Good dog - bad dog

Harvey is proving to be a real mixture of good dog - bad dog. I suppose it's his nature to chase deer and swans but most of the time he stays with me and has shown intelligence in learning what to do and what not to do. It's really a matter of mutual understanding. He has to learn that when we are running along by the river or anywhere else, he can't go galavanting across fields to chase birds of any description and especilally not legally proctected swans. I have to be sure to keep an eye open for things that will tempt him off the straight and narrow
Last night I felt like a run after spending a delightful day trotting around the Borders and checking the very high level of the Tweed at Kelso. I was feeling good after my run at Dunbar the previous day, where I had for once planned my run and stuck to the plan. This lovely bubble of good feeling evaporated when Harvey suddenly dived off the path and made a be-line for the fields. No amount of shouting or threats from me made any difference and so I had to chase after him through the mud. By the time I caught him several swans had taken off and one was hissing and looking quite aggressive.
Today, Harvey and I went on an obedience walk and it went well. I made it very clear that he had to stay by me and not rove around and come back after an interesting sniffing session. We even crossed the paths of several ducks with no incidents taking place. I suspect that Harvey's high spirits will surface regularly... it is my job to make sure they are chanelled in the right direction.