Tali At 10 Months

Tali's ten months old on Christmas Day, but the weather was so nice today that I took her monthly pictures a couple of days early. I don't suppose she'll change much in the next 48 hours.

Since her nine month pictures, she's cost me dear! She ran off, taking little Raani with her, got picked up by the dog warden and it cost me £140 to get them back. Incidentally, I found out that councils have the power to rehome or destroy dogs if a release fee (a fine in my opinion!) is not paid, even if they know the owner's identity. And they can set their own release fee (fine!). Scandalous! Anyway, I complained about being charged for two dogs when it was one pick up and delivery that covered all of half a mile, and got £70 back. Just shows it can be worth complaining.

Tali's beginning to mature now. She can't be far off her first season. She's a very robust, intelligent, active girl. We've had our moments as she rebels against my leadership and I impose it. I seem to tell her off ten times as much as all the others put together, including the pup. She went through a period of not being remotely affectionate towards me, but I think she got a fright when the dog warden picked her up, seems to regard me as her rescuer ever since, and our relationship has become far better. I even get unsolicited licks now!

She's probably already the fastest dog I've ever owned (although Tasha when I first got her would have run her close), but it's not just the speed. It's the nimbleness, the agility, the leaping of streams, the "floating" through long grass, that's fascinating to watch. And each week she seems to get stronger and faster. And so intelligent! I say "squirrels" and she immediately looks up into the trees. She's an avid TV watcher. She chases birds, but respects the parrot, even when the silly little sod tries to wind her up by "buzzing" her. He doesn't seem to understand she's a hunter, not a Tasha.

It's interesting to compare her with Raani, who has bigger paws, a stockier build and is bigger than Tali was at the same age, but Raani seems that bit slower and floppier than Tali at the same age. It'll be interesting to compare them when Raani hits twelve months.

I got some good pictures today, but other potentially great ones were ruined by poor focus on maximum zoom. The first picture is an example of such. I think I'll start using the better, but bigger, camera from now on to avoid a repeat in the future.

Remember that you can enlarge the photos by left clicking on them!

Edit: the fifth photo is Raani. They're looking very similar at distance now!