A hound called Rosebud

Hannah Goffe explains her family’s love affair with Heythrop Rosebud and her adorable offspring

- Hannah Goffe

WAY back in the summer of 2016 we were asked to walk our first Heythrop hound puppies. Having walked beagles and bassets before, we thought, “How hard can it be?”

We were swiftly delivered three absolutely gorgeous bundles of mischief named Romper, Romulus and Rosebud. They enriched and ruined our lives in equal measure.

The two boys were dopey but kind, and Rosebud? Well, she was a menace at walk; always busy but also very loving. She was a compact puppy and to this day is still dwarfed by her kennel mates. The adorable stripe down her face and her love of cocking her head to one side meant that she got away with murder here at White House Farm.

The harvest drew to a close, meaning it was time for these three darlings to return to kennels after their summer of education.

Being lucky enough to get out with hounds on a regular basis, it was easy to keep up to date with our blossoming young entry.

Romulus knocked our master and huntsman continually off of his bicycle – he was more Shetland pony than hound – Romper was a little timid, and Rosebud her usual determined self.

The puppy show came and went, the only silverware acquired being the obligatory silver spoon for our ugly ducklings. Beauty, after all, is in the eye of the beholder.

Autumn swiftly fell and our family were keen to see our pups out on their first morning’s trail-hunting – if a little anxious for them. The boys were heaven sent and obedient, but the cries of “Rosebud” echoed through the Heythrop hunt country with force.

Luckily our pups settled nicely to the job in hand and our two daughters, Ella and Iris, delighted each week in seeing ”their puppies” at work.