GOLDEN OLDIES – Hector Ledger
Hector, Tumbril Truman, was 10 years old in October. He is usually a noisy, full of fun little chap but he is still missing his big brother Ranulph, so he is rather subdued at present.
The photograph was taken this morning; I had emptied the car of blankets and beds as it was going to be serviced and they were just piled up in the kitchen. Next thing I knew was my little prince was making himself comfortable on the top of them all and fell asleep. It reminded me of the fairy tale The Princess and the pea.
He really love treats, especially salmon ones and every evening around 9pm he will suddenly wake up, jump off the sofa, where he has been squished beside me, and start twirling around excitedly until I get up to find the treats. Immediately after the this he then promptly falls asleep again.
Hector is a very clever little man. He has a slight heart murmur and has a tablet twice a day, first one very early in the morning and the second an hour before his supper. If I have lost track of the time he reminds me. He will start to talk, lick his lips whilst looking at me and if that does not work he will twirl and dance. He obviously thinks the tablets are treats.
When we went to puppy training classes Hector was the model puppy, whatever he had to do he would do perfectly and was often used to demonstrate an activity or command. However, out of the classes it was completely the opposite! He has quite a stubborn streak and if he does not want to do something no amount of persuasion will work, not even treats.
Weather affects whether he will go for a walk, or even just into the garden, he does not like rain. When the weather is fine he loves to bound around the fields or just sniff around town but his favourite is a sandy beach.
Even at 10, an older gentleman, he still behaves like the puppy he once was when he first came to us. He still has a beautiful, full coat and is usually good when I groom him. Bathing is not his favourite pastime.
What would I do without this beautiful, bundle of energy and fluff I really do not know.
