Figaro's Story ... by Pam Walters
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I am renovating a house
in a tiny village in the Dordogne. Figaro was owned by the lady of the manor beside my house and
she had no interest in him at all. He used to visit each house begging for food
and looking for affection. Then he found me.
The first time I met him, he was 6 months old, matted, smelly, huge balls of sleep in the corners of each eye, a matted, filthy backside, with moss hanging from his coat which was covered in cow poo and a really bad ear infection.
Six weeks later, I had to say goodbye to him, thinking I wouldn't see him again. Any way, the following year, he was sitting outside my house waiting for me when I arrived. Again, he was bigger and even more scruffy and unkempt. During the following 6 weeks, he was an embarrassing, constant companion. He wouldn't go home. I would take him back to the manor each night, open the gate and walk away. Two minutes later he would run to the back garden and jump over the wall and once again join me on my evening stroll.
I owned a 13 year old very frail boxer bitch, suffering from cancer, arthritis, blindness and deafness who was on her last legs at that time. She passed away that Chistmas. When I arrived home in September, sure I would never see Figaro again, as he had developed a habit of standing in the middle of the road, defying traffic to go around him.
Wanting to own a dog with such a lovely temperament as Figaro's, I wrote to his owner, who I had never met, and explained I had fallen in love with her scruffy, smelly dog and wanted to know what type of breed he was, so that I could buy one just like him. Fortunately, her daughter wrote back to me, asking whether I would want to give Figaro a home?
He was bought by the Chateau owner to be a truffle hunter. Unfortunately, six weeks later, when Figaro was only 14 weeks old, his new owner had suddenly passed away, leaving his widow, who didn't like dogs, to look after Figaro.
Everything was in my favour. DEFRA changed the rules, soon after on the new year and I travelled over to bring Figaro home to Wales on his 2nd birthday, and ever since he has been my constant companion.
I live in a small town in South Wales in a large house which has a large fenced garden. I keep free-range ex-battery hens which taunt and tease Figaro because they parade between the compost heap and chicken coup on the other side of the fence, while he salivates at the thought of eventaully catching one. I have integrated him into the English language, by practising my French on him ... he now understands "frwenglish"! . He is very happy but I think he could do with a friend other than me, so I am hoping to have another dog with the same loving temperament soon.
The first time I met him, he was 6 months old, matted, smelly, huge balls of sleep in the corners of each eye, a matted, filthy backside, with moss hanging from his coat which was covered in cow poo and a really bad ear infection.
Six weeks later, I had to say goodbye to him, thinking I wouldn't see him again. Any way, the following year, he was sitting outside my house waiting for me when I arrived. Again, he was bigger and even more scruffy and unkempt. During the following 6 weeks, he was an embarrassing, constant companion. He wouldn't go home. I would take him back to the manor each night, open the gate and walk away. Two minutes later he would run to the back garden and jump over the wall and once again join me on my evening stroll.
I owned a 13 year old very frail boxer bitch, suffering from cancer, arthritis, blindness and deafness who was on her last legs at that time. She passed away that Chistmas. When I arrived home in September, sure I would never see Figaro again, as he had developed a habit of standing in the middle of the road, defying traffic to go around him.
Wanting to own a dog with such a lovely temperament as Figaro's, I wrote to his owner, who I had never met, and explained I had fallen in love with her scruffy, smelly dog and wanted to know what type of breed he was, so that I could buy one just like him. Fortunately, her daughter wrote back to me, asking whether I would want to give Figaro a home?
He was bought by the Chateau owner to be a truffle hunter. Unfortunately, six weeks later, when Figaro was only 14 weeks old, his new owner had suddenly passed away, leaving his widow, who didn't like dogs, to look after Figaro.
Everything was in my favour. DEFRA changed the rules, soon after on the new year and I travelled over to bring Figaro home to Wales on his 2nd birthday, and ever since he has been my constant companion.
I live in a small town in South Wales in a large house which has a large fenced garden. I keep free-range ex-battery hens which taunt and tease Figaro because they parade between the compost heap and chicken coup on the other side of the fence, while he salivates at the thought of eventaully catching one. I have integrated him into the English language, by practising my French on him ... he now understands "frwenglish"! . He is very happy but I think he could do with a friend other than me, so I am hoping to have another dog with the same loving temperament soon.
Lagotto Rescue
Please contact Emma Jane Laroche for more information about Lagotto Rescue.