reinstated as duck dog

[Shawna]

Just thought I'd pop in and share this bit of news.

 

For those of you who may recall, my dear Darcy lost her job as duck dog when she was unfortunately caught with her paws on the body of a dying Muscovy duck. The fact that she'd never killed or maimed a duck before and that the more likely killer, my dad's springer spaniel, was there at the time was overlooked and Darcy caught all the blame. I always believed in her innocence; however, because of the compromising circumstances Darcy lost her job as duck dog and the more likely murderer got off scot free without even so much as a slap on the wrist.. um..paw.

 

Well, a few days ago my mom was out scouring the yard for a missing Call. She knew she had three Snowy Call girls for sure and there were only two in the barn. Finally she said to me "You might have to bring Darcy out and let her have a look." Mom had Darcy check the front yard first and we came up with nothing. It was getting very dark but I pushed that we let Darcy into the large, ornamental garden to have a look about. Mom said she had looked all over in there already, but agreed.

 

It took about 30 seconds from the time Darcy passed through the gate until she was head first in a current bush holding a beautiful point in her own border collie style. Sure enough, the little white Call was sitting on a nest about six inches from Darcy's nose. Mom scooped up the tiny bird and no sooner had she done so than Darcy pushed through and dove into a second current bush, again holding a point. It turns out Mom has FOUR Snowy Calls! The girls were tucked safely away in the duck barn and Darcy was praised to no end.

 

But this is not the end of the story. Yesterday, the supposedly innocent spaniel, Cricket, was lying on the deck. Both of my parents were watching him watch the flock of Muscovies that had gathered nearby. Then without any heed to their angry shouts, he leapt four feet off the deck onto one of the birds and proceeded to shake her violently. Finally the curtain of denial was removed from my dad's eyes. Thankfully the duck is still alive. There are no visible holes that Mom could find so we're hoping she'll recover.

 

Then last night Darcy showed her amazing duck dog abilities again when she found a setting Muscovy lady. The really cool thing about this find was that the duck had holed up behind three sheets of plywood that were leaning against an inside wall of the half-torn-down old barn; but Darcy didn't find her on that side. She found the duck by smelling her through a tiny crack in the cement on the outside of the barn wall and holding a point there!

 

So all is well with our world. Darcy has been freed from the stigma of duck killer. And what's going to happen with Cricket you may ask? Well, he narrowly missed an appointment with death. Mom intervened on his behalf, told Dad not to worry, that they'd do something to prevent anything like that happening again, and to keep on dreaming about taking the beastly pooch on camping trips. Dad is happy, Mom is happy, and Darcy and I are ecstatic!

[Dal & Mad's Mom]

I'm glad to hear your dog has regained it's job and she's been cleared of the killing. I hope she enjoys her busy summer

[Tassie]

Hey Shawna - good to hear from you. So justice triumphs - and the true villain is revealed. Just like the best melodramas. Yay for Darcy, bless her heart. I love that she even found an extra duck for your Mom. And I am glad that the villain (aka Cricket) will get another chance - and that his latest victim looks like she'll be OK.

[Shawna]

Oh yeah, everything is as it should be, with the exception of Cricket the creature killer, but now that Dad will admit there is a problem we can work on things. (You never heard it from me but I really like that dog, even if he is a four-legged-duck-death-trap; not to mention a spaniel .)

 

Darcy has fallen right back into work-a-holic mode and the moment 7:30 comes along she's gung-ho to get out and find some ducks. Tonight that time rolled around when we were in town selling Girl Guide cookies. I was parked half way between two houses waiting for my daughter when Darcy placed her front feet in my lap, her nose half an inch from mine, and told me without question that she was late for work. I told her to get into the back seat and chill. There's just no such thing as a day off with a border collie. I wish my kids were half that motivated.

[Betsy]

Love the story! Great to hear from you and glad that you and Darcy are well. You sound better than the last time we "talked".

[Shawna]

Thanks Betsy,

 

Things ARE better. I've got my allergies under control. As long as I stay far away from the pony and any hay/straw, and don't eat anything with yeast in it (now there's a challenge), I have very few problems. This of course translates to I CAN KEEP ALL MY DOGS!!

 

I'll still have to move away from Mom's birds, but it's not so desperate now and the little town nearby doesn't have any dog limits that they enforce so I can take the whole four legged family with me. If they do decide to put the potential three dog law into effect, Devin will have a home with Mom and Dad and I'll only be 20 minutes away.

 

I'm basically down to dog training as a hobby now; Grandma's death last year took it's toll on everyone, but that's okay, I have an interview tomorrow for an office job. I think it'll be nice to work inside and out of the weather for a change.