Dyson has been home for two weeks now. He has about doubled in size and has definitely doubled in energy.
Darty is happy with him on occasion and at other times he growls at him when he gets within a couple of feet. He has no intention of hurting him, he is just pestered by the little nipper (literally a nipper). I suspect, however, once he gets physically big enough, Darty will run him over a time or two and that will be that.
Darty,when he was a pup, had the habit of hip checking Duncan in the head. Duncan didn't like it, but he put up with it until Darty got to the size where it would almost take Duncan off his feet. One day Darty had a good head start and when he threw the hip, Duncan side stepped it and Darty flew into a concrete garden bench. The result was a partially dislocated tail which to this day has a little "S" shape to it. It also solved the hip check problem.
We have had two field training sessions, with yesterday's being the best so far. On the 1st trip, it was just to get Dyson accustomed to having grass under his feet. He wanted to be under mine.
Yesterday he ventured out in front at a distance of about 10 yards or so for most of the trip. I let Darty range at about 75 yards so that he got to enjoy the walk as well. On the way back I whistled Darty into a 20 yard quartering pattern and Dyson, because he had a line of sight on him, tried to keep up.
Both of them seemed to strike up a different relationship at that point -- one of hunting buddies. Darty even shared a mouse hole dig with Dyson without much bother. I think that he has switched from a "keep away from my stuff" mode to teacher mode. Now if the weather would just cooperate and I could keep getting them out together on a regular basis we can move this relationship along.
We actually covered about a mile on the trip, so that is pretty good for a pup that isn't up to 10 pounds yet.
As can be seen in the photo below, Dyson, even at eight weeks, has that Pointer attitude.
