Friendly

If you type, "owners who look like their dogs" into Google, the results are hilarious but I'm much more interested in the link between the personality of the dog and its owner. I meet a lady with a spaniel that rolls over and shows you its undercarriage as soon as it sees you. I used to wonder if this lady was a closet raver; a bit of a floozie with a mania for showing her bits off to strangers.  However, as I have bumped into her more often I have noticed that she is always complaining about how everyone at work takes advantage of her. I would like to tell her that she needs to stop rolling over and showing them her belly but I don't converse much past yes and no in the morning. How your dog behaves can tell you an awful lot about yourself and sometimes what it tells you really is awful.

When I'm out with my dog, the question I'm asked most often is, "Is he friendly?" to which I want to answer, "Not very." I know that they are actually asking if he bites, which he doesn't but I can't say that he's friendly either. Oh, don't get me wrong, he does an excellent job of pretending to be friendly. He runs up to people and other dogs, wagging his tail and smiling (honestly my dog does smile - a lot)  He looks cute, like a teddy bear, with his appealing black eyes. He might even show how clever he is by going into a perfect sit and stare lovingly into the eyes of the other dog or person. However, that is the limit to his friendliness. He is an expert at dodging a stroke or avoiding another dog's attempts at play. He is particularly keen on old men, who he will run across a field to look cute for, take a treat and avoid a pat from. Quite often he will drop the treat after he has taken it. 

I'm just like this, without the bizarre attraction to old men.

I don't go for after work drinks, although I have been known to say that I'll meet people there and not turn up. If I do go then I'm usually the first to leave (which is genuinely because I have to be somewhere else) or I sit watching people have a good time, not really joining in. I've noticed that people have stopped inviting me and I can't really blame them.

Even at home the dog is getting quite anti social. He will sit in the dining room, under the table, all alone wondering why no one has come to find him.

Maybe it's time, now that the school holidays have arrived to stop pretending to be friendly and actually go out and meet people or I could just join the dog under the table.

No you can't join me.  Go away and find your own spot! Pthhhhllllll!