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

Sunday December 10th 2017

Isis has had a delightful weekend. J, who has just returned to Birmingham after several months away, hears of my predicament and offers to take Isis and I out.

Could we go to Highbury?

No problem.

Off we go on Saturday, J handling the muscly Isis while I hold onto little Lola. This is an excellent arrangement as the dainty little dog feels like a fairy on the end of the lead. Naughty, paranoid Isis won’t allow J. help with the harness but is perfectly happy to be led from the car and taken into the park.

We’ve not visited Highbury since early August, and it’s wonderful to be back.

Isis, of course, is delighted to be reunited with her pines, and in seventh heaven when she discovers that there is a film of snow on their lower branches. For half an hour she dances, spiraling, leaping and snapping at snowflakes as they drift from the trees.

After half an hour, J leads the Hairy One onto the grass slope by the beech wood and I follow with little Lola.

As soon as she is released, Isis trots off through the brambles and throws herself around exuberantly just inside the wood.

Finally, she rushes out onto the open grass of the slope and runs up and down, back and forth, round and round. She is ecstatic.

J takes some good action shots which Human, unfortunately, is unable to download. Grrrrrrrrr.

We walk back up the slope. It’s time to go home, but when we attempt to turn onto the path, Isis jerks back and refuses to budge. “I don’t think she wants to go”, observes J, but I insist that the light must have changed and made her nervous.

While Lola and I continue along the path, J. kindly walks back onto the grass and continues straight ahead. Isis eagerly follows.

All is well until J. attempts to lead the hairy little toad back to the homeward path. Once again, Isis refuses. She plants her  bottom firmly on the ground, sticks her front legs out straight in front of her and jerks her head back. J gives the lead a few tugs. Isis resists with all her strength.

“What shall I do?”, asks Jo.

I look hard at Isis. I was wrong. J. was right. This isn’t a frightened dog. This is a refusing  dog. A dog who doesn’t want to go home.

I advise J. to keep the lead taut and stand absolutely still. After a minute, naughty Isis gets the message and walks on.

Next morning snow lies thick on the ground and continues to fall most of the day. Even the muddy patch is buried so I move the wire fence and let Isis out into the garden.

Oh boy! This feels amazing. A dog is sinking into the whiteness. This lovely stuff is halfway up its legs.

Off she goes.

I love this one!

She plays non-stop for almost ninety minutes before I fetch her in.

Although she came from sunny Portugal, she never seems to get cold, whatever the weather here.

Strange.

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