Family Matters - By Jude Dobson

We didn't last too long. Being without a dog for the first time in 18 years was just too odd for words. So, now, we are back to being a family of eight (five humans, two guinea pigs and the new puppy). I had looked into finding a Weimaraner puppy at the end of last year, knowing that soon we would most likely (sadly), be looking for one. With handbag dogs (as favoured by the Paris Hiltons, Charlotte Dawsons and Nicky Watsons with their fur "accessories" tucked under their arms), now the dominant fashion, tracking down a "Wei" was potentially difficult. We had always thought we'd stick with the same breed as Chester and Boadi had been great family dogs but, as I suspected, there are few Weimaraner breeders about these days, and they have waiting lists. However, fate or karma had a hand in things, I think, and the only girl "Wei" puppy in the country, that had been destined to go to a breeder in Australia, has come our way instead. It seems the Australian breeder changed her mind about buying her. Breeder's loss, our gain. So off we all set to a farm near Wanganui in the New Year to meet our youngest family member, and bring her back to the big smoke. Having Coco is, of course, completely different to having my old girl, Bo, about the place but, in a strange way, instead of noting their differences, I'm often reminded of Bo when she was a silly young thing all those years ago. Although Coco is in no way a replacement, I am grateful to this young pup for evoking happy memories of my old mate rather than constantly feeling her loss. It's a tonic to have a creature with such an infectious zest for life in the house. She's been with us only 10 days but already has everybody sorted. Little did she know the leader of our pack planned to put her in the garage at night. That was before he met her, and before the pack co-leader and junior pack members told him he must be dreaming. She sleeps in our bedroom. It stops nocturnal wanderings and peeing or pooing inside. Like the well-trained mother I am, I wake the instant I hear Coco get up and take her outside. Besides, it's nice to have her close. She is positively therapeutic to stroke at the end of the day. So far, all our shoes are intact. Favourite chew toys seem to be Polly pocket dolls and pieces of clothing. However, she has nibbled the couch's bottom corner. Chester (dog number one) once ate the entire end of a couch, so Coco's penchant for lounge suites will be closely monitored so we don't have a repeat offender. Her best playthings appear to be the kids. They've not known what it is to have a dog that's mobile, let alone supersonic, so there have been many happy hours throwing toys for her to fetch and playing chasing games. Like all young things she is either full on or suddenly asleep. Having a baby to hold again is lovely and she brings me more than a smile when I see her floppy little body laid upside-down on my lap, all four legs waving in the air in a dreamy state.