To insanity and beyond ...: We could take a SHEEP to the beach!

Slow down and smell the roses.

Never EVER EVER come to the beach with us if you’re grumpity and wanting to stay that way.

Laughter is compulsory. Well, at least on OUR rambles it is. We solve the problems of the world .... mostly caused by the male of the species .... and discuss rugby and tennis and balls and hounds. Rugby balls of course, in case you were confused.

We have a regular motley assortment of hounds on the beach on a Tuesday and Friday now. Much hilarity and nonsense accompanies them. You can’t help but laugh when 5 hounds stand in a row and bark in turn almost as if they’re copying our conversation.

Who knows ... maybe they were.

Bandit’s the ringleader of the barking. He just wants the other hounds to run around so he can round them up. He firmly believes by barking at them he can instigate action. Quite the contrary where my hound’s concerned. She continues with her ball/log retrieving or trench digging, seemingly oblivious to the cacophany being directed at her ear.

Sam’s quite happy to run around with the ball in his mouth with Bandit verbalising where he should go. When he’s had enough of Bandit’s endless tirade, he turns and answers back ... vehemently.

You can almost SEE him telling Bandit to get lost ... though maybe not quite so politely.

Kea and ‘Nukes haven’t had much to do with Bandit before. Kea was a bit non-plussed by this bouncy barking hound. She wasn’t quite sure how to handle him. Running back to Mom seemed like the safest option.

Sarah has her hands full ensuring Bandit DOESN’T try and herd any of the smaller hounds on the beach. Not all owners are as comfortable as us with Bandit’s herding tactics, particularly the owners of smaller hounds. Bandit’s very full on but he’s also an incredibly intelligent hound. He’s fast learning what’s acceptable behaviour and what’s not.

He is the most gorgeous of hounds though and SO full of character.

We could of course bring a sheep to the beach. Herding a sheep up and down the shore would keep Bandit busy and happy. He could do his herding thingy till the cows come home and I doubt the sheep would answer back!