I should know better

Another hard day on the show front, grinding down the motorway in the old white bus, with four excited dogs (and Truly, busy being sick). Another dawn arrival and rush to get dogs ready, brushes and combs flying (and spirit shampoo for Truly). Great expectations....

And great disappointments. The boys showed well and were ignored.

And then there were the girls.

Truly, well recovered, showed well and with style. But she didn`t like the judge. On the table she favoured him with the sort of look one saves for cockroaches or double glazing salesmen. (Papillons are really good at this.) It dared this lowest form of crawling life to inspect her....but she was a lady and would endure it somehow.

In the final line up, as the others stood to attention, Truly decided that her tail needed attention. She sat down and began to chew it. No, she would not stand up. She favoured me with another of her Swedish stares....the totally defiant kind. We glared at each other for a few vital moments - then as she was placed 3rd she posed perfectly - "See, my tail is beautiful now. All it needed was a little chewing." I silently promised her more than a little chewing later.

Allegra hit the ring like a greyhound out of the trap. And the ring smelled wonderful. It had been all too well used by a large breed previously. Large enticing damp stains were everywhere. Her nose was glued to the ground in ecstasy. I hauled at her in vain.

Still, it could be worse. A friend took her hopeful bitch in next, and that lady took one sniff at the ring and indulged in explosive and completely unexpected diarrhoea that went on and on..... At a moment like that there`s nowhere to hide.

We commiserated later. And concluded, as I have always said, that a bitch will do all in her power to let you down.

Truly, la donn`e mobile.