The pet I’ll never forget: Reuben the ambitious, accident-prone St Bernard who loved people and cars alike

The pet I’ll never forget: Reuben the ambitious, accident-prone St Bernard who loved people and cars alike

He would get into any vehicle with an open door and was warmly welcomed by our neighbours. So much so that his wake was packed

We never intended to have a dog, and certainly not a St Bernard. Reuben started his life in a Glasgow flat, his owners apparently unaware that he was likely to grow into a 70kg bundle of uncontrollable energy. He got through three owners in the first two years of his life, then appeared on the doorstep of our friend in a village near Glasgow with his fourth, who threatened to have him put down unless our friend took him in. She agreed, reluctantly, since she had a large dog of her own. My wife started to help by taking him for walks, and eventually the walks stopped at our house, which was at least more suitable than a city flat.

Our two cats were naturally put out by this huge intruder, but after a few days they came down from the tops of cupboards, and within a couple of weeks they were walking nonchalantly between his legs. Reuben divided other animals into small ones (ie smaller than a labrador), which he largely ignored, despite their attempts to wind him up, and larger animals, which were regarded as a challenge – the bigger the better. Cows and horses were a particular favourite.

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