A new arrival
Garrad finds it hard to contain his excitement when he discovers there's a new family member on the way.
I couldn't get to sleep when I overheard my father on the phone to a dog breeder. He was asking if they had any West Highland Whites which are my favourite. He was asking "Are they good with children?" I was really excited, but I had to be really careful about what I said over the next two weeks so they didn't know I knew.
I couldn't wait to get him. We had him from a puppy farm in Tenby. My mother went to get him while I was in school. That day I ran home as fast as I could. We named him Pipin, Pip for short.
Now he's much more fun because he does more stupid things like drinking hot tea, running into door frames and coffee tables. Pip has taken the sole off my brothers' slipper. I use it to train him by holding it up and asking him to give me his paw or to sit.
I like taking him for walks best. I once took him up the mountain behind me which was a three and a half hour walk to the very top and back. I often take him on a two hour walk on Saturdays and on Sundays we take him to this very quiet beach where we can let him off his lead and let him run about.
One thing you must not do with West Highland Whites is touch them or try and disturb them when they're eating, or try and take the food away from them, because if you do you will get quite a vicious bite as my youngest brother found out quite recently.
I love Pipin because he gets really dirty and then shakes all the mud off on me which makes me dirty. Then I have to bath Pipin five times in his tub and then pick all the nettles and stingies out. All the family think Pipin's their dog but really he's mine.
Garrad Davies
