I had never had a walk in a park until I came to live with Åsa. The first time we walked in the park I kept having to stop and look around. The path, the trees, the grass, the water, there was so much to look at and smell. Every time a dog came towards me I froze. I just didn't know what to do. And it is a popular park, so I spent a lot of time standing stock still. So we just walked very slowly the first few days. Then Clancy, who was my best friend at the dog's home, came to live with us. I wasn't so frightened then, not that Clancy knew much more than me about walks and parks and leads and things. The first time Åsa let him off his lead, the big goof ran straight up the hill. He loves running up hills. Åsa thought she'd never see him again, then he came bounding down with his Clancy prance, and a great big happy grin on his face. I stuck by Åsa, except for when she let me off the lead and I remembered some old bread I had seen a way back. Quite a way back. I was surprised how upset Åsa was when she caught up with me. I knew where I was, which is more than you can say for Clancy.

When Åsa first got us, she used to walk us on the same route every day, so we would be able to find our way home if we got lost.

One day we went down to the park, to the area that Clancy loves, because all the dogs are off lead and he gets to play with them. He wandered off out of sight, and we went looking for him. Then we turned around and saw Clancy was back where he last saw us, but we weren't there. He panicked, really panicked. He took off, and ran wildly along the canal WHERE WE HAD NEVER WALKED BEFORE. Åsa said that is when she realised Clancy was not the cattle dog cross they said he was at the RSPCA. Anyway, we started running after Clancy. He was running and running and we were running and running and Åsa was calling out his name. It was like one of those nightmares when you run and run as hard as you can and you are still on the same spot. Then one of Åsa's friends from the community garden recognised Clancy and realised what was going on, and called out for someone to catch him. And they did. When we caught up Clancy was trembling all over, the poor old duffer. We were just pooped. Åsa said if he hadn't been caught he would probably still be running.

Anyway, that day Åsa figured out some of what had happened to Clancy. She knew he had lived in a house, because he knew what to do when he came to live with us. And she thought he had had a man who really cared for him, because at the park Clancy liked to sit in front of men and gaze lovingly up at them. So she thinks one day Clancy wandered off, and when he came back to where he had last seen his man, the man wasn't there, and Clancy panicked and ran and ran and got really, really lost. And that is how he ended up where I used to live. Åsa says it has stopped raining and we can go for a walk now so I'll tell you the rest another day.

Bye from Zac