There is a new member of the Tog’s Trek travel team. Merlin the Bernedoodle. More model than photographer, I met Merlin when he was just six weeks and four days old at his breeder, Bestcoast Kennel.

When I arrived the breeder was telling me about the puppies they had from this litter and it was a litter of nine. Five were already claimed and outside so I met the remaining four. Three boys and one girl. The girl's fur was not hypo-allergenic, so she advised against it given I want to regularly take the puppy to the office. She was describing the three boys and said one was much braver and more adventurous and the other two were calmer and more likely to be laying down. The 'adventurous’ one came up for a bit, but then the boy I ended up choosing came over, and was all over me, licking my hand, climbing into my bag, playing with me generally, but mostly importantly posing for a photograph before doing anything else.

The Breeder was surprised I think by his behaviour, she even said 'wow, he really likes you!' so it had to be him. Merlin is deeply goofy, he kept falling over and running into things and genreally hopping around like a little rabbit. He stayed awake and playing with me whilst all the other dogs including the mother went to sleep.

He’s staying at the breeder another few weeks whilst he weans off his mother and as I head on an adventure to Iceland and the Dominican Republic