So here's a story and a huge life lesson learnt for me.... and it only took 23 years!!

I love wild dogs, ever since that first sighting back in 1993 in the Khwai area of the Delta. I spent a privileged hour watching a pack of around 20 dogs of all ages, huddled together displaying the amazing caring family bond they have.  Old ones patiently let young pups chew and clamber all over them, most  slept soundly whilst a select few kept watch to protect their precious family group.

Ever since then, it is fair to say on every game drive I have been fortunate to participate in, I have constantly scoured the bush for a sign of a wild dog, desperately trying to see these wonderful animals once more. But no, not a whisker.

It had become a joke among my colleagues, others have been on countless safaris and seen wild dogs, one even saw them at the waterhole of a lodge during a 20 minute hotel inspection - but not me, I was never in the right place at the right time.

The frustration finally got to me on a trip last year, I was visiting lodges in Botswana renowned for their wild dog sightings, I was so excited.... but once again they remained elusive. Other vehicles had seen them, waiters even saw them from the deck at the lodge minutes after I had left. 

My love for them was waning it had to be said. 

On my last morning game drive of the trip I decided enough was enough and gave myself a good telling off - 'You're so busy looking for the wild dogs, you really are not seeing or appreciating everything else there is to see, forget them and just enjoy being on safari' I told myself. And so this is what I did. We trundled along in our vehicle whilst I took in everything there was to see, feeling great, the pressure was off.... appreciating the 'LBJ' and impalas aplenty. And then it happened, I kid you not, literally minutes after my new mindset, two wild dogs came trotting up the path towards the vehicle, their appearance couldn't have been more timely or profound......

I have been on safari since then, and I have been relaxed and enjoyed everything and each time I have seen wild dogs.... see, you can teach an old dog new tricks!!