7th/8th   Two day walking trip to Snowdonia with my Dogfather, Dave. Went camping for the first time (really enjoyed that!) and behaved myself on site including my new command ‘Hurry Up’ spending routine. Was a bit too interested in the sheep though…

9th/11th     Kate is not very well, so I draped myself over her (on the sofa, on the bed) to look after her.
Gavin is still not letting me ‘go’ until I reach the field, and then he puts me on the extending lead until I ‘perform’. All very strange.

12th    Did an access audit on Worcester Divisional HQ – met uniformed officers, used lift, mooched round with Kate; unfazed by 5 unmarked police cars whizzing round the bend with blues and twos on within 10 feet of me. Afterwards we went round the city centre. I clocked all the pigeons and dogs but didn’t pull too much. Kate says it’s still not good enough though.

Followed this with an afternoon of Diversity Training for the police in a local community centre. I love these as there are so many new people to greet. Grant (Pervez’s Guide Dog) was there too today. We have to ignore each other when we’re working, but are usually allowed a game of tag outside when the training is finished. We were completely lairy! The centre is heavily used by children after school so we got a lot of fuss and cuddles.

13th     Did access audits on police stations in Malvern and Bromyard – same as yesterday, really. After lunch (pub beer garden - I sat under the table) we went to a building site in Leominster where they are building a new police station. I wasn’t fazed by the noises or large machinery or angle grinders or even the men in hard hats and yellow jackets. Kate said that Norman wouldn’t have liked it and that I was very brave. Got lots of treats and helped determine the correct height of the emergency intercom button so that people standing, wheelchair-users and Assistance Dogs can all reach. Had a good run on Bromyard Downs on the way home to celebrate.

14th     Norman has now sussed how the clicker works – who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Kate has started to use it out on walks to get greater control over me if I want to sprint after pheasants (and sheep – Kate says that sheep never ever want to play, but I’m sure I’ll find one that does!)

15th     Kate has now made me a red button thing to press like I did at the training centre. I am very enthusiastic and pretty accurate about bashing it (touching is for wusses). Went up on British Camp in the pouring rain with Dave, Kate (and Norman) for sheep and no-pull training for me and Dave. Didn’t find any sheep but did walk better with Dave. Pity he can’t go as fast as me downhill really!

Went to a meeting in the afternoon at the Police HQ – a former stately home with lovely grounds. Last summer I had my collar felt by the ‘long arm of the law’ – a Chief Inspector no less - when I dived into a pond there to cool off. Then found I couldn’t get out. I thanked him by giving him a shower of water and duck weed. Today, however, I snoozled on the (thick) carpet and didn’t budge, despite Kate not holding my lead and the patio doors leading out to the lawns being wide open. I even managed not to snore to remind people of my presence.

16th/17th    A quiet weekend as Kate and Gavin are busy playing with the Brass Bands (they play for two) most Sundays in the summer. Still doing my ‘Hurry Up’ training. I’m very good at not going before I reach the field but can’t quite organise my bowels for as soon as I get there so sometimes I am having quite a lot of the walk on the extending lead. Am still doing my ‘touching’ ‘pulling’ and ‘fetching’ training regularly and doing extremely well. Kate is complaining about the size of the treat bill; I am worrying that I’m getting smaller portions at mealtimes, therefore have to make up by earning treats. I especially like the tv remote and the phone and would fetch them all day, but I only seems to get a treat if Kate has asked me to do it………so I might have to conserve some energy.

Went to church too. We always sit at the front so Norman and I can kip on the carpet whilst keeping a firm eye on Gavin who plays in the music group. I really like it when Kate does a reading; I sit next to her and illustrate it with appropriate sighs and groans if the passage is too long. My main objective in life, apart from finding a playful sheep, is to discover the secret for getting bread at the altar. Today, I carefully and deliberately lay down like a sphinx on the altar kneeler (where Kate would be kneeling if she could) just like everyone else……..and it still didn’t work, although the curate sorely tempted me by holding the bread only a couple of inches from my nose. I deserved some just for not stealing!