Lucky's Blog: Hola Amigos!

Hola! I’m Lucky Lawrence. Mama Loz and I are running Country & Shore in Emsworth. I am a cross between a Jack Russel and Chihuahua so am fluent in both languages. Moving from London was very strange as I had so many firsts – first train journey ever! I couldn’t work out why we were suddenly in such a huge green park without any big buildings? I got my first sight of the countryside and the sea. I saw these enormous things in fields which Mama Loz calls horses and cows. I'll be honest, the sea bothers me a bit – sometimes it’s there and sometimes it’s not. What's that about??

Our shop is very busy, but she doesn’t know about my secret stash of teddies that I have stolen from the stock cupboards and taken into the attic. She also probably doesn’t know about the chair that I have been chewing up there, I just needed a bit of on-trend distressing. Luckily for me I have my own daybed and area near the till so I can woof to welcome our visitors and some of them even give me treats! Sometimes Mama Loz puts a sign on the door saying she’s on a dog walk for ten minutes so I can do what I have to do …

Some of the things she sells are fun, fun, fun and very chewable! I like to think I can eventually snaffle a pure new wool blanket to snuggle down on, but she’s made me use the recycled cotton one which is OK I guess. There are new faux fur cushions just waiting to be snaffled, but I like deliveries best as not only do I see what’s new but I get to help with the shredding of the packaging before it goes to the recycling.

There are always interesting smells in the shop. I like the smell of all the different organic soaps, but my favourite smells are the recycled candles. Apparently, the boys who run that company go to restaurants and hotels and take away waste candle ends and make them beautiful again – how great is that. I wouldn’t mind going round restaurant and hotel kitchens myself! I also have my eye on some of the baby rattles and toys as they are made by something called ‘Fair Trade’ and I would trade my old toys for new ones any time.

Talking about knowing your way around. I know every shop in Emsworth that gives out doggie treats, particularly Mary Poppins, the cafes are good too for a snackeroo. Driftwood Café is the place to run to if I ever get out of my pen – made it twice so far.

I normally walk to work with Mama Loz and it’s great to get settled down with my puppuccino before she opens the doors. It’s exciting to see who will come in and who I can say woof to first. Sometimes I even give people a little fright but I don’t mean anything bad, it’s just my way of saying hello. Sometimes other dogs come in and we sniff noses and wag tails. Mama Loz is very happy when other dogs come in to see me and I have a few friends now. Helen from Harbourside Hounds even collects me in a car and takes me to new places to play – she’s so kind to do that.

Mama Loz is always fussing about the things in the window as she likes to put new things in it every few days. I used to sit on the window and look out but she’s pushed me off now to make room for all her lovely things. She’s also got even more stuff upstairs – I just hope no one discovers my hiding place or I’ll be in the bad books. Mind you she did make a few mistakes at first, imagine putting beautiful candles in a hot window! Melty mess I say. She also realised quite quickly that I have an appetite for price tags, so she had to move loads of things higher up. I did enjoy the string.

I’d love you to come and meet me and say hello. I’m going to earn my keep instead of falling asleep at the till which I tend to do after my walk, and I have to write this blog every month. It’s a dog’s life after all. Adios amigos!!

Lucky x