New regular posting days: Sunday and Wednesday and, sometimes, extra ‘news flashes’!

Sunday August 30th 2015

A good walking day for Isis. It’s dull all day. She’s worried at first when we arrive at Highbury Park. Last week the sun popped out unhelpfully as she walked beneath the avenue of trees close to the entrance. Instantly, dark shadows were thrown across the path making her jump and crouch close to the ground. She was very frightened and, although we brought her home after about ten minutes, the fear is there again today. After many little ‘come with me’ chucks under her chin and much strategic body blocking, she is urged on and soon begins to enjoy herself sniffing and running on the grass.

She gets her own back anyway as we stop to greet a friend and his dog. Having sniffed out the  gentle slope leading from the bank to the stream, she meanders down into the water, crosses to the other side and scrambles back up to ground level! Since I can’t call her I have to follow, of course.

This evening, though, she obligingly illustrates for me how far she has come over the last year. We meet a charming lady, A, who works at Wythall Animal Sanctuary. I ask if she remembers Gracie, E.’s dog, who was at the rescue with her sisters for many weeks before being well enough to be re-homed. Yes, A. remembers her well. We chat about her little border terrier, about Isis, about dog rescue, cruelty to animals, and dogs we have owned. Having walked all the way round the park we arrive back at the entrance to the car park. A. asks if we are walking round a little further to the alternative entrance. That would be nice but it is highly unlikely that Isis will be persuaded to pass the first entrance, I explain.

But, wonder of wonders, a couple of ‘come with me’ touches and Isis sets off perfectly happily. This is the first time she has been persuaded to do this. She appears to be very comfortable with A. and her border terrier. She is happy for A. to pat her and even sniffs her little dog. This is amazing. She sometimes sniffs Conchobhar, Nancy or Rufus, but sniffing a dog she has only just met is very rare.

It strikes me that it would be interesting to look at other changes in behaviour which have occurred over the last twelve months. Yes, let’s do that.

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.co.uk