As the time since losing Kev passes, the pain receds a little. Towards the end of the year we hope to adopt another dog -or possibly two dogs. The owner of Primrose, the Standard Poodle who came from Australia, has noticed an interesting trend among local dog owners. Helen finds that, for Arundel dog owners, a rescue dog has a certain cachet.  Buying from a breeder is not seen as the best option, and some people actually frown on the idea.  This must be music to the ears of animal rescue charities.  They have been urging us for years to look at all the unwanted dogs first, rather than encourage puppy farming.  We are only one small town of admittedly middle class dog lovers, but at least the message is getting through.  Older dogs are the other neglected group, as they are often passed over in favour of puppies.  When we adopted Kev, his age was estimated at nine. We had nearly four rewarding years with him, and given the chance we would do it all over again.   Our beautiful dog was slim and handsome, with a fantastic coat. He always helped me avoid eating too much as half my snacks always reached his stomach.  This is a great alternative to an appetite suppressant, and helped me keep my weight down. That is just one more advantage to having a dog.

Until we can adopt another rescue dog, we are looking after friends’ dogs occasiionally if they go on holiday or to weddings. The latest guest is Primrose, shown here in the photo. She is an 11-year old Standard Poodle, a statuesque lady who was actually born in Australia. She came all the way to Sussex last year when her family returned to the UK. Like many older dogs, she is not very playful, but she enjoys walking on the beach and unlike Kevin, she likes going in the sea. Primrose was welcomed to her holiday home with a large juicy lamb bone, to overcome any homesickness.

She really enjoys walking on grass when answering a call of nature, requiring careful choice of
Dansko professional footwear on my part.

Here is a funny picture from President Obama’s visit to Buckingham Palace. The president came to London with a huge convoy of cars to carry him and his advisers around - plenty of tyres for a dog to pee against, then…. But yesterday the presidential car was parked in the wrong spot at Buck house. It was blocking the route that the Queen’s Corgi use to for their afternoon walk. One of the courtiers, leading four of the Queen’s Corgis, called President Obama’s driver to move the reinforced Cadillac when he found it was blocking the garden entrance. Nice to know the dogs were not forgotten in all the fuss.

The Queen has always had Corgis as pets, but they are not such a popular breed now in the UK as they were some years ago. They are an example of dogs that have been bred with very short legs and a tendency to gain weight. I hope the new Kennel Club rules will help put an end to this practice: for the dogs already suffering, perhaps there will soon be a diet pill that works to make their lives more comfortable.

And what kind of dog will soon be frolicking on the South Lawn? Mrs. Obama says the family is looking for a rescue Portuguese water dog who is “old enough” and a “match” for the family dynamic. I suppose the first trick a Water dog should learn is how to turn on a tap, as long as it isn’t a shower faucet.

“Temperamentally they’re supposed to be pretty good,” she says of the breed that Sen. Ted Kennedy has also lobbied for (he has two Water dogs of his own). “From the size perspective, they’re sort of middle of the road – it’s not small, but it’s not a huge dog. And the folks that we know who own them have raved about them. So that’s where we’re leaning.”

The name is still the subject of family discussion, with some strong backing for personal choices. But they are not revealing very much - apparently Frank was one dog name that had some backing. Over here in the UK, naming your dog with a ‘human’ name is quite popular. Our dog, of course, was named Kevin, and my brother’s dog is called Charlie. Kevin had canine friends including Louis, Jack, Toby Gracie and Lola - obviously Lola’s family are fans of the Kinks! I hope the Obamas will choose a name they love: maybe Jumble, like the beloved pet of William Brown in the Just William books.

A dog breed that I have always found attractive and amiable is the Cocker Spaniel, My brother had a Cocker Spaniel crossbreed and this dog - Charlie - was a fantastic, energetic pet. There were problems with his socialisation, though: he was apt to snap at children, especially if they passed by his front gate.  I also met a Cocker Spaniel owner whose black Cocker puppy bit her in an unprovoked attack!  So I was surprised to see the breed described as follows:

• Conveniently sized and athletic
• Has a pretty feathered coat in a variety of colors
• Is lively and playful, with a tail-wagging nature
• Is usually polite with everyone
• Is peaceful with other pets

For me, the jury is out on their expected temperament. This is also a breed that sheds fur excessively, and I do not want to take on a dog that moults fur again. there is also a health insurance lead concern with this breed - they suffer from serious eye problems.

The Welsh Terrier is another breed of dog that I am considering for adoption. They are handsome black and tan dogs with a wiry coat, and a life expectancy of up to 12 years. The look of this breed is quite similar to the Wire Haired Fox Terrier, but the Welsh Terrier has a slightly more placid temperament. They are more easily trained to socialise well with other dogs, and can learn to refrain from chasing everything that moves! Welsh Terriers do not need excessive grooming, although clipping a few times a year will help keep their handsome lines. In appearance they are a kind of compact form of the Airedale Terrier, which is a breed that I would find too large.

There are no particular health problems associated with the Welsh Terrier breed. They are all round good performance parts, in fact. There are fewer Welsh Terriers available from the dog rescue charities around here but I remain hopeful.

Welsh Terrier Club Rescue
Mr T Spencer, Wakefield, Yorks. Tel: 01924 210517