Chilly paws, and a memory

For a little dog  born into the August heat of the Greek island of Lesbos,  frosted  grass is an unwelcome surprise.

Shortly after taking this photo I read here that dogs with faces flattened by selective breeding, such as pugs and French bulldogs, are having to undergo facial surgery in order to enable them to breath adequately. I've never been attracted to flat-face dogs  but evidently some people find them cute.

My only connection with a pug was in Iceland  a very long time.  I went there one summer with a university friend to join some other students who were surveying a glacial valley in the far north west. We flew into the capital Reykjavik  where, as it happened, someone* from my native Welsh valley was working - in the household of the British ambassador.  I didn't know her but our mothers were friendly so naturally we arranged to meet up. One of her duties was to exercise the ambassador's dog, a charming little pug whose name I have forgotten.

Now, as if happened,  dogs were banned  in Reykjavik  at that time, and indeed for 60 years until 1984, unless by special permission. So naturally, any dog appearing on the street was instantly the object of attention but in the case of this one, his stertorous breathing, wheezing and panting caused consternation in children who asked, round-eyed, what the matter was - was he ill? We tried to reassure them that he was fine(ish) - simply a pug.

* That someone today is blipper Libra.