This is Polly, who was found as a puppy at the RSPCA, Quinton, Birmingham, England, during the Easter holiday, 1988.

As you can see she is mostly Alsacian, but she is only about two thirds the typical size.

She never strays more than a few yards away from us, even when in hot pursuit of some furry animal.

And should the furry animal slow down, then so does Polly. She just likes to run. But not always...

She once spent a week trying to catch a rat in our garden, and when she finally did, instinct took over and she killed it. She was mortified, seeming to be thinking "Oh no, I've broken the rat". She kept pushing it with her nose, trying to make it "go" again, then slunk into the house.

Now she's getting on in years, she sleeps a lot; she's under my desk as I type this.
Over the past few years Polly has been fed a special renal support diet, which she hates, but today our vet said she would be OK on prime steak, so she's tucked into a supper of rump steak.  I've not seen her looking so happy in years!

Polly had a stroke and was put down on Sunday the 14th of August 2005