he would run away during duck hunts on the farm he came from, he'd run home at the first spot of rain, and he wasn't too keen on loud noises, so used to go and catch the phesants for the farmer overnight, so they didn't have any nasty pellets in them

He was a fantastic house dog though after we resuced him from the farmers gun!

Sarahx

Stoatally briliant!

MW