Hair of the dog

Meet Rocky.

I bumped into Rocky today in Amwell Street in Islington, during a local street fair. There were lots of dogs about but Rocky stood out a mile. I first thought that he was a Chinese Crested dog, but his owner was quick to clarify that he was a cross breed of the Chinese Crested and a Mexican Hairless dog, hence his size. Rocky is roughly a size of a whippet, and Chinese crested is much smaller as a toy breed, so he takes his size after his Mexican ancestor.

He is pratically hairless, bar the tufts of hair on is muzzle, paws and ears, so he needs protection from sunlight. His owner always makes sure Rocky wears sun block SPF 40 when outside to ensure that he is safe and protected in the warm sunny weather.

Rocky is very shy by nature, but he loves swimming and since he has been enjoying the odd dip or two, he had become more confident. It was very much in evidence as I was stroking his delicate skin, and he was happy to accept the attention.

Hairless dogs require a lot of care and attention due to their delicate skin, so I was very happy to see that his owners clearly adored him and took an exceptionally good care of him.

Chinese Crested dog is an ancient Chinese breed. One of the breed roles was to be a companion in bed as a sort of a hot water bottle as their bellies are always rather hot. I must say when I touched Rocky's belly, it was really warm and toasty so he would make an ideal bed companion! The breed originates from Africa and was futher developed in China. Mexican Hairless comes from Mexico of course, and is also known as Xoloitzcuintle (a bit of a tongue twister!) and comes in a variety of different sizes but you can see the breed in Rocky - the steel colured coat and the athletic physique clearly points to his Mexican heritage.

To find out more about the Chinese Crested please visit The Chinese Crested Cub of Great Britain

and to find out more about the Mexican Hairless dog, have a look here.

Little Miss Fluffy

Meet Molly. When I spotted Molly trotting along the Clapham Common South Side on a sunny Saturday afternoon, I nearly jumped out of my seat as she was such an unusual looking dog, and while i could not quite identify the breed, everything about her seemed so different I just had to stop her owner for a chat.

Molly is a 9-month-old Puli, hence her highly distinctive look. Puli is a Hungarian pastoral breed, known for its very distinctive dread-locked coat. She is only a puppy so her coat hasn't achieved the full corded-like appearance of a fully grown Puli but she just looks adorable and her pink tongue being one of the few indications of where her little face is hidden under the halo of soft curls.

Puli's coat is a wonder of nature. Once it achieves this dread-locked look, it becomes virtually waterproof, which was one of the requirements of this ancient breed, as they would work in th fields with the sheep in all weather conditions.

Molly's owner told me that it was this distinctive look that attracted him to the breed. A spaniel was first considered but after some deliberation Puli won, and I am not surprised. Puli is a great breed. The patience, intelligence and determination inherent in any shepherd breed are always great characteristics, and Puli has them all. Molly loves walks and playing with her toys, and I am sure she will grow up to be one smart London shepherd dog!

It was a real treat to meet Molly, not only as she is simply a delightful, friendly and beautiful dog, but also to see a Puli on the streets of London is a rare occurrence, and it is always great to see a dog that stands out from the crowd.

To find out more about Pulis please visit The Hungarian Puli Club of Great Britain.

Friend for life

Meet Clyde. Clyde is a 16-year-old Collie cross. I met Clyde in Knightsbridge today. Knightsbridge is the home of Harrods, the world's most famous luxury department store and the streets are filled well-heeled shoppers as expensive cars whizz by every minute.

It was in the hustle and bustle of the busy pavement near Harrods, where Clyde and his owner were sitting on the street together; his owner a homeless man begging for money, Clyde snuggled up in his lap. I started talking to Clyde's owner, and as Clyde looked a bit under the weather, I asked about his health. It turns out Clyde is ill. He has a serious kidney condition, triggered by his age. He only just got treated for it at the RSPCA hospital, and with no home to go to, both him and his owner were out on the streets, fending for themselves.

Clyde was snuggly wrapped up in a blanket, clearly suffering, his eyes full of sadness, his owner trying to make him as comfortable as possible on a busy street. There is a lot of cynicism surrounding homeless men with dogs. Many say that they use the animals for profit, trying to get sympathy and elicit more money from the passers by, while disregarding the well-being of the animal. I would not be as quick to pass such judgment, as there are many people who abuse and profiteer from an unethical treatment of animals from the comfort of their own home, while in the life of people who have fallen on hard times, sleeping rough and trying to find shelter every night, their dog is often their only friend.

Moved by their plight, I extended an offer of money, and the owner declined. He started crying and this is when I fully appreciated how much the dog meant to him, and it was not about the money. They have been together for years, for better and for worse and with Clyde's health deteriorating, his owner could lose his closest friend. A friend who would never judge, always be there and offer this unconditional comfort and love that one so appreciates in having a dog.

Clyde was well enough to have a couple of treats, but did not want to be touched as it clearly caused him some discomfort. I must say that I left them with a heavy heart.

Dogs Trust, the formidable UK dog charity, runs a scheme for homeless people with dogs, helping them to find a place to stay, especially during Christmas and the winter months, which is not easy, as most hostels will not accept people with dogs. Please think of Clyde and his owner, and give generously.

The Great Picnic Robbery

Meet Gracie and Lola.

Gracie, the one with a direct happy gaze, is a sprocker, a colloquial name for a cross-breed between a Springer and a Cocker spaniel. Lola, the one looking away wistfully, is a pure Springer. You can see the slight difference in their shape and size, as Gracie has a smoother coat and sturdier body of a Cocker, while Lola has the adorable little fringe so typical of Springer spaniels.

I met Lola and Gracie at a birthday picnic in Highgate a week ago, and they were the life and souls(s) of the party. Happily bounding about, setting off on little adventures across the green and into the bushes, only to come back to snuggle up with the picnic guests, they were fabulous additions to the party crowd.

Bibi, their owner tells me that Lola and Gracie are as energetic and happy at all times. Lola is always first out of the door, always ready for a walk and loves chasing squirrels in Richmond where they both live. Gracie, on the other hand, loves swimming, and more importantly, helping herself to other people's picnic food. I must say that it was very much in evidence during our picnic, where both little minxes craftily made away with bits of food left unattended, sneaking away into the bushes with a piece of bread or having a bit of the barbecued sausage on the side. Not that all the food came from illicit sources, of course. The two charmers worked the crowd like a pair of PR professionals, immediately spotting the guests that were more likely to come up with the goods. Usually more of a authoritarian when it comes to the doggie discipline, I was bowled over but their good looks and lovely personalities so I finally succumbed and fed both bits of a veggie burger.

Lola has a bit of an aristocratic background. When Bibi was looking for dog, a friend's mother, a certain Lady of the Manor said to her daughter "Darling, I went out for a packet of tea and came back with a springer". Since then Lola settled happily in Richmond, and has her best friend Gracie to keep her company making a truly adorable duo.

Gracie and Lola were such a joy to be around. Their infectious enthusiasm and happy go lucky attitudes, (both inherent in the spaniel breed) were real highlights of the lovely afternoon.

To meet other London spaniels please see Max, Poppy and Connor who all work for the Met Police and the lovely Monkey, a King Charles Cavalier.

The Rastafarian Ruffian

I met Rasta today as he was waiting in front of a supermarket in Islington with his owner. He immediately caught my eye as he looked like a very interesting mix of breeds. He has something of a Schnauzer in him but with a colouring of a spaniel so when I approached his owner I was surprised to find out that Rasta is in fact a 3-year-old cross between a Fox Terrier and a Tibetan Terrier.

After having another look, it of course made sense. The compact athletic body with, the saddle style patches of colour and the tufts of hair over his sparkly eyes point to his Fox terrier part, whilst the tasselled perky tail and the soft coat definitely comes from his Tibetan terrier side.

Rasta is a beautiful dog with bags of personality. Not only he offered me a paw like a real gentleman, but also stuck his muzzle into my bag and looked into my eyes persuasively, hoping that something tasty may come his way. He was not to be disappointed. When I offered him a treat, he sat nicely, tilted his head and took the treat from my hand rather gently.

Rasta is not as well-mannered as he seems at first and his owner tells me that he has a mischievous side to him. He loves playing football in the park, and does tend to get a bit carried away sometimes so let's just say that he does not adhere to the Premiership rules! He has a penchant for joining a game of football in the park, making away with the ball and then chewing through it. Although Rasta owner admitted to having to pay for many a football wantonly destroyed this way, it was very clear to me that Rasta's charm and personality made him so irresistible so his crimes were quickly forgotten and forgiven. Just look into these eyes, would you ever hold anything against him?

Apparently Rasta also loses his sense of hearing when off the lead in the park which is a characteristic shared with many dogs. Interestingly, my incorrigible Dachshund Kevin displays similar behaviour!

It was a real pleasure to meet Rasta. He is a charmer and a real character, and he put a smile on my way home. Mind you, my Dachshund Kevin was sniffed my hands with an air of outraged suspicion when I got there!

To find out more about Fox Terriers visit The Fox Terrier Club, and to learn more about Tibetan Terriers have a look at the Tibetan Terrier Association site.

To meet other London Terriers please see visit Poppy and Willy, Dillon, Prudence, Jack, Rusty, Gussie, Barney and Hank.