Iceni Columnist Mark King

I remember the first time he arrived. It happened very quickly. Our family was looking for a rescue dog to take in, and we got a call from a contact who had a Above: Mark King dog that needed a home quickly. Half an hour later, Percy came bounding into the house. He jumped up on me stinking to high heaven, then shot into our lounge and cocked his leg against the curtain. He then headed straight to the wife and begun humping her leg. The previous owners were hoping to use Percy as a breeding dog, but his constant attention to my wife was too much for any husband to ignore. So, like some Mafia Don who had a rival that needed sorted, he was sent to the vets. Later that day, he returned, minus his balls, and since that day he’s became absorbed into the King Family.

At the height of lock-down, he was the only excuse to get out of the house. When not out for a walk, he kept us busy playing in the garden, taking shoes, slippers or any other object he can snuffle, so you have to chase him to get it back. There are quiet times too, where he will come and lay next to you on the sofa, rest his head on your leg and look at you with those brown eyes that can melt the heart of even the hardest soul, especially if you are eating something! I have a saying, “Where there’s food, there is always a Percy.”

He can be fast asleep on the bed upstairs and hasn’t moved all day, but as soon as you open the fridge or larder door, he magically appears by your side.

It’s been two years to the day as I write this article since Percy first became a King, and he is now such a part of the family, we couldn’t live without him.

Even having to lose out on our holiday abroad this year, which we had booked back in January, has been softened by the fact that we no longer have to put him in kennels for two weeks.

The thought of leaving him behind was tearing at my heart strings, so we are now hoping to take him with us somewhere in the U.K later this year.