THE priceless moment the world’s luckiest pheasant escapes from the planet’s dopiest dog has been captured on video.
The film – taken by 25 year-old farm worker Gary Watt last week – features his springer spaniel Bob, who has proudly caught a hapless pheasant.
In the clip – taken on the Aberdeenshire farm where Gary works – one-year-old Bob can clearly be seen running alongside the cameraman at the wheel of a tractor.
With the pheasant in his mouth the spaniel bounds towards Gary – dropping the pheasant at the base of the tractor and loping forward to receive praise from his owner for the impressive catch.
But seeing his chance for survival the peasant – which has been playing dead up until that point – springs to life and makes a break for it.
In the split second where the dog’s back is turned the shrewd pheasant bolts out of the jaws of death and across the field.
Turning to admire his prize Bob is quick to realise his mistake and give chase – in scenes reminiscent of the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote Looney Tunes cartoon.
Meanwhile Gary, from Turriff, can be heard chuckling at the latest blunder of his dopey dog.
The clip cuts out as Bob is closing ground fast on the bird – which has mysteriously chosen to make off on foot rather than flying.
But Anne Long – Gary’s 48 year-old mother-in-law who uploaded the clip online – revealed that the bird escaped Bob’s jaws for the second time that day, and lived to tell the tale.
She said: “All our reaction was to laugh and think this is just typical of Bob.
“Bob is a big springer who’s very very soft in his manner – he would regularly catch rabbits or pheasant while he runs about our farm or a farm his dad’s working at.
“He’s just a baby at 14 months, but he’s huge and such a sook.
“Pheasants are quite easy prey for Bob with him being so fast and a pheasants very reluctant to fly.
“That’s just typical of him though, he has us in stitches with his antics.
“Last night he jumped on a silage bale – still wrapped. It’s covered in ice and Bob went sailing for about 12ft.
“He gets up as if to say, ‘Och I meant to do that.’
“You’ve no idea the scrapes he’s got into, my poor stepson has paid out so much in vet bills.”
The video has become a sensation with online pet lovers, gathering up to 2,192 views and 127 likes so far.
Commenting on the clumsy dog’s misha Elizabeth Smith said: “Aw poor soul – he’s done his best too.”
Jenny Paterson added: “Maybe he just wants a wee pal.”
