Star’s top dog PLUS ALL OUR CALENDAR WINNERS
HERE is golden retriever pup Cash – the cover star of our new Star Paws calendar.
We looked through more than 3,800 entries and asked you to vote for your favourite from our Top 20. And adorable four- month- old Cash stole your hearts and won the competition to grace the front of the calendar to raise money for animal charity Blue Cross. Owner Arlene Campbell can’t wait to see her golden boy in print. She said: “I can’t believe it! I think he’s lovely, but I wasn’t sure what everybody else would think. “I’m going to buy the paper and the calendar and keep it for when he’s older.” Cash is portrait photographer Arlene’s first dog and it took two years for her and fiance Christopher O’connor to get him. The couple are getting married in 2022 and their pup, who is named after Arlene’s favourite musician, Johnny Cash,
will be involved in the special day. She said: “He will definitely be there in some form – even if it’s on the cake.” With a surge in demand for dogs during lockdown, coronavirus has driven up the price of puppies, meaning many unscrupulous sellers are scamming new owners. But sensibly Arlene and Christopher, of Cumbernauld, Lanarks, took their time and did their research. She said: “We had to be so careful. I joined a few good Facebook groups and people gave a lot of good advice and recommended the breeder we found. “The breeder just really seemed to know what they were talking about – they’ve done it for more than 20 years.” Cash was born in Bristol on June 23, the day Boris Johnson announced the easing of lockdown restrictions. While the couple didn’t have the pick of the litter, they noticed that one had a white dot on his head and hoped it would be him – which it was!
Messy
He has since kept Arlene, 26, and restaurant manager Christopher, 33, busy and happy – and even cheered up their families on doorstep visits. She said: “He kept our spirits high, our home messy and our hearts full. He’s been good for the family. He is the only dog in the family at the moment and is doted upon.” Luckily, the lockdown restrictions haven’t affected Cash’s training and socialising. Arlene said: “Our local puppy class is running so we’ve managed to take him to a few of them already.” Arlene also can’t wait to take him on his first trip out of Scotland thanks to the winning prize of a dog- friendly holiday with Away Resorts. She also backs our campaign to raise funds for the Blue Cross, adding: “It’s great, a really good thing to do. And a great charity as well!”