:: time out

I hadn't realised I'd left it so long between entries. I've now almost completey recovered, phew. I've been surrounded by sick people for weeks, so it was only a matter of time before I caught something. I'm just relieved it was so minor. My knees are feeling a bit better too (now I've got the new hard plastic orthotics) so good news all round. Might get out into the hills at the weekend, I could do with a long walk, especially uphill.

I've been thinking a lot lately about people and their dogs -- I meet so many of them, and their relationships with each other (people to dogs, dogs to dogs, people to people) are fascinating. They vary as much as dog breeds, so much so it's impossible to stereotype them (though of course people do have reasons for choosing certain breeds). And when you get talking to other owners ... wow. Weird and wonderful. Dog owners can be intense about their pets. Uh, sorry, "companion animals".

My favourites are the relaxed types who let the dogs get on with their own socialising. I was lucky enough to meet a man just like this when I first got Bertie, and he taught me not to be anxious about Bertie's boisterous behaviour. Then there are the prim folk who think bum-sniffing is rude even when dogs do it and who think Bertie might eat their precious yorkie. Bertie can usually win them over with his big brown eyes and gentle manners, though.


The scary dog-owners are those who get scary dogs because they're scary. Pit-bull terriers, that kind of thing. After a few terrifying encounters, Bertie has learned it's not a good idea to go prancing up to these dogs pretending he's hard enough. He isn't. Sure, he can run faster than them, but they're smarter. There he was, running and running and running and yet this staffie still managed to catch him! How? He was running in a circle, and the staffie just cut him off at a leisurely jog. Pooooor Bertie, he's dumb as a sack of hammers.