This is the face of an elderly flatcoated retriever rejoicing in a cool, muddy puddle. He’s halfway up one of our steep mountainous hillsides. It’s the middle of the day and the temperature is around 30C. He’s not the only one relieved that he found a place to cool down. About ten minutes before this, poor old Oscar was wheezing and straining to breathe and I really thought he was going to have a heart attack and die there and then. Thank goodness there seem to be no lasting effects from this over-exertion but he certainly won’t be doing this again until at least September, if I have any say in the matter.