Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts

by Lucy Dillon

  ‘I’m sorry.’ Rachel knew in her heart what Val meant. But that had been a different life. That was in the past. She slipped her hand into her mother’s and squeezed. Val squeezed back, her thick gold wedding ring pressing into Rachel’s finger.

  There was a knock on the window. George was standing outside, his Land Rover parked on a double yellow, and his sleeves rolled up. He still wore a padded gilet and checked shirt, despite the August heat.

  ‘He’s come to pick us up,’ explained Rachel. ‘I said three o’clock – there’s no more shopping to be had here, I’m afraid.’ She waved back at him and made a ‘C’ for coffee shape with her hand. He shook his head and tapped his watch, a pretend stern look on his face.

  Val nodded at Rachel’s hand, where a pretty old sapphire ring glinted in the light. ‘Is there an announcement in the offing?’

  ‘That’s Dot’s,’ said Rachel. ‘Before you get any ideas. George and I like to do things backwards. If we get married, it’ll be after this one does.’ She patted her stomach happily. ‘There’s no rush.’

  ‘Well, I’m glad he’s making time for you.’

  ‘Mum,’ said Rachel seriously. ‘He’s doing a lot more than that.’

  ‘All your father and I want is to know that you’re happy.’ Val lifted an eyebrow as she began gathering her bags together. ‘And that’s something you’re going to understand soon enough.’

  Their eyes met, and Rachel felt the years of mutual suspicion begin to crumble away. For the first time, she saw something of herself in Val – she wasn’t just her father’s daughter, or Dot’s strong-featured niece, she was stubborn like Val too.

  Maybe she’d be the same mother hen type, thought Rachel. Maybe motherhood would bring out the cleaning gene. She’d found herself echoing Val’s caustic thoughts on expensive travel systems for babies. It could be all downhill from there.

  God help us, she thought, as the waitress cleared away their plates. If someone had told her last year that she’d be bonding with her mother over the most economical pram, prior to being swept off home by a country vet, she’d have had their blood tested for narcotics.

  ‘Thank you,’ Val was mouthing through the glass at George. ‘Come on, Rachel. There’s a parking warden on the other side of the street and you know they’ve got cameras these days. Do you need a hand?’

  ‘No. I don’t. I’m still trying to pretend this is a big lunch, not a baby, Mum.’

  Rachel’s bump was definitely hiding a whopping countryside baby. With another four months to go, she still wondered if it might be twins. Amelia had sent her two whole suitcases of maternity outfits, but so far Rachel was clinging to her one good pair of jeans and George’s t-shirts. It was her high-heeled boots that she really missed but George had given her a pair of Hunter wellies (‘like Kate Moss has, I understand from the man in Countrywide’) as a present, and she rarely took them off.

  Gem sprang up from under the table where he’d been waiting patiently, and wagged his tail, ready for the off, wherever that was going to be.

  ‘Aren’t you coming with us?’ Val’s face adopted a familiar concerned expression. ‘Oh, you’re not going to walk back up that hill, are you?’

  Rachel glanced down at Gem, and felt a tug of wordless communication, the same tug she felt every morning when she woke to see him lying by her bed, and each night, when he lay down with a contented sigh.

  ‘He needs to stretch his legs,’ she said. ‘And so do I. I’ll see you up there.’

  ‘I’ll tell George to put the kettle on.’ Val gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, and Rachel didn’t brush her away. Instead she kissed her back, then clipped the lead onto Gem’s collar.

  ‘Come on, you,’ she said, waving at Natalie and Bertie as she left the café.

  With the café bell jangling behind her, Rachel and Gem strolled slowly down the high street towards the park, where the path curved around the lawns and then led up the path towards the hill. Rachel nodded at the other dog walkers as they passed, and Gem sniffed them politely in greeting. Familiar faces, familiar dogs. The routine of it made her feel as rooted and as joyful as the late summer roses still blooming in the ornamental beds.

  Then, once they were safely onto the quiet footpath, Rachel unclipped Gem’s lead, and let him herd her gently and silently home.

  An Interview with Lucy Dillon

  What inspired you to write LOST DOGS AND LONELY HEARTS?

  Getting a dog of my own! I never realised, until I started walking Violet, our Basset hound, that there’s a Secret World of Dog Walkers: you meet so many different kinds of people on the same paths, at the same times, day in, day out. It’s like being in a club. I don’t know anyone’s names, but the dogs usually introduce themselves. Violet’s very fond of spaniels, but sometimes the bigger dogs look at her, as if to say, where have your legs gone?

  As a writer, always looking for new ideas and characters, I found it fascinating to watch how owners interact with their dogs. My imagination rambles all over the place – why Scottish terriers? Why ‘his and hers’ dogs? Why so many? When I finished The Ballroom Class, Longhampton’s municipal parks and canal paths were still very vivid in my mind, so it was very easy to create another community of different people who are brought together by a shared interest, and have their ideas of love and loyalty challenged by family members who can’t actually talk back. Just as people can express emotions they can’t articulate through dancing, sometimes we use our pets as a way of communicating our real feelings. You only have to see British stiff upper lips wobbling at Battersea Dogs’ Home appeals to know we’re a nation of softies.

  Tell us about Violet! How did you come to adopt her?

  Violet adopted us, more like! My husband and I wanted to get a dog, and went to meet some Basset hound puppies as part of our endless research mission. We were cooing over the pups when Violet strolled in, took one look at me, and arranged herself on my lap, all five stones of her. That was it – I was utterly smitten by her huge brown eyes and lovely ginger eyebrows. Violet’s story melted my heart too: her breeders wanted to find a new home for her, because her first owner had became ill and had to give her up. She and I were a similar age in dog years, and I was, apparently, the first person she’d snuggled up to since she came back – we had an immediate bond, and from then on, I knew we had to be together!

  Is she the inspiration for Bertie? And is she as naughty as him?

  Violet isn’t naughty, but her amazing nose does get her into trouble – she once sniffed out a bag of sausages I’d left in my handbag, removed it very delicately, and was in the process of carrying the bag back to her basket to enjoy the contents in comfort when I caught her, red-pawed. Every shopping bag is a tempting carnival of smells to her. She also loves rolling in anything disgusting – not very ladylike – and reverts to her ancient tracking instincts if she smells a hare. That’s when I learned how fast Bassets can move when they want to!

  There’s been a lot of bad press about pedigree dogs. Why did you decide to get a pedigree rather than a crossbreed?

  My husband grew up with a Basset hound, and for him, no other breed was ever going to do. I’d never had a dog before, so I leaned more towards giving any rescue dog a second chance, and Violet was a perfect compromise. I certainly don’t think a dog needs a pedigree to be a fantastic, loving companion, but if you’re looking for specific characteristics (poodles don’t shed, so are good for allergy sufferers, for example), then a pedigree with known family history will give you a good idea of what to expect. Recent press coverage of pedigree breeding has highlighted some dubious practices in some quarters, but the breeders I’ve met are passionate about their dogs, health check them regularly, breed very carefully and are horrified by anyone who doesn’t put health and fitness first. All dogs have potential problems – pedigrees can have hereditary issues, whereas you don’t always know what genetic problems a crossbreed has until they pop up. But chances are the dog will pick you anyway, and take the matter out o
f your hands!

  If one of your readers was thinking of getting a dog, how would you suggest they went about looking for one, and preparing for its arrival?

  Think very hard about how much space you have at home, how much time you have for walks, and how much mess you’re happy to put up with – those are all far more important considerations than how cute the dog is. Visit some rescue shelters or local breeders for guidance. If you’ve fallen for a particular breed, contact the breed rescue who can put you in touch with adult dogs looking for new homes; never buy a puppy from a pet shop, or from a small ad, unless you can visit the house to check it out. Then buy a vacuum cleaner with a dog hair attachment and prepare to use it.

  You must have come across some sad stories when researching this novel . . .

  Too many – I can’t urge people enough to support their local rescue, who have to deal with some terrible cases of animal neglect. I won’t go into the stomach-turning conditions that puppy-farm bitches live in, but put it like this: centres that rescue them advise that they’re rehomed with a ‘normal’ dog, just to teach them how to live inside, and not be terrified of a human voice. More generally depressing is the casual way in which owners discard healthy, loving animals, just because they can’t be bothered any more, or neglect them by over-feeding and not walking them enough – that’s animal cruelty too.

  Some people don’t have the time and/or space for a dog. But several characters in LOST DOGS AND LONELY HEARTS, like Freda and Ted, enjoy volunteer walking. Is this possible in real life?

  Absolutely – rescues always need volunteers to get their dogs out in the fresh air. It’s good for the dogs’ mental and physical well-being, and with most local rescues run on a tight budget, time is as valuable a donation as money. It’s a great solution for full-time workers who’d love a dog but can’t fit it into their lives, and what better way to get some exercise at the weekend?

  How did having Violet change your life?

  We had to trade our Golf GTi for an estate car, so her crate would fit in the back. That was the only painful part! She’s fitted into our lives more easily than I’d expected, and she actually organises me: she gets me up on time instead of letting me hit the snooze button, she makes sure I exercise in all weathers, and she saves me putting on the heating in autumn. One Basset on the lap is all the warmth anyone needs. We also now have a live-in excuse for odd smells, and my mother-in-law’s collie, Morris, has a bossy new friend.

  What lessons have you learnt, as a dog owner?

  I’ve become much more patient – rather like Natalie in the book, I’ve realised that there are some dogs who don’t want to learn new tricks, and you just have to live with it! I’ve also stopped being so flaky because Violet has a routine that I need to stick to, since she can’t help herself to supper or pop out for a walk. I think it’s great preparation for parenthood too – stinky nappies, early mornings and the “naughty step” hold no fear for me now.

  And finally, do you think of plots for your novels when you are out walking Violet?

  Whenever I get writer’s block, I take Violet out for a walk and I nearly always come back with at least one new idea. I don’t know whether it’s the fresh air, or the blood pumping to my brain, or just seeing things more slowly when you’re pottering along with a dog, but walking is great for untangling problems. I’m always trying to devise fresh routes for Violet’s nose, and that turns up some surprising old houses or ancient footpaths, which are great for the imagination. I must confess to Rachel’s habit of rehearsing important conversations too – but only when we’re up on the Malvern Ridge and no one can hear me! (I hope.)

  QUIZ: Who would Dot match you up with?

  1. Your ideal exercise routine is . . .

  a. A hot and sweaty workout, followed by a nap

  b. A game of football with your mates

  c. A long hike through the countryside

  d. A yoga session

  2. Housework is . . .

  a. Something you only do when your mum’s coming round

  b. A weekly tidy-up everyone has to join in with

  c. A long-running battle – but a messy house is a happy house!

  d.

  Something you secretly enjoy, even if everyone thinks your colour-coded dusters are weird

  3. Your dog-training ambitions stretch to . . .

  a. Getting the dog off the sofa on command

  b. Good basic manners: come, stay, fetch, down, paw, etc.

  c. Full outdoor skills: retrieving, agility, sniffing out socks

  d.

  Impressive indoor party tricks like playing dead and looking sarcastic on command

  4. The car parked outside your house is . . .

  a. A sporty hatchback

  b. A people carrier

  c. A 4x4

  d. A convertible

  5. Out on the dog walking circuit, you can be spotted by your . . .

  a. Classic mackintosh

  b. Bright red jacket

  c. Green wellies

  d. Statement hat

  Mostly As

  A greyhound

  Most people don’t think of greyhounds as pets but retired racers make sensitive homebodies. They’re gentle, biddable and not too hairy. Because they get rid of their energy in bursts, greyhounds are happy with two half-hour trots, followed by some mellow sofa time – so they’re ideal for older owners, or those who can’t spend hours on the other end of a lead. They’re extraordinarily elegant, yet functional – the Porsches of the dog world.

  Mostly Bs

  A Staffordshire Bull Terrier

  If any breed deserves the ‘no bad dogs, just bad owners’ defence, it’s the much-maligned Staffie. Staffies are loyal and loving, but they make up a sizeable proportion of the rescue population, often because of backyard breeders and careless owners who under-estimate their exercise needs. But harness their natural exuberance with calm, firm leadership and lots of walks, and you’ll find Staffies make wonderful family companions.

  Mostly Cs

  A springer spaniel

  If your car’s always muddy from outdoor activities and you don’t mind pawprints everywhere, then let a springer spaniel bounce into your life and lick you into submission. You can’t beat a springer for friendly charm or boundless enthusiasm – he’ll run all day, follow every command, yet still have energy for mischief. The long spaniel coat needs combing to prevent knots but those gorgeous feathery ears and paws are worth the effort.

  Mostly Ds

  A poodle

  Their coats might be fluffy, but their brains certainly aren’t; independent-spirited poodles are quick learners with a secret tough streak – they were originally bred to be water-retrieving gundogs. Even maintenance grooming is a labour of love, but poodles don’t shed, making them great for allergy sufferers, and they come in three different sizes, from the perky little toy to the magnificent standard. If you’re a stylish dog owner looking for a real meeting of minds, a poodle is perfect.

  Five good reasons to get a rescue dog

  The bond that grows between a rescued animal and the people who give it a second chance for love is really special. Don’t overlook the oldies, either!

  They’re house-trained: Puppies are adorable but housebreaking them is torture for you and your carpets. Older dogs, on the other hand, are usually clean in the house, and barring a few accidents while they settle in, should take little or no reminding of where the facilities are.

  What you see is what you get: Cute puppies turn into unexpectedly huge and demanding dogs within a matter of months – which often leads to them being dumped at a rescue centre. Adopting a fully-grown adult means you can plan for exercise needs, feeding needs, and how he’ll fit into your family life.

  Not all rescue dogs are ‘rejects’: Marriages break down, owners die, circumstances change, and model pets can find themselves looking for new people through no fault of their own. Dogs that are turned in for being ‘too boisterous’ or ‘rough’
are often just in the wrong home; with the right amount of exercise and mental stimulation, they can be transformed into happy companions.

  You’re getting a support network: Rescue shelters don’t want to rehome a dog twice! Not only will they guide you through choosing the right dog for you, they’ll be on hand to offer advice and support afterwards – and with the experience of dealing with so many dogs, there won’t be many questions they can’t answer.

  Not all rescue dogs are Heinz 57: If you’ve got your heart set on a particular kind of dog, it’s simple to track one down, either by searching internet rescue sites, or by contacting the national breed rescue. Responsible breeders will always take back puppies if the owners can no longer look after them, and will make sure they’re going to a good new home, second time round!

  If you’re buying a puppy

  Puppies don’t make good presents, as Zoe found out. But finding your canine companion the responsible way is just a matter of a few simple rules . . .

  Don’t support puppy farming: Never buy a puppy from a pet shop, from someone who wants to meet you in a car park, from anyone who has more than two or (max) three breeds, or from a small ad that has appeared many times in the same paper. Most likely they’re puppy-farmed, from exploited, exhausted mothers, bred in appalling conditions. It’s heartbreaking to see a sick, scared puppy, but by buying it, you’re giving the puppy farmer money to carry on a disgusting trade. Report it to the council, the RSPCA and the police, and find a puppy from a reliable source.

  Contact the breed club: Doing some research into your chosen breed is essential, and most clubs will point out the pitfalls as well as the joys of owning their particular dog. They’ll often know when litters are planned – don’t expect any around Christmas, as most breeders avoid it, to protect against gift-wrapped pups – and can put you in touch with local owners.