This lovely letter and photographs are from Jo Beaumont, whose Brambledale Black Fergus will be three years old on October 1st:
"Earlier this year Fergus was asked to be a photo model! one of our neighbours has a business laying plastic lawns (it looks like grass) and they wanted a picture of a photogenic dog sitting on some to promote it. They asked Fergus as they felt he was the most photogenic dog they knew.
He was so good, a little unsure at first what I wanted him to do, but he soon settled into the poses, and managed goodness know-how many shots!"
"He still enjoys playing with the house martins, he always knows when they are about and will rush into the middle of the field to wait for them to buzz round him swooping and flying with him behind them.
His trainspotting also causes much amusement for others, he rushes onto the bridge way before we get there and will stand directly over the line waiting, for hours if allowed, until a train goes right under him! some of the drivers even hoot now! I thought my days of standing on train bridges finished after my son grew up!"
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And pictured below is one of Fergus's litter sisters, Brambledale Black Glenys, owned by Jill Taylor, who writes:
"Glenys has had a lovely Summer keeping the visiting tourists amused. She has it in her head that everyone needs to join in with her game and goes up to people and plonks her hoop or ball down and smiles at them. Most people throw it for her as she asks so nicely! It is good ice breaker and I have had some nice chats with people. It makes them feel special, they don't realise that she does it with nearly everyone."
"She is also my fielder, as Poppy is not as good as Glenys at looking after her toys, she tends to abandon them willy nilly, Glenys will always go and get them if asked. Sometimes I wonder why she is not coming and realise that she is telling me that Poppy has left her ball and she can't bring that as well as her hoop!"
Above: Glenys (on left) with friend Poppy (a Beardie Cross)
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Above is another of the birthday litter, Gwen, who belongs to Hannah and Alex Arthur. Hannah writes:
".....she is very good at telling me what she wants. I get a running commentary about a lot of things. The cats need to be fed. There is someone out in the back lane. Can I please come and throw the ring because she has brought it especially up from the bottom of the garden, through the cat flap and upstairs!
She is the most lovely, cuddly, affectionate dog. She adores my sons and sings to them when they arrive having launched herself with everything wiggling and wagging. When they stay over she waits outside the bedroom door ready for a cuddle when they emerge.
We love her very much and feel privileged to have her. She gets admiring comments when we are out.
She is a very enthusiastic little person."
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And below is brother Rafe, who - together with older brother Finn - lives with Vicky and Michael Hassell in Devonshire.
Vicky writes:
"Rafe is usually the instigator of the wild games of chase that he plays with Finn - often lying in wait ready to pounce on his unsuspecting brother. Always the faster and more agile of the two, Rafe nevertheless abides by the 'rules' of the game taking strict turns to be pursuer and pursued - it's always a joy to watch them indulging their natural behaviour both in the garden and out on their walks in the woods. Recently Rafe has found another way to demonstrate his athleticism by running ahead of Finn and I, and hopping over the five-bar gate into the paddock to lie in wait so that he can ambush us as we open the gate! After a good chase it's then time to hunt for voles - and the hilarious sight of Rafe 'pronking' like an antelope over the tall grass. Fortunately it's not a very efficient way of hunting and the voles escape unscathed, unlike any soft toy that he gets hold of which is systematically unstuffed! But he also has a very sensitive side to his nature and is happy to spend quiet times snuggled up beside me with his chin in my lap gazing up at me with his beautiful dark and soulful eyes. This gentle affection has won over even the most hard-hearted of our friends."
