Beach car run

 

Fly me to the shops

 

Gave him a couple of the calming tablets I got for Angus for the channel crossing last year to see if that would make him less nervous of being left in the car while I went in to the nearest supermarket in the next village.   

Not sure whether it helped him feel any better or not but he wasn't barking or howling when I came back and no-one had phoned me to complain (I left my number in the front window.) 

On Saturday he wouldn't even contemplate going with me and now he's finding it reasonably normal.  So that's good progress.  

Trump photo bomb

Trying to take a photo last night when he had his head visible against the white wall I didn't notice till afterwards that Trump had appeared on the tv.  

Took him for another short run in the car before the sunset walk last night.  I noticed a strange rasping sort of noise as we drove off and at first I thought it was a sign of something wrong with the car, until I realised it was Ragnar panting very quietly.  Although not entirely happy with being driven as yet he does seem to have accepted that jumping in and out isn't as scary as he first thought.  
 

First car beach run

 This morning, as the Agila was parked out the front and he's going to have to get used to that as well I decided to take him down the the Kuitje in that.  Slight hesitance before jumping in but he trusts me more now (and knows that the car is where the chicken treats live).  

No photos as I just didn't think of taking any as I was so busy with making sure he got out the car in a controlled  way.  He still pants a fair bit in the car from nerves but he recovers more quickly too.  He's also not following me about quite as much as he did in the beginning as he's learnt that I don't actually disappear for good if I'm out of sight briefly.  

 

I like this photo as the light makes him look almost the colour of a Weimeraner.  In reality he's darker and more grey than brown.  

Food for thought

Gave Ragnar his breakfast in the van this morning and he jumped in and out a couple of times, getting more confident with each entrance.   

Later: when we came back from our morning walk I let him eat in the van again while I sat on the bed and he stayed inside a bit longer, looking around him.  Obviously my bucket is quite interesting...

 

Still later:  After our last walk when it was almost dark he was keen to jump into the van even before I produced a treat as he knows that that's where he gets them.  He does seem to have learnt this remarkably quickly.  Tomorrow will try a run down to the beach and if he refuses to get in again we can always walk home from there.  

Lamb in the van

Finally got him to jump in to the van to eat his dinner at the end of the day, presenting it on the pie-dish plate our lamb had been on.  He'd already been in and out the van twice to have a quick lick of the plate while I lay in the back and read my book.  No photographic evidence as it was almost dark by then.  I think I'll try to give him all his meals in the van from now on...

He also saw his first hare today.  Luckily I saw it first and he was on the lead so I was able to keep him from tearing off after it.  

Bees and goslings

 Ragnar had a bit of a run in with a bee hive this morning.  A few of the residents decided to chase him away.  I don't think he actually got stung but there was one on his back which he had to roll on to get rid of.  Later on we disturbed a pair of geese and some goslings and they all fled into the canal except one gosling that got left behind.  It pecked Ragnar in the nose so that he leapt backwards like a cartoon character - you could almost see the Yikes! speech bubble over his head - before running to the canal to join the others.  

I actually went to the shops in the car today but he wouldn't get in to come with me so stayed behind with Klaas.  He's still treating both cars with much suspicion.  Possibly photos later - I think I left my phone in the van when I was lying there reading earlier, trying to get Ragnar to jump in and join me.