It all started well. Holsworthy woods are very exciting with nice wide logging trails so I can see who is coming, but at each side of the trail there are the deep, dark woods with tempting undergrowth to wriggle through and become invisible in. I had followed at Mum's feet for the first half hour or so and made sure I came every time she called; she was so pleased with me - sucker! Then, with no warning, I dived into the woods where the gorse and brambles were thick so she couldn't follow me. She wasn't too worried to begin with and just kept walking, calling me in her pretend calm voice. I wasn't fooled - she was starting to get worried and that made me feel very anxious too.
Suddenly she was the scary thing and not the deep dark woods. It had been raining for a while now and I was wet through and really worried. I tried to give myself up to a couple of passing strangers, but they didn't understand and thought I was just playing with their dog. Every time mum walked towards me I dived back into the undergrowth. I wasn't playing now, I really wanted to be safe with mum, going home, but somehow a switch triggered in my brain and I felt like a wild creature. Various humans and dogs joined in the chase which just made me more fearful and so I laid low until they gave up.
After an hour or so of playing hide and seek I had slowly worked down closer and closer to the car park. It is only a little way in from the road and I wasn't really sure what I was going to do when I got there, but I knew in that direction home lay. Mum could see what I was about, so she positioned herself between me and the road. She sternly told me to stop and wait, instead I dodged easily round her and ran straight into the road. The cars were going really fast and the fear in my mistress jumped to panic level and I realised this was not good. For a moment I just stopped in the middle of the road - frozen with fear and indecision. A car swerved round me, covering me with gritty spray.
Then my Mum did something quite clever. Instead of chasing me, she ran away from me, up a logging trail on the far side of the road, yelling like a banshee as she went. I instinctively ran after her, in full flight mode. Suddenly we were running away together, rather than me from her. She gradually slowed down and I followed her - at a distance to start with and then closer. There was no one else around on this trail and that helped calm me down. After ten minutes or so, Mum came to a halt and waited for me. I darted into a ditch but then realised that, actually I really didn't want to play that game any more, I just wanted to be safe. So I climbed out of the ditch, walked up to mum and sat at her feet, hoping she wouldn't kill me.
She didn't. Despite the fact that I was covered in mud and soaked to the skin, she picked me up and gave me the biggest cuddle and then said a very rude word that I won't repeat here! Safely on the lead, I trotted back to the car as if I was an obedience champion. Gosh I was tired when we got back to the house. I hardly had the energy to eat my supper and as soon as it was polite to do so, I took myself off to bed. My mum wasn't far behind me either, although I don't know why she was so tired, she hadn't run nearly as far as I had!
