Meet Gussie. I spotted Gussie in Islington as he was walking across the road, perky and happy, with only his fur, but clearly not his spirits, ruffled by gusts of November wind.
At first, I thought that Gussie was a Norfolk Terrier but, after a chat with Gussies lovely owner, it turned out that he is a rescue dog with an unconfirmed pedigree. He is definitely a first-time cross, with a bit of West Highland Terrier and possibly Norfolk or Cairn Terrier in him, hence the round Westie face, sturdy little body, antenna-like short tail, and salt and pepper colouring of a Norfolk or Cairn.
Gussie is a 1-year-old rescue dog, from the Dogs Trust. He is still a tad timid but care and love has clearly done him good, as he is friendly and very chirpy. His owner, by her own admission fomerly very much a labrador person, fell for him head over heels and you can see why.
He has such a lovely, yet thoughtful, personality, with his black eyes shining in his little face. He is also full of beans, and persistently avoided my camera by running around playfully. I finally managed to snap him sitting at his owner's feet, looking smart with his white tie and pricked up ears. As you can see, he is always on the lookout for all things new and his favourite pastime is apparently squirrel chasing. My dachshund Kevin would definitely agree that squirrels are very annoying indeed! Fortunately, they beat a hasty retreat every time Gussie is around, knowing that one should not push one's luck with a terrier.
It was a real pleasure to meet Gussie. He is such a great example of how a dog unwanted, and perhaps even mistreated by somebody else, will flourish and enrich lives of his owners when given attention and love.
Good luck to you Gussie!
To see more London terriers please visit Poppy and Willy, Dillon, Prudence, Jack, Rusty, and Hank.
