Boing said Madge

For weeks after starting walking dogs from the local retired greyhound kennels I wondered why prospective adopters were required to have a six foot high fence around their garden.

Greyhounds are usually placid dogs - often described as couch potatoes - and even the biggest of them (the biggest are usually about 30 inches at the shoulder) shouldn't be able to get their snout much higher than 4 foot surely?

Then I met Madge, as I walked into the yard Madge said: "BOING!!!!" and then launched herself several feet into the air. From a standing start. "BOING," said Madge, "BOING, BOING, BOING."

I wondered whether, a bit like Zebedee from the Magic Roundabout, all four paws had been fitted with springs, but no, once she had calmed down, I saw her paws were normal. She's just quite excitable.

Since then Madge has proven she is quite adept at the Harrier jump-jet take off in any circumstance. She's quite a small dog, so if a hedge or bramble bush gets in the way and there could be a rabbit or another dog on the other side - what better way to check than the vertical take-off?