Visit with Merlin in Almere / Netherlands
December 4th Mistress took me to the vet to get my health certificate for our trip to the Netherlands. I got it without problems of course.
At the morning of December 6th I jumped in the car at about 11.00 o´clock to go visit Merlin, Shadow and their humans. Mistress was a bit anxious. She had to find her way without our external navigation system (Master). What can I say ?! After 2.5 uneventful hours we reached Almere. Merlin´s human had described the way superbly. Mistress had bought a map of the Netherlands so we could look at it when lost. Though ... Can she read a map ?!
The greeting was heartfelt and not at all as if we were strangers. I was very exited and ran in to the house. Merlin and Shadow greeted me with abandon and pressed their noses in my but doggie stile had to tell the girl stile that I being a lady did not like that. After making that clear to them we had no more problems.
I was taken aback to find that they live with two kids. I only knew the kids of Mistress´s sisters. They are always very loud and rowdy. So I always thought I don´t like kids. But those two were totally different. They were not loud or rowdy at all I did really like them.
On the ensuing walk I zoomed around with Merlin and Shadow. We played in the water and the only bad thing about that was that the two-legged ones insisted on making photos. We did pose for photos in the end. On this walk we also met Veltha (who is friends with Merlin and Shadow) and her human. Veltha is a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever girl and was very fast as well. Veltha was to be shown the next day and was not allowed in the water anymore.
Sunday morning the alarm sounded early for the humans wanted to go to Amsterdam for the conformation show. It was very cold that morning and I was happy to stay inside after our round. Mistress promised to be back in the evening, so I stayed with Merlin, Shadow and their Master. I am not sure what we did all day for I was busy waiting for Mistress. But I did not whine.
Mistress brought treats and toys for me from the show and I was happy to have her back. She said it was not different from the shows in Germany. Though the humans had a long day and were flatfooted we went to the agility training that evening.
We were allowed to participate and Mistress was as nervous as at a tournament. The training was held in an indoor riding-ground. I had never seen one but after inspecting the ground I saw the hurdles and the ground was forgotten. The hurdles looked different and so I did not even see the first one.
I ran under the hurdle because the tunnel drew me to it magically. They sat me in front the first obstacle several more times. Then the trainer held a second pole in front of the first I jumped through both of them. Mistress was wishing for the earth to swallow us whole.
After it got through to me that I was supposed to jump that first hurdle I did pretty well. That is I ran like mad ;-) Mistress was astounded that my speed did not make more poles fall. I think that was because Mistress could not run as fast and hectic on the heavy ground (with two legs it is easier to loose balance). I had no further troubles despite the "heavy ground". Mistress really liked the training, which was somehow different than at home. To describe why would be too much here.
Monday morning we went for an other long walk before I hoped in the car and we drove home. Mistress and I are of one mind that we had a great weekend with Merlin, Shadow and their humans. We felt very welcome. So we decided to go to a show together in March.
Dank je wel
voor het fantastische weekend! Wij komen gaarne terug en wij verheugen ons zeer op een weerzien.
Thank you for the great weekend. We are looking forward to meet you again coming back.
