New Kids - watch out Ragworth

It's a warm Spring day, and Dad can walk us, for the first time, in his shirt-sleeves. We head for the Rec, where it seems that everyone is out and about, and there are a few new faces.

Little tiny "Sue", all-black Patterdale Terrier pup at only 11 weeks and enjoying only her 4th walk out in the big wide world. Her owner is cool with this and has her off the lead, where she tears about in that semi-co-ordinated way tiny pups have. She's no bigger than one of Dad's feet, and feet are a theme with her. She chases over to any new passer by and launches an attack on their shoe-laces, flopping over as she grabs them till she's lying on her back on the person's feet to cries of "Ahhh- isn't she cuuuuuute!" etc.

I chase her about at one stage, but it's easy to catch her up and the smallest nudge sends her cart-wheeling, tripping over her own feet, so Dad tells me to be less rough. This, he says, is another baby Ragworth, who will grow up remembering your bullying, and come back to get you, with her mate Rags, and then there will be two of them!

Also out there is an 8 month old very glossy black and tan terrier (doberman colours, terrier size and shape) called Sonny, out romping with her much oklder companion, black terrier Lucy. Sonny's good fun for a while, too. Patch is there too.

We're done in by the time we head back for the main path, and there we come across Mum coming home from work.

Deefer

5-4-3-2-1

The Rec again tonight and again we meet shaggy nearly-all-black alsatian, Battersea rescue dog, Lucy. Tonight we only shout at each other for 5 seconds or so before we realise no-one is impressed and we should maybe talk to each other. Yesterday, Dad reckons, that was 6 seconds.

Dad and Lucy's owner now have a theory, that if we all meet up the same time each evening, we might only shout for 4 seconds tomorrow, then 3 on Saturday, then 2, and by Monday we'll be able to greet each other in a reasonably decorous fashion.......

Yeah - right-oh Dad!

Also on the Rec tonight, fit young JR "Bindy", who we like to have a charge about with, but who we haven't seen lately. Another evening for getting muddy then!

Never mind - he obviously still loves us, as some raw pork ribs fall into his shopping on the way home tonight, and we have them for a treat for supper

Look after yourselves. Weekend's comin'

Deefski

Better off the Lead

Regular readers may know that I have taken against very few dogs that we meet, but that one such is a very dark, rather shaggy alsatian who gets walked in the Rec at dusk, and whom, if she looms out of the dark or mist at me, I can't resist charging. I shout and yell, and the alsatian kicks up a din back as I chase round the poor dog walker hanging onto the lead and the alsatian dances round in circles trying to get at me. It's a din that can be (and has been) heard the far side of the Rec.

Well, readers, let me teach you a humbling lesson in why a dog should not go by first impressions - or indeed a human (Dad has to hold his hand up to having thought dark thoughts and muttered mutterings about badly behaved unsociable dogs and owners who don't properly socialise their dogs when they are pups.......)

Tonight, it's a foggy evening but Dad (for the first time since before Christmas) is back in time to walk us our entire walk in daylight (all be it foggy), so we're in the Rec and I'm chasing the yellow frisbee, then a tennis ball, then having a chase about with collie cross Ben (I'm getting very muddy below the plimsoll line at this stage), and then the two Bichons we know - Billy and Bugsy.

Out of the mist looms the said dark shaggy alsatian, with owner, and I spot him, freeze, then charge. But the dog is off the lead, so she can lunge back at me, and there is a very brief shouting contest, but now she circles round and allows me to sniff her bum (like we do), and suddenly we three westies, and Ben, and the alsatian are all quiet and getting to know each other. I'm not saying we're all bestest mates, but we are in the same bit of Rec and not killing each other.

The bloke turns out to be nice and friendly, and comments that "There! I knew she'd be much better off the lead!" The dog we now know is Lucy, a Battersea Home rescue, who was 9 yesr old when the guy rescued her, and who he has now had for 2 years or so. Coming to him with "issues" she's been slow to socialise, hence he always has always walked her away from places and times when most people walk their dogs.

It also gives Dad a chance to apologise for my "attitude" (oh the shame!) and the humans agree that "There's always one! - These two (indicating Meggie and the H) are as chilled as anything and always have been, but Deefs here (indicating me), 2 years old and full of it!".

So, now we know the human and the dog and we are suitably humbled and apologetic for our intolerance.

Still reckon she needs telling!
Deefer