He's still got it

Larsen took off after a cat at Keswick Park and paid the price.

Off went that dog despite my whistle.  Up into the dense forest.  I tracked him up the vine- and deadfall-covered bank trying to hunt him down.  Larsen doubled back to pick up the cat's trail.  About 10 or 15 yards out, on a crossing pattern, I threw one of the two fetch-dummies I had and popped him in his rear end.  He yelped, I whistled, he sat.

I walked to him, clipped him up and we continued our walk as though nothing at all had happened.  Good dog!

On the way back, I unclipped Larsen and told him to "fetch".  Off he went, into the dark leafy hillside.  Back he came with my missing fetch dummy.

Making lemonade out of lemon, I would say, and our friend Marilyn, with her water bottle, might agree.

Larsen returns with the fetch dummy.