I am definitely never, ever going to get a dog…

writes Fran Godfrey.

When I lived in London, I spent several years helping a Congregation of Religious called the Little Sisters of the Poor who run nursing homes for the elderly.  My main involvement was with Sister Marie-Thérèse, Sr MT, a dedicated Little Sister whose one sadness at her choice of vocation was that she was not allowed to own a dog.  Sr MT is passionate about dogs.  So, came the time when I moved to the country, Sr MT insisted, “You must get a dog”.  “No, I’m not going to do that, Sister dear. I can’t be doing with all that pooping and scooping.  Absolutely not!” 

Four years later and Barney is a firm fixture in my home in the Chilterns.  To this day, I’m not sure how that happened.  It wasn’t a quick decision.  I did research: the dog mustn’t be too large, mustn’t moult, mustn’t dribble, mustn’t yap, must be friendly.  Quite a big ask.  Yet - up popped Cavapoochon. Barney’s mother is a cross between a Bichon Frisé and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel; his father is a miniature poodle. So, most of my boxes were ticked.

The breeder is in the north and for ease of transport, Barney was delivered in July, 2021, aged 13 weeks. (Your parcel will arrive between 12.11 and 14.11). And there he was - a bundle of rather scruffy ‘apricot’ hair and a beguiling look.  “He might take a little while to settle at night,” said the breeder, “Crate him. (WHAT?) Don’t go to him if he cries; he will eventually stop.” 

I have never heard any sound quite like that made by Barney on Night One: howls and wails sufficient to wake the dead; and sufficient to have my neighbour go and check his garden for an injured fox.  I did, of course, go to Barney – am I made of stone?  I let him out of his crate and into a pen in the kitchen.  He fell quiet, and to be fair has been quiet at night ever since. And never again shut in a crate!

Has it been a breeze living with a puppy-growing-into-a-dog?  No, and, NO! There were many, many occasions when I was going to return him to the breeder for a refund (like an Amazon purchase: reason for return: he’s chewing everything and he’s a nightmare!)

I could go on for pages about my adventures with Barney; the laughs, the tears, the ‘aw – so cutes’, but if you’ve had a puppy-cum-dog you’ll know what’s involved. Having never owned a dog/had a dog own me (!), I had little idea about training; puppy classes were embarrassing, but he does have a Certificate of Achievement – the Achievement being that we attended the classes! 

I ended up treating him like a small human.  And that is how he has turned out, albeit one with a thick curly coat.  I have brilliant friends called Marian and John: the love between them and Barney is mutual, and they are his second owners, perfect when I need to be away from home for a few hours.  Could I be without Barney now?  What do YOU think?

Fran

Hear Fran Godfrey on Boom Light. Monday - Thursday, midday to 3.00