Meet Fern

Uncle Skippy was under the impression that Pebbles is the dog's name - not so. She is Fern, a four-year-old English springer spaniel. Why Fern? Well, our previous dog, a golden retriever, was called Bramble, a name chosen by our then children. (They are still our children, but are now all adults with families of their own.) Fern just seemed to be a continuation in the same vein.

Our eldest grandson was just running and walking when Fern was a pup and they used to enjoy racing each other round the dining table. Whenever Ben fell over, Fern would just stop and wait for him to get up. She adores children to this day, and she and our 15-month-old granddaughter are great friends.

Owning a dog does tie one down, but there are compensations. I have to take exercise every day, no matter what the weather is like, because Fern needs her walks - an hour in the local park after breakfast, which can be a very social occasion with all the other dog walkers around, and an hour in the afternoon, usually in local woods. This is less social and provides more time for thinking, though in fact it is usually the OB who does this walk.

Another compensation is the fact that there is something (I almost typed 'someone') to greet one when coming into the house. And whatever some people might say, there is a bond of affection between a dog and its owner.