I have often been heard referring to my children as being like Labrador puppies. Full of energy, noisy, boisterous and capable of destroying a room in 5 seconds. Play dough was evil and don’t get me started on the chaos slime could cause. So what was I doing I asked myself adding to the mayhem? But despite my reservations the girls excitement was contagious and reminiscent of the time waiting for my first child I aimed to be organized. Bed, crate, teddies, toys, teething ring, blankets to make bed cozy every-time I thought we had everything until the girls came to me with another essential item. “But Mummy she will NEED this” a toy chicken that squeaks errr don’t think so.

Her name took some deciding once my husband had finished mourning the fact that even the friggin dog was a female. So are the cats…. Btw. The kids dictionary of names wasn’t very imaginative there was no way I was calling her after a You Tuber or a Tic TOC star. While my husband didn’t want to look like a dick shouting Foo Foo out the back door.So good old Google helped as I typed in best dog names. Clever Mummy. As we have 4 girls with friends many names were taken. It was getting desperate until I came across Chloe which also happened to be one of my favourite perfumes. “All in favour” AYE. It was unanimous Chloe it was.

The day of collecting her arrived.We had been kept informed of her journey from Greece with her siblings and knew that many other dogs were making the long hot journey to Luxembourg with her and we were due to pick up at 5pm.

Her date of birth we were unsure of so I prewarned the girls she might not be that small. Getting a rescue dog means lots of answers get unanswered. Which breeds she’s mixed with her size when fully grown we just had no idea.We arrived like the other expectant fur parents full of nerves. They were lots of other people there and so many dogs! I wasn’t aware of just how many they were rescuing but there they were in the ladies garden. Releasing hours of pent up energy running, jumping rolling just going crazy. Then we spotting her a tiny blond puppy with another blondie and a little black pup. Our hearts melted. She was even more adorable in real life. The girls squealed and whilst dodging standing in all the poo that was everywhere grabbed her. Her big black eyes were bright with mischief and excitement she wiggled to escape and get back to play. Down she jumped tail wagging so excited to play.

Now my family know I am emotional. Many a time my eldest daughter will give me that OMG you are so embarrassing look “Er Mummy are you crying?” But I have no shame in saying I did shed a tear when I saw her. The missing dog shape jigsaw piece of our family running full pelt round the garden. She was abit smelly and desperate for a bath but she was ours. She would be part of our lives for probably the next 15 years or so. She would watch my children grow and leave the nest, and my hair grow grey, well grey er. She was perfect and we couldn’t wait to get her home.