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We have talked about sheep and we have talked about goats but North Macedonia has more to offer!

Where ever you are in the town you hear and see dogs barking. They walk around, looking quite fearsome in my eyes but never come up to you or bother you in any way.

Sometimes, especially in the town center when its dinner time you see enormous dogs bordering on wolves but they go about their own business.

All the dogs are chipped and there is a certain policy on stray dogs but that seems to change as often as parliament.

Anyway one morning I stepped out onto the patio for my morning coffee and bowl of yoghurt and who should I meet but the most adorable puppy.

He was so happy to see me, he wagged his tail, cocked his head to one side and literally, and I mean it, he smiled at me!

I thought, just ignore him, just don’t look at him…

Then I made the mistake of messaging my daughters.

Mistake.

Big Mistake.

My telephone went wild, “you have to keep him”, “he is so cute, he wants to live with you”, “papa will love him!”, “he will be a good guard dog” (I doubt that!). Even the boyfriends got involved, “give him a sausage” they said, “and some water”, and “give him a name” .

I was not convinced, I am not a natural dog lover, being slightly wary of them but okay I was warming to him.

Then Johan came home, “oh no, did you feed him?” he looked at me accusingly. Well, I said, the boys said to give him a sausage, I only gave him one… or maybe two or well he looked so hungry so I gave him all the sausages.

Within the hour he was sold.

The dog was called Finn and Johan was phoning the vet to come and check him out.

The girls were ecstatic.

But stray dogs are stray dogs and we knew it would be touch and go the first few days. I think because we were not at home very much our little Finn disappeared after a day…

I was quite sad but on the other hand c’est la vie.

Secretly I still hope I will step out on the patio and there he will be, wagging his tail and cocking his head to one side. The sausages are in the fridge Finn!