Welcome the Honourable Gilander Octavian Dawson 8 May 2021 No 25

My 8-week-old Tri-colour merle (aka ‘blue’) Border Collie Gilander (aka Gil) has joined me in my house in Stanley.  As is evident from the photographs he is seriously cute.

According to the locals there are only two types of dog on the Falkland Islands – either working dogs, or ‘poodles.’  Working dogs here have a hardy, outdoor life.  Typically, they live outdoors all year round.  They live in caged kennels unless they are rounding up sheep or other livestock.

In Falklands terms Gil is probably set to be a poodle – although I am going to let him be assessed for his ability to sniff out rodents in a couple of month’s time.

I’ve been asked about his name – why the Hon. Gilander Octavian Dawson.  Well, all politicians here are ‘The Honourable’ and, without being rude to them, I do believe the honorific is somewhat overused – so Gil may as well benefit from the title too.

Gilander is Manx for ‘Andrew’ servant.’  It is a name you can shout without too much fear of embarrassment whilst cognisant of the irony.  In all likelihood I’m going to be running around him!  Gil is probably the only Gilander in the Southern hemisphere  – and, as is already evident, his name can readily be shortened to Gil!  There aren’t too many of them either.

Gil was the eighth and the last in the litter of seven males and one female – hence Octavian.  This is a nod to Jacob Rees-Mogg and his rather awkward decision to name his sixth child ‘Sixtus.’  ‘Octavian’ was the given name for Augustus Caesar – so he’s in pretty good company.

Interestingly Gil’s initials spell ‘God.’  That was a somewhat unintended, but nonetheless an amusing co-incidence!

All dogs in the Falkland Islands have to be registered.   As part of his registration the Government will vaccinate him against hydatidosis (dog tapeworm).  Gil is already known to the vet – and is on the list for all his vaccination ‘when the boat comes in.’  Until he is vaccinated, he’s not going to be able to stray outside my garden. 

Unfortunately, and some what inconveniently, my garden is huge.  It is surrounded by a four-bar wooden fence.  However, Gil is small enough to be able to crawl beneath the lower bars.  Many people staple netting or mesh inside these fences – however I measured 70m and I’d only got about half-way around my perimeter – so I’ve canned that idea.  I’m going to erect temporary fencing around a portion of the garden so he can have a run on the peat (the grass hasn’t grown yet) as well as the extensive area of hardstanding I have.  Happily, Gil has already demonstrated his willingness to perform on the gravel!  He’s already earned several  treats for performing in the correct location!

Gil has unusual ‘merle’ colouration.  He was one of three of the litter that were merles.  A ‘merle’ is a dog that is carrying and expressing a recessive gene where at least part of his black coat appears as grey – or in dog breeding language ‘blue.’  The other five in the litter display the traditional ‘black and white’ colouration you’d expect of border collies.  It isn’t good form to allow two merles to breed as the resultant offspring can have eye and ear problems.   Don’t say it too loudly – however it is very likely that Gil will be surrendering his appendages in around a year’s time.  So whilst he is a beauty he’ll be unlikely to be able spread his genetics!  And, as I write this blog standing up in the kitchen – he is asleep lying on my foot.