Not just a Jack Russell...

A word of advice; if someone comes to visit with their dog and asks if your garden is dog proof and secure - because it is a lovely day and we are going to sit and chat for a while soaking up the delicious sun - think very carefully before saying yes. You may have had other dogs visit, you may even have had a dog live at your house for some time, but unless these creatures were Jack Russells then you can only say - MAYBE!!

Saturday afternoon saw Blanco and I visiting a friend just off the Upper Newtownards Road, as mentioned the sun was glorious so having ascertained that the garden was dog proof we settled down for a chat. Blanco ran about exploring; into this corner, down behind the shed into another corner - from which he didn't appear. Don't worry, Martha's garden is secure too. He didn't come back when I called him, even cheese didn't do the trick. Then I couldn't hear the tinkle that his identity tags make. The neighbour was out, so we dashed round behind the garden into the church yard. Yes, the children had seen a little white dog, but he had run out of the churchyard and down the Newtownards Road. We started down the road, calling his name, looking in gardens and asking everyone we passed. Then one girl asked if I was looking for a little white dog - the security guard at the M&S across the road had him; just then my phone rang and it was M&S calling. By the time I got to the car park, Jacqui had him in her arms, and he looked a bit upset that he hadn't had his freedom in the store.

I was so relieved, not just that I had him back, or that he had crossed a busy road without coming to harm, but that given the choice between Tesco, Spar and M&S within a 100 metres of each other he had proved he's not just a Jack Russell, he's an M&S Jack Russell.