Rosie The Labradoodle is with puppy. And she’s due to give birth at some stage over the next week. Saturday night, if our calculations are correct.

It was just over two years ago that she had her first litter; we have no idea about how many to expect. Last time it was eight, and they were beautiful.

But in case anyone is tempted by the idea of a labradoodle, I must warn you that these are big, smart dogs that need quite a bit of attention. And while some don’t shed, some do. You just don’t know. This is one of the joys of a cross breed like this: no two dogs are exactly the same. (The other benefit is that they tend to be healthier and more robust that pure breeds, a fact that is reflected in much cheaper pet insurance. Actuaries aren’t stupid.)

Here she is pictured this morning on her walk (taken with my HTC Desire’s camera, which is better than I was expecting it to be). It’s all very exciting!