Cooper's Adventure

Did you know that wearing a tie reduces blood flow by 7.5%?  (Random.)

Having a Red setter is hard work, particularly when they are the love of your life. They get into all sorts of mischief (eating socks and other inedible items, launching himself on people, escaping from time to time etc. etc.) Cooper has done countless naughty and funny things but I think we’ll start with yesterday’s adventure.

 

As my brother darted around the kitchen in his football kit ready for football training, I battled with Coops to get his harness on. Every time I attempted to get his leg through the hole, he would grab it in his mouth and run behind the couch.

 

Bribing him with a piece of cheese, I finally managed to make him co-operate (ish) and we were out the door. As he trotted along the pavement, we realised that Coops was proudly showcasing mum’s flip-flop in his mouth so we reluctantly retraced our steps and prized the footwear treasure out of his mouth and set off once again towards the farm.

 

The autumnal leaves crunched under our boots and the crisp, fresh air gently whipped at our faces (slight contradiction but I like it.)

 

As we approached the fields, Cooper was released from his lead and we watched him dart across the meadows chasing a flock of birds, his glossy red coat shining in the early morning sun. As he disappeared behind the hedges and into the woods, we thought nothing of it. Then a streak of red darted through the next field, “Cooper! How did you get there?” my mum shouted.

 

He dashed past us and back into the woods, then all of a sudden we heard a piercing bark, followed by a whimper. We ran to find him but he was nowhere to be seen. I began to panic. I panicked A LOT. “Mum! Mum! There’s barbed wire! He might have hurt himself!” I cried.

Dodging a labyrinth of long sticks and twigs, we ran into the depths of the woods. A panicked bark echoed through the air. “Mum c’mon! Climb over this, I can see him!” We climbed over a damp and decaying stile. I could make out the figure of a farmer poised with his gun. (Ok, I embellished that slightly. There was no gun. In fact, there was no farmer.) I remembered reading that if a dog disturbs the sheep, then the farmer has the right to shoot them.

 

Terror struck through me like a lightning bolt. Standing regally behind the barbed wire in the sheep field, was Cooper. How he got there in the first place is unknown, but he was scared and border line proud. He could have run after the sheep and attempted to make friends with them but he didn’t, he stayed put. “Coops! Stay, we’re gonna get you out, don’t worry!” Said mum. She threw her coat off and squeezed under the barbed wire and the electric fence. I followed (I mean, I probably shouldn’t have).

 

Cooper was delighted to see her and jumped up for a cuddle. He stood on his hind legs like a human and made happy little woofing sounds. Then he was gently lifted over the electric fence and dropped over to me where he was greeted by a big hug and a shower of kisses on his part. He proceeded to jump on top of me which resulted in me rolling around in the grass giggling with a huge dog climbing onto me and licking my face, but I had never been happier! 

Now, I have only mentioned all the hardships of being a Red setter owner. But they also bring so much joy. The way he looks out of the window and waits for you when you come home from school, and he is so excited that his whole body wags. If you are upset or hurt, he will bring you his favourite toy to cheer you up, and at eight o’ clock he always brings me his lead because he knows it’s time to go for a walk.

 

He helped me recover from a particularly hard year and without all of his love and crazy puppy energy, I don’t know where we would be right now. <3