17th of March 2000. Ambrosius is now 8½ months old.

Today Ambrosius and I went to the forest for a nice walk in the VERY SUNNY weather.

As always I call on him now and then just to train him. When he comes to me we train "heel" for a very short moment and then I give him the "free play command".

Suddenly I heard a loud -almost hysterical- womans voice.... "NOOOO! COME HERE".

I looked up and saw a black Flatcoated Retriever staring at me and Ambrosius...Ambrosius was approx. 4 metres from my side and he looked at me for a split second....I said "Sit down and stay". Ambrosius obeyed and sat down - he was of course very tensed in his body, but he did not move.

I took a few steps towards the retriever-dog and shouted and growling at him... "GO TO YOUR MISTRESS!!!".The dog was soooo surprised that he turned and run to his mistress who took him in a leash.Then I turned towards Ambrosius and said "Come here" and he came right to me.

We passed the woman and her dog and she said "OH what a luck they didn't meet, because my dog hates male-dogs".

I just looked at her and said "I have no problem with my dog, he is nice to all".

We walked on and I heard a awful noise behind me of cracking branches.... I turned and looked at the woman.... It was the DOG walking his mistress towards the spot where my Ambrosius earlier sat down...

she looked at me with an anxious look and said "Yeah you see he just HAS TO have a sniff at your dogs smell...".

I just turned around again and walked away.
Giving my dog a lot of praise,
feeling lucky that I had joined the dog-club,
feeling lucky that I train my dog EVERY DAY.
Feeling lucky that our training is giving result...

Just wanted to share the story since I feel that me and Ambrosius is on the "right way".