Love at First Sight

I don't usually do long write-ups so the short version is that this is a picture of my neighbour's dog, Twiggy, frollicking with some bloke she met in the woods this morning.


The longer version is that I was half way round Chapel Common this morning when I bumped into my neighbour and her Chocolate Labrador, Twiggy, going in the opposite direction. It had already taken longer than usual to get to this point as Basil had already gone off with a) a Golden Retriever and b) a Jack Russell, in each case without so much as a backward glance. This is the latest in a long list of misdemeanours this week. He seems to be going through a rebellious phase, possibly a midlife crisis.

Anyway, as I was chatting to my neighbour, another couple of ladies came along with two Italian Spinones and a Jack Russell/Collie cross. The dogs, as you would expect, all had a bit of a play together but then one of the Spinones suddenly fell in lust with Twiggy who is due to come into season at the end of April but must be giving off some kind of 'come hither' scent already. At the same time, Basil, who has been 'done' decided to have a go on the Jack Russell/Collie.

To cut a long story short, after much calling of dogs and attaching of leads, we managed to extract our various hounds and my neighbour decided to walk the way I was going to keep Twiggy away from the amorous Spinone. However, about half an hour later we bumped into the two ladies and their dogs again and again we went through a complicated dog extraction exercise. We carried on our way and then, some time later, noticed that we had acquired a Spinone - with no sign of the other ladies and their other dogs. Twiggy was delighted and the pair of them started running along gleefully together, dancing, sniffing and generally enjoying being together; it wasn't just a physical attraction.

So, we double backed in the hope that we would bump into the ladies who were...nowhere to be seen! We kept going in their direction for some time and then, out of the blue, the Spinone ran off at great speed the way it had come, presumably in response to a whistle.

So, my neighbour and I double backed again. This time we finally made it back to my car, although my neighbour's car was on the other side of the common. So we set off with Basil and Polly, knackered, in the boot, with my neighbour in the front passenger seat with a Chocolate Labrador on her lap having the ride of her life! When we got to where my neighbour's car was who should be there but, yes you guessed it, the two ladies with the Spinones!

Anyway, nearly two hours after setting out we made it home and the dogs are now sleeping it off and are unlikely to do much for the rest of the day. I, on the other hand, have to go to work.