another idea thrown up by the autism book. Dogs don't handle distinct change. That is they don't take to new situations.

This I found interesting as it seemed to be another way of expressing the 'dogs don't generalise' concept. With the added idea of contrast or change as the de-motivator rather than 'new'. So for instance (and this is my take on it) a plain sight retrieve on flat ground is different from a plain sight retrieve on flat ground with a footpath to cross in the middle. - unless of course the dog has crossed footpaths several times before. because there is a change in contrast in the ground both texture and colour and this is what is making the dog wary.

Anyway - Wednesday was quite warm so took the orange to the water with a view to only splashing about at the edge - harking back to the idea of detail one of the things Catja baulks at is sparkles on the water - so I thought 'get her to make her own' Sent Topaz out on a blind (so blind there was in fact nothing out there) once out I lobbed the dummy in (only about 5 yards) off he goes for it and in jumps herself and swims out to it. She has never gone into that bit of water before. ! A couple more retrieves some over the stream and on the other bank. (going to be a loss when they let the pub opposite whose garden I am using by proxy )
They were both then on super-hypaw drive; I have noticed that before that once wet the rate of travel increases.

Last night there was a mist over the field about 10 feet deep - you could see it coming down the valley. The grass was jeweled with pearls of water - scenting must have been good as they all were very 'busy'