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Hi Rossim and Pigale, re the dogs,
No, they're not setters :) they are shaggy rescue dogs. Mattie is a bearded collie cross. I had decided not to get another long haired dog because of the grooming, but I went to the pound and she won me over. Rom looks like a mini lurcher - terrier x whippet, possibly.

Hi Mattrom

They sound delightful and it's great to hear they've been rescued by someone who obviously adores them.

My son has a very much loved hairy terrier crossbreed. He makes regular trips to the doggy hairdressers!

Hi Mattrom,

I don't know how I managed it, but all my dogs seemed to over-work the hoover!
It's great to give a good home to lovable pets, but I dare not go in
any kind of kennels - I come out of there crying my eyes out and wanting to take them all!

Don't know if it's insomnia or not being adjusted to BST, but I got out of bed and thought I'd look in.

Haven't entered as we're away most of next week, so shall be taking a sabbatical from both PR and Clueless.

Congrats, Tatters, and thanks, Paul, for me having the honour of being included in your clue!

Some years ago, colleagues were discussing dogs, and one dear lady turned attention to me saying, totally innocently, something along the lines of "Let's ask him. He's had a few dogs in his time." Once the laughter died down I admitted I had. The one that was possibly the most intelligent, and a real "character", fits Mattrom's description of Rom.

When our daughter was aged 2, we came into possession of a "failed" police sniffer dog, an 18 month old golden retriever so, being contemporaries, they grew up together. When that dog died, aged 14, I shed more tears than when many humans I've known have passed on. She was such a sweet-natured dog, a characteristic of the breed which, I'm afraid, I now can't see past.

Anyway, we had a Douglas (homophone) period of 9 years, since all in the household were working. When I announced I was taking early retirement, daughter was straight onto phone/internet to breeders/Kennel Club, and the rest is history.

So.... yes, Skye is a golden retriever and, despite her name, not even Scottish, but from kennels near Barnard Castle in England.

Hope I haven't bored the pants off everyone. See you next month.

SW

In the hope that aristo might see this.......

Clue from today's Guardian:
A senatorship arranged for Greek writer (12)