Meet Hank - a Woodle. A Woodle, you ask? Well, Hank is a cross of a Westie (West Highland Terrier) and a Poodle, hence the name - Woodle.
I met Hank on my way from work on Friday, in Tooley Street, near London Bridge. To be fair, I first spotted his very stylish owner, looking fabulous in a leopard print belted coat and fifties style sunglasses, then Hank, white and fluffy like a snowflake in her arms.
Theoretically, Hank isn't strictly speaking a London dog, as he lives in Brighton. However, seeing as Brighton is also called 'London-by-the sea', as it is as bustling, trendy and cultured as the capital itself, and Hank comes to town quite a lot, he is more than worthy of being a London dog.
Hank got his name from Hank Williams, the country music stalwart, as his owner has a soft spot for country and western music. If you think that Hank is a tough, cowboy dog, you'd be very much mistaken. He is incredibly pretty and dainty, with tiny paws and a beautifully groomed coat. His neat little body, silky soft fur paired with his cute face, with his dark eyes sparkling in his white face, is killer combination.
When I asked Hank's owner about his favourite pastime, she simply said 'loving', and she was clearly telling the truth. When I approached, Hank immediately jumped on my knees and showered me with kisses. He is very affectionate and adores a bit of TLC and attention. His tail, with a little tassel at the end, just kept on going, and his long fluffy ears were up all the time, as I stroked his friendly little face. Hank was not to be outdone by his owner on the style front. He was wearing a lovely red collar with bone shaped studs - the little dandy!
I wanted to make sure that I got a good photo of Hank, so I went to great lengths to keep him sitting and looking at me, including a couple of treats and making shrill noises to the great puzzlement of passers by. I was rewarded with an extra cute pose and lots of kisses goodbye. As I left Hank, I thought that this lovely encounter was a perfect touch to round off a busy week and kick-start the weekend.
Poodles are an old French breed, originally bred for hunting waterfowl, hence the think coat. They are also one of the most instantly recognisable dogs, due to the elaborate cut that their fur is often given, revealing their hind quarters and the fluffy hair on paws, chest and head. However, this is not a necessary part of daily coat maintenance, and a short clip, as seen on Hank, is perfectly sufficient. Poodles are highly intelligent and are used as guide dogs for the visually impaired, especially for children, as their size is more manageable than that of the more common guide dog breed - the Labrador. Affectionate, playful and devoted, Poodles make perfect pets, and their role has changed over years to that of a companion, rather than a hunting dog.
To find out more about Westies visit Poppy.
To find out more about Poodles, visit the The Poodle Club.
