As regular readers will know, on a Sunday morning I usually go to the forest with Hilary for my walk- rain or shine! We leave Tim still in bed and go about 7.40am, and walk for 50 mins to an hour which gives plenty time for Hilary to get back and ready for church afterwards. The other advantage of going early is that the forest is quiet – so I can be safely off my lead and able to sniff and explore to my heart’s content. We do occasionally meet someone (usually another dog and their human) but often do the walk in glorious isolation. I love it, and I think Hilary does to once she has forced herself to get up!

However, the good weather we are having at the moment is bringing lots of people out, even at 8am on a Sunday morning. This means I have to share my forest with others! Actually- I don’t really mind as I am a sociable dog who likes encounters with others, but I think it makes it much harder work for my humans who have to be very alert as we are walking and make several attempts to get me back on my lead and under control as needed.

Today we met a horse and rider, and Hilary managed to catch me unawares before I had spotted them. She kept me on the lead as we walked past but I still managed a lunge at them! Horses are a bit scarey actually but I do enjoy barking at them and raising my hackles. Then, a few minutes later we met an older couple out for a walk, without a dog. Hilary knows that means I want to jump up at the humans and get to know them, so she had to get me back on the lead and past them safely. They made a rather nasty comment to Hilary as we did so about her inability to keep me under control – and all I had done was move towards them (still on the lead!)

A bit later we spotted a jogger. They are tremendous fun to chase and get wonderfuly annoyed at their run being disturbed. |So Hilary had to get me back on my lead again before we reached them. This jogger also had a dog with him – on a lead- who was enjoying her run round the forest too. We stopped and I got to greet the dog and get to know her, and Hilary exchanged a few words with her human.

Round the corner and the homeward stretch now, and who do we encounter again but the walking couple we had met earlier. I was desparate to go and greet them and let them see how friendly I was, but Hilary had to get me back on the lead and made me sit still as they walked past us. The man said I had been a bit better that time!

Down the steep hill again and back to the car. For the last wee bit I am always on my lead as we are approaching a road. I always enjoy going fast and pulling Hilary down the hill (when it is wet and muddy she often slips). Today we got down no bother and what did we meet at the foot but a cyclist! They are also great fun to chase and annoy and i like to try and knock the person off the bike.

So a horse, humans without dogs, a jogger and a cyclist. All by 8.45 am. Hilary says we will have to go earlier next week to avoid the crowds!