We have a dog called Cyrus. He’s a magnificent hound. A big hulk of soft, huggable, gentle kindliness, all Labrador and fox red to boot. He’s a family dog, he sleeps in our bedroom, he drags us out for walks, each time yelping and barking in the hall like it’s the first time he’s ever been out. He’s very good natured, and out and about he walks to heel. 

In the shooting field, Cyrus stands patiently beside me at the peg. He fetches pheasants and partridges, grouse and duck. He is a beast of boundless, joyful energy. And he loves meat. Officially he dines just once a day, being fed after lunch, just after ours. We feel that gives him energy for the rest of the day and enables him to digest and do whatever business he might need before bedtime.

Practically it also serves a purpose as Cyrus gets some scrapings from our lunches. So along with his dried biscuits and a tin of ‘wet’ food he might get a topping of mackerel skins, some bits of sausage left by the children or the cold ends of last Sunday’s roast lamb or beef that have lost their appeal.

So as our lunch ends, his excitement starts and begins to build. Cyrus identifies the person whose task it is to fix his lunch and follows them around. That means almost hugging one’s legs as he shadows you. Make a quick turn and you’ll trip over him. If some hot water lands in his mix he’ll sit, impatiently, drooling, staring at the bowl as it rests out of reach.

Then he gets served beside the huge cushion that is his basket. I place the food in front of him, say ‘wait’, as he drools and salivates to an almost revolting extent. Keep him waiting more than two seconds and he’ll start shaking. Then I give him the nod and he leaps in. He attacks the bowl, eating, crunching, licking until there’s nothing left. Then he does that thing so many of his ilk do. He looks up, then looks around to see if any biscuits have been dropped in the vicinity. Then he returns in the almost deranged hope that miraculously, while he was away for those three seconds, more food has materialised in his bowl.