Posting days: Sunday and Wednesday and, sometimes, maybe, extra ‘news flashes’!

Wednesday January 4th 2017

Free on the old bowling green, Kings Heath Park

and perfectly calm and collected.

“Where’s Isis?”, ask J. and C. as I pop through a gap in the hedge and give them a wave.  They have just arrived at the level above. I beckon them over and we all have a balcony view from which to observe Hairy One frolicking merrily beneath us. They are amazed and delighted that she can be free. It’s all quite emotional.

Lily rushes down the bank in true springer style, nose to the ground in an ecstasy  of sniffing. She and Isis ignore each other, of course. Black labrador Holly just waits with us on the other side of the hedge, hoping for a treat.

It was almost two years ago when Bev. suggested that, surrounded as it is by banks and/or hedges on three sides, and away from the park exits, this might be a good place for Isis to be let off her lead. She’s right, but at that time I was afraid to try it out because Isis could easily have run full pelt into a tree trunk and injured herself.

Now I can see that she knows the layout of the area well and not only does she not appear interested in running away, she also avoids the trees. Whereas once I had to keep her on a very short lead and guide her round every obstacle we met, now, when she is on the lead in this area, she usually picks her way around them or, if she wishes to sniff one, she  walks up to it very slowly.

So far, she’s had the old bowling green to herself. It will be interesting to see if she will still run happily in the space when the other dogs who usually play here return from their holidays. When she’s on her extending lead some more cautious dogs keep well away from the strange, dancing, teeth clacking Isis. Braver spirits, once they have greeted her, almost always give her space and leave her to get on with her strange games. Her best friends, Nancy and Rufus, will check her out every now and then but that won’t bother her.

We’ll see.

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