I wasn't the one who wanted a dog. We'd had one many years before, and it broke our hearts when she had to be put down due to illness. But when my hubby showed me a picture of this little ball of fur (Suzie is a Toy Poodle), the first hurdle was over!
We visited her and brought her home the same day. Immediately, I was under her thumb. Suzie spends most of her days with 'Dad' and greets me as though I've been away for months, not hours. She likes her walks and playing with her ball over the big fields. She loves helping around the garden and sitting on her dad's lap for a snooze and sunbathe.
She makes home life that little bit sweeter for us all
She's with me most evenings – it's almost like we’re tied together by two feet of invisible string. We play with her favourite doughnut toy, and I've found myself reading my book out loud as if she's listening! She sleeps in her upstairs bed on the floor next to me. I always have to say ‘night night’, or she won't settle down.
She also sits in front of me, does a little wave of her paws and 'talks' when she wants attention. Suzie’s a little ball of fur that makes home life that little bit sweeter for us all.
Fynn is our sailing buddy. As a Labrador, he delights in all forms of water!
He splashes through the waves
Since he was a puppy he has come on board with us on our dinghy, and has always enjoyed every moment of it. We love his company as he splashes through the waves, trying his hardest to catch flotsam and jetsam and make other water users smile.
His company is somewhat less enjoyable in our canoe due to his excited dashes from side to side in order to look over into the water. He is indeed a water dog through and through, and a sail would not be the same without him!
Five years ago, I brought my French Bulldog Albus home. I remember spending hours searching on the internet ‘how do I know if my Frenchie is happy?’, because he always looked so grumpy!
He always looked so grumpy!
I’ve come to the conclusion that he just has one of those faces. Over the years, he’s been by my side through some really tough times, and he’s definitely helped me to get through them all. He follows me around when I'm anxious, which reminds me to sit down and take a breather. Albus always gives the perfect cuddles and loves a smooch or two.
It’s become pretty clear that Albus is happiest when I’m happy – or when we leave him home alone and he’s free to snooze on the sofa!
Rocky is our fourth rescue dog. He is extremely mild-mannered and is friendly to every person and other dog he meets. He’s also very particular, and likes to go on a walk with each member of our family individually – which in fairness, has been a blessing in disguise during these lockdown months.
We live right beside a park – which he loves – but he has a mind of his own when it comes to which route we take to get there. Some days, he’ll go straight to the park and on others, he’ll lead us on a wild goose chase before we eventually get there.
Likes to go on walks with each of us individually
He loves to lie on the floor and have one of us lie down beside him and stroke him gently. He’s also very smart, and always knows what time of day it is – we think it’s so he can remind us that it’s time for his next walk!
With Rocky around, you’ll never be bored or miserable. He’s really made our house a home.
We have sheep, so we decided to get a Border Collie to help us with rounding them up. Pip is brilliant at that and really loves her work.
I do a lot of hiking and have always wanted to walk Hadrian's Wall, which stretches across England. Last September, Pip and I booked our ferry from Ireland and we stayed in hikers' hotels all along the trail. Pip was welcome everywhere – in all the hotels, pubs, and even on the ramblers' bus which would take us to the nearest town each afternoon for supplies. At the end of our trip, we got to Newcastle and took the train back to Carlisle to get the car. All along the trail, people asked me ‘How are you doing this on your own?’, and I told them that I’m never on my own when I have Pip by my side.
I’m never on my own when I have Pip
Thanks to my furry companion, I enjoyed my holiday all the more, and it just wouldn’t have been the same without her.
Clyde is 12 years old, but he’s been part of our family ever since he was a little ball of fur. My dad passed away nearly 2 years ago now, and Clyde has been the most loyal and loving companion for my mum. I don’t know what she’d do without him.
He loves the rain, playing with his favourite ball and eating yummy snacks. He has arthritis in his legs and so he falls down sometimes, but while his body may be getting old, he still has the mind of a puppy. He’s constantly wagging his tail and ready to play, he’s such a happy boy.
He’s such a happy boy
Clyde enjoys nothing more than stealing your spot on the sofa as soon as you get up. If you leave even for a second, he’ll be lying there waiting for you when you come back. He’s also not keen on getting his photo taken, though he’s really photogenic, and we all utterly adore him. I think he still has the same puppy dog eyes we fell in love with all those years ago.