Strangers rush to help ‘dying’ dog ... then discover he’s just sulking

WHEN two workmen drove past Begbie the dog motionless on the pavement, they feared the worst.

Out of instinct, they jumped out of their van – and prepared to revive the lifeless old English bulldog.

But it turned out Begbie was far from dead, as professional dog walker Michele Bilsland was quick to assure them. In fact, he had just flung himself to the ground in a strop.

So vexed was Begbie, four, that Mrs Bilsland had taken him on a shorter stroll because of the weather that he decided to stage a protest … and play dead.

He had turned his head away in ‘disgust’ as soon as he realised they weren’t heading up the hill to

‘We weren’t going to the woods he likes’

his favourite wood near Muthill, Perthshire. And then, in what Mrs Bilsland says is his signature move, he threw himself to the ground and wouldn’t budge an inch.

As the workmen approached the apparently collapsed dog, Mrs Bilsland had to explain he hadn’t dropped dead and was simply having one of his tantrums.

Mrs Bilsland, 43, said: ‘The woods he likes are up the hill but we’d turned left because the weather was stormy.

‘When he’s not going where he wants he just throws himself on the floor and then he doesn’t move and turns his head away in disgust.

‘He’d done it seconds before the guys in the van came up that road. I think they were a father and son who just parked up straight away and asked, “Are you alright love? What’s happened?”

‘Because Begbie was on the floor and his head was turned away, they thought he’d died on me.’

Begbie’s protest lasted for about a minute until he conceded defeat and continued walking – slowly – back along the road.

Mrs Bilsland added: ‘He’s adorable and full-on in a nice way, he’s full of energy, very opinionated and such a character. It’s such a lovely, unique side to him – I can’t get frustrated.’