Some dogs chase rabbits.
Some chase birds.
BoBo chases something a little different.
She chases wonder.
BoBo came into our lives as a tiny puppy with an enormous challenge ahead of her. Born on a farm where the dogs were working animals not family pets, she was one of twelve puppies. Only three survived.
At just three weeks old, BoBo was severely bitten in the face by another dog. Her little face was full of wounds, and the injuries were so serious that nobody knew if she would survive.
We were told not to expect too much.
We didn't listen.
Almost six years later, BoBo is still here.
Her nose is slightly crooked. She is sometimes more vulnerable to the illnesses that make their way around. She carries a few reminders of that difficult beginning.
But somehow, none of that seems to have made her afraid of the world.
Quite the opposite.
BoBo loves almost everyone she meets.
She notices things we don't.
She senses moods before we do. She finds beauty in places we might walk straight past. She makes friends with creatures who are supposed to be enemies. And she has an almost extraordinary ability to look at the world with curiosity instead of suspicion.
So we decided to let her tell some of the stories.
There will be rabbits who don't want to be chased.
Seagulls who are far too clever for their own good.
A very patient stork.
A rather questionable rat called Rory
And, knowing BoBo, quite a few creatures we haven't met yet.
But these aren't really stories about animals.
They are little stories about how we see the world.
About kindness.
About friendship.
About being curious about those who are different from us.
About not always doing something simply because everyone says that's what you're supposed to do.
And perhaps, most importantly, about remembering to look.
Really look.
Because BoBo seems to have discovered something that we humans often forget:
The world is full of magic when you take the time to notice it.
So come along.
See the Algarve through BoBo's eyes.
You might discover that the world looks a little different from down there.
And perhaps...
a little more beautiful.
Paws for now,
BoBo 🐾
