MADAM, WITH Crufts taking place at the NEC in March, I want to say how my

dogs have saved my sanity and are my best friends, my guardian angels in disguise.

In July 2001, after a very serious nervous breakdown, I came home to my home in

Weston-under-Penyard and decided to bring some light and sunshine into my life. I

heard there was a white Pekingese for sale near Abergavenny. I went and bought him

from some lovely people in the country and he eventually qualified for Crufts 2002.

In 2004 I heard of the world famous Robetas Pekingese in Sutton in Ashfield, and I

drove up there with Snowie and purchased Robetas Midnight Princess now aged four

years, dam of three self-whelped litter, which is very unusual in Pekingese. The latest

is Beaupres Black Rose of Ross who is now eight months old and ready for the

show ring in 2009.

Beaupres White Heathers' two year old white and cream daughter last year ran away

to the Ross golf course, and stayed the night with a friendly farmer who returned her

to me. The day before she self-whelped two white dog puppies; I retain Beaupres

Dickens Tiny Tim, now nine weeks old, and hoping to be the first white Pekingese

champion in my own name.

Robetas Midnight Princess swam 299 yards in the lake below my home to try to

catch a swan, taking White Heather and Beaupres Miss Valentine with her. Princess

and Tiny Tim now always accompany me in my Ford Ka which got stuck in the mud.

We were kindly rescued by Mr Robert Blenkin, a local farmer and breeder of beef

cattle and sheep.

Fiona Mirylees, Weston-under-Penyar