ANTHONY LINICK LIFE AMONG THE DOG PEOPLE OF PADDINGTON REC. VOL XI The Paws That Refresh Us Life Among The Dog People of Paddington Rec. Volume XI Anthony Linick Introduction The same day that we returned after two months in California – having decided that we would not be moving back to the States at the beginning of our retirement – my wife Dorothy and I took our property off the market … and ordered a puppy. Fritz the Schnauzer arrived a few weeks later and by the end of June, 2003, we had entered that unique society of dog owners who people London’s Paddington Recreation Ground. The society in which we were now to take our place remains a unique one, an ever-changing kaleidoscope of dogs and their owners. The dogs represent most of the popular breeds and many of the mutt-like mixtures – and so do their accompanying humans, who come from diverse nationalities and from many walks of life: professionals and job seekers, young and old, family members and loners. They are united by their love of dogs, and on the central green of the park, on its walkways and at the café where they gather after exercising their animals, they often let this affection for dogs carry them into friendships that transcend park life and involve many of them in additional social activities. Fritz had been a member of the pack for about a year when I decided to keep a daily record of his antics and the folkways of the rest of the crew, human and canine. I have done so ever since. I reasoned that not only would this furnish us with an insight into the relationship of man and beast but that it would also provide a glimpse into London life. Such a life, we know, is full of struggles and tensions and these were certainly reflected in the chronicles that followed. I have tried to make this record a candid and accurate one. Had any dog ever received as much dedicated attention as my Fritz? Has any canine society ever received such scrutiny? We turn to the diaries of Samuel Pepys for insights into London life as it was experienced in the latter half of the 17th Century. No wonder some wag has called me The Pepys of Pups – for my project, with its analysis of London life as it was experienced in the first two decades of the 21st Century, is now over fourteen years old. Fritz died in February, 2014, and I spent a good deal of time wondering if I should ever have another dog. I was determined not to forsake the company of all my park pals and thus, even without an animal of my own, I continued to frequent our breakfast table in the Rec – bringing the story of activities witnessed here from June, 2014 through May, 2015. As for any decision on a new dog, well, readers will just have to plunge into this chronicle to find out. I must thank all of those who provided photographs for this project, the staff and management of the Rec itself, and my sister- in-law, Naomi, who assisted in editing. Special thanks go to “London Janet,” Daisy-Mae’s mom, for designing the cover of Volume XI. I published the first four volumes of “Life Among The Dog People of Paddington Rec” in a traditional print format and these are all still available either directly from the publisher at Authorhouse. com or Authorhouse.co.uk or from Amazon.co.uk, from Amazon. com or from any of the other online booksellers. These include: Volume I: Strictly Come Barking, published in 2008 and covering the years 2004-2005. Volume II: Have I Got Dogs For You!, published in 2010 and covering the years 2005-2006. Volume III: DSI: Dog Scene Investigation, published in 2011 and covering the years 2006-2007. Volume IV: A Doggy Day in London Town, published in 2012 and covering the years 2007-2008. In 2013, with Volume V, however, I was able to switch to a new publication format, making Invasion of The Biscuit Snatchers (covering the years 2008-2009) available in e-book format, free for all who want to follow this story by going to my website: anthonylinick.com. Click here. Volume VI, My Dog’s Breakfast, covering the years 2009-2010, was published in 2014 and is available at anthonylinick.com. Click here. Volume VII, covering the years 2010-2011 is called The Great British Bark Off. It was published in 2015 and you will ind it too on my website, anthonylinick.com. To download, click here. Volume VIII, “And Your Little Dog, Too,” published in 2016, covers the years 2011-2012. You will ind it too on my website, anthonylinick.com. To download, click here. Volume IX, The Dogshank Redemption, published in 2017, covers the years 2012-2013. You will ind it as well on my website, anthonylinick.com. To download, click here. Volume X, Dog Day Aftermath, covers the years 2013-2014. You will ind it now on my website, anthonylinick.com. To download, click here. Volume XI, The Paws That Refresh Us, is the present offering and it covers the years 2014-2015. You will ind it now on my website, anthonylinick.com. To download, click here. “The Paws That Refresh Us” Life Among the Dog People of Paddington Rec, Volume XI By Anthony Linick Chapter 1—June, 2014 Winnie, queen of the park, surveys her realm. “The Paws That Refresh Us” Thursday, June 5: I make my first visit to the park at 9:30 on a bright June morning, one of those days whose temperature is still cool enough to require the use of my leather jacket. It is the start of the eleventh year in which I have maintained a journal of life among the dog people of Paddington Rec but much has changed since I began work on the tenth volume – notably the loss of my own dear pet, Fritz, who died in February. I have discovered that even without a dog of my own there is still much enjoyment in the society of the other park canines – and, of course, that of their owners. I have not visited them at our usual outdoor table at the park’s café in some time – not only because of my recent trip to Ireland (one that ended in a rash of injuries after a series of falls on only our third day on the Kerry Way) but because the injuries themselves have very severely limited my mobility. Even today, when I am wearing braces on my sprained right ankle and twisted right knee, I make only slow progress; at least it doesn’t hurt my injured right shoulder to press down heavily on the walking stick that I use to assist me in my navigation. I am welcomed back with a gratifying enthusiasm when I sit down with my coffee a few minutes later – welcomed back by both dogs and humans. Our group this morning includes Ellie, Peter, Ofra, Janet, Georgie, Davide and Makiko and there is no better way of inaugurating a new chapter in our lives than to announce that Makiko, after many false starts, is pregnant! It is an outcome that has preoccupied our behind-the-scenes conversations for years and everyone is delighted by the news. Makiko, whose baby is due in October, already shows signs of this great change in her life and, not surprisingly, childbirth now dominates the breakfast conversation with Ellie, Ofra and Georgie each sharing tales of their own experiences with this moment. I won’t say that any of these women had a particularly harrowing delivery but pretty soon the horror stories start to multiply and I have to interrupt, “For god’s sake, you’re scaring Makiko!” The dogs are also acting badly – rushing the fences to bark at any other moving object. Perhaps I am to blame here for I have brought no treats with me today and it is very hard to convince Ofra’s Bailey, the King Charles Spaniel, or Georgie’s Yorkie, 1 “The Paws That Refresh Us” Sparkie, or Davide’s Pug, Winnie, that I am not holding out on them. For some reason even Makiko’s Pug, Emilio, shows up for a treat today. Disappointed in this effort he has to turn his attention to barking out warnings over the presence of Janet’s Shih-Tzu, Daisy-Mae, whom he considers his great enemy. Daisy-Mae makes no demands on my biscuit bag today and the same is true for that other lapdog, Ellie’s Cockapoo, Teddy. I note that Peter, to whom I pass on my £2 for this weekend’s turf action, is today not in charge of the little white Poodle, Bobby, for whom he often provides daycare. My former colleague Suzanne comes in now with her Springer Spaniel, Sunny, and she questions Peter about Bobby’s fate – and from this I learn for the first time that, in my absence, the little fellow has died – presumably after getting a faulty injection from a night nurse at the vet’s. Peter, getting up to leave with the others, says that Bobby’s owner, Jackie, is in bits. I remain behind to talk to Suzanne – who then accompanies me on a slow walk to Maida Vale Parade. I can’t help reflect on the unhappy toll of dog deaths that has disfigured our scene in the last few months – for in less than a year we have lost T-Bone, Yoyo, Fritz, Sweep, Suki and now Bobby.