Dog and the City

As I nipped out of the office for a breath of fresh air, I spotted a beautiful black labrador sitting outside a cafe next door cafe, staring intently at the entrance of the local Marks & Spencers. I assumed that she must have been waiting for someone and I decided to keep her company. She was distractedly accepting my stroking her and, despite me whispering assurances into her silky ear, she would not be persuaded to take her eyes off the door. I was shortly joined by an Italian gentleman who was watching her too from a nearby table, and was rather taken with her, and a couple of people who stroked her lovely head and complemented her on her good looks. It seemed that Jess was a bit of a hit with the busy City crowd.

Finally, Jess started wagging her tail enthusiastically, and I saw her owner emerging from the shop. Jess is a 4-year-old labrador bitch, and has recently had five lovely puppies. She lives in the country and comes down to London with her owner who works here. She definitely has that country girl freshness about her. Her coat is so amazingly shiny that, even on that dull, rainy day, it had a glow of polished ebony. She was very well behaved and sat down for treats with her intelligent and sweet face staring at me with almost questioningly, as if to say "Do you have any more?".

Her owner tells me that her favourite pastime is chasing rabbits and pheasants across the fields. This, of course, is not surprising, as labradors are a quintessential hunting breed, originally bred to retrieve waterfowl for gun. They have a thick coat and sturdy physique, well suited to swimming in cold water. Labs, as they are also known, are one of most popular breeds in the UK. Intelligent and energetic, with that characteristic happy-go-lucky attitude, they make fabulous pets but need a lot of exercise, as they are a working dog and, without the stimulation and challenge, they get bored and unhappy.

Jess gave me a spring in my step, as I walked away to the hustle and bustle of the office. Come back Jess - we love you in More London Place!

To meet other London labs please visit Bria and a guide dog - Lucy.

The Britpop Dog

I met Jarvis in Islington's Farmer's Market on Sunday.

Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed to go inside the market, as, with all the meat on display, I fear the temptation would be too much to resist.

Thus, I dog-sat Jarvis for a few minutes while his owner nipped out to get some eggs. Jarvis wasn't too happy and kept turning his friendly face, looking out for his owner, so I decided to sweeten the waiting time with some treats. He was very well behaved but wolfed down the treats and turned on a charm offensive, looking at me pleadingly with his beautiful hazel brown eyes. All that, however, was forgotten, when his owner returned, and Jarvis looked at her with such an expression of unbridled love that his whole face lit up instantly. Just look at his expression on this photo - this dog's heart belongs to mummy!

As I looked at him, I was trying to work out what breed could he possibly be, as he seemed to have the coat, markings and the nimble body of a Border Collie combined with the cheerful face of a Cocker Spaniel. His owner arrived just in time to explain that Jarvis was, in fact, a perfect mixture of the two, in more ways then one. He takes the love of chasing and intelligence from a Collie but enthusiasm and affection from his spaniel side, bypassing the less convenient characteristics of both, like the herding instinct of collies and the mad rapturousness of spaniels.

Jarvis was named after Jarvis Cocker, the lead singer of the Britpop band Pulp, which is the perfect name for a mix of two iconic British breeds, and, of course, a nice play on the name of the Cocker spaniel. I must say that he may have none of Jarvis Cocker's trademark gloom about him, but clearly knows how to work the crowd. He is such a friendly dog and almost invites attention with his smiling face. Several people stopped to give him a pat on the head while we were chatting.

It was a pleasure to meet Jarvis. He made a sunny day even brighter with his wonderful personality.

To meet other London spaniels and find out more about the breed, see Poppy, Max and Connor, the Met Police sniffer dogs, and Monkey, a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel.

To find out more about Border Collies, see Jess.

Pugalicious!

Let me introduce you to a little pug called Sidney, officially the cutest puppy in London. I met Sidney on my way to work one morning and, as I saw him trotting along the pavement, looking absolutely tiny, I immediately approached his owner for a chat. He is only 14 weeks old but his plucky personality already shines through. His adorable little face bears a constant expression of inquisitiveness. Being still a toddler in dog terms, Sidney has a lot to learn and he takes to his task with a admirable gusto. He first sniffed at my feet, then jumped up, then, when I kneeled down he took to gently trying his baby teeth on my hands. He is such a little bundle of joy, that I could not help but pick him up and give him a cuddle and kiss.

It seems that he was born with the outgoing personality of an intrepid explorer. His owner tells me that, when it came to choosing a pup, she wanted a pug bitch, but once she arrived to see the pups, Sidney climbed out of the dog bed and bounded over towards her. No wonder that, once the owner saw Sidney's loveable face, she fell for him head over heels and he was pronounced 'the one'.

Apparently, Sidney is always on the go, exploring the world for a whole day, so, by early evening, he suddenly drops off to sleep on the sofa.

Sidney is such a little charmer that I found it difficult to leave him and go to work. As I live in the neighbourhood, I am hoping to see much more of Sidney, and see him grow from a cute pup into a fabulous dog!


To find out more about Pugs meet Darcy and Oscar - a pair of Islington pugs.

To see a new hybrid breed of a beagle and a pug see Barney the Puggle.

The Samurai Prince

Meet Blade, a 2-year-old Japanese Akita. He is such a strikingly beautiful dog that, when I spotted him running around a park near King's Cross, I immediately decided to introduce myself.

Despite his formidable looks and an impressive size (similar to an Alsatian but bulkier), Blade is extremely friendly, with his big, fluffy, bear-like face and kind, intelligent eyes. Large and muscular, beautifully proportioned, with the characteristic red fawn and black coat with spots of white, he is a truly fine example of his breed. Blade's owner clearly adores him and, in return, he is fabulously well behaved, responding immediately to her commands and, when offered a treat, extending his paw and sitting down nicely. The owner also tells me that Blade is great with children: patient, loving and affectionate and he even lets the little ones ride him like a horse!

The owners had air conditioning installed in their living room to help Blade keep cool, as his thick coat can be a bit much in the summer. He is clearly loved and pampered dog, his good manners, gentle character and wonderfully good looks being a testimony of their dedication to him.

Akitas are an ancient Japanese breed, originally bred for hunting, later briefly for dog fighting. Their temperament has changed over centuries and Akitas are now mostly very calm and laid-back in character. Akitas do have a stubborn streak in them, so they need a firm and patient owner but, providing they have the right upbringing, they make great family pets, just like Blade.

To find out more about Akitas, and to help re-home Akita in need please visit The Akita Rescue

The Cheeky Monkey

Meet Monkey, a fabulous King Charles Cavalier. I met Monkey today in Borough Market. I spotted him straight away as he was such a lively and vivacious dog.

Monkey is one and a half years old and he still has that fresh and happy air of a puppy about him. When I approached him, he seemed rather unhappy, whimpering gently with his big, brown eyes full of sadness. Monkey is the most friendly and sociable dog you can imagine, so when one of his pack leaves, he gets a bit upset. It turned out that the owner's friend has just gone away to get some coffee and Monkey, the soppy lad that he is, was missing him! I immediately offered some dog therapy by a way of treats but our sad Monkey wasn't at all interested. This photo, shows him, looking out, with a longing expression on his cute face. It was amazing to see what a friend's return does for a dog. Monkey was so happy that he kept jumping up and wagging his silky tail, utterly transformed.

Monkey is the friendliest of dogs, an absolute darling. He has one weakness though - cheese. He is not allowed it though, so he gets it by sneaking and making sure that no one is looking when he is at it. He has a companion, his best friend, who is another King Charles Cavalier, whom he adores.

It was such a pleasure to meet Monkey - he is such a charming and loving dog.

The King Charles Cavalier is an interesting breed. They are a toy breed off-shoot from spaniels, one of the oldest English hunting breeds. They were named after Charles II who, legend has it, had a fabulous head of hair, soft as spaniel's ear. They come in three varieties, Blenheim, tricolour, and ruby, which is the rarest and, incidentally, our Monkey's colour. They even feature in a famous Van Dyck's painting, The Three Oldest Children of Charles I. Cavaliers are extremely affectionate, loving and dedicated to their owners, so do not like being left alone, just like Monkey!


To find out more about Cavaliers, visit The King Charles Cavalier Club