Do I know you?

For a dog with a huge self image, being a small and pretty, rough coated Jack Russell must be mortifying. There you are trying to project this ruffty tufty, dog about town, too cool for school persona and the first thing most people say when they see you is 'Ahhhhhhhhh, look at that little dog! Isn't she sweet? Isn't she cute?' Then - to add insult to injury - they loom over you and bend right over on straight legs and 'pat' you smartly on the top of your head! If that isn't the recipe for a headache I don't know what is!

Having observed this strange ritual being played out in a variety of scenario's, I  see the sigh of resignation and mild outrage that crosses Winnie's face every time. I can't blame her really. If you were (or are!) a small person, would you really want some complete stranger to tower over you and thump you with the flat of their hand on the top of your head? I don't think so. Why doesn't anyone bend their knees and go down to Winnie's height to greet her? Why do they all talk to her in high pitched squeaky voices? Why do they all assume she's friendly and accost her without a 'by your leave' or giving her chance to decide whether she wants to talk to strangers that day? She could be having a Marlene Dietrich moment (it has been known) and "want to be alone", but no-one would know until its too late.

Whilst Winnie is generally a friendly and sociable little girl, she is quite particular about introductions. Complete strangers who accost her out of the blue are usually favoured with a look that says in her best schoolmistresses voice:

 "Do I know you? Have we been formally introduced? No? Then I'm sorry, I can't possibly talk to you, it wouldn't be polite" 

With that comment she normally turns her back on the offending person and trots off This is a technique she particularly favours with loud, badly behaved children. Properly respectful children are allowed to approach but are not particularly encouraged. She is of the opinion that children are a very overrated novelty; to be endured rather than enjoyed - unless they have food of course.

However, people that have been properly introduced and treated her with the respect she feels she deserves, become friends for life. Once Winnie decides you are a friend, you will be committed to memory and henceforth be expected to make a huge fuss of her every time you meet. In return she will shower you with kisses and licks and, if you are an especially favoured individual, she will even wag her tail for you - not any easy thing to do for a dog with a curly tail.

When Winnie is out on her walks about town, or any other walk actually, she will constantly be scanning all horizons for signs of friends - dog or human. She quickly learns to associate certain places with certain people if she has met you there more than once. The trouble with this is that she will then expect you to be there and waiting, just in case she should pass that way. Should you not be there, then she will want to hang around and wait for you - just in case you have been unavoidably delayed, which is all very well, unless you happen to be the poor owner of Winnie who is trying to do a morning walk before dashing off to work. Its amazing how difficult it is to remove a determined terrier that has slammed the brakes on and wants to wait for a long lost buddy. It won't surprise you to know that it is often extremely difficult to reason with her in these circumstances - must be the language barrier...

There is one exception to her rule of proper introductions before talking to strangers. Men. Her preference is for young men in their 20's and the taller the better. However, she accepts that a girl cannot afford to be fussy in this day and age, so she is quite likely to accost any unsuspecting male. The embarrassment factor for this one can be huge as I'm sure you can imagine. We can be walking past a cashpoint, or a bus-stop when suddenly she will throw herself at a complete stranger. There have been instances when she has bounced vertically and has unfortunately headbutted the man straight in the crotch! This rarely endears her to her intended object of affection. Luckily though they rarely have the opportunity to hurl abuse as they seem to lose the power of speech. Which is probably just as well, as otherwise Winnie's feelings might be hurt. Just to be on the safe side I have perfected the art of the swift exit with a small confused terrier....