The Toms are in

The new relatively* early morning routine is that we all take a short walk down the lane with the dogs.  We tend to cover a mile, or so. The aim is for the dogs to be emptied, and for the new boy to become familiar with us, his new pack and his new surroundings.

He is making good progress and can now be walked off the lead.  His recall seems to be pretty good, and he is unperturbed by horses, traffic and other dog walkers.

However we were a little concerned by his behaviour later in the morning, when TP turned up for a weekend visit.  The new boy, Wilson became quite agitated and very noisy.  He soon calmed, once TP sat down and gave him a stroke, but the behaviour was repeated each time Wilson encountered TP afresh. 

Matters improved slightly over the course of the day, but he was clearly not as comfortable with TP as he is with me and 30%.*** We can only assume that it is a response to a new person in his new territory, and that he is being somewhat protective ... Let's hope he calms over time.

Right, that's the dog news update, now on to the garden.

I got my tomatoes planted in the greenhouse, and mowed the lawns at the front of the cottage.  The garden now looks reasonably presentable, but I do have to say that my tomato plants look very small considering that it is almost June.

TP and I then took a walk around the Three Miler with Wilson, Hobson and The Rat.  This was the first time Wilson had completed this loop and he performed really well.  He did pull a little on his lead through the village, and he seemed to recognise when we were close to home; pulling to the limit of his extending lead.

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* 30% is not an early riser. She says she is and will present some waffly narrative about rising at the crack of sparrows to let the dog out for a pee. The problem with this tale is that it will not include the fact that she then returns to her bed and has a lie in until seven thirty** at the earliest!

** Eight o'clock is her more usual time of rising.

*** Apparently he shared his last home with his owner's brother; a young man with alleged anger issues.  It may be that he is wary of younger men.