So, our puppies, Aesop and Bronte, are now able to go out and terrorise the whole world (within reason and up to a lead’s distance from anybody). Needless to say, it’s not really improved their behaviour much, and Bronte is still keen to find out how edible my leg is…

My family have been thinking of getting a puppy for a couple of months now, to keep our five-year-old Jack Russell Terrier company.

We decided to go to Downpatrick dog pound, having heard that they’d got puppies there. We only went to look, but we fell in love with these two at first sight, and, thanks mainly to some pushing from the shelter’s manager, we took them straight home. So, meet Aesop and Bronte.

They’re quite a lively pair, and they came home quite smelly and dusty, so their first day with us included a bath, the purchase of two (tiny) collars, and something of a shock to our other three dogs! In fact, Bronte is so lively, the only photo I have of her where she isn’t a grey-black streak is one of her sleeping!