IT is 3am and I am standing outside my house with the street lit up from my outside house lights.

I’m freezing. It’s the coldest day since Autumn began and it’s making me need a wee every two minutes. I have been stood here for about an hour, waiting.

2.10am, the update said, I came outside at 2am just in case they arrived early. I’m standing here because after we lost Meg, I was lost. I needed a best friend. I needed cuddles, I needed that love and trust that only comes from having a dog in your life. And here she is. Connie. Arrived here. At my house.

I can’t quite believe it. It feels like I’ve waited so long. We have rescued her from Bulgaria. It’s a charity that rescues dogs from there and finds them home in the UK.

There are lots of questions and a lot of judgement from people but she is so clever and so soft. After travelling in a van for three whole days she arrived. Obviously very nervous and unsure.

I said from day one that I’d be led by her and what she needed and so far it’s paying off. We stayed outside first to see if she would go to the toilet so that she identified that that’s where she will go but something was up, she needed something else.

So I fed her, then gave her water and then cuddles. She stuck to me like glue and was looking to me for protection and direction. It was so sweet. I loved being that security for her. I love that after everything she has been through she knew she was safe with me.

I guided my husband and boys through first meeting due to how she had been responding to me and it’s worked. She fell in love with my eldest and was submissive to him immediately, baring her belly for a stroke and pawing for a cuddle.

She asked to go outside twice and has successfully had two poos outside. She wanted to explore the house but was scared of going down the stairs, because I had her trust, she asked me to help her by giving me her paw.

I asked permission to carry her and she let me. I carried her slowly downstairs and when we made it she kissed and cuddled me. She has now, after all the excitement, stress and, I guess, relief, taken herself off to the snug where we spent all morning for some time alone to sleep.

We have stayed in the lounge to give her space. I hope she rests well. 

Let me tell you that first night was amazing. She slept through. Since then we’ve had a few accidents during the night but more than anything she is asking to go out and she is so good.

The most important thing is that she loves my boys so much. She is so gentle with them. She has taken on the role of my eldest’s best friend and my youngest’s protector.

We took her on her first walk which she was terrified but we reassured her and now after four days she is finally in her expensive anti-anxiety bed and I can’t get her out of it. What a life!

Please, if you are looking to adopt a dog. You will save a life. I’m bias because I got Connie from breakthechains-fordogsbulgaria.

But there are others as well like Amicii and JCDR to name a couple more. I volunteer for two of those, spreading the word of the absolute joys that come into your life. You will not regret it. Take a look, these are the Facebook names and the names on TikTok and IG. Just have a look and you will fall in love.

Jolene Wilson, Weston Mum.