I have discovered that although my back is hell if I sit or lie down it is good enough for me to walk around. So Mrs. Ha and I went for an afternoon constitutional along the prom. Tiddly pom.
We discovered Champion the Laser Dog. As I describe it on Flickr:
This dog was being exercised by chasing a laser point. Look carefully on the ground and you see the red dot. I took this with an M9, manually focused. I picked a point where the dog ran on his ‘circuit’ and as he came into the frame I pressed the shutter. The joy of the rangefinder is that you can see outside the frame lines so you can time it much better.
Champion the Laser Dog
The owner just sat on the bench and moved his pointer a few inches and the dog would bound off in a new direction. Clearly one of the elite.
All downhill from here 
We’ve always seemed to have the sort of dogs that won’t chase sticks or balls. The ‘you threw it, you fetch it yourself’ sort of attitude. I can’t really argue with that. Chasing cats (Pippa), birds (Paddy) and anyone/thing he didn’t like the look of (Prince, a GSD) was a whole different ball game. Or not, as the case was. I always admire dog action shots, mainly because I can never get them.
I should point out that you have gone down in my estimation of being P Inc. Lack of interest in dog shows is most def not P Inc. You need to try harder to preserve your reputation. I still haven’t finished my poll due to WP vagueries 😦
Could you possibly mean vagaries?
I don’t set out to be politically incorrect. I do find there is a huge over reaction to trivia though. Obama was in hot H2O last night for describing an attorney as good-looking. I would have thought she was a) flattered and b) amused by the kerfuffle. But what do I know. A mere male. And there is occasionally a sad inability to tell when someone is being wound up. Who was it said ‘like shooting fish in a barrel’? Life is too short. When it matters then common sense should prevail but a little humour goes a long way. WARNING – HUMOUR ALERT. When the ladies play 5 sets at Wimbledon and, heaven forfend, have to break into a sweat before the Final, then we shall have equality. I’m not holding my breath.
Was that P Inc enough to restore my reputation?
I tried both vagaries and vagueries, one minute the comp liked neither, the next it liked both. The Hal dic didn’t have either, probably due to being American. The online operator was too idle to go and look at an offline old-fashioned dic.
That’s excellent work. Your reputation has been totally restored, although it hadn’t slipped too far. Full marks there. In fact when I do my post/quiz/poll or whatever it ends up as, I may even use you as inspiration. eg ‘Do you think women should be grateful when you comment on their appearance/tell them they are attractive/have no other purpose in life than to be judged on their physical appearance by men?’ etc etc
I don’t have a view about Wimbledon. I do have a view about calling women ladies, and I do have a view about women doing the same work as men and getting paid less. But that’s for my blog not yours. It’s Sunday and I can’t be bothered to get annoyed today.
Fish. Barrel. QED.
Great action shot Andrew, and a great looking beast as well. It seems dogs as well as humans can get totally absorbed in chasing something that can’t be caught.
PS thanks for the kind words regarding my Flickr stream….and I am going to check on that white balance;)
It’s ironic the fact that I am up and sat at my computer at this unearthly hour of the morning is because my back is also bad.
It’s been a tortuous night with my spine ‘locking’ for want of a better word. The only thing to do is walk around even though it’s just 3am and the rest of the house sleeps. Now sat here with just Ratty for company (he’s doing last nights dishes) I check my emails – open yours first because I know it’s going to be something brilliant and VOILA! Your opening line is about backache….
I’ve not got to admit something. I cannot get your laser dog picture to download. I’m having to imagine just what this dog looks like (thanks to Yvonne I know that it’s a good-looking GSD) I know that there is a red spot somewhere in the picture….I know that it’s going to be an excellent photograph but, until this glitch on my WP mends itself I can only guess at the rest! I shall try again later when I’ve got Ratty out the way and can get to the kettle….
Hi, yes we do that with our dogs. The boy is much more athletic (or maybe dumb) as he keeps on going for ages whilst his sister watches him with a strange look on her face. Human or animal, females are all the same!
I made a comment on Flickr that I think this GSD is a good specimen. The owner probably paid a wad for her since she is a good looker. But maybe not. I am curios. Are there any dog shows in Korea, China, or Japan that you know about?
I don’t know to be honest, Yvonne. I have never heard of any but we have never contemplated showing a dog. I like to see dogs (and cats) in a natural way rather than prepared for a show. I suspect there are shows though. Shirley likes a breed called Akita (I think that is right) and they come from Japan I believe. Very handsome dogs.
Thanks for the reply. I am simply curious about the dog shows. I believe you would never enter a dog show simply because you are not that kind of person,
The Akita breed was almost lost due to WW II. It is of the Spitz type of dogs as is little Lulu. I think all of the Spitz type dogs are beautiful.
I made a mistake, Yvonne. The breed Shirley likes is the Shiba Inu rather than the Akita. Both nice breeds but it is the Shiba that is on our imaginary shopping list.
Oh yes. I know but don’t know the Shiba. If yo ever get another dog be sure that you do the research of the breed. I believe that is a Korean breed and can be difficult to train. I need to look that up again. I think I remember seeing one in the “real” (not in a book or on Internet. I am going to look if up after I finish with chores. I just finished eating supper and it is now 9:30pm. Here lately I have been busier and busier with chores and don’t have the time to get a post going. Oh well.
When buying Murphy’s kibble I was tempted to try one of these but, alas, he does not chase his tennis ball or squeaker any more so I passed.
Ah! So not or yourself, Steve?
Nah….I am enough of a pita without tormenting others with one of those. 🙂
It is a bit like all those chasing power.
😄😄