h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Babe was an English Springer Spaniel - liver and white. She was a beautiful dog, and a constant companion to our son from the day we got her when he was 3, till we had to have her put down when he was 12. She stole cookies from him, and helped him dig holes in the snow. They used to go out chasing cats - Babe on her leash, and running after cats, till she spotted her own cat, ran at her, and Promie would just crouch down and let the dog go right over her.

They used to go and play in the school yard, and their favourite game was "viscious timber wolves". They'd face each other, the kid on hands and knees at dog-level, and snarl and pop their teeth at each other. Then one would make the other submit. The dog was fine, the kid was rabid! Babe would run around like an idiot, and if you weren't quick, she'd run right at your legs and bowl you over. She loved the slide in the play yard, and would climb up the steps and slide down over and over.

Babe was the guiltiest dog I've ever met! If she'd done something "bad" even if it hadn't been discovered yet, she'd look guilty. She wasn't allowed upstairs on the beds, but would sneak up if we left her alone, and always managed to trap herself in the kid's room. When I found her and demanded to know "Who's bad little puppy are you?" she'd belly crawl all the way down to the basement and put herself to bed.

She was without a doubt the best dog we've ever owned. All these years later, we still miss her.

She sounded wonderful, no wonder you still miss her! Dogs are all unique creatures with their own personalities - just as quirky as any human .

Our is just nuts. He's a Jack Russell/English Bull Terrier cross called Henry, and he must be about 12 by now. He's a real character - I've never heard of anyone having a dog quite as daft - or as hungry.

Last year he was diagnosed as diabetic, so he's on a strictly controlled diet now. He'd had a bit of a weight problem and was having trouble moving around, which we'd assumed was him just getting old, but a trip to the vets confirmed diabetes and once we started treatment it gave him a whole new lease of life.

It annoys the whatnot out of him, as he's definitely got eyes bigger than his belly. He rapidly worked out that he wasn't getting titbits any more, but he did get a rice biscuit if he "did his business" on the garden. Now he asks to go out, has a wee, comes back in and has a biscuit. Less than 2 minutes later he'll be asking to go out again, this time for a poo... and expecting another biscuit as he did something else!

He has this thing about eating tissues. If he can smell one up your sleeve, he'll come up to you pretending he wants you to fuss him. Then, as soon as he gets the opportunity, he sticks his nose up your sleeve and runs off with your tissue to mangle it in a corner.

Sometimes, if no-one has one up their sleeve, he'll sit by the tissue box and groan so that someone fetches him one. He has been known to stand on the coffee table and grab a tissue out of the box for himself!

He also has a very loud bark for a little dog, and harasses all visitors, whether he knows them or not, by bounding up to the door, barking like mad, with all the hair on his back standing on end. Most people back off and look frightened. However, if you bark back at him he gets all confused, as if to say "that's not how you're supposed to react!"

He doesn't have a guilty look like yours, though. He has a "Look, I'm all cute - don't be mad at me, I didn't do it" look, though.

Your Henry sounds like a darling! He's well bred. From what I understand, Jack Russells and English Bull Terriers are both very bright dogs. I have a friend who had a Jack Russell cross and he was an amazing animal.

If I aimed a swat at my son's backside (he was raised when it was still legal), Babe would start after me. The only way not to be attacked was to point at her and shout "And you're next", and she'd lie down. It usually ended whatever I was on about. The kid would laugh, Babe would get guilty, and the total result would send me into "I don't know what I'm going to do with you two." Babe was his sibling. The played and fought just like 2 little kids.

That's so sweet. I suppose if they more or less grew up together, then that happens. Dogs can be a lot more intelligent than they're ever given credit for.

Henry is very intelligent when he wants to be; though when it suits him, he will play dumb. He learns things (like getting treats for going on the garden) very quickly.

One of Henry's other traits is to sniff vigorously at returning family or friends, just to check where we've been. He gets all offended if we've been fussing other dogs! My boyfriend freaked him out once by sniffing back at him, which led to Henry backing away and sulking vigorously for half an hour .

As he's got older he's got less active, but he still enjoys a walk or two a day. If you ask him if he wants to go for a walk, depending on his mood you get one of two reactions. He either leaps about, barking joyfully, and goes to fetch his lead; or he looks up as if to say "no..... comfy here," puts his ears down, and goes back to sleep. He also refuses to go out if it's raining.