Bow wow wow wow

Mar 21 2010 Sunday Sun

EARLIER this year I wrote about the pain of losing a dog. The empty house, and the loss of routine, once that treasured friend disappears forever.

I was prompted after witnessing my parents’ grief following the death of Rupert, our 10-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

For the first time in more than 20 years, Mum and Dad gradually familiarised themselves with a dog-free household. And they hated it.

Well, I’m delighted to report that the house isn’t quite so empty any more. In fact it’s full to the brim.

In the space of 48 hours, my parents have become the proud, shocked owners of three gorgeous, gregarious puppies.

Bertie, Leo and little Charlie, pictured here, are running them ragged. I couldn’t be happier and my Dad couldn’t be more stressed, fearing his twilight years will be overrun with canines.

How my parents ended up with three dogs is nothing to do with me and more to do with my older brother.

He decided to make a surprise purchase when he visited my parents for Mother’s Day and turned up on the doorstep with eight-week-old Charlie.

Little did he know that they had already purchased brothers Bertie and Leo who had been collected the previous day.

As you can imagine, Mum was overcome by my brother’s kindness while Dad stayed ominously silent but agreed, against his better judgement, to hang onto all three.

(Don’t tell Big Al but I’ve already offered to have one of them if it doesn’t work out).

So life in the Tomson household has suddenly become quite crazy, but full of fun. Mum is besotted, Dad is too, although he constantly whinges about needing a bigger car and a very large brandy.

In the past few days, I have witnessed joy and mayhem. And that can only come with having a dog . . . or three of them.