Mary in Season – Nick Cox

Mary in Season (continued)

It was no surprise when Porthos and Suka had a go at each other with a sudden noisy flurry, one holding the other by the ear. I soon pulled them apart. Voluptuous Mary sat back flicking her tail flirtatiously. The ridiculous situation was funny but was not getting us and our sledge load anywhere.

I unclipped Mary from the main trace and took her to the back of the sledge where she could run alongside me clipped to a lead. I hoped that being out of direct sight, the boys would concentrate on their work, and pull. If a dog will wander 10 miles to visit a bitch in season, I was naive if I thought I could cool their ardour by moving Mary to a position 12 feet away. The boys pulled forward for a few yards then stopped. Giles turned and looked at me, his ears pricked and his eye brows ruffled. “Oh, oh” it looked like trouble, I had taken Giles’ girl. He swept out to the right then headed towards me, trotting along, head held high, giving a low continuous growl of warning to the others. I expected an almighty foul-up and scrap at any moment. How long would it take to stitch this lot up? Would I have enough thread? The whole team gathered behind Giles in front of Mary and myself at the back of the sledge. “OK boys” I said “l get the message”. I held Giles and led him first at right angles to the sledge to straighten the trace, then led him and team across the arc until they were in front again. As promised Mary was returned to her rightful position on the trace, and with a respectful doff of my hat I returned to my place and on we went as before, the boys still jostling for her attention but at least going forward-