JD has a scabby nose at the moment. He’s famous for getting into scrapes and this occasion is no exception. We’re not totally sure how he’s done this to himself, all we know is that a couple of times in the last week, he’s been out into the field looking pristine and come back into the garden with a bloody snout.

It seems that it’s a side effect of his version of the tennis ball game, which involves stealing two tennis balls, running to the other end of the field then playing with them in his own special game. In essence, he’s so keen to hang onto both balls that if one “escapes” from his grasp he chases it across the field then does this sort of scoopy movement with his front two paws. Where we think (but can’t be sure) the injury occurs is in the scoopy movement. We think he scratches his snout with his dew claws.

Meanwhile Lola is chasing up and down the field after lobbed balls skipping around and returning uninjured.

He’s no stranger to injuring himself and we’ve had to take him to the vet twice to get stitched up after he’s come a cropper. There are two odd things about this, firstly that he doesn’t seem to feel any pain when he’s bleeding and secondly that he’s the most fastidiously clean dog yet he’s quite happy to be bloody. We just don’t understand it at all. It’s almost as if it’s a sort of badge of honour.

Today he’s been in the field and DM has carefully prevented him from getting hold of two balls and he’s come inside unscathed. Is this proof of the theory? No but it’s an indication we may be on the right track. Let’s hope that tomorrow’s game has the same outcome!