As someone with a soft spot for Labradors, I am thrilled to be sharing a little about the special dogs in my life who have inspired the dogs in my novels.

Benson, my chocolate Labrador, was my constant companion and best (furry) friend for almost sixteen years. I could rely on him for a cuddle no matter what the ups and downs of life. He was the most loveable and loyal of dogs. When writing my first novel, Crazy Over You, I knew I wanted to weave him into the story.

After discovering her husband has had an affair, my protagonist, Abby, is at a crisis point in her relationship. She feels betrayed, confused and isolated. While her world is falling apart, her chocolate Labrador, Bramble (who shares many qualities with Benson), remains her constant support. He epitomizes the themes of love and loyalty and is the perfect companion for Abby.

Three years after getting Benson, we found him a friend, Milo. Milo was a slightly wonky-eyed boy with an independent spirit, a variety of quirks and a lot of love to give. He and Benson quickly became very close.

Milo inspired Jack, in my second novel, The Purrfect Pet Sitter. Jack is a similarly wonky-eyed black Lab, the beloved pet of Winnie, the first client to put their faith in Lisa Blake as she embarks on her new career.

One of my favourite scenes involving him is the opening chapter in which he has slipped his collar. In Lisa’s search for Jack, she has a chance encounter with a mysterious man in leather; Lisa finds him frustrating, whereas Jack seems to have him on side.

Another of my favourite scenes comes when Lisa and Winnie take Jack to church for a service in honour of St Francis of Assisi (patron saint of animals). Writing the scene in the church was a lot of fun. I don’t want to give anything away, but I will say that what Jack does to a Yorkshire terrier actually happened. Albeit, Benson was the one guilty of this misdemeanour in one of his early training classes, in which he, being a Labrador, was much larger than his smaller breed puppy pals.

Jack gets up to a few cheeky antics in the book. Some were inspired by my second black Lab, Hubble, who sadly passed away at a far too young age.

He was a bundle of energy and stars in adverts and the book trailer for The Purrfect Pet Sitter!

In my most recent novel, A Summer of Second Chances, Granger, the chocolate Labrador of the Bramlington family, comes from a long line of esteemed pedigree dogs. However, like his owner Henry (Lord Bramlington of Dapplebury), who finds living up to familial expectations difficult, Granger knows where his affections lie and forges a new path.

I love incorporating dogs into my stories; they add warmth and, being good judges of character, offer another perspective to the story.

After the sadness of losing Hubble, I was sure I wouldn’t have another dog. I had been blessed with three wonderful boys and knew I was lucky to have them. … that was until I saw Luna, a rescue dog needing a loving home. Luna had spent the first two years of her life in a barn, being used for breeding. She is our first female dog, our first rescue and our first yellow Labrador. She’s come a long way in the short time we have had her. She has learned to play with toys, accept treats, be walked, have cuddles, relax, trust, and snuggle up on the sofa. She is adorable, and it is a privilege to see her increasingly realise that life is full of love and fun. And the reason I am introducing her now? Well, I am sure she will appear in one of my books in the future.

Thank you for reading about my dogs. And if you enjoyed this post look out for others coming over future weeks as other writers share the animals that have inspired the paws in their prose.

Find me on Facebook and X (Twitter).