Posting days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Friday

An eventful few days for Isis. She is expelled from dog school, eats a hall floor full of dog food and is insulted by a visitor.

She wasn’t really expelled. Julie, the trainer, is quite rightly very punctilious about keeping the dogs safe. She feels that little Isis, because of her disabilities,  will never be able to take part in the classes with the big greyhounds. We both think that Isis has coped very well with being in a strange place surrounded by so much dog and people activity, and that this has been a positive experience for her.

We will now spend our time practising the techniques which have been demonstrated: walking to heel on and off the lead (the latter at home only, of course); going to bed when commanded, sitting and going down. And we will continue to tackle the challenging behaviour. Our timetable will be full.

Yesterday, as I attempt to sort out the miscellaneous rubbish removed from my car before I dare take it for a service, Polymath phones me. I pick up the phone and, simultaneously, Isis finds a large polythene bag of Friskies in the box I am sorting. She lifts it gently from the box and makes off with it. Unfortunately, the bag splits and the dog meal is scattered the length and breadth of the hall.

Suspecting that a human thief will steal it from her, Isis attacks the food with gusto, barking fierce warnings. I decide to let her get on with it rather than to reinforce her suspicions.

There is so much to eat that even Gannet leaves a few pieces. Then she retires fatly to the garden and lies down.

Predictably, next morning I am awoken at 6.30 by frantic “Let me out – quick,” barks.

Adopted Niece, who is visiting for a few days, witnesses the continuing demolition of the garden. Isis twirls and twirls before scrambling over the home made fence and onto the strawberry patch for a good stomp. Then she rushes at the raspberry canes, bites one in half and stamps on it.

“She’s a fruit loop,” observes Adopted Niece aptly.

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