"Super-Dog"

Everyone who has ever met me on my twice-daily tour of the Ria da Alvor will also have met my dog "BODI". She was found as a stray puppy, together with her sister, on the beach at Alvor apparently (we understand) having been abandoned by her owner, a local fisherman, who's bitch had had a litter of seven - five dogs and two bitches. It is common for Portuguese peasants to abandon female puppies because they do not want more pups and thay cannot afford to have them spayed. Bodi was originally christened "Boadicea" and her sister "Cleopatra" by my friend Gail who found them. Gail re-named Cleopatra as "Petal" (no comment!!) and we decided that Boadicea, being a bit of a mouthfull, should become "Bodi".

"ALERT"

She was eight years old this September and during those years this dog has become my next-but-one best friend and constant companion. As she grew it became apparent that a large portion of her genetic make-up was Border Collie, and she shows many of the characteristics typical of that breed: super intelligent, very active, extremely good-natured with other dogs, cats (we have seven who all think that Bodi is a very large, friendly cat) and children and just about anybody else but particularly birders - to Bodi human being plus binoculars and/or telescope = friend.

"INTELLIGENT"

Bodi takes me out for walkies twice a day for a total of about four hours; in mid-summer it is a 5.30 am start as I am pulled out of bed and told it is "time to go". When she was younger I would walk a total of about 12km a day with her, and for every kilometre I walked she would run (chasing rabbits, hares and foxes) at least 4 km. I once calculated that we had walked to Johannesburgh and back (twice)!!

"COY"

She loves people, and is not at all choosy as to whom she speaks, so if you see her before you see me please say "HELLO", and if by chance you have a doggie biscuit (or any sort of biscuit) in your pocket, you will have made a friend for life.