Honestly, I wish I could get a person/dog dictionary. I try really hard to understand what they want from me, but sometimes I don't think I am getting what they are trying to say. This 'other dog' problem, for example. Look at it from my end. There we are, tootling along on a walk, me off the lead, Mummy chatting to Auntie Geri or proper Auntie/listening to her radio, when another dog comes onto the horizon. Mummy stops and squints at it, assessing whether or not there is a problem, which tells me there may be a threat.
I look to her for guidance while she stands and decides what to do. Depending on who it is, she will often call me to her. Now I know that there is a problem as we usually potter about independently. Maybe there is something to be afraid of. Maybe she is afraid. I come to her and she puts my lead on and tells me to sit or lie down. The other dog must be scary if we need to stop and wait for it, but this goes against my instincts as the other dog can now approach me and I can't give him any doggy signals as to how I feel about it.
Nine times out of ten, the other dog doesn't know what to make of me because I can't tell him via body language what I'm thinking so he steams towards me, giving off "I'm hard, me" language because I am so big, he thinks I am someone to be afraid of. This gets up my nose so I put my hackles up to tell him off for being Mr Big on my patch and then I'm the one who gets in trouble. How unfair is that!
I have been getting more and more cheesed off and my Mummy knows that and has been asking people's advice about what to do - where can I get advice as to how to fix her, I ask you?! But today, we had a breakthrough - Mummy told me what she wants me to do when we see another dog (I didn't have a clue before - she said sit, or down, which left me feeling very vulnerable, but then what...) but today, after I had roared at Monty from a sit, she asked Monty's Mummy to stand still with him and she told me I had to leave him and just walk past him. Oh.......
That made sense. I still muttered a little but as I knew what was required - walk past the dog, walk to heel, leave him - I did it. I wish she had told me that in the first place!
Other than that it has been a nice day and we got round our walk just before it rained.
I'll see you tomorrow (God willing) but I shan't write much as we're all going to watch the Eurovision Semi-final.
regards to all
Bruce xxx
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