Posting days: Sunday and Wednesday and, sometimes, maybe, extra bits in between.

Wednesday November 21st 2018

Tuesday is supposed to be wet, windy and cold. A typical November day.

Despite this, when I look through the window from the warm vantage point of my bed, the sky is blue and full of sun.

Oh.

Perhaps if I stay in bed a little longer, just a little, the promised weather will come and Isis can go for a walk in the rain this afternoon.

Excellent idea. By the time we emerge for our walk, it’s dull, grey and raining steadily.

Isis, of course, is delighted.

Unsurprisingly, we have the park virtually to ourselves. Isis likes having the park to herself, and, because it is raining, she is perfectly happy to run and leap all over the expanse of grass above the old bowling green.

Not a soul in sight, I’m thinking to myself, when, as if she’s dropped from the sky, a very small hairy presence lands at my feet, wriggling excitedly. It’s little Lori. And it’s definitely not meeting me which she finds so exciting. It’s the thought of a biscuit.

Close behind her, also hopeful but much less confident, is little Manny.

Early in the year, sadly, the family’s elderly schnauzer, Ziggy died. Poor Lori, who had joined the family when she was just a pup, had spent most of her eight years with Ziggy and was inconsolable. She kept searching for him and became quite unhinged.

Her humans didn’t want to take on another  puppy. They spoke to Ziggy and Lori’s breeder and heard about Manny. He was selected to be a show dog, and had been shown on several occasions, but was too timid for the rôle.

A lovely looking dog, he was then employed as a breed dog. But he really didn’t take to the idea at all. The bitches just didn’t turn him on. Thanks, but no thanks was his response.

He’s a very nervous little dog. The first time I saw him he stayed well away, hiding behind his human.

Today, although he is still very cautious, he takes treats from me and briefly sniffs my hand.

True, his human is close by to reassure him, but he’s a different dog, perky and full of life, even dashing off to chase squirrels.

Manny (left) and Lori

Lori has bonded well with him and is a much happier little dog: even the cat is quite fond of him, apparently.

Well, Manny, putting your paw down earned you a much better life, in my opinion.

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