Meet Simba.
I spotted her from quite a distance as her smooth coat had such an unusual tawny reddish shade, gleaming in the afternoon sun in St George's Gardens, Bloomsbury. She is a beautiful dog, a Shar-pei and Staffordshire Bullterrier cross, with the compact, athletic body of a Staffie, but the wrinkled face and a colouring of a Shar-pei, especially the dark shading around her muzzle and mouth.
Her owner inherited Simba from his girlfriend, who called her Honey. You can see why when you look at her honey-coloured coat, but Simba somehow fits her perfectly. True to her name (Simba means lion in Swahili), she seems like a bit of a hunter. As I was watching Simba running around the park in a light-footed gait, lithe and graceful, I could not help but notice her calm and focussed demeanour. As I stood and chatted to Simba's owner, she managed to look into every nook and cranny of the park, and turn around every few seconds to see if her owner was still there.
Simba finally came along to say hello and, at the sight of a box of treats, she changed from an aloof African queen into the friendliest of dogs. She sat beautifully, and waited patiently with her hazel brown eyes shining in her wrinkled cute face.
She is the kindest of dogs, and her favourite pastime is playing with other dogs. A husky called Luna is her best friend and they often spend time running around the park together. I certainly look forward to see her again soon!
To meet other Staffies please see Kaiser and an Islington Shar-pei called Rebel.
