The Park

The park is a wonderful place to be if your're a dog and we're especially lucky in the UK to be able to run free off lead in most of them. But there are certain rules when meeting another dog. I'm quite a polite boy and I tend to trot up to another dog head low to the ground, making myself smaller if I sense they're the older dog, or just more dominant. We simultaneously wag tails (if it's a friendly greeting) and sniff each others butts while moving around in a circle.

However, for some reason, dogs have taken a particular interest in my 'bits' of late. I can't work out why. Is it the spring? Either way, I try to ignore it and just get on with sniffing the grass or playing with my ball. But some dogs, just don't give up. I think they're young pups usually, perhaps they want a sniff of an older dog. Mum and I usually look at each other with bewilderment.

The one-year-old chocolate Labrador, pictured, also had a good lick of the inside of my leg, and was lucky that I was taking a breather, otherwise he could've ended up being growled at.

I'm not as sociable as I used to be. When I was a young pup I would run up to any dog, ears flapping ready to play boisterously and may be try to kiss their owners' faces too. I've calmed down now (well, I am seven human years old, so it's about time) and I choose my playmates wisely.

I am more interested in a good sniff. I like to know who's been around and what they've eaten recently. I also have my favourite bushes and see what kinds of things humans have been dumping, and no, that's not just food. BOL! (Bark out loud).