A Picture Paints A Thousand Words…

A Picture Paints A Thousand Words…

If you like dogs… and let’s face it, there’s a good chance you do if you’re here looking for your perfect pet portrait, then you’re going to love Tails of the Unexpected… just look at that cover!

Tails of the Unexpected is the hilarious and engaging story of John Donoghue, a military veteran, getting his first ever puppy, Barney, and their bonding process as he takes him on a trip around some of the more bizarre and funny named places in this country.

“There must be more to owning a dog than both of us running after each other to see what the other is eating,” he laments, and we soon discover there is so much more as their joyous partnership develops.

En route to places such as Wetwang, No Place and Pity Me, Donoghue becomes Moses to the canine world and devises ‘The Ten Commandments of Dog’ – essential reading if you want your dog to be a happy hound. But as we all know, rules are made to be broken…

Indispersed with historical facts and trivia, we are also invited to share in the nostalgia of childhood memories and are allowed a rare inside glimpse into life in the armed forces via witty military anecdotes from his varied service around the world in both the Royal Navy and British Army. And there’s more… much more. I could go on, so I will… the top ten Police myths, a bouncing baby hedgehog, perhaps the dumbest bank robber ever… and have you ever heard of the noble sport of mantelpiecing?

This is a treasure trove of a book that gave me so many genuine laugh-out-loud moments… and I don’t mean giggles or smirks, I mean proper belly laughs. The full hierarchy of humour is covered here, from self-deprecating to double entendre with all stops in-between, ably assisted by the real star of the show, Barney.

“A puppy is basically a funny little buddy who always wants to hang around with you,” Donoghue eventually discovers.

There are also some sweet and charming moments in there too as Donoghue struggles to raise his young daughter who he fears is growing up far too fast; something many of us can relate to.

Written in short punchy chapters, this is the ideal book for people who say they don’t read books!

...and on a final note, we find out who really is the Top Dog in the Donoghue/Barney partnership… and I hope our portrait of Barney doesn’t give the game away. Well, they do say a picture paints a thousand words!