Author Leslie Pearce said The Puppy brought me back my life at the age of 78. Books | entertainment

Sapphire King Charles Cavalier Stan has been my companion and best friend for 12 years.

Without him, I think I would have lost out during the lockdown. Besides my writing, I’ve been renovating a one-bedroom ground floor apartment along the way and renovating the neglected garden.

My five bedroom house in Devon Riviera is being sold soon.

At 76, I felt it was reasonable to downsize. The large garden at the new address would be beautiful to Stan and a great project to continue working on.

But just two weeks after we moved into the apartment at the end of 2021, instead of him not enjoying the stairs and the beautiful soft lawn, my beloved son suddenly began to grow weak, his eyes to lose their luster.

For the past two weeks I’ve let him sleep in my bed, which is something I said I would never do with a dog.

I tried to entice him to eat it with chicken and other foods, I even prayed for a reprieve, but it didn’t turn out well, and eventually I knew I had to take him on that last trip to the vets. Fortunately, he loved going there. And his favorite vet did the deed.

At that point, I wished I’d gone too. Alone, my children and grandchildren in Bristol and London, I have never felt more drifted, and the silence was frightening.

No more morning walks, or chatting to other dog owners, without Stan there would have been no structure in my days.

Amidst the nagging fear of becoming unfit without daily exercise, I couldn’t write anymore. I was sitting at my desk and sleeping. So I watched endlessly on TV, completely mindless stuff, and thought: “This is it for me now, I’m the kind of old man I swore not to be.”

I needed a dog and I miss him. But everyone kept saying no: I was on my wobbly feet, I didn’t need responsibility, or mess. Now you are free to go anywhere you can imagine at any moment.

It was all nice, of course, but I hate reasonable advice and was aware that they did not understand the depth of my inner grief.

Then again in April, my girlfriend and I got tickets to see a cabaret in London. Before the show, we went to a bar in the Embankment Gardens, and by chance, there was a couple at the table next to us accompanied by a black and tan cavalier.

Her name was Frida, and in the same way Stan made friends, she jumped into my lap. Her owner Lucy and I chatted, and she told me she got Frida from a wonderful breeder in Wales. She said she would email me the details, which I did.

Although I was afraid of commitment, I couldn’t help myself, I had to write to my governess, Angela.

I was half hoping she didn’t get a litter, and I wouldn’t let an old bird like me get a puppy anyway. But she did have dogs, and I felt I would be a careful owner. She was the kind of nanny I like, and she certainly cared more about their welfare than their wealth.

Puppy blows deeply in love and then”

I drove to see the puppies–a very long distance, especially to return the same day–but there were White Socks,

Angela was dedicated to me. He had a white flash on his head.

He came to me with all the enthusiasm a puppy could give. I inhaled deeply that puppy scent and fell in love there and then. I knew my year and a half without dogs was coming to an end.

Angela only lets the pups go at week 12 when they are fully vaccinated, so I had three more weeks to wait, and it seemed like forever. I bought a portable crate, a new bed, and some toys. I couldn’t think of anything else. And I came up with his name, Barney.

Finally there I was at the gate, all the puppies trying my best. Barney hangs back, the white flash on his head almost gone, but his white stockings are as bright as ever.

Angela and I talked for an hour, and we both felt like we had found a true friend. She had made Barney his own blanket to take away, a green and blue masterpiece to match his red coat. Another indication of her love and devotion to her young.

He didn’t mind being in the little hut alone all the way home and when I pulled him out he hadn’t made a mess at all. He peed on my lawn and looked at me with an expression that said, “I love this place.” Of course, you have forgotten how a puppy, like a new baby, takes over your home and your life.

Nothing is sacred. Chew the edge of the rug in the sitting room while my mom is busy, and eat the strips she used to tape it to the floor to hide the evidence.

I haven’t had one in a long time and it was very expensive. I cried out in terror when I saw all the loose threads. There is a comical chicken decoration next to the fire that I didn’t think to move. He broke that and sat there quietly playing with all the pieces.

Barney pulls out any neatly tucked throws away, whacks pompoms from a pillow, not to mention nibbles on my newest sandals, the knobs on my chest of drawers, and the old books I cherish. And it eliminates any leftover mail on the doormat.

By the third day, I was tearing out my hair moving from one damaged area to another.

Amazingly, he hasn’t had any accidents indoors – he whines when the door isn’t open. Of course I go out with him at regular intervals to cheer him up.

I’m tired all the time because I have to be awake all day but even with all that I’m not sorry I got it.

I tell myself, in six months, I’ll forget all the bad things.

I read that a puppy should be exposed to several things before 16 weeks.

Traffic, noisy machines – including vacuum cleaners – and high-quality jackets and helmets, snowboards and so on.

It was only with me the day men arrived to trim my hedges, that many dreadful things happened. And the guys helped him play with him too.

The next day, I put on a little belt on it and went for a short walk. He didn’t like the cars going by, but he liked the people who stopped to pet him. It took 100 yards for ages.

He was clearly born to be a writer’s dog. The moment I sat at my desk he went to his little cage and they fell asleep. I made the mistake of letting him come to my bed the first morning he was here.

He jumped on my head and licked my ear vigorously and didn’t seem to understand the plan was for him to settle into a snuggle. I can’t wait until he’s ready to walk to the beach, to let him off the lead and see him roam with bigger dogs.

Someone asked me if it wasn’t foolish to get a puppy because it might outlive me. It’s totally possible, but I have three dog-loving daughters and I know if the worst happens, one of them will pick him up.

That should start a family feud over which one to take! But no matter how much time I have with Barney, I know every moment of it will be filled with joy!

• The betrayal of Leslie Pearce (Michael Joseph, £22) is now over. visiting Expressbookshop.com Or call Express Bookshop on 020 3176 3832. UK P&P is free on orders over £25