Ollie, the Moose, and a Deer

~ beetleypete

By the time it came to take Ollie for his walk on this Sunday afternoon, it had been raining here for almost 24 hours, non-stop. I was not in the best of moods, having been awakened early by a particularly torrential downpour whilst it was still dark outside.

I also had to wear my new Wellington boots for the first time, as last year’s ones had sprung a leak somewhere, forcing me to invest in a new pair. As we set off, I wasn’t looking forward to a couple of hours walking in heavy rain, trudging through mud and six-inch deep puddles. The new boots were not too uncomfortable, though the left one was rubbing my little toe enough to have me limping after less than an hour.

Ollie was looking around, in the hope of seeing some other dogs for company. But nobody else was risking the lunchtime downpours, and he couldn’t find any doggy pals to run about with.

Fjui X30 008

I decided it was up to me to enrich his playtime, and fell back on the old standby of telling him to search for an animal to hunt. For some unknown reason, I chose to mention a Moose. Now Ollie wouldn’t know what a Moose is, as we don’t have them in Britain. But my secretive tone, and half-whispered “Find the Moose, Ollie. Where’s that moose?” had him off and running immediately.

Nose to the ground, he crisscrossed the whole of Beetley Meadows in search of the non-existent animal. Every so often, he would stand stock still, lift his head, and sniff the air. When he had decided that his search was in vain, he ran back to find me, looking dejected. Trying to keep the momentum going, I took him through the gate into the small woodland area, talking to him as if he was a person. “It’s in here, Ollie! Find the Moose!” In the heavily overgrown woodland, his search was more difficult. Avoiding the nasty clumps of thorny brambles, he soon gave up.

I led him back through the gate onto the Meadows, and turned right. Around 250 yards straight ahead, a small white-tailed deer was busy nibbling some berries from a bush overhanging the path. It hadn’t noticed us as we walked from the gate. Ollie took off at high speed, sensibly making no yelping noises, and with the long wet grass muffling the sound of his galloping paws.

I became concerned that he might actually catch the small animal, which was no larger than my dog. So I picked up speed as best as I could, hampered by the new boots, and muddy ground. Just as I was convinced that Ollie would grab the little deer in his jaws, it turned and spotted him, at the last possible moment. Bounding off as if it had springs for legs, it took the route through the overgrown central area of Beetley Meadows, meaning I could not see Ollie at all as he continued in pursuit.

I carried on in the general direction for a few minutes, until Ollie finally returned to find me. His face was frothy from the chase, and he was panting hard. When I asked him “Did you get it, boy?” he snapped his head around to look, in case it had come back.

He may not have seen a Moose, or caught a deer, but he was happy for having had the chance to try.

76 thoughts on “Ollie, the Moose, and a Deer”

  1. Enjoyed this adventure with Ollie – reminds me of when we would arouse our dogs – and how they know so many tones and voices we have – ahhhh
    Glad the small fawn got away with springiness and speed.
    🐾🐾🐾🐾😊

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    1. I’m glad you enjoyed it, and many thanks for commenting.
      Yes, I can get Ollie excited by whispering, or by suddenly dipping down low as if I have seen something. He has chased more deer since this post, but he hasn’t a hope of catching them. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  2. I love this! Our dog has both a stuffed moose and a stuffed reindeer, so “Go get Moosey” or “Go get your deer!” are common refrains in our household. Hopefully he never comes back with a real one!

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  3. Pingback: Guest Blog Post: Ollie, the Moose, and a Deer by beetleypete | Happiness Between Tails by da-AL

    1. To Beetly Pete & da Al; I live in Alaska, where Moose are Real; One night my dogs were barking up^ a storm, so I stupidly stepped out-side without a flash light & went down the road to check it out, there I saw this Giant Shape in the darkness & thought to myself; “Oh No! a Grizzly Bear, I am a Dead Man!” Instead it was a Giant Bull Moose, who, thankfully just chose to ignore me; we are lucky to have Moose still walking through our 2 1/2 acres of land, they are a blessing and trim my Willow trees for me! God Bless!

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      1. Thanks very much for your comment. A real Moose like that must indeed be a sight to see, and a magnificent animal indeed. I still have no idea why I suggested that my dog look for one here. 🙂
        Best wishes, Pete.

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  7. You have no idea how agitated I got reading the title before I got to the post. What? Pete gets to see a moose and I have to go to a wildlife refuge to see one? Great story. Big relief that you didn’t really have one.

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  8. You both are unbelievable. LoL Wait on, next time he will get company with a moose, and you have taking care for a moose too. Maybe they than will call you “The Mooseman”. 🙂 Best wishes, Michael – But its great to read about a well beeing Ollie.

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  9. I am pleased he had his “moose” moment and to hear he’s better. I’m not a big fun of wellies, I must admit, and I’m yet to find a pair I think comfortable enough, but I know they are necessary… I hope the weather gets drier soon (Here it looks like rain as well!)

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    1. Thanks, Olga. I am also not a fan of welly boots, but have no better option when it comes to flooded fields, or crossing the small river to the other side. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete

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  10. Aww, Ollie must have had tons of fun and exercise. Btw, why would you tease the guy with a moose, just say a dinosaur.. Bad Pete. Does he know that that animal was a deer?? You just confused the poor thing. 😵😵🙂✌

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    1. He does understand the word ‘deer’. Also ‘squirrel’, and ‘pheasant’. But sometimes I like to give him something else to look for, like ‘Bears’, which we also don’t have here. 🙂
      Thanks, Susan.
      Best wishes, Pete. 🙂

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      1. 😱😱😱 Poor Ollie. PETEEEEE, DON’T BE BAD!!! Why confuse that little cute honey?? He is so cute. Why don’t you teach him all that?? Be a good friend and don’t hurt the poor curly tail. You know when you say a bear, he should actually run after you. You are that grizzly bear, bad, Pete. He should chase you to the farthest end of the world. 😤

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    1. We have a lot of deer locally, three different types. We see them often on the dog walks, at least 2/3 times a week. Ollie has always chased them from instinct, but luckily has never caught one yet.
      I hit one (accidentally) with my car earlier this year, and killed it. Very sad.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  19. You and Ollie are of a special breed Pete. All the other dog owners in the neighborhood took their animals out for a quick pee and ran back inside. Only the most intrepid took a walk in the rain! Besties.

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    1. As far as I am concerned, it has to be done. Dogs need fresh air and exercise, whatever the weather. If I have to suffer a little, then it’s my own fault for getting a dog. 🙂
      Thanks, Frank.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  22. As always I’m glad the deer escaped Ollies ministrations but good that it took his mind of his skin troubles. A gel plaster is a good thing to wrap round a vulnerable toe before new boots are worn, too late now but for the next set of wellies!

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  23. I am sorry you are still dealing with the rain but glad you and Ollie got out and about. It sounds like he was definitely up for the chase no matter the prey. What happenstance that he should run into a deer. I’m glad Ollie enjoyed the chase and also that the deer escape unscathed. I hope your toe isn’t too badly scraped.

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  24. (1) People don’t like being rubbed the wrong way. And that includes their little toe.
    (2) Ollie now thinks the deer’s name is Moose.
    (3) The deer “turned and spotted him.” Well, that deer has plenty of spots.So he can spare a few.

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