LEWIS
Allan Parsons
Woodstock Gate, Blenheim Palace
45 x 70 cm
Lewis reminds me that we are all different and should be loved for who we are. He is very independent, very affectionate and a proper people-pleaser. I have totally fallen in love with his quirky little markings and his optimistic, chirpy, sociable little personality. Lewis’s parents were working dogs with his dad a Welsh Collie and his mum a Blue Merle. So, Lewis is a tricolour Blue Merle!
Most of the pubs and cafes in Woodstock welcome dogs and allow them to also bring their owners! Lewis loves to socialise with both owners and dogs alike. However, often people get confused about who his owners are because he works the room, meeting locals, other dogs and tourists.
The most important thing to Lewis is be allowed to play. I have learned from him that psychological needs often come before our physical needs. He enjoys food but he would be happy to forego both this and sleep in favour of playing games and having fun and commits with gusto to collecting sticks, playing with a ball or chasing squirrels.
He is also a brave little thing. Sure, anything that blows around and a slippery floor is terrifying to him, but he will dive into water without fear, is prepared to protect me if he feels it is necessary and is comfortable communicating with dogs of any size. However, he is naughtier with my partner than with me, begging for food like you wouldn’t believe and on one occasion stealing the sausage from the charcuterie board! Although I have found it impossible to get Lewis to come up onto the sofa for a cuddle, I once caught him cuddling with my partner and they have a proper bromance.
Inexplicably, Lewis is incredibly popular with other dogs. Many people around town have told me that Lewis is their dog’s favourite friend. For example, Bertie the Poodle loves him, Guinness the Border Collie is incredibly affectionate and excited to see him and Ziggy the Schnauzer has to be dragged along the ground to get her to leave him alone. In the face of all this excitement, Lewis remains nonchalant, aloof even. I can only think that at some point they have had a lovely time playing with him since he likes games so much. Dogs do not forget.
My favourite thing to do is to walk with the dog in the countryside. It is so meditative. During the pandemic, we walked a lot every day and he was such good company for me. Meeting other dog walkers and the support I got from my friends locally was also so very important.
Lewis has learned to communicate well, but more so with other people than with me. He doesn’t want for much, but he does a little silent bark to ask me to play (I call it a ‘snap-chat’!). Sometimes I can see that he wants something, but he is seven and only now just beginning to let me know what he wants. In the main, he just looks at me intently when he wants something – so much so that I have come to think that he believes he is telepathic and quickly becomes exasperated when he has been concentrating hard and I do not seem to be getting the message. His model of mind is a bit off. What a lovely existence he has, in which he sees me as omnipotent and prepared to meet all his wishes!
Jo-Anne Baird