silverguide.site –

Ernie found his way into our hearts and home about nine years ago, when he strategically crawled into my lap during a family visit to meet a litter of puppies. While all the other beagle puppies ran wild, Ernie sat comfortably on me with his long, soft ears dangling down. We chose him because of his placid nature and named him Ernie after my mum’s late dad, who coincidentally also had short legs and a bit of a round belly.

After a few weeks we realised that Ernie was anything but placid. His gentle temperament quickly morphed into an unruly and persistent need to find his way into danger.

The most shocking incident happened one morning in November 2022. Ernie spotted a deer in the forest behind our house. He darted away from me and my mum, through the forest and towards a busy dual carriageway. Ignoring our screams, Ernie crossed the road, missing multiple lorries and cars, making his way to safety on a small patch of grass on the pavement. It was a miracle he had managed to avoid injury.

Escaping death was a recurring theme. As a puppy he ate through an entire tray of freshly baked brownies, which we mistakenly left on the kitchen counter to cool. As chocolate is toxic to dogs, we were terrified that he had been poisoned but, indestructible as ever, he was fine. Since then he has also eaten a four-pack of raw chicken breasts; spring rolls, including the paper bag they came in; three Easter eggs with the foil on; and an entire six-pack of hot-cross buns.

Last year, during what was supposed to be a relaxing weekend on a canal boat with my mum and her partner, Ernie decided to jump head first into the River Wey. Initially sinking in the fast currents, Ernie resurfaced a short while later and paddled his way to the bank, unaware of the panic he had once again caused.

Despite all of this worry, and the ever-mounting vet bills (over £12,000 so far), the love Ernie has brought to our lives far surpasses any amount of stress he has caused. He has been with our family through three house moves, break-ups, job changes, birthdays, exams and just about everything in between.

Beagles are known as good hunting dogs and Ernie’s hound instincts are what led him to finding a missing dog once in the woods. Out with our dog walker, they crossed paths with the owner of the missing dog, along with the search party she had gathered. Ernie managed to sniff out the lost dog by following its scent from a toy he’d been given, reuniting the dog with its owner.

His craziness has started to ease in recent years, but he’s still as charming and gentle as ever. Just a simple walk can end up as an adventure with Ernie. There’s never a dull moment with him by my side.