A day in the life of Nesta the Irish Wolfhound pup
Everything's big when it comes to Nesta. Her crate, the car, her high rise food bowls ... the food bill. She's an Irish Wolfhound pup and at seven months old, weighs in at 42 kilos. She's a beauty. So you can imagine my excitement when I was asked to visit her for an at-home photoshoot.
A dented bin from a wagging tail, a kitchen corner transformed into a doggy bedroom and a Wolfhound friendly ramp for access to the garden. These are all the effects or adjustments that have come to light since Nesta joined the Thorpe family. This is the second time I've had the pleasure of meeting Nesta. She's full of excitement and clumsily dives into me for a cuddle. I've not been greeted by her ear hat expression this time. This is a typical Wolfhound trait where her ears fold in on top of her head - it's something she'll often do if she's heard something interesting or received a lovely greeting.
The shoot gets underway and I can tell Nesta's a bit sleepy (perfect for picture taking) and she's dying to sploot out on the kitchen floor, taking up the entire space with her classic spatchcock sleeping position. It's 12pm which means she's already had a good run about in the park. I'm told Nesta's really well behaved both off and on lead but when she's easily distracted, it can be quite challenging. Whether it's potential doggy friends in the distance, or even a leaf blowing by, she's pretty strong and pulls like a train.
But despite all of that power, Nesta is just a gentle giant.
“I think my favourite trait of Nesta’s, is how gentle she can be. When she greets a small dog or child, she’ll make herself small. She knows how to match her energy with another being. She’s very clever.”
Will, Nesta's cat brother is there at the photoshoot too. Her owners tell me how Nesta goes looking for him sometimes. He might be out in the garden, or somewhere upstairs, but it can be really handy just to say "Where's Will?" to Nesta, and she'll seek him out and stand next to him as if to say, "Here he is! I found him!".
It always feels like Nesta is trying to communicate with her owners. She likes to tease and play little games, like when she steals things that she knows aren't hers to take. She purposefully waits until she thinks no one is looking, tilts her head, pinches whatever it is she's swiping and slinks off to her crate with it. She loves fuss and attention. She'll often roll onto her back waving her legs in the air, anything for a belly rub.
I asked Nesta's owners to summarise her in 3 words. Their response couldn't have been more apt. She's a JCB - Joyous, Cramped and BIG.
It's not everyday that you get to meet a puppy that's bigger than you. It was an absolute pleasure to capture sweet Nesta. A big girl with an even bigger heart.
If you want to capture the relationship you share with your pet, get in touch or visit our packages page. Prices start at £100.