On a Squirrel-hunt

After many years owning King Charles Cavaliers, I can only assume that Ed’s fascination-closing-on-obsession for hunting for squirrels when we are walking him in local parks is simply a Terrier thing (there are LOTS of ‘Terrier things’ as I have come to learn, all kinds of causes of endearment and amused frustration). The squirrels really don’t seem to mind- like cats, they seem to treat Ed with bored indifference, the grey rascals racing to the nearest tree and up into the leafy heights with nonchalant grace. Unfortunately as I’ve always got Ed on the lead, when he suddenly dashes off after his quarry he yanks at me so hard its caused me some shoulder injury when I’m walking one way and my arm is suddenly pulled some other (more important, as far as Ed is concerned) direction. 

Yesterday afternoon’s walk resulted in a grand total of seven squirrel sightings, which seemed to thrill Ed no end, even though he as usual got nowhere near them (if indeed God loves a trier then Ed has a special place in His affection). As a bonus Ed did spot a few cats on the walk to and from the park, but cats seem to treat leashed Westies with even more casual ignorance than squirrels do. Most of the feline fiends just sit there watching him go by (Ed often being dragged away by me, ‘natch), and Ed does his best to intimidate them with growls/barks and impressively threatening body language, but all to no avail. Cats are smart; they seem to know when a dog is on a lead and besides, they often know he’s hardly going to swing open a garden gate or leap over that hedge. And I suspect if ever Ed did catch up with a feline quarry, he’d come off the worst from such an encounter, so its perhaps just as well.

Its funny how terriers seem to represent all those characteristics of old tales of dogs. Can’t really say my Cavillers Barney or Ben were really perturbed by our postie, but Ed goes berserk whenever he observes the postie’s temerity of walking down our street -or worse, actually daring to walk up to our front door. All those Beano and Dandy comics I used to read as a kid, depicting dogs chasing posties or pulling letters out the letterbox, or barking after cats etc- turns out it was all true; not all dogs, it seems, are as chilled-out King Charles Cavillers. 

And yet, considering all the bravo and bluster that Ed demonstrates, the slightest crack of a distant firework sends him racing over to me to be picked up for the apparent rescue/safety of my arms, the trembling hairy wimp. Yes we’re really looking forward to Halloween/Firework season this Autumn.  

Apologies for the poor image quality illustrating this post, taken in fairly poor light on my phone its a wonder there is anything recognisable of my Westie at all- as far as Ed is concerned, when squirrels are abroad, posing for photographs is not at all important).