Generally when I’ve got my heart and mind fixed on an idea, I find it near impossible to forget about it.

So, shortly after my daughter’s third birthday earlier this year, when I started to think about how great it would be to have a dog at home, I couldn’t put it to the back of my mind.

And of course, I weighed up the pros and cons. For a long time, the cons stopped me from taking the plunge. But after lots of research on different breeds, talking to breeders and owners and working out how I could tailor a pup’s needs into my daily routine – I got my daughter into the back of the car and surprised her.

‘Shall we go and get our puppy today?’ I asked her. She squealed with delight.

So after deliberating over three gorgeous litters of puppies, we chose a small Bichon Frise X Shi-Tzu, only ten weeks old.

We got him home, and named him Ralph. Then, the real fun began.

So, he’s three months old now, chews everything, and sometimes still poos in places he shouldn’t, but Kiddo and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

We are spending more time laughing and joking on walks, looking after him and watching him play, that it’s bought a whole new dimension to our lives, and so much joy.

Being a single mum, and broody as can be – it also satisfied an urge in me to look after a new little person. Ralph has become like the baby of the house, and we love him dearly.

So, what’s the problem you might ask?

Well, nothing to speak of here. It’s just everyone else with the problem.

So far, I’ve been thrown out of two parks, abused by an old man on the street for Ralph doing a poo and me not clearing it up (he didn’t), Ralph accidentally doing a little whoopsie in a colleagues office, (they called him in, but all hell broke loose when they got him over excited), and let’s say the odd indiscretion in the Famous Features office.

Oh, and did I mention those sharp little teeth that nipped my daughter’s dad quite badly? Now, my tiny puppy, who’s learning new things every day no different to a new-born is being labelled a ‘devil-dog’.

What’s all that about?

I’m not phased by his teething troubles; goodness knows I did a good job with my daughter, but why are people so offended by our pets?

Ralph is the sweetest, most gentle and lovely little thing in the world. Everyone who sees him can’t wait to get down and stroke his fluffy baby fur. So why are they so quick to want to get him away from them when he does what ‘babies do’?

Dog-owners of the world – what do you think?

Here at Famous Features, we see hundreds of tall tales about talented pets, whether it be life-saving dogs and pampered pooches, or parrots that can sing Britney Spears songs.

If like me, you love your pet and want to shout about their story, get in touch with us now. I can’t wait to see some of your photos – and don’t forget to give me your puppy training tips too!

Sally
Editor

By Alexandra McGowan for Famous Features

‘You say tomay-to, I say tomar-to,’ goes the classic sung by jazz legends Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.

Here in the Famous Features office, we feel like we’re living that song on a daily basis.

This week, there’s been a potent mix of: Crawley (Sally) Germany (Stef), Newcastle (boy Joe), Essex (girl Jo), Glasgow (Lorna) and Manchester (me), all in the one office.

What a melting pot of accents and dialects, and a great excuse to poke fun at each other.

‘Here you gan, pet,’ read one of my emails on Monday. Joe had sent me something to edit, and apparently that was Geordie for ‘Here you go, love.’

‘Nay bother,’ trills our lovely new girl Lorna as she speaks to people about their incredible real life stories, as we sell them to national newspapers and magazines.

‘It’s DAIN-GEROUS!’ exclaims our editor, Sally Windsor, who hails from Crawley but often slips into a sairf-London drawl.

We have concluded that no-one uses the word ‘Wally’ apart from her, either. Is that a suvvern fing as well?

Stef constantly impressed us with her ability to interview in English professionally and completely fluently, before babbling away on her mobile if one of her German friends called her.

And girl Jo? ‘Alright my darlin’’ she drawls in her dulcet Colchester tones. Even though she doesn’t wear white heels, she’s Essex through and through.

The differences between us all lead to no end of hilarity and confusion. For example, when Lorna thinks someone is attractive, we think she’s saying that they’re ‘fat’ – because that’s how it sounds when she says ‘fit’. Jokes!

Do you have a funny story to tell about accents and dialect? Did you meet your now-hubby, who has a completely different accent to you, through a funny misunderstanding down to the different ways you spoke?

Or has an accident left you with a completely different accent, as in the case of Sarah Colwill, who now speaks with a Chinese accent after experiencing chronic migraine pain?

It’s an unusual story, and one that we would be able to sell for a great fee to one of the women’s magazines, or national newspapers.

Get in touch with your funny accent stories – we can’t wait to hear them, whichever part of the country you’re from!

UPDATED DAILY

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Person or Story Wanted: Weekend dad

Where the story will appear: National Newspaper.

More info: We are looking for a dad who is separated from his kid’s mum and only sees them at the weekends and during the holidays ie he is a Weekend Dad.  Most importantly his ex must give permission for the children to be photographed and identified. This is essential.

Special criteria: Male 20-45.

Person or Story Wanted: A family on benefits

Where the story will appear: National Newspaper.

More info: We’re looking for a family who are all on benefits to feature in a piece for The Sun where we give them advice on how to get a job, get fitter and healthier and reduce the amount they claim from the state. Ideally we’d need a mum and dad, and children of working age, along with any other family members who want to take part. We will pay a fee to them.

Person or Story Wanted: A woman who fell in love with her housemate.

Where the story will appear: Glossy woman’s magazine feature.

Story Info: We are looking for a woman who lived with her husband/boyfriend as housemates (maybe at college or university), before they got together.

Case Study Criteria: She must be 21-29.

Person or Story Wanted:  Young(ish) women who’ve lost weight and ditched their men.

Where the story will appear:

Story Info: A line-up piece featuring three women who dumped their blokes after losing weight and gaining confidence. It could be the best thing they ever did – or something they’ve lived to regret.

Case Study Criteria: Ideally in 20/30s but could stretch to early 40s. Must be able to provide before and after pics of weight loss.

Person or Story Wanted: A woman who knew her husband/boyfriend as a friend before they got together.

Where the story will appear: Glossy woman’s magazine feature.

Story Info: We are looking for a woman who knew her husband/boyfriend as a friend before they got together. Ideally, he would have been her best friend’s brother/ brother’s friend or they would have known each other when they were very little.

Case Study Criteria: She must be 21-29 and preferably will be married or engaged.

Person or Story Wanted: My boyfriend\’s a cross-dresser.

Where the story will appear: Glossy Woman’s Magazine.

Story Info: We would like to find a girl in her 20s who discovered her boyfriend was a cross-dresser and she’s still with him.

They will both need to be pictured and we’ll need a chat with both of them.

Case Study Criteria: Aged between 20-29

Person or Story Wanted: Gay parents (preferably dads).

Where the story will appear: Glossy Woman’s Magazine.

Story Info: We are URGENTLY looking for two gay parents (preferably men but will consider female case studies) for a positive feature on modern families in 2010.   They must have had the child together as a couple (ie we do not want case studies who have children from a previous heterosexual marriage).

Both parents must be identified but we can conceal the child’s face through photography if they do not wish for them to be identified.

Case Study Criteria: Male or female 20-45

Person or Story Wanted:  Single woman who conceived through sperm donation.

Where the story will appear:  Sunday Newspaper.

Story Info: We are URGENTLY looking for a single mother who conceived through sperm donation for a positive feature on modern families. She must be identified but we can conceal her child’s face through photography if she does not wish for them to be identified.

Case Study Criteria: Female aged 20-45

UPDATED DAILY

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Person or Story Wanted: Woman age 18-35 (approx) who dumped long term partner after losing weight & regaining confidence.

Media outlet: National Newspaper Story.

More info: The weight loss must be substantial. Strong before and after pics are a must.

Person or Story Wanted: Woman whose marriage ended in divorce because of Facebook.

Media outlet: National Newspaper Story.

More info: Urgently need to find a woman aged between 20 and 40 whose marriage ended in divorce because she discovered her partner indulging in flirtatious behaviour – or she indulged in flirtatious behaviour herself – on Facebook.

Person or Story Wanted: Couples who met on what might be described as the worst day of their lives.

Media outlet: Woman’s Magazine Article.

More info: For a fun and in-depth feature on relationships, we are looking for couples who met on a day that might be described as one of the worst days of their lives.  Perhaps they were involved in the same car accident and later fell in love.  Or perhaps he/she went to hospital where he/she met and fell in love with his/her doctor. Or the day he/she lost his/her job was the day he/she met ‘the One’. Or he/she was caught in a snow blizzard and his/her future partner rescued her/him.

Profile: Women aged 19-38

Person or Story Wanted: A couple who are divorced and happy

Media outlet: Sunday Newspaper Magazine Article.

More info: We’re looking for a man and a woman who were once married, but who have divorced amicably and are both happy they made the decision to split.  We’d need them both to speak about why it was the best choice for them and how they’ve kept their relationship friendly since. 

Person or Story Wanted: Couples giving love a second chance.

Media outlet: Woman’s magazine article.

More info: We are looking for two case studies.

1) a couple who were together, then split up, and then got back together to give it another go and it’s working out.

2) a woman who split up with her partner but tried again and sadly it didn’t work out the 2nd time either.

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Magazine Story or Case Study Wanted: Women with Facebook/MySpace/Twitter horror stories of being approached by strangers online…

More info: This is for a news report following the tragic death of Ashleigh Hall, who was lured to her death by a man posing as a teenage boy on Facebook. We’re looking for women with similar tales – but a happier ending. The incident could have happened to them, or they could have discovered someone was grooming their child online.

Story / Case Study Criteria: Need to be over 18 and ideally under 45. Must be able to supply a pic and be available to chat quickly on the phone.

Magazine Story or Case Study Wanted: We are looking for a woman and her daughter who share a strong physical feature.

More info: For the feature ‘where I get my good looks from’ we are looking for a young woman and her mum who share a strong physical feature. This could be bright red hair, obvious freckles, a mass of curls, big eyes. What’s important is that the mother and daughter are attractive and the feature that they share is strikingly obvious.

Story / Case Study Criteria: One of the women (ie the daughter or mother) needs to be between 30-55.

Magazine Story or Case Study Wanted: A UK-based bride who got married sometime this year at the age of 21 or younger.

More info: We just need to do a short phone interview with her and the groom and will need to use her wedding pics in the piece.  Ideally, it needs to have a good story attached – e.g. her parents thought she was too young to marry, or she got married because she was pregnant etc.