PHOTOGRAPHY: LEZLI + ROSE, GETTY
The friends in my dog circle of trust are like blood now
Who would you trust to look after your baby? Your mother, sister, best friend? I can’t say, having only acquired my (step)children in their teens, but I can tell you who I’d leave my dog with – I can count them on the fingers of one hand.
Actually, if you’re talking about total peace of mind – not waking in the night wondering if they’ve remembered she likes the green blanket on top but not completely covering her head and two biscuits cut in half – make that three people.
Before I got Betsy, I assumed that there were lots of people I could leave her with. I have friends with dogs, friends who live nearby and friends who live in rural paradises where I knew she’d be welcome. Then the rural paradise friends came for supper and one of them stood on her, wearing a pair of giant lug-sole boots, and didn’t bat an eyelid. A week later, the neighbours came over and completely ignored her – just sat there, chugging back rosé, occasionally shoving her jolly dancing feet away from their lower legs. It’s not full Dr Evil behaviour, but it makes you think: what kind of person isn’t interested in an exceptionally charming and clever puppy? You find out things about people when you get a dog is all I’m saying.