This is a photo I received 7 years ago, along with an appeal for help for the little podenca, rescued with a hind leg injury from a Seville motorway. There were not the facilities in the shelter to care for her post operation, so I said I would take her. She had been rescued by a young woman called Marisa (same name as my daughter) who had named the little podenca Bebe (my nickname at school, derivitive of Beryl!). So of course she had to come to me!

The operation on her hind leg was a success, the vet wasn’t sure if she would use her hind leg properly. No problem…she was fast as grease lightening on 4 legs! She weights 6.5 kilos, is the boss of the galgos, and the first to warn us if there is someone at the door. She’s been on many adventures…it took us a couple of years to make the garden completely escape proof…she could get through very small spaces! And would espy an opportunity if a door was not shut properly!

She loves oranges, I joke that she needs the orange juice to top up her hair colour! and she has her own small bed at the side of the woodburner in winter. She loves sharing my chair with me of an evening and her latest thing is to sit at the side of it whilst I have dinner, staring at me until I finish, sit down and then she can jump up for a cuddle.

She’s 14 years old now, grey in the face, but still adorable.

The larger podencos are beautiful and elegant, but the little podencos like Bebe are small dogs with a huge personality.

Podencos are loving and loyal and each one deserves a loving forever home.