You all know how much I missed having a poodle in my life since Lainee died. I still miss her like I miss all the poodles I’ve loved in my life.

In the beginning it was too painful to think of getting another poodle. Then, as time went on, I felt the absence more and more, till I began to look for another poodle to share my home with.

There are tons of gorgeous dogs looking for a home and I felt bad when I saw them on FB and didn’t go get them, but I’ve had a love affair with poodles since I was 13yrs old. Yes, poodles are my life and I make no excuses for that!*

I have a good friend in Athens who breeds and shows toy poodles. She’d offered me a boy right after Lainee died, but it was way too soon for me. I contacted her again before Christmas and we discussed options. While I was in Holland she made a decision to re-home a boy she calls Vegas with me.

I like the name Vegas, but it didn’t quite feel right… so now I introduce him as Vince Vega from Pulp Fiction (love Travolta!) and call him Vegas, Vince, Vinnie and BunnyBoy – cause when he runs and leaps about he looks just like a bunny!

So, who is Vince Vega?

He is a 2 year old silver dwarf, a russian import, a greek grand champion, and I am honoured to have him. His pedigree says he’s a toy, but he grew over the measure.

Under FCI, there are 4 poodle sizes – toy, dwarf, miniature and standard. A toy is up to 28cm at the shoulders. Vegas is 30-31cm. So, he has been reclassified and shown as a dwarf. You can do that in FCI, not in Australia or the USA from what I know. There, there is a gap which oversize toys fall into and disappear, unable to be shown.

Also, he didn’t get along with the other male in the pack. And he leaps about like a jumping jack on steroids and injured his perfect knees. Hence – he needed a home where he could live his life as a pampered pet instead of a show dog.

He is still going to do his duty as a stud dog, but he will be my constant companion on walks, at cafes and restaurants and at the beach. YAY.

And guess what? There have been no more sleepless nights now I have a poodle on my bed with me again!!!

z

• Where did my love affair with poodles begin? At 13 yrs old when I read Jacqueline Suzanne’s book Every Night Josephine. The book I had was the one with the cover on the right. Wish I’d kept that book…