The second greyhound book by Kylie Miller was sent off to print a few weeks ago and the book launch is being planned. Drawing dogs with such quirky characters naturally leads me to think about all the dogs that have featured in our lives over the years.

Adopting a dog

Mum owns a big hairy stag hound called Pheobe. Definitely an adoption success story. She's got a big head and a bit of an attitude. Not the type of dog you'd expect to see with a 75-year-old woman walking along the country lanes of Devon. Dad adopted the dog in Australia and, when they returned to the UK, there was no question that Pheobe would be going too. Dad had early onset dementia and as the disease progressed and he was in a nursing home, Pheobe would visit Dad with Mum daily.

Happier times

I remember Pheobe in Australia when she was much younger. The mad energetic puppy ploughed straight into my legs one day whilst she chased one of my chickens. She had anxiety and could scale a 6-foot high fence if left alone, so naturally, she went everywhere with Dad. They often took our youngest, for long walks along the creek. She loved a chat and Dad and Phoebe were good listeners.