This is Tiger – though he doesn’t really strike me as one. He’s not striped or stern, he doesn’t so much silently stalk as simply sleep – such is his way. There’s no predator in him, no slyness, only Frenchie loveliness. He’s friendly, sweet and personable – not Tiger-like at all. But then, if not, which animal is he?

If I opened a bestiary in search of a name for him, I would look for something a bit more similar; similarly grey, similarly…weighty. How about Hippopotamus or Elephant? He waddles like the former and shares the ears of the latter but I can’t imagine calling him in from the garden using either… Or I might think of how he approaches you and stands on his hind legs, his forepaws pressed against you, as if you were a tree whose fruits he was aspiring towards. Maybe he’s more of a Bear then? But it’s cuddles and not fruit he wishes to clamber up to and claim.

He wiggles his nubbin of a tail like a Guinea Pig and twitches his snout like an inquisitive Badger. He smiles like a Monkey, his eyes have laughter in them like a playful Dolphin. No, no, no and no. I was running out of options – that was until I heard him sleeping. Until I heard the gentle vibrations of his nose emit a sound which, to my ears, sounds rather close to the contented softness of a cat’s purr. Maybe he is a Tiger after all. We’ll stick with that.

As a dog, Tiger has that Frenchie openness that draws him to people; he is unsatisfied with receiving fuss at ground level and must put his paws on your lap, to meet your eyes with his, and then – and only then – might he fully enjoy the cuddles on offer! He’s a really sweet boy, albeit one who was overwhelmed when he first came into our care but, given time and patience and love, Tiger will make a wonderful friend. He also came into our care quite significantly overweight and any new owner will need to continue to help him shed those pounds.

https://chesterfield-rspca.org.uk/tig...