CHARLIE 2013
I know there is a new dog coming, he is out there, I just have to find him. I have been dreaming about him for some time, a sleek, long-limbed, red-coloured hound. I wake one spring morning with a strong desire to look for him. The internet has arrived bringing with it the new experience of searching for a pup online. Finding a littler of Lurcher pups not too far away, I make the call. A litter of 6, and yes, one of them is a red male! They are all gorgeous when I meet them later that day, playfully romping around the large garden of the family’s home. Born on the anniversary of losing Meg in the run-up to Crufts, he is ready to come home with us on the anniversary of Wolfie’s pups being born in early May. He was definitely meant to be my dog!
After 6 girls, he is my first boy dog. Wolfie is indifferent to the new arrival, whereas Molly is less welcoming. She forces him to hide amongst the garden bushes and grumbles if he gets too close. As with all the pups, he comes out on walks snuggled inside the front of my hoodie, head peeking out of the top. I love these first weeks with a new pup, all the cuddles… just so cute.
He grows into a sleek, muscular, handsome dog. Other walkers stop to comment and ask about his breed. He is very striking and so friendly. He places his head next to your leg, waiting for your hand to ruffle his neck fur and stroke his soft back. As if to say “Come on… just here behind the ears… because you know we will both enjoy it” in a deep soft voice.
His favourite game is to spin around in circles trying to catch his tail, outside in the middle of the lawn when no one is looking. During the house renovations, each new floor covering, wood, tiles or carpet, he would go and give it a whirl and do his little tail-catching dance to test it out, so sweet.
Alert sighthound, he’s constantly scanning for movement, taking cues from Molly Spaniel as she whips through the undergrowth. As something catches his eye, he reaches top speed in seconds, a blur of brown, thundering across open ground like a horse. Springing up with his powerful hind leg muscles, clearing a high fence from standing, never fails to impress me. My concern is a possible injury in these moments, usually returning with nothing more than a few scratches. Until one day he has an argument with a barbed wire fence. A high-pitched yelp tells me instantly there’s a problem, and he returns with his tail end almost severed. Thankful it’s not a leg or an eye, it takes several weeks for the wound to heal. We have to get used to this new-look Charlie, and for him, his tail-chasing dance has got significantly harder!
We have always had dogs that steal, snaffling food within reach if left unattended. Charlie’s long legs take this activity to a whole new level. He can reach almost any surface in the kitchen, his eagle-eye misses nothing… It is impossible to remember to put things well out of reach. I have lost count of the number of times he has taken advantage in a moment of distraction! Whole loaves of bread vanish with almost no time to chew. Jaws opening wide, down it goes, swallowed whole, like a snake.
Charlie likes his comforts. Once walked and fed he will settle in the most comfortable place he can find and just snooze. He can be a bit of a diva, with an air of self-importance. Always choosing the softest bed, or a cheeky lie on the sofa if no one is looking. If he feels his routine is being overlooked then the whining begins, showing his displeasure at being ‘neglected’. During a photo session to create some lifestyle shots for the Waggydogz cushion range, I am arranging a selection of cushions across the back of the sofa, when Charlie decides to settle himself amongst them. What Luck! The result is a perfect photo to use in my publicity with the slogan “Charlie says, WaggyDogz cushions are soooo comfortable”.
Lurchers like company. He has a need to bond and be with us, especially with me. Working from my garden studio on my portrait painting is perfect, no need for him to be left alone for long. Out walking, once he has had a bit of forage and a run, he falls into step, just behind me. I love him for doing this, showing his complete devotion and trust to just follow me, wandering across the countryside together.
“WaggyDogz cushions are sooo comfortable”
Charlie the lurcher, 2014