It has struck me in the last month how quickly Nora’s puppy hood is disappearing and how soon she will be a young adult. Not only is she now bigger than most other dogs we meet, but she has started to fill out a little bit and at long last is beginning to grow into her feet! She is becoming much more athletic as well and leaps and bounds through the forest with ease. Her energy seems limitless at times, but I’m still careful with her exercise as she still isn’t fully grown. She has even started swimming lesson at Paddles in Totton, which if this rain continues will come in very useful! She isn’t the most natural of swimmers and like her owner, seems to generate lots of splashing without much forward momentum. Still, I’ll keep taking her and I’m sure she’ll learn to love the water.
We are also going to start the more advanced class at CARA Dog training. We’re both looking forward to the challenge, but it will be hard work. Nora is an excellent dog to work with but, she occasionally forgets where she is and just wants to play. One of our classmates summed it up perfectly when they said, “It’s nice to see a dog so exuberant and playful, but with some control!”
Earlier on in June, before all the rain started, Nora and I had our first ever run in with an adder in the Forest. Luckily, everyone, including the snake, were unharmed and I think it was only me who was flustered. I reached down to give Nora a stroke and right next to her on the path was an adder, just over half a metre long. Luckily Nora hadn’t seen it and so I got her attention and she followed me in the opposite direction. The snake, having been disturbed, slid off into the undergrowth and we continued on our way. It was a lucky escape as either Nora or myself could have easily trodden on it!

Hopefully that will be our last brush with the Forest wildlife over the summer.

Justyn and Nora