Dear Hound

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For more on the subject of losing a beloved animal we can recommend Michael Morpurgo's reworking of the Black Beauty story.

The Deerhound needs considerable exercise when young to develop properly and to maintain its health and condition.

I loved the way she explained, before the story began, about the various positions of a deerhound's ears and what they mean. When Alfie's owner, Charlie, and his mother send Alfie to the dog-sitter's house when they go to a wedding, Alfie is so petrified that he runs away and gets lost. Deerhounds should not be raised with access only to leash walking (or any form of "forced" exercise) or a small yard, this would be detrimental to their health and development as their bones grow very quickly and the young dogs need to play and rest according to their instincts.

While lost, the dog is befriended by 2 foxes who try (and ultimately succeed) to help him find his way back home. The story is exciting enough so they will enjoy reading over the summer and hopefully keep up their skills. My 10 year old daughter heard enough of the story to wish to read it in her own time, though it was a bit young for her. Alfie's your average deer hound puppy-curious about the world around him, happy to chase the cat and laze around in his favorite beanbag bed, and very loyal to his boy, Charlie.Report from the Kennel Club/British Small Animal Veterinary Association Scientific Committee – Summary results of the Purebred Dog Health Survey for Deerhounds" (PDF). I loved the alternating between telling what is happening woth alfie but also what Charlie is doing to try and find Alfie. The 'hound' of the title is Alfie the deerhound, a hairy, flop-eared coward of a puppy, who is bossed around by the cat of the house, Florence.