An unexpected intervention

He has become SO pathetic that I am soon to be entering him into The Big Girl’s Blouse Crying Competition, unless he dies first, which is possible after his recent debacle.

And to the kind man who saved him on Sunday – THANK YOU.

My beautiful boy used to be big and brave, he knows his Green Cross Code, always stays just a little bit ahead when we walk off lead and he has amazing recall – if he comes back to mummy immediately, I give him a treat.

But without warning all that has changed.

He doesn’t like loud bangs, gunshot or whistles.

He doesn’t like storms.

He doesn’t like Bonfire Night (which is unfortunate because it goes on at least until Christmas).

He doesn’t like the telephone trill.

He doesn’t like men with beards.

Or puffa jackets, particularly Nike ones – (neither do I, to be fair).

Nor does he care for lawnmowers or vacuum cleaners.

So when the skies turned grey last night when we were out on our comfort walk and he heard gunshot in the distance – he took off.

I blame myself, of course. I mean, he has been turning himself into a dead weight at the oddest moments, refusing to move.

And when he did that last night, I refused to cave in and carried on walking.

After what seemed like hours, he eventually came but just as I was going to give him a piece of Ferndene Farm Shop’s Finest Cheddar, he heard the bang, jumped ten feet off the ground and ran for his life.

He has never done that before.

I chased after him as fast as my legs would carry me but he was off, and very close to the road, which was surprisingly busy.

I screamed his name into the night sky and ran and ran and ran but he was long gone.

My heart was leaping out of my skin, tears were stinging my eyes.

I thought I had lost him and braced myself for a car’s shuddering halt, a whine and a thud.

But I heard nothing apart from my own very wheezy breaths. And then I saw a shadowy figure holding my beautiful dog. The Life Saver.

I tripped over my own words of thanks when I reached the man who was kneeling next to him and holding him close.

“I think I have found something that belongs to you,” he smiled.

“Are you OK?”

Tears of relief and joy were running down my cheeks.

“Um, yes, yes” I stammered.

“Thank you so much,”

And I fell to my knees to give my beautiful boy the biggest cuddle he has ever had.

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