park dogs May 2019

Posted on May 19, 2019 by patinkingsheath

 

 

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

 

Sunday May 19th 2019

 

Remember Dougie and Fergie, Hairy One’s erstwhile Highbury companions?

Puppy Maisie, who featured on the blog a few months ago, is their new ‘sister’.

One day, Maisie has her first very stinky pond encounter. She quite enjoys the adventure.

The consequences, however, are a different matter.

 

 

 

 

 

Her first bath! She wonders how any human could do such a terrible thing to her.

All the other stars were photographed this week.

Here is little May: she’s thirteen, and still enjoys short walks. I captured her in Kings Heath Park last Wednesday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

May is lucky to be alive. A couple of years ago, she began suffering from occasional bouts of sickness and diarrhoea. Over time, these bouts became increasingly frequent and more difficult to control.

She became so ill that she had to spend spells on a drip at the out of hours vet.

No-one could diagnose her illness, and she became more and more sick.

One day M., her owner, rushed her to the vet once again and was advised to have her put to sleep.

The vet told M. that prolonging May’s life would only subject her to unnecessary suffering; but, between the episodes of illness, M. saw that May was still her old self. She was convinced that May had a specific rather than a systemic problem.

She took May home to nurse her.

After a few weeks, May’s spleen burst. The spleen was removed, and since then she has slowly returned to her former self.

Now we have two delightful dogs whose idea of play is nothing if not idiosyncratic.

I have often seen Derek with his frisbee, and wondered what he was up to.

Last week, he ran after it when it was thrown but then stood on the same spot for about fifteen minutes. I assumed that he was staring at Isis who, as usual, was doing strange things by the edge of the wood.

After a while, his human collected him and persuaded him to move on.

Yesterday I watched Derek again. His frisbee was in front of him, but I couldn’t make out what he was attempting to do with it.

“Is he trying to dig something up”, I asked.

His human explained the routine.

First, Derek waits in eager anticipation for his frisbee to be thrown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next, he dashes off with it and puts it on the grass in front of him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now the game begins.

 

 

 

 

 

The challenge he sets himself is to toss the frisbee backwards in a straight line so that it spins between his front and back legs and lands behind him.

Naturally, he often misses his target, but Derek, undeterred, picks it up and tries again.

When the frisbee sails cleanly through both sets of legs, he turns round, places himself in front of it, picks it up and off he goes again.

Apparently, he will play this game over and over again until interrupted by his person.

Another obsessive is French Bulldog Frank.

 

 

 

 

 

Many times I’ve watched him playing his own version of football.

Today his human describes Frank’s routine.

The game must begin with his human kicking the ball as hard as he can. Frank then races after it. As soon as he makes contact, he speeds off, dribbling it with his nose.

When he comes to a halt, he waits for his person to kick the ball, and off he goes again.

When I say that I’ve never seen a French bulldog run so fast,  Frank’s owner explains that many breeders breed for ‘pretty’ colours which, of course leads to interbreeding. Apparently, only three ‘original’ colours are accepted by the Kennel Club: brindle, white and piebald.

Frank’s breeder is meticulous in selecting dogs from a very wide pool, so that their pups are exceptionally strong and healthy.

Frank’s two sisters have qualified for ‘best of breed’ at Crufts next year.

Our last and youngest star is seven month old Gywn, a working Patterdale.

His predecessor, Theo, was a favourite playmate of my previous dog Ellie when they were both puppies.

I don’t think Gwyn’s had time to develop any eccentric habits yet, he’s just a very sweet little dog.

Although he’s young, he is very polite to Isis, just giving her gentle face sniffs. He is very friendly and loves meeting other dogs.

I notice that, to add to his charms, he has one set of white eyelashes, and one set of brown!

 

 

 

Aw, dogs! They’re delightful.

 

*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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Highbury Park, Isis meets other dogs, Kings Heath Park, park dogs, park people, strange behaviour, the dogs of King's Heath Park, walking in the park | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

also, that week ………….

Posted on May 15, 2019 by patinkingsheath

 

 

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

 

Wednesday May 15th 2019

 

While our visitor stays with us, the weather is very changeable.

This leads to an interesting but sometimes difficult week for Isis.

On Wednesday we’re in Kings Heath Park for seven thirty.

No, Human’s bed springs didn’t emerge spontaneously through the mattress: Wednesday is art group day, and Human needs to be there by nine thirty.

There’s a steady, heavy drizzle; consequently, the lower bowling green is deserted.

Yes, Isis has the whole area to herself. She can hardly believe it. Not the scent of a single dog.

 

 

 

 

 

Wonderful!

She’s in doggie heaven.

She dashes across the grass, criss-crossing rapturously from side to side, zooming from top to bottom.

Wildly, wildly, abandoned  animal.

Although I love to see her running so freely, she’s so fast I can’t catch a clear image of her!

So here’s a fuzzy one.

 

 

 

 

 

The next day we’re in Highbury when there’s a prolonged downpour.

Oh bliss! Oh joy!

 

 

 

 

 

Over and over again, mouth wide open, she stands transfixed, then shoots off in glorious, twirling loops.

Passers-by who know her love to see her dancing in the rain. One man told me that the experience brings tears to his eyes, and others say that they find it uplifting to watch her.

When, on dry days, someone remarks how happy she looks, it’s not unusual for someone else to say, “You should see her when it’s raining.”

The following day, though, things are very different. We go to Highbury, but now she seeks the safety of the little track which divides the two adjacent meadows close to the car park. Even here, she’s jumpy, stopping much more frequently than usual to make sure I’m still there.

Once she’s ensconced in her safe space, she plays, but without her usual enthusiasm, and she is uncharacteristically keen to return to the car.

In the early evening, the sun appears to have retreated.

Isis is a little anxious when we set off, and moves on only with considerable encouragement from me.

I can’t understand what’s the matter with her. There’s no sun, so why the anxiety?

Poor Isis doesn’t enjoy her walk at all.

As we walk back towards the house, we meet L, who lives a few doors down. She notices that Isis is struggling and I tell her how uncomfortable Hairy One has been on her road walk.

L, whose eyes are extremely light sensitive, tells me, “It’s not sunny, but the light is very strong. I’d not be able to cope without these dark glasses.

Chastened, I lead the way into the house, and give Isis her tea.

But the damage has been done. She barks and refuses to finish her meal.

I think she is upset by the light coming through the kitchen blind.

On and off all evening, she growls and snaps at her tail. None  of my attempts to console her have any effect at all.

I examine her all over, looking for anything which could be causing her discomfort. I find nothing.

It can’t be her anal glands because they were sorted only a few weeks ago.

Her tail sports several long, dangly skeins of hair –

 

 

 

 

 

could this be what’s upsetting her? Should I trim her tail?

She’s grumpy at dog’s bedtime, growling over her treats, and growling when we’re going through her settling down routine.

When I go upstairs to bed, irritable snappy, growly, barky outbreaks assail me from below. After about forty-five minutes, I return downstairs and lie with her on the day bed.

Immediately, she’s quiet. After about thirty minutes, she’s sleeping soundly and I creep away.

Silence.

I wonder what she’ll be like in the morning.

Our good morning greetings are as enthusiastic as usual.

She’s her normal self again.

Come on, Human, nowadays when she’s in the park, we can avoid the nastiest bits for the short distance it takes to exit the car park. When she’s off lead, she can make her own choices.

I’ve learned my lesson. I need to accept that if Isis is reluctant to walk, there’s always a reason.

Yes, she was hesitant when we walked down to the old bowling green this morning, but she was excited by scents, and when she arrived, she was able to choose where to play.

On a road walk, she has little choice.

Sorry Isis. I’ll never push you like that again.

 

*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

Posted in Highbury Park, I'm off my lead!, Isis at home, Isis says "No"., Kings Heath Park, poor Isis, running running, strange behaviour, we don't like bright light | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Isis has a visitor

Posted on May 12, 2019 by patinkingsheath

 

 

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

 

Sunday May 12th 2019

 

I’ve not seen my friend T. for two years, but last weekend  she   officiates at two obedience shows, one in Rugby and the other in Leicester, and she comes to stay with us for five days.

It’s good to catch up, and very interesting to hear her observations about Isis.

Isis spends most of her time with us in the front room. I explain that now she usually braves the light in this south facing room so she can be with the humans.

“That’s good”, says T., “She’s so much calmer, too. I hardly saw anything of her when I last came. She stayed in the back room on her own all the time.

I’m surprised. Was that only two years ago?

One day T. watches me waking up Isis in the morning. “It’s lovely to see her tail wagging”, she comments.

Yes, I reflect, wagging is a relatively recent phenomenon.

After the first day, by the time I get up in the morning, Isis is already relaxing with T. in the front room.

“She’s so much calmer”, comments the visitor.

In the same week, when Bev. and I walk with the dogs in Highbury, Isis begins sitting at her feet and waiting for a treat.

I also notice that when we stroll up towards the woodland walk, instead of dashing off into the trees, she waits to find out which path we’re taking, then follows.

And she stays with the group more consistently than she used to, only trotting off through her favourite short cut when we are about to leave the woods.

She is at ease with Rufus and Nancy, even daring to rebuff Rufus when he pushes his nose into her face a little too vigorously.

I will go so far as to say that she appears to enjoy walking with them.

I think she quite likes having a visitor for a few days, too.

Ah, my little dog is becoming much more tolerant, much less afraid than she used to be, I think, as I wave off T., on Tuesday evening.

Isis and I stretch out on the day bed.

I take off my socks and prepare to warm my feet.

It’s all very cosy ………

 

 

 

 

but not for long. Human has gone a step too far. Within seconds, Hairy One  leaps up with a cross nyaff!

I may be more laid back, she tells me very clearly, but not that laid back. Gerroff!

 

*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

Posted in Highbury Park, Isis at home, Isis says "No"., park dogs, park people, relationship building, walking with Rufus and Nancy | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!

Posted on May 8, 2019 by patinkingsheath

 

 

Wednesday May 8th 2019 Hello – if there is anybody still following – sorry, sorry, sorry!

An hour ago, just about to write today’s post when I discovered that last Sunday’s (May 5th) wasn’t there.

Being the intelligent, resourceful person I am, what did I do?

Yes, that’s right, Bev. – I panicked. For a whole hour. I couldn’t believe it. I was sure I’d published it. I know I was a little distracted at the time, but ………

Halfway through the panic, I signed into the WordPress on line chat helpline, which is brilliant.

Unfortunately, my mind still felt as if it was disintegrating, and when the guy asked me to post the URL of the page with which I was asking for help, I managed to cut him off.

Then I clicked on everything I could see, in turn, and found the post in draft.

Phew.

But, of course, I’ve no idea how I found it, so next time ………….

Anyway, please accept my apologies. I hate not posting without any explanation.

I’m too ragged to write today’s post, so I hope you enjoy last Sunday’s.

Pat

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

summer is definitely on its way

Posted on May 8, 2019 by patinkingsheath

 

 

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

 

Sunday May 5th 2019

 

Lately, when she’s not walking in the woods with Rufus and Nancy, Isis has spent most of her Highbury time playing in her safe area, just the other side of the woodland strip from the car park.

Today, it’s dull, and she feels confident out in the open. She makes her way towards the fallen tree not far from the park entrance.

This is where, in the summer, she gets covered in burrs from the sticky plant, and where she dances among the daffodils in early spring.

Now the daffodils are in retreat, bluebells, cow parsley and ladies’ smock have taken over.

 

 

 

Isis can feel a lot more foliage than when she last came here. She’s very excited.

There’s a lot for a dog to do.

 

 

 

But before she begins, she catches a very stimulating scent she must explore.

 

 

 

So stimulating, in fact, that she leaps into the air, twirls, then jumps into a gleeful circuit of the surrounding meadow. She knows from past experience that there are no obstacles,that the space is clear for running. She runs and runs, galloping off and circling back, over and over again.

 

When she returns to her tree, she decides that today she’ll not bother with digging holes under the old logs. There are interesting things sprouting under the fallen tree again. There are the beginnings of leafy tunnels to explore.

There are springy branches to jump on and all kinds of textures to feel.

 

 

 

Oh bliss!

What more could a dog want?

 

 

 

 

She embraces the changes with such energy that, after an hour and a half, she makes a little nest under an overhang of leaves and lies down.

She doesn’t sleep, of course. She remains alert, pink spotty nose and amazing hairy ears twitching, while I chat with another dog walker.

Her friendly Jack Russell, Scamp, is joined by sweet German shepherd puppy Wren. They play fight and chase each other nearby. They have met Isis before and they don’t interfere with her.

Secure in her nest, she’s not at all anxious. There she remains until I collect her.

I am greeted with a contented wag.

 

*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

Posted in dear little Isis, Highbury Park, I'm off my lead!, park dogs, park people, running running, scenting, twirling, walking in the park, walking my deaf/blind dog, walking with Rufus and Nancy | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Isis visits Polymath part 2

Posted on May 1, 2019 by patinkingsheath

 

 

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

 

Wednesday May 1st 2019

 

Fast forward to April 2019.

By now, Isis has visited Polymath at least six or seven times.

Now she knows where we are when we approach the building, and she walks confidently by my side to the entrance.

She’s happy to follow me through the outside door, and takes the security door in her stride, walking through ahead of me as the lock is released.

She stands calmly as I sign in.

She approaches the two flights of stairs with equanimity, following the wall, and climbing steadily.

Now, the transition from the staircase onto the highly polished slidy floor is no longer a problem. Human’s guidance is minimal; Isis sets the pace. She doesn’t attempt to escape into the rooms which we pass.

She recognises the scents in Polymath’s room, and walks in, tail held high.

I collect her fleece and water bowl from the wardrobe, spread the fleece on the floor next to ‘my’ chair, fill the water bowl and place it in the narrow space between two sets of drawers. She knows where to find it, it’s easy to get one’s muzzle into the space to drink, but there’s not enough room for  one to walk in and knock the bowl over with one’s hairy feet.

She still twirls until the main lights are switched off, but, as the sun is not fierce, the curtains can remain open.

When I close the door and remove her lead, she sniffs around Polymath’s bed. She has worked out the optimum position for reaching the proffered biscuits. And when the supply stops, it’s easy for one to place one’s hairy front paws on the bed rail, the better to investigate what’s going on.

Now she finds her way to her fleece and lies down on it.

Today, for the first time, she shuts her eyes tightly and actually drops off.  True, she is immediately alert if I approach the door or go into the bathroom. But that’s O.K.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She picks up the scent of staff who come regularly to the room, and no longer greets them with twirly yaps.

She even allows the odd human to stroke her.

Now, when Polymath needs privacy, Isis and I go along the once scary corridor to find D. who is an avid dog lover. He grew up with dogs and sorely misses not having them around. When I first introduced her, his eyes filled with tears.

She recognises D.’s scent and will take biscuits from his hand.

Sometimes, we come across a group of residents, and almost without exception, Hairy One immediately becomes a talking point.

Many people, residents, staff and visitors have asked about her, and I have often told her story.

As we leave today, some visitors watch the brave little animal set off carefully down the first flight of stairs. She feels her way to the rails and follows them down.

One lady is very, very taken with her, “You’re very lucky to have her”, she tells me.

I glow with pride.

Thank you Aeza. Thank you Dogwatch U.K.

 

*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

Posted in clever girl, clever Isis, dear little Isis, relationship building, scenting, sleeping arrangements, twirling, we don't like bright sun | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Isis visits Polymath part 1

Posted on April 28, 2019 by patinkingsheath

 

 

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

 

Sunday April 28th 2019

 

The first time I take her to visit Polymath, Isis is very wary. Nowadays, she is usually happy to pop out of the car when we arrive somewhere, and so she is on this occasion.

She doesn’t mind walking over the grass verge. She’s a little unsure of herself when we cross the drive and walk towards the building, and is very reluctant to follow me through the outside door.

The next door proves even more challenging. It’s operated by keypad and the mechanism only releases the lock for a few seconds. Since Isis is standing resolutely in front of the door, we miss the short window for entrance twice. The third time, I manage to push poor Isis through and to stagger after her into the building.

She doesn’t want to be in this strange place, and fights to leave. Anyone reading the visitors’ book would imagine that I’d either been seriously drunk when I signed it, or been felled by a hit-man half way through the operation.

There is a lift, but silly Human is claustrophobic; thus, to reach Polymath’s floor, we need to climb two long flights of stairs.

Isis is determined that she’ll not plant her front paws on the first step.

After much chin tapping, patting and stroking, she is persuaded to do so. With encouragement, she reaches the top.

Now there’s a new horror awaiting an unsuspecting dog. I’d not foreseen this one, and am unprepared for Hairy One’s terror.

The floor is highly polished. As she dives for a wall to follow, as she always does when in unfamiliar areas, she looses her footing. I try to right her by shortening her lead. She panics, slips over and struggles even more frantically to get to the wall.

With great difficulty, I ease her along. She leans into the wall, and, holding her lead very loosely, I have to chin-tap her across all the open doorways.

After what feels like hours, we finally enter Polymath’s room, where, thankfully, Hairy One’s paws are once more in contact with carpet.

She paces and twirls until all the lights are extinguished and the curtains drawn. Although I manage to sit her down beside me, she soon gets up again. She is restless throughout the visit, pacing up and down, and sniffing at the door.

She accepts water in a disposable pot which she later knocks over. She can smell the biscuit which Polymath holds out for her over the edge of the high- sided bed, but can’t work out how she needs to position herself in order to reach it, so there’s no chance of a friendly pat.

When Polymath needs privacy, Isis and I go into the corridor where I sit on a chair. But Isis won’t sit for more than a few seconds. She’s up and down like a yo-yo.

She wants to leave, and isn’t keen to return to the room.

When we make our way home, there’s the slidy corridor to fight. This time, I’m better prepared. Leaving her lead loose, I let her slink along next to the walls.

The final challenge still awaits us, of course: stairs.

For little Isis, descending is very scary indeed. She stands at the top of the staircase, stiff with terror. A nurse about to come up kindly retreats and waits.

Every step is a struggle, but eventually, we arrive on the first floor.

This time, I stand on the end of the struggling one’s lead while I sign myself out. She shoots to the door as soon as I pick up the lead again.

It’s been an ordeal for her, but once we’re making our way back to the car, her tail begins to re-emerge from her fluffy undercarriage.

 

 

 

 

Hmmm. Polymath very much wants to see Isis.

We’ll have to work on this one.

 

*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

Posted in Isis says "No". | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

and what have you been doing?

Posted on April 24, 2019 by patinkingsheath

 

 

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

 

Wednesday April 24th 2019

 

 

Daisy

 

D So what have you been doing this week, dog, besides running around panting and getting dirty?

I do lots and lots of exciting stuff. On Sunday I dug another hole. There were so many amazing smells, I …

 

 

D Ew! How revolting.

I didn’t only do that. On Monday and Tuesday I went on two woodland walks with Rufus and Nancy.

D Yawn. Borrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring! Yuk. I assume they smell, like all dogs.

 

 

 

 

Of course they do. We all smell everything interesting we find, then Nancy and me wee on the ground, and Rufus – you’ll not believe this – he can pee up in the air.

D That’s nothing. So can I if I stand with my back to it and wiggle my tail very, very fast.

Oh. Oh. Er …. well, , scary things happened as well.

D Go on, terrify me.

Well, I was leading ….

D You, leading. Don’t make me laugh. You can’t see.

I don’t need to. I have an amazing nose. I can smell things. Anyway, it was very scary. I nearly walked into a very slimy pond, but Bev rushed up and grabbed me just in time.

D How stupid. If you have such an amazing nose, how come you were walking into a slimy pond?

Well I don’t know. These things just happen.

D They don’t happen to cats.

Anyway, straight after, I smelled the bridge. I knew I was in great danger.

D Great danger, my ar ……..

Yes I was! Yes I was! Once before, I was half way across and one of my paws slipped over the edge. I could have fallen off.

 

 

D Big deal. A cat would have dealt with that situation easily. Why didn’t you just run along the hand rail? And if you slipped, you could just have twisted  in the air and landed on the bank. Nothing to it. So what did you do, run away?

No, I didn’t. I was a very sensible dog. I didn’t go on the bridge. I waited for Human to help me.

D Dog help me! What a wimp.

What’s a wimp?

D For dog’s sake. A wimp’s a very cowardly, useless animal, like a dog, for example.

Oh. What’s cowd lee?

D Cowardly’s a dog who’s too scared and stupid to do anything.

I’m not stupid. I did something very clever.

D Yawn. Amaze me.

Well, one day, near the beginning of the walk, I nipped back while no-one was looking and walked across the stepping stones all on my own.

 

 

 

 

I didn’t step in the swampy bit once.

 

 

 

 

D And? A cat could do that in three pounces. It’s easy.

No it’s not. Nancy followed me and she stood in it. And it smells awful. She got it all over her feet and up her legs.

D A cat could wash it off in seconds.

Oh. And then she drank it! And she gets bad guts.

D How revolting.

And her human got very cross. I hate it when my human gets cross. All dogs do.

D Cats don’t take any notice. Yawn. I’m going to sleep.

But I haven’t told you about today and the rain ………………………..

D Don’t bother. I expect it’s like I said. You just run around and pant and get dirty. Yawn.

I do lots and lots of things. Every day I do things. Dogs do exciting things every day. All you do is sleep.

D Cats have inner lives.

 

*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

Posted in clever girl, clever Isis, dear little Isis, Highbury Park, I'm off my lead!, Isis and Daisy, Isis in danger, park dogs, relationship building, scenting, walking my deaf/blind dog, walking with Rufus and Nancy | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

the spotty satnav

Posted on April 21, 2019 by patinkingsheath

 

 

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

 

Sunday April 21st 2019

 

 

 

 

This is not just a pretty, spotty nose: it’s a highly refined precision instrument, honed to twitch into action at a split second’s notice.

At the moment, its owner is relegated to a very small portion of the garden.

 

 

 

 

In a last, desperate attempt to revive the bottom third of the lawn, ground into the dust by pounding paws, I fenced it off temporarily.

Sounds mean, but, be assured, earlier today, someone very hairy spent over two hours playing off-lead in Highbury.

 

 

 

 

I pop into her area to take a photo. As soon as I reach the fence, I feel something cool and damp push against my calf.

O.K. It’s a very small area. Easy for her to pick up the scent.

In the park, it must be more challenging.

I know dogs have an amazing sense of smell, that some can locate an item which has been sunk many metres deep on the bed of a lake, but I still find my dog amazing

In Highbury, I stretch out on the grass, keeping an eye on Isis who is playing several hundred yards away.

 

 

 

She looks very happy and relaxed. No one, dog or human, approaches her, and, anyway, the wood is close by. She can pop in there for cover if she smells a threat.

Nothing untoward is happening. She doesn’t need Human.

After two hours, I stand, then bend to pick up her lead. When I look up, she is already making her way towards me.

She can’t see me. She can’t hear me. I’ve not stamped on the ground.

How can she detect my movement?

She walks with me across the meadow, and then picks up pace and goes ahead towards the car. The first few times she does this, I dash to grab her.

I soon learn that this is unnecessary. She stops on the grass about ten metres from the car park. She waits for me to catch her up. When I put her harness over her head, she wags her tail and we continue on our way.

Lately, in Kings Heath Park, when, I guess, she decides for some reason that it’s time to go home, she has taken to setting off on her own.

She walks with slow deliberation from the Colour Garden towards the pond, and wends her way carefully through the trees and shrubs without walking into them. When she reaches the pond, she hesitates over whether to take a right or left turn. She decides to go right, moves along the side of the pond and onto the main path outside the White House. She keeps to the left where there are plantings, and, further on, a fence to follow, and makes her way to the car park.

I follow her very closely, of course, and harness her before we reach it.

What a nose!

 

*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

Posted in clever Isis, deaf/blind dog plays, dear little Isis, Highbury Park, I'm off my lead!, Kings Heath Park, scenting, twirling, walking in the park, walking my deaf/blind dog | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

parks and dogs and people

Posted on April 18, 2019 by patinkingsheath

 

 

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

 

Wednesday April 17th 2019

 

Spring has been popping on and off the scene for a while now. First the snowdrops, then the daffodils. Now early wild flowers are creeping out, buds are sprouting everywhere, and dormant brambles stretch themselves after winter and prepare to snake across all the little woodland tracks.

Damn. That means instead of strolling along the little tracks upright as I’ve been able to through the winter, I’ll have to be bending down every few feet to lift the thorns out of Hairy One’s path.

The birds, too, are engaged in a frenzy of activity. Everywhere you walk, there are treefuls of twitterings.

Moorhens are already sitting on their first batches of eggs,

 

 

 

while some female mallards have difficult decisions to make.

 

Today the wintry wind has been replaced by a warm breeze. Spring is definitely here. Everyone feels it. You can tell by the jauntiness of their walk, and the fact that they are looking up instead of lowering their heads against the battering wind and rain

It’s a time for lingering and looking, listening, and sniffing the air.

And for conversation too. Because of Isis, I get to know people who otherwise would have walked past with a nod or a smile.

New dogs are making their debuts in Highbury. Most of them gaze in astonishment at Isis as she twirls and twists and leaps in splendid isolation at the edge of the woodland.

Their humans are equally impressed. Often there’s the question, “Is that your dog?” And when I admit to being the strange little performer’s human, they usually continue

“We’ve been watching her for a long time, and we’re dying to know what she’s doing.”

“Well,” I begin …………………………………………………………………………………

Today, Vie, a very sweet eighteen week old German shepherd is rooted to the spot by the sight of the hairy dervish dancing in the distance. She can’t take her eyes off Isis and eventually her humans have to physically move her in order to continue their walk.

I am sitting with a new park friend, Is. on a felled tree trunk, and Vie’s person and his young daughter join us for dog talk.

Is. had only been in Birmingham for a few days when I met her a week or two ago. She had just come over from Corsica with her lovely little dog Zenda.

 

 

 

 

 

Arrested in mid stride by the apparition of Hairy One prancing in a sudden downpour, Is. came over and introduced herself.

It was her first visit to Highbury, and she had already fallen in love with the park.

Parks in French cities, she tells me, are much more neat and ordered, not ‘natural’, like Highbury. The grass here is a much deeper shade of green, she says and she can smell the sea on the breeze. She is taken aback by the all the birds and the variety of trees.

I tell her about the woodland trail, and next time we meet, she and Zelda have walked there and fallen in love with it.

Today, as soon as she spots me, Zelda zooms over for a fuss. How lovely.

Two new park friends.

Thank you Isis.

 

*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

Posted in dear little Isis, Highbury Park, park dogs, park people, running running, strange behaviour, walking in the park, walking my deaf/blind dog | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments