Pets on the cut
Andy and Sarge
A JACK Russell pup who constantly keeps his nose to the ground is always a good sign and Sarge is one such pup.
It’s better than stargazing while being whiny and yappy. Despite his young age Sarge is already showing signs of his excellent breeding and with a name like Sarge I’m sure he’s set to go places.
Introduced to boat life at six weeks old, the little fellow belongs to Andy, a retired career soldier who served 26 years with the RMP, much of his latter service as a dog handler.
Andy also has a dog story tinged with sadness. When he first arrived at Caen Hill Marina four years ago, he brought with him a beautiful cocker spaniel called Ted. It didn’t take long before most marina folk got to know the gentle and ever-friendly Ted, who also had an exemplary military track record.
While still in the British Army, he’d been an Ammunition & Explosive Search (AES) dog. Andy and Ted ultimately retired together, without doubt the kind of scenario any dog handler would like to see upon retirement. A dog and its handler form a unique bond, and if the partnership is broken for whatever reason, it’s traumatic for both. Unfortunately, it does periodically happen.
Although Andy and Ted were both enjoying their retirement, with lengthy daily towpath walks and happy cruises, at 13 years old the ageing, soft and friendly spaniel was sadly diagnosed with a tumour on the brain. Ultimately and by February 2021, there was little choice left for Andy other than to let a compassionate vet gently help Ted cross the rainbow bridge. It’s not easy losing a canine compani o n ; ove r the previous five decades I’ve been there, a number of times. It’s tough.
In the void Ted left, Andy, who is part of the Caen Hill Marina management team, felt he wasn’t up to immediately replacing his devoted spaniel. It’s understandable and a mark of respect for a loyal friend and constant companion. As a substitute, when Andy’s boating friends Adrian and Steph needed their border collie Noddy ‘boat sat’ for a few days, Andy willingly took on the task. After all, the late Ted had enjoyed many daily walks alongside Noddy and as a result Noddy also knew and trusted Andy.
Eventually though, and after 10 months, Andy felt the time was right to get another can ine companion. In December 2021 he found Sarge, the JR pup and already that special bond between a man and his dog is forming. Having owned a few JRs back in Africa, I have a soft spot for the breed.
When I watch Andy interacting with the ever-alert Sarge, it takes me back, and I feel a pang of nostalgia. At my age though, I’m reluctant to own another dog because it’ll probably outlive me and have to go through the trauma of being rehomed.
Rather, I enjoy all the dogs around us, and get just as much pleasure watching their owners and their canine companions having fun. A bit like being a grandparent who can hand the baby back!