Name that dog...
Fancy naming one of my key characters in my next series? Well, read on...
I've joined forces with the amazing rescue centre that I adopted two of my dogs from to offer a great opportunity for you to name one of the key characters in my new series.
The last year has been trying on so many levels but imagine being a charity that depends on face-to-face events to raise the funds they need to carry on - it's been nigh on impossible. The little organisations that don't have big corporate sponsors have suffered the most. So in a random online chat I came up with the idea of a naming competition, put it to the angel (appropriately named Angela) that runs Rottie Friends Rescue, a not-for-profit rescue and boom - this competition was born.
Let me tell you about the bones of the competition (pun intended) before I go on and waffle about my history with the breed. For a £5 donation to the Rottie Friends Rescue, you can enter a name to be considered for my newest series. Not only that, but if you win, you’ll also receive a signed copy of the book when it’s published and you’ll have your name, or the name of anyone of your choice, in the book’s acknowledgements page. To enter, send £5 (per name suggestion) via PayPal to the following address, dogtrainingandrescue@gmail.com, with your suggested name in the comments box on Paypal. Oh, and please do the transaction as Friends and Family so they don’t get charged fees. We will select the winning name on the 21st of May 2021.
The series is an Urban Fantasy about a woman who finds out her heritage is a little more interesting than most family lines. Throughout her life she's been aware she's a little different, but as an orphan she doesn't know why. As she grows up, her over developed senses grow into full on supernatural abilities, which she has to hide from the human world. Her best friend is a male Rottweiler who she communicates with telepathically. He is her wise advisor, her moral compass, and offers the wisdom and advice you'd expect from a wise elder. That is the character you'll be naming in this competition.
So why Rottweilers Hazel?
When I met up with an old friend of mine after many years of separation, he was astonished that I had Rotties, and to be honest they weren't a breed I'd ever considered prior to having one. My Rottie love affair can be placed squarely at the feet of my husband. You see, when we married he already had several dogs - a Great Dane, a St Bernard, a Belgian Shepard, a Doberman, a mixed breed and a female Rottweiler. Luckily we lived on a ranch type property in Egypt with loads of land. I've always adored dogs, so I was in heaven, but that female Rottweiler stole my heart. She was proud, calm, loyal, stoic and wise. When Samba had puppies, we kept two - a female, Venus, and a male, Apollo. Apollo was just like his mum, Venus was a crazy play monster but shared those same characteristics that I've now come to understand are Rottie staples. Boy, did I love those dogs!
When I returned to England, many years later, my friends pushed me to get a new dog, and it just had to be another Rottie - which is when I met Angela, from Rottie Friends Rescue in Taunton, Somerset (https://www.rottweilerfriends.co.uk). There I got Merli, shown in the black bandana above and later our one-eyed-monkey Asha. Since then I've come to know Angela well and, as a volunteer, I do home checks for new adoptees from time to time. She's a trained dog behaviourist and trainer as well as running her rescue. She often takes on the dogs that other rescues reject. The ones that we humans have let down too badly, and she slowly wins their confidence and rehabilitates them. Some, sadly, have been too wounded to ever fully recover - those she keeps as sanctuary dogs covering all costs for their food, medical care and keep. Please, if you have a moment, consider entering this competition or even making just a small donation. Every penny and cent makes such a difference. To enter, send £5 (per name suggestion) via PayPal to the following address, dogtrainingandrescue@gmail.com, with your suggested name in the comments box on Paypal.
The Rottweiler is a massively misunderstood breed, so I always endeavour to include a Rottweiler in every book I write to do my bit as this noble breed's ambassador. They are truly the sweetest natured dogs, bred to herd cattle and pull butchers carts in Germany they are calm, strong, determined but above all loyal and loving. The media have corrupted the breed's reputation, and I'm doing my bit to correct that. So that's my story, my love affair with Rottweilers. Do you have a breed you're just crazy over? I'd love to hear from you, if so.
Until next time - happy reading
Hazel x
