Wild Goats & Henry the Labrador

Watching the wild goats can get a bit obsessive and I think they might feel the same about watching the human. In recent days I have snuck up on them with Molly (our dog) restrained by a shepherd’s crook through the collar; in the absence of a lead it’s quite effective, but she wriggles and fights against it.

In each of the last two days I have trusted her without any restraint and she has stayed by my side for up to half an hour as we watch and I film and photograph the goats. But today’s session came to an abrupt end when an overweight black Labrador ran at the gang of goats and they disappeared down the steep cliff.

I shouted at the dog and pretty soon another voice mingled with mine: ‘Henry! Henry! Come here Henry!’ Eventually the dog returned to its master. That moment of peace and quiet was shattered.

In the film below I left the camera running as I intervened to stop the Labrador pursuing the goats. Mine was not an elegant speech, so I’ve edited it out.