Hagred is a handsome beast by anyone’s standards.
He is dark with a saturnine (don’t worry about it, sounds good!) look in his eye. Strangely he also has a dreamy poetic air about him for those of a more sensitive nature. Above all he loves his hair ruffled and his tummy tickled.
Yes, he is a spaniel, gloriously soft and cuddly with an adoring personality.
Yes, he loves food and can be tempted to do tricks for reward, like many of us.
Own photograph
Hagred proved, the other night, that he is NOT just a pretty face.
NOT just a would be fluffy lapdog!
He is a HERO of admirable proportions.
The household was fast asleep and all was calm at 2. 28 am………….as it should be?
Not really, Hagred woke with a feeling that all was not well on the huge property for which he was responsible as leader of the pack of 5 dogs. He began to growl low in his throat as unbeknown to his sleeping master, mistress and four children, intruders were at work at the top of a high wall.
Like snakes the thieves slithered in over the wall and were soon at work removing wheels from a giant trailer in the yard. Fortunately lock nuts on a second trailer and cars prevented further loss.
From his warm kennel snuggled up with Lulu the golden spaniel his sibling, he sensed with growing unease and then alarm that all was NOT well and no one except he was noticing!
Dressed in his silky, pitch black end of winter coat he began to explore. Soon he was running and barking. With a desperate crescendo of barks he finally woke the parents who at first ‘shushed ‘ him most rudely and then EVENTUALLY as he simply would not give up, went to windows with torches, saw the 'snakes' and called the Protection company.
‘If, they had acted sooner,’ Hagred thought wearily, ‘then the snakes would not have got away with 4 very expensive wheels. But did they listen?’ Did they take heed?
Simple answer……………..no!’
With a rub of his curly head and a hearty pat from both parents, the protection company guards, the 'snakes' (one in custody) finally left the property and Hagred was at last able to sink back into his cushion against his sister with a deep sigh. Almost immediately he was in the land of dreams where chasing a ball and sitting for a biscuit were the only thoughts in his noble head.
A few hours later when breakfast time was upon them, he was duly rewarded by the entire family making a glorious fuss of him. He was even photographed for his bravery in the local newspaper.
He couldn’t believe his eyes however as the final ‘reward’…………….the truck bearing the revolting sign “Dandy Dogs, professional grooming in your home” rolled up on the driveway on that same day to cut his hair……. shave his coat!
Own photograph
Although the professional barbers were kind and skilled he began shivering immediately along with Lulu who was also in for this undignified invasion of doggy decency! She was first on the table to be clipped and succumbed with ladylike good manners.
Own photograph
Then he was hauled up onto a steel table, hitched by a lead to a rail to prevent any hasty getaways and with gentle long strokes his rich curls were peeled effortlessly away from his plump body. After Amanda had wielded the invasive clippers he was trimmed with a pair of scissors until he was totally denuded.
With his lip curling he forbade the rest of the pack to stare at him as they peeked in at the door of the truck.
Lovemore gave him a long and warm bath with a good massage that in spite of himself he enjoyed.
Own photograph
He even tolerated the warm air that dried him and when one of the parents rescued him and gave him an extra treat biscuit he leapt in the air to catch it and immediately rolled in a glorious sandy patch that had a lot of dry grass around it…………..he felt normal again.
Just as Samson was tamed with the cutting of his long hair, so Hagred was brought back to earth from his illusions of ‘Top Dog grandeur’.
He spent an hour barking at various spots of the electric fence announcing to the entire neighbourhood that indeed he was on patrol and in control once again.
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