Sunday

Do I want to dance? Well, certainly not all the way round Highbury Park. And not for an hour and twenty minutes.

Today was a park twirling day. We’ve not had one of these before. I hope it is to be a rare event.

Isis leaps joyfully from the car and begins to dance on her hind legs, teeth snapping like castanets.

“Is that a wild dog?”,  asks an elderly man with a walking stick querulously as she twirls vigorously at the end of her very long lead. I imagine the Wild One felling swathes of terrified walkers like a canine Boudicca.

As we approach, dog walkers call their pets to them and attach them to the safety of their leads.

“It’s OK”, I reassure them, grinning idiotically, “She’s not aggressive. She’s just chasing imaginary flies.” But they know a liar when they meet one and hurry past.

We don’t enjoy the walk. And I can’t help thinking that Isis doesn’t enjoy it either.

Only two hours later, I take her to Kings Heath Park. She attempts a few twirls but I reel her in. She meets Conchobhar and Billy, enjoys treats and is soon sniffing and running again.

We also meet naughty Monty, now ten. I had forgotten that Monty is a full blooded Podengo Pequeno. Monty is brown, wire-haired and much smaller than Isis. He was bred on a puppy farm and is so terrified of other dogs that he will bite them. Sad.

“What a well-behaved dog”, Monty’s people declare, looking at Isis who is now standing demurely by my side allowing a strange dog to sniff her. Hmm.

Now, tired and full, she sleeps the sleep of the just.

But good dogs don’t wear Buster collars, Isis.

Isis came from the Aeza cat and dog rescue and adoption centre in Aljezur, Portugal. For information about adopting an animal from the centre, contact kerry@aeza.org or  www.dogwatchuk.com