There are countless blogs out there about London. London life, London buildings, London fashion. This one is about dogs. And there are so many of them: majestic bulldogs, gutsy terriers, happy labradors, dizzy spaniels, plucky dachshunds, delicate greyhounds and many others. As they walk, run, trot, stroll, bark, growl and play in famous London parks and along London streets, they give the city another, canine dimension. London dogs make the very special city even more special.
Meet Rusty. I have been seeing Rusty in the neighbourhood for a while now. Dapper in his raincoat, with an inquisitive little face, Rusty is a real character. He is not afraid to speak his mind either. The very first time my Dachshund Kevin decided to open his perfectly shaped muzzle to indulge in a bit of doggie argie-bargie, Rusty did not hold back and barked back feistily. I must say that, for once, Kevin was lost for words.
Rusty gets his unusual looks from his Cairn and West Highland Terrier parents. The bat-like ears and greyish black rough coat come from the Cairn Terrier, whilst his stocky, compact body and white socks and tie are the markings of a West Highland Terrier.
It's hard to believe, but Rusty is 7 years of age. He may be Rusty by name but definitely not by nature. He is so lively and full of beans that you would be justified in thinking that he was a puppy.
Despite jumping up to me to say hello, he refused the treat (unheard of!) and kept on barking excitedly. I only managed to get one photo of him with his mouth closed and, fortunately, it was a good one. Just look at these ears and his sparkling intelligent black eyes! He is a lad with attitude, that's for sure!
The Cairn terrier is an old Scottish breed from the Isle of Skye. The name comes from a Scottish word 'cairn', meaning rock. Cairns are lively, intelligent and strong-willed, so need a consistent and firm owner. Interestingly, Toto, the little dog from The Wizard of Oz was a Cairn terrier.
This is Heidi. This minuscule lady is a miniature long-haired Dachshund and she immediately got my attention, as I am also a Dachshund owner. In fact, Kevin, my Dachshund and the original London Dog, is the co-editor of this blog.
Heidi's owner told me that she was fast asleep and had to be woken up for her afternoon walk, and you could tell that at the tender age of 13, Heidi likes her sleep. Trotting daintily in the afternoon sun, with her russet-coloured coat gleaming, she was standing with her eyes half closed basking in the sun rays. She cheered up once we started stroking her. First, she let me pet her and then she trotted over to my husband so he could benefit from the very special Dachshund therapy. Dachshunds, you see, always make sure to get the maximum attention from all available sources. She also likes playing with her teddies and being cuddled, just like Kevin!
She did not want to have her photo taken, so I had to bribe her with a treat. Even after that, Heidi kept turning away her cute little face. I managed to snap her in the end, sitting in her owner's arms, with her eyes half closed, trying to keep out the sun.
Heidi moved to London all the way from Middlesborough and it seems that she settled in just fine. After we said goodbye to her, we watched her owner take her to a little green across the road. As she waited patiently on the side of the road, a car stopped especially for her and Heidi crossed the road slowly. It seems that even the famously impatient London drivers fall under Heidi's gentle spell.
It was a real pleasure to meet Heidi, as she is such a sweet-natured, affectionate dog. To meet another Dachshund and find out a bit more about them, visit Oscar.
