It’s been a while since I recalled Fletcher’s tales of mischief. Lockdown for us was tough. Not only because Fletcher was restricted to one walk a day but for personal reasons, which were made a hundred times worse when lockdown boredom got the better of Fletcher and he munched on some stones in the garden.
It broke my heart to hand him to the vet in the car park, petrified that I might never see him again. However, surgery went well. A stone was removed from his intestine. Recovery was tough as he refused to eat at the vets, but back home he couldn’t resist the chicken trail I left around the house to tempt him.
If you’re a regularly reader, you’ll remember last year that Fletcher ate a kebab stick. Two surgeries in 10 months – I’m a terrible mother! I’m sure Tesco Pet Insurance are going to be thrilled with us. I’m not looking forward to the renewal fee!
Thankfully, Fletcher bounced back quickly and he was soon up to his usual tricks. Once he was fully healed, we treated him to a morning of kayaking at Grantchester. It wasn’t the peaceful experience I had in mind, as Fletcher insisted on jumping on and off and swimming the length of the river. No one else was soaking wet in their kayak, just us – thanks Fletch!
It’s no secret Fletcher loves to swim, but his obsession is creating some awful behaviour. He screams; a high pitch shrill while in the car when we approach a familiar place with water. At Mersea Island, he ran a mile down the beach so he could get to the incoming tide. My husband and I ran after him while frantically apologising to people for the carnage he was causing to their beach set ups.
He will no longer sit quietly near water either. No matter how long he has spent swimming, he will squeal and screech until I let him swim again. It’s embarrassing and annoying to everyone around.
He spent two solid hours swimming at Mersea, which involved my husband and I taking shifts to watch him. At one point when we tried to leave, Fletcher protested and plonked himself down in the sea. He just sat; waves bobbing around his head. His little black face looked like a seal popping up from the water.
This isn’t normal doggy behaviour. Swimming has become an addiction. It’s stopping me taking him out for day trips to the beach because the noise is unbearable. Fletcher needs professional help – I can’t believe I have just written that sentence, but it’s true! I need a dog behaviourist to fix the problem. If you have any recommendations, please get in touch at [email protected]
