Dogwalkers

I am in prime urban dogwalking territory. From my window here I regularly see the same people walk their various pooches on a route through the estate.

Marked on old Ordnance Survey maps as a recognised pathway, the 21st century builders were obliged to keep the route open so had to include it in the design of the open-plan, modern streets. As a result, a track of tarmac now runs past my house, marking the path taken by unknown ancient travellers heading into town. It's not that long ago that this was all fields. Quite boggy, waterlogged fields as far as I can remember, and it's perfectly possible that the same dogs and the same walkers still come this way.

There's the striding bloke with his Welsh terrier, sometimes his wife takes a turn but rarely they walk together. Then there are the golden retrievers: one owned by the woman with long silver hair with the green nurse's tunic peeking under her jacket, and the other by the man in the wellies (#1). The man in the wellies (#2) is either unemployed or retired; his stubby little Border Terrier cuts over the gardens so he does, too. The guy with the pushchair takes no prisoners - I've known him since childhood, he walks with the same storming attitude as when we were at school together, but I presume it's a different Border Collie he walks now.

New puppies this year, the pair of Dalmations are usually walked by a tall man with a red waterproof, although today he wore a blue fleece. I saw a wolf puppy the other day.

Now that's sad - a Doberman, quite young, but there's a problem with his legs, he's tripping up over his feet and swinging his limbs out wide at every step. His owner is very patient.

A sight to see are the two Afghan hounds, complete with matching long-haired owners, I even saw them in four matching waxed jackets once (but never again, not even they could pull it off)

All these dogs and not a poo bin in sight. You can usually tell if it's an outgoing or incoming walk by whether or not there's a poobag in tow. Of course, you can also tell the size of the dog by the size of the poobag. I saw a dog the other day carrying its own little bag, now that's disgusting.

Oh! That Jack Russell is new! The guy must be a painter, by the state of his trousers.