Dover (the "Little Perfect Hound") was, quite simply, a wonderful dog; more than that, he was a wonderful friend.

He had been rescued from a puppy mill and you could tell from the state of his fur and paws that his early years had been very hard. But, like all westies, he was tough, clever, tenacious and the definition of stoic. And, in his own mind, he was as big as the cliffs that gave him his name - he never backed down from anything and would happily challenge not only much larger dogs, but buses, garbage trucks and raccoons.

Any doorbell, microwave "ding" , fire alarm or ringing phone would lead to a warning bark (or two, or three, or four...). From our first day he was a complete delight and a perfect companion.

All he wanted (well, apart from food of course), was to be with me and he was a constant provider of affection, warmth and happiness. He loved car rides, the attention he received from people and the squeals from children as they shook his paw or stroked his fur. Nothing seemed to bother him.

Unfortunately he did not survive his battle with PLE and IBD.

Bye Dover, you little monkey....and thanks for everything. I will miss you.