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Meet Thistle. She is a 9-year-old Border Terrier. Her very unusual name has been inspired by the Scottish origins of the breed, thistle being the symbol of Scotland. I met her today in Islington, as she was walking with her owner.Thistle was placid and relaxed as she happily accepted several treats from me. In fact, for a moment she seemed a little too calm and collected for a terrier, as they are known as a gutsy and determined dogs. She was very charming, with great manners as she sat down nicely to get a treat, and a friendly little face.Thistle's serenity ended in front of my very eyes as Tigger, Richmond Avenue's resident cat, appeared from around a corner. She cheekily paraded in front of Thistle, who, true to her terrier character, uttered a shrill bark. Fortunately, Tigger decided to take refuge underneath a nearby car, so the high-noon style confrontation was averted, while Thistle looked on with a great deal of concern and determination on her little face, as you can see on the photo above. Border Terriers are a working and hunting breed, originally bred for flushing out foxes and catching vermin. They first appeared in the 19th century in the Scottish Borders area, hence the name. Like all terriers, they are very intelligent, alert and independently minded dogs. They are also very affectionate, adaptable and relatively easy-going, so make a great pet, both in the country and in town.
See other London terriers: Chloe, Kaiser, Jack, Dillon and Miss Piggy
More about Border Terrier: The Border Terrier Club of Great Britain
Meet Oscar. He is an 8-month-old Dogue de Bordeaux, also known as a French Mastiff.I met him today on my way back from work and he immediately caught my eye from across the road, thanks to his formidable size and striking copper-coloured coat gleaming in the sun. He is a stunning dog, with beautiful green eyes and a wonderfully athletic phisique. His owner told me that Oscar can be very stubborn, and I was to experience that. He steadfastly refused to pose and, each time I tried to catch him facing me, he'd turn his magnificent head or, as you can see on the bottom picture, stick his tongue out. In the end, I managed to take a couple of photos that show what a beautiful dog he is.Oscar was rather timid and shy, which was very endearing and showed that, despite his majestic looks, he is still a puppy, just a very large one!Dogue de Bordeaux is an ancient French breed. Some believe its lineage can be traced back to the medieval Alaunt breed, which was used for hunting, herding, guarding and bear- and bull-baiting. Dogues are a calm and collected breed, with a strong sense of self, so they need a firm and patient owner.More about Dogue de Bordeaux: Dogue de Bordeaux Club of Great Britain
Meet Conan - not the Barbarian warrior played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the film of the same name, but a 5-month-old lurcher from Islington.Conan is adorable and bouncingly happy, like all puppies, yet he already betrays that delicate and languid lurcher charm.For such a young dog, he showed great manners, and the moment he saw a treat in my hand he dutifully extended his slender paw to me as if to say: "I know that game. Here's my paw, now you give me that treat."He was to get several more, as I was completely won over by his fabulously good looks and great personality. His owner told me that, like all puppies, Conan loves food, walks and chewing things; a TV remote control and a couple of credit cards being his latest victims. One cannot help thinking that "less telly and shopping, more walks" could have been Conan's inspiration for this act of destruction. I strongly suspect that Conan was quickly forgiven for his chewing crimes, as he is so impossibly cute and charming.To read more about lurchers and greyhounds, please see another lurcher, called MacPherson, and a greyhound called Alfie.
This is Jess. She is an 11-year-old Border Collie I met today in Thornhill Square in Islington.Jess wasn't too keen on posing at first. As she circled around me with the typical gait of a Border Collie, I could not help but feel that I was being herded, which is not surprising as Collies are sheep dogs with a strong herding instinct. I decided that one way I could persuade her to strike a pose was to use the secret weapon - the treat. Jess decided that it was worth it, and sat down just for long enough for me to take a couple of photos. Jess is a lovely, charmingly coy girl whose timidity and gentleness is incredibly endearing. She trotted around me, nudging for a treat but shied away from camera. I could not get her to pose looking straight at the camera for love or money (or treats), so you are here treated to Jess's beautiful profile. Border Collies are an old British herding breed made famous by the Hollywood film Babe, which is about a sheep herding piglet whose adoptive mother was Fly, a Border Collie. They are extremely intelligent, energetic and have an instinctive desire to work. You will often see Collies in agility, herding and obedience trials. They need a lot of exercise and attention, otherwise they become bored and unhappy. More about Border Collies: Border Collie Trust of Great Britain
I meet Lucy in the crowded London Bridge tube station on Friday. As people were rushing to start the weekend, Lucy sat unfazed and completely indifferent to the crowds buzzing around her. Most dogs don't like to be in a crowd and will turn to their owner for guidance and protection. This time it is the other way around. Lucy has a job to do, and an important one, so she remains focussed and calm at all times. She is a guide dog to Christina, who is visually impaired and needs Lucy to help her in every day life. Lucy is a 5-year-old labrador retriever. She is a beautiful girl, with a friendly face and kind and thoughtful eyes. She is an experienced guide dog and has been with Christina for 3 years now. She loves long walks and Schmackos dog treats. I tested the latter, and I can confirm that she indeed is a great fan of them. She wolfed down three Schmackos while staring at me intently, although she was looking at Christina out of the corner of her eye to make sure that her owner was OK. Lucy shares her name, breed and job with probably the most famous guide dog in the UK. Lucy, a black Labrador, was the guide dog to the former Home Secretary David Blunkett and featured in the media quite a lot, whilst on duty with her owner.Labradors are very intelligent and eager to please, which makes them ideal for training as a guide dog. Guide Dogs For The Blind Association is an organisation that trains puppies to become guide dogs. It takes around 18 months to train a puppy, and another several months training with the future owner to make sure that the dog and the owner can communicate effectively. They work for about 7 years before retiring and being replaced with a newly trained dog. This means that a lot of new dogs need to be trained up every year. You can help by sponsoring a puppy at GDBA.Special thanks to Christina for chatting to me and letting me take photos of Lucy. I only spoke to Christina as I saw her waiting with Lucy seated by her legs. Never talk or offer food to a guide dog who is working. They have a job to do and should not be distracted, no matter how cute they look.See Bria, a Labrador Retriever I met in Hyde Park Corner.
More about Labradors Retrievers: Midland Counties Labrador Retriever Club
These two gentlemen are Mika (left), and Dr Dre (right). I met them today in Islington's Farmers' Market.
Mika and Dr Dre are Chihuahuas, a Toy breed made famous by Paris Hilton, the celebrity tartlet who owned a Chihahua called Tinkerbell.
These two fellows, however, could not be further from Tinkerbell, in her doggie couture dresses.
Mika and Dr Dre are two boisterous lads with attitude. In fact, as I was taking this photo, they were busy barking at Miss Piggy. Luckily, Miss Piggy, the sweet-natured Staffordshire Bull Terrier who is the market's regular, didn't pay much attention to the pair of little troublemakers.
They succeeded in getting a lot of attention, with the shoppers stopping by to have a look at the two barking cuties. They know how to do their own PR, that's for sure!
Chihuahuas are an ancient breed, but they first appeared in the form we know them now in Mexico in 1850s in the state of Chihuahua (hence the name). They are a smallest Toy breed in the world and come in two types - short- and long-haired. They are lively and intelligent, as well as deeply and constantly affectionate, so they make wonderful pets.
More about Chihuahuas: The British Chihuahua Club
This is Tuppence, a 2 year old Miniature Pinscher.One word sprang to my mind when I saw her - adorable!Tuppence is so pretty and delicate that one feels a bit clumsy and lumbering when stroking her. She's a playful and happy little dog, with a stunning copper coloured coat and a cute brown nose. Miniature Pinschers are mostly black and tan, so Tuppence is a rare and special little madam.Her owner tells me that Tuppence is the baby of the family and loves cuddles. I am sure she is getting plenty of those - I was very tempted to cuddle her myself!She made me think about Chloe - the English Toy Terrier who lives in the neighbourhood.Miniature Pinschers are a German breed, originally bred to catch rats and mice. That means that, despite being classified as Toy breed, they are actually more like terriers in their character - alert, inquisitive and high spirited. More about Miniature Pinscher: Miniature Pinscher Club of Great Britain
Meet my favourite dog. My second favourite dog, to be exact, after my dachshund Kevin.He's sleek, blonde, stylish and a true Londoner, just like his namesake in the film Alfie with Michael Caine, a cult classic from the Sixties. Alfie is a greyhound, and a beautiful one too. He never raced and has been with his owner since he was bought from a man in the street six years ago as a little puppy. He lives in my neighbourhood and I am always on the lookout for him when I pass his house, as it is such a pleasure to meet him.He has that lovely gentle, yet a little cheeky, personality that makes him very special. Note his beautiful eyes - thoughtful and kind but with a sparkle of mischief. Alfie is so charming that everybody in the neighbourhood knows him and stops to say hello when he is waiting for his owner outside the supermarket, or when he is having his daily run around the park. The sad news is that Alfie is leaving Islington in a couple of weeks. His owner is moving out and Alfie will go with him. I will miss Alfie very much but I know that he is such a wonderful dog that he'll do well wherever he goes. Good luck, Alfie!Please see MacPherson, a lovely lurcher, also from Islington.To support Greyhound Rescue or re-home a greyhound click on the names to go to the web page:Tia Greyhound Rescue Greyhounds In Need Greyhound and Lurcher Rescue Greyhound Rescues Directory
Greyhound Rescue Wales
I met Dillon in Green Park during his lunch break. Yes, a lunch break, as Dillon is a working dog. He comes to the office every day with his owner. Actually, he rides on the back of a scooter. A dog doesn't get any more cosmopolitan than that! The only difference is that, as we eat our sandwiches, Dillon does a bit of squirrel chasing in the park. Dillon is an 11-year-old rough coat Jack Russell terrier. He is a plucky little lad, with a charming and expressive face. Jack Russells are known for their capacity for learning fast and Dillon was no exception. It took him seconds to work out that sitting down and posing nicely meant getting treats. He wolfed down a couple before settling down to look all cute and smart. It was a pleasure to meet Dillon and, as I walked away, I thought that it would be great if he could be in my office too! The Jack Russell is one of the most popular breeds in the UK. The Jack Russell face, with its characteristic patch of colour on the eye, and a neat little posture, is integral part of the image of Britain, as seen here on this Edwardian painting by Arthur Wardle. Bred for hunting, Jack Russells are highly intelligent, determined, bold and energetic, which means that they need a lot of exercise and attention. More about Jack Russell: Jack Russell Club of Great Britain
