Spike: Havelock Island 2010

Exactly 3 years ago on Havelock Island , India, I met Spike. A crab-hunting, fish curry eating doberman who's affection I won through a daily supply of biscuits and cakes. Whenever my girlfriend and I arrived at the bamboo, beachside shack on our little Honda scooter he was always on hand to welcome us back and ready to accompany us on a beach stroll i.e. crab hunt. Over the two weeks there, we were together at the beach every day and when it came time to leave, my heart was broken. It was a teary backpacker that got into the departing tuk tuk. A month later and back home, we contacted the owner of the bamboo shacks to ask about Spike only to discover that he had died. Another guest had placed poison outside his hut to kill the rats which plagued the resort and Spike had inadvertently eaten some...





Sam 2011

The news was a shock and saddening but it actually had a positive side. Until then, I'd always been worried about taking on the responsibility of a dog but the news of Spike's death made me think "fuck it"...





Now, a couple of years later, we have 3 large, hairy and slightly crazy dogs, one of them a doberman called Sam. With him in mind, here are a few points to keep in mind if you're thinking about taking on four hairy legs!





Creatures of Comfort Theoretically dogs can sleep anywhere, but then so can you. Would you prefer to sleep on a cold floor or in a comfy bed? Your dog will likely make the same decision, except if we're talking about a husky, then you need ice cubes and an open fridge door...





Adaptability