Torteval Irish Wolfhounds

Gillian and Brian Oliver, who have lived in Fuengirola for many years, vowed never to have another dog after loving and losing an assortment over the years, but then in spring 2004 along came Beamish, who died in December 2009, and soon after, his sister Molly. She had been returned to the breeder having been mistreated by her owner. Knowing that the puppy had been kicked, Brian took her straight to the vet, where a rear leg fracture was diagnosed, together with internal damage.

Once recovered from her injuries, Molly and Beamish were inseparable. At home she was the boss, but elsewhere she was a wimp who liked to stay close to Beamish.

The dogs loved travelling in the Olivers' caravan (though Gill and Brian would be happier if it was a bit bigger) where they had a double bed each, while Gill and Brian made do with the singles!

Beamish and Molly loved their walks down to the beach. Unfortunately, Spanish fishermen rarely use dissolvable fish-hooks, creating plenty of work for the local vets removing hooks from dogs' mouths, so Beamish and Molly wore muzzles on the beach. This they loved, as they associated them with happy times.

Walking the two along the sea front was a slow business, as most Spaniards, although familiar with mastiffs, have never seen such tall dogs. Families tend to look petrified at first, but after a few minutes parents and kids would settle down to stroke Beamish and Molly, who loved the attention. They learned to lie down when people stopped, as if to say, "Oh, go on then - ask about us, and we'll have a rest!"

Eventually, they would pull to cross the road, and then head back to the square where the bar owner would put chairs and a table outside for Gillian and Brian, so they could all stop for a drink. The dogs both enjoyed drinking straight from a water bottle. People would pass, and the dogs would lie down and wait for them bend down and give them loves and hugs. Then after an hour or so they would get bored, and set off for home pulling Gillian and Brian up the hill.

They seemed to love people and hugs more than walking, and of course, they loved their home and their settee. They were happy dogs, preferring plastic bottles and playing with each other to toys.

Molly takes great delight in helping Gill with the recycling, rummaging through the plastics box, and throwing everything around. She gets a real buzz from the noise the plastic makes . . . and from the mess she makes! Beamish occasionally joins in, but recycling is really Molly's job.

Returning home one day, Brian and Gill found Molly looking pleased with herself and proudly displaying an empty milk carton. Only when they went into the kitchen did they discover it had been a full carton, stolen from the worktop! Good job it was skimmed milk!

After Beamish's death from bone cancer in November 2009, Molly and the Olivers were bereft.

Molly became so sad that something had to be done for her, and it was clear that the only therapy that was going to lift her mood was . . . a wolfhound puppy! So along came Fionn, born in France on 1st August 2009.