About the Dogs

Archie was the kind of dog who brought calm wherever he went. While others barked and fussed, he simply watched, unbothered—a quiet confidence wrapped in black-and-white fur. From the moment he arrived, just a bundle of fluff with four legs and a flicker of knowing in his eyes, he was bold but gentle, steady but full of spark.

 

He grew quickly into his long legs and thoughtful gaze. Even as a pup, he'd come back with a whistle—sharp and eager, though when it came to a tennis ball, he had his own ideas. Fetch was a game, yes, but to him, the ball was his prize. Giving it back? Optional.

 

In 2012, I spent two months in hospital. I missed him terribly—but he was safe, well loved, waiting. And when I came home, not yet strong, he became more than a companion. He became my quiet coach. From wheelchair to short walks, and eventually, back to long rambles across fields, Archie helped me find my strength again, one step at a time.

 

From February 2006 to November 2019, he was my anchor, my motivation, my steady shadow through it all. Though he no longer walks beside me, his paw-prints are still there—in my memory, in my stories, and in every chapter of every book in the series: The Dog By Her Side.