PETS
Teddy has been contemplating the benefits of a change of scenery, and has been excited to discover how new surroundings can refresh and recharge all of us, as pawed by his human translator Helen Stockton
H
aving just returned from a short break, and with holiday season in full swing, it’s good to reflect on the benefits of a change of location. For various necessary reasons over the last few years, we’ve all been confined to our homes, with only our family and immediate neighbours to bark at or exchange pleasantries with, depending on the nature of those relationships, over the garden fence. And whilst many of us in Sussex live in some beautiful areas, even the most pleasing landscape can pall a bit after a while, so a change of scenery is refreshing and invigorating. We dogs, of course, have taken this to a micro-level and I like to change location around the house on a regular basis. Not for me the boredom of a desk and
a computer screen for large parts of the day. The apprentice, Bear, and I move around, usually following the sun and the positioning of a plethora of comfy beds in different spots. I like to think this adds to the quality of our napping and is something I can warmly recommend; very warmly on a sunny day as it happens! Bear and I also occasionally reside at other houses. We have our friends Ann and Peter who look after us for the day if ‘Them Indoors’ have the audacity to go out without us. We also have our holiday carers, Shirley and Paul, who welcome us into their own home if ‘Them Indoors’ selfishly decide to take a break that doesn’t involve us. Both of these
arrangements offer a refreshing change of scenery with different gardens to explore, new scents to sniff and unfamiliar dogs to greet in a manner appropriate to their breed, demeanour and a whole set of other criteria that I like to keep close to my chest. It adds a certain frisson to our encounters. And recently, we’ve gone the whole dog and moved house. We have different premises, a new village and even better, a beach less than ten minutes drive away for some refreshing walks, although I’ve learnt that you need to keep an eye on the sea, it sneaks up behind you unannounced and is not to be trusted. Then, of course, there are our holiday changes of location. We are lucky enough to have a motorhome which is a fine arrangement for dogs. Bear and I just curl up and when we awake we find we are in a different part of the country with new surroundings to explore. We take in the sights, eat the regional cuisine, bark in the local accent and generally arrive back home reinvigorated and refreshed. I hope the same is true of your holiday changes of location. l
I’ve learnt that you need to keep an eye on the sea, it sneaks up behind you unannounced and is not to be trusted
130 SUSSEX LIVING | July 2022
