richard martin

These are shots of Nevan as a puppy - 8-16 weeks old!

As I said before, Nevan is an extremely well behaved dog. For the first year of his life we lived out in the country and went for long walks never meeting another soul (or dog!).

Now we live in town he still has long walks but much more urban with lots of interaction with people and other dogs.

I walk my dog off the lead even on the busy main roads. He will wait and sit when told, would never cross a road without command first and doesn’t bother other dogs en route.

Whilst walking him I have had so many compliments about how good he is and just how ‘lucky we are’ to have such a well disciplined and good natured dog.

It seems that the country is overwhelmingly flooded with ‘unlucky owners’ who have had the misfortune to inherit or choose ‘unlucky dogs” that do not behave; bark and fight with passing dogs while pulling on the lead, dragging their owners off for some exercise.

So, if you ever move to Northern Ireland and contemplate owning a dog: remember to choose wisely - because none of that persistant, agonising, hair pulling out, 12 hours a day for 6 months - training - would have done you any good.

Unless you get ‘lucky’!….

Here is Nevan…

He is a very smart collie dog.

During my childhood our family always owned a dog - a succession of Rough Collies (Lassie dogs). Having spent the majority of my adult life living and working in London it was always impossible and impractical to own a dog.

But I was always a dog man…..until I got a cat! (or two actually!)

Having lived with cats exclusively for twenty years plus - it was a shock to contemplate ‘owning a dog’.

Nevan is now two and a half years old and is an extraordinarily well behaved dog and I love him to bits!

My wife thinks his legs are too long - even my mum calls him ‘piano legs’….

I just keep telling them he’s a ’short haired, long legged border collie’….