One man and his family of dog

In autumn 1979, Blackie escaped to visit the farm dog across the road from his home in Glinton, and nine weeks later, Simon was introduced to a fluffy litter of pups. The farmer wasn’t too happy to find that Blackie had broken his pedigree line. Nine-year-old Simon, pleaded with his parents to keep one of Blackie’s puppies, the one who would not leave him alone in the barn where they were kept. Simon’s parents, Oldrich and Pat, agreed to give ‘Jasper’ a home. So began one of the most loving and enduring friendships between a boy who became a man and his dog.

Simon enrolled Jasper in dog training classes, and learnt the principles of dog training that he would apply for the rest of his life. They earned a score of 16/20 in the final assessment, which Simon was not happy with, as Jasper the pup had become distracted by the other dogs. For Simon, though, Jasper would always score top marks!

Simon walked or ran Jasper together with the farm dogs at least twice a day, every day, for 16 years, later returning every weekend from university, to see his beloved dogs! When Simon took up running aged 12, becoming Peterborough schools’ champion, county representative and later, Team GB triathlete, Jasper was firmly at his master’s side, never needing a lead, even as the path ran out and as traffic whizzed by on the Peakirk Road as they completed their circuit from Glinton to Market Deeping and back again.

As they took their daily walk in Glinton, a Great Dane used to watch from the window of a bungalow, leaping at the window to get to Jasper, with never a homeowner in sight. On one almost fatal day, the dog was seen outside his home for the first time, being taken for a walk by its owner, and upon seeing Jasper it broke free, running towards Jasper, sinking its teeth into his neck. Simon couldn’t break the life-threatening grip, was badly bitten himself. He then ran at the dangerous Dane and kicked him as if he were a football. This did the trick, when the dog yelped and released its grip. Simon scooped the bleeding and apparently lifeless Jasper into his arms and ran to the Glinton vets, laid him on the bench and pleaded with the vet to save him! No mean feat for a 13-year-old to run half a mile with a 20 kilo dog in his arms, but his efforts were not in vain. Jasper responded to treatment and the bond between the boy and his dog grew even stronger.

The pair became inseparable, Jasper sleeping in Simon’s bedroom, and starting their day with a 6.30am walk every day. Occasionally when Simon’s Mum wasn’t paying attention and the house gate was left open, Jasper would seize the opportunity and follow his master’s scent all the way to the Arthur Mellows school, running up the High Street, sitting and waiting at the pelican crossing until the cars had stopped, before crossing as

he’d been trained to do. Then he’d wait until the main school doors were open, running along the corridor and waiting patiently outside the classroom door until someone noticed that Jasper had come to visit (again!). Jasper even went on to feature in a TV programme, about swimming, cycling and running with Simon, as he trained for his triathlons.

Keeping the blood line in the family, Jasper mated with one of the dogs from the farm in Glinton, in 1987. Churnie arrived at the Hoppe house, but his life was tragically cut short when he chased a bitch in season and was hit whilst crossing a train line. Simon searched day and night for Churnie, and eventually found out his fate. Simons parents were on holiday, so his brother and Grandad insisted on fetching Churnie from the train track, burying him in the garden. Then came Dusky in 1989, another of Jasper’s sons – this one more of a family dog now that Simon was away at university, but another dear and beloved member of the family line.

Jasper passed away in 1995, aged 16, on Christmas Eve, having suffered a seizure whilst out on one of his daily walks with Simon. Again, Simon carried him home, laying him to rest under a headstone in the garden. Simon was heartbroken, as he’d lost his most beloved friend, his constant companion with whom he had shared so many happy memories.

Misty was born in 1996 to extend the family line into a fifth generation of this bloodline. Misty was another special dog for Simon, in the same loyal mould as Jasper. She also became a beloved family pet for his own sons, Spencer and Sebastian, born in 2000 and 2002. Misty shared all the extra family activities that came with having two young boys, including football, dry slope skiing, triathlon club and cycling. When Sebastian played football for Deeping Rangers, Misty would watch every training session and match, in true sheepdog style, following every ball, but knowing never to cross the white line!

When Dusky died in 2004, Simon found out whilst preparing for the European Triathlon Championships in Switzerland. Simon was racked with grief, but resolved to dedicate his performance to Dusky’s memory, which inspired Simon to a lifetime equalling best performance to win a silver medal, just a few tantalising seconds from gold – all those early morning runs with Dusky had paid dividends!

When the once in a lifetime opportunity came for Simon and his young family to take a two-year work secondment to Australia in 2006, it was the most agonising decision as to what to do with Misty. But with the prospect of quarantine on both sides of the journey and the idea of Misty having to travel in the hold for such a long flight, Simon decided that Misty would remain at home with his parents. However, when his parents came to visit the family on the other side of the world, Misty was left with Simon’s brother and sisterin-law in Deeping Gate. Later it emerged that during this stay, Misty had escaped and ran back to Simon’s family home, waiting patiently on the doorstep for three hours, until he was found and taken back to his temporary home. This event was decisive for Simon; he ended the secondment nine months early and returned home to be reunited with Misty. Despite close links being forged with the rest of the family, Simon knew by the expression in Misty’s eyes when they travelled back to the family home together for the first time, that they would not be separated again. It was a magical moment, when no words were needed.

was the root cause of her cancer. Unlike previous dogs, the succession had not been planned, due to her early demise. So, in May 2009 and for the first time in his life, Simon and his family were left without one of their precious Border collies.

Simon prayed for another dog from his family line, with no real prospect of this happening. But fate intervened in summer 2009 when, at his son’s school summer fete, Simon met Maureen Kirk and her two Border collies – one of whom happened to be one of the pups Simon had homed from one of the litters that Jasper and Dusky had sired. Maureen bred with her dog, Billie, and so Minxie became the sixth generation of Hoppe family dogs. Minxie was the mirror image of Misty in looks, personality and their special bond. The boys were still young, and so Minxie enjoyed all the same family activities that Misty had, as if nothing had changed. She loved playing ‘field football’ with the Dads and lads on the field near their home, carrying an old, burst football in her mouth, to avoid her biting the ball they played with! When Simon won the Wells next the Sea Triathlon in 2016, Minxie escaped from Simon’s wife, Angela, to catch up with Simon on the final 10k run leg of the race, and proceeded to cross the line first, to become the first dog to win a triathlon in the UK (just a couple of steps ahead of Simon)!

Determined never to be in the same situation without a family dog, Simon tried several times with different dogs to breed with Minxie, but it was unsuccessful. Undeterred, Simon then approached the owner of the other farm in Glinton with a view to breed with Minxie’s brother, Rocky, to ensure the succession. There was an initial reluctance on the part of Rocky’s owner, so Simon mounted a charm offensive while attempting to find a bitch to mate with a dog for which he did not yet have the owners’ permission. Not easy. Eventually, after 200 attempts a willing breeder from Doncaster came forward, Rocky’s owner reconsidered and gave permission and all was set. For two days nothing happened and just as hope was ebbing away, and the snow began to fall in November 2020, a neighbour lent their double garage and the deed was done in just a few seconds – just like magic, or perhaps it was fate! Jasper junior was born on 5th February 2021 and just like his namesake back in November 1979, he chose his owner by showing him more attention than all the other pups, and so this extraordinary bond between one man, his family and this wonderful family of Border collie dogs is continuing for at least another generation. Jasper Junior is now 7 months old, fully trained and displaying those same characteristics, which his ancestors and Minxie have always shared – an unbreakable bond that has existed between one family and their seven generations of dogs. It is a story of a special friendship between one man and his dogs, and his determination to keep the family line going throughout his lifetime.