This evening we went for a wander into the fields and had a lovely time.
Nothing was chased but much was tracked, ducklings like fluffy pingpong balls were watched with interest, then we had a run around and set off home.
We met a neighbour who has a springer, he stopped to talk to the dogs, patted thm both and Zelda wanted to play with him.They were good.
Then a woman passed us by,she spoke as we had moved to the side to let her pass and both of them were quiet.
Then we met a fussy Jack Russel on a lead whose owner allowed it to come running towards us.It was yelping and growling and really being a puppy wanting to have some fun.
Zelda wanted to play and Zeb joined in.
They both were on leads and were quite a handful yipping and yapping but were quietened within about 20 seconds, given a quick snarl, and were back to standing at heel.
Interestingly the owner of the Jack Russel gave me some handling tips and said that if he were in charge of the dogs they wouldn't have performed like that.
He said that you need to speak to them with authority and I should have told them to sit in an authoritative tone not evenly as I had just spoken to them. The wife is just the same he said, cant manage the Jack Russel.
I didn't comment because what I was thinking was quite unrepeatable but interfering and sanctimonious were the polite words.
Zeb got bored by this time and stood with the look he has reserved for when he wishes he was somewhere else.
Zelda was quite taken with the man, head on one side and tongue beginning to lol, the danger signs when she is up to something, she especially enjoyed when he pointed at her and in his best authoritative voice ordered "SIT".
Too much for her it was.
Zeb continued to look bored and examine another dog that had turned up on the other side of the road looking away from the gentleman who decided that Zelda was a delinquent or deaf and raised his arm to point and thundered "SIT" at her again and stalked forward in his best "I am in charge" manner.
Whether it was the voice or the walking forward or the fact that she though the man was out of order I don't know but Zelda threw herself up to her not inconsiderable height on her hind legs, and shouted back at him in a rather unladylike manner. Zeb thinking there was a problem turned rapidly to enjoy the fun.
I told her to pack it in and get down as I normally do and ordered her to heel and she the little angel did so. Zeb came to heel and we walked off towards the house.
I am so annoyed with myself and upset because there was the time for the really witty sarcastic comment and I couldn't think of one.
I am losing my touch.
What should I have said?
