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If you have ever so much as glanced at one of my blog posts, you will know the answer to this.

However, since we are holidaying in a place where everyone is obsessed with dogs, I am giving the canine contingent a shout-out, just this once. From tomorrow, I’ll be back on the Dark Side, where I belong.

We have seen more dogs than we ever thought possible. In fact, we’re now wondering whether the ferry was actually some sort of canine ark, because we saw each of the following (and there were probably more besides) during our crossing from mainland Scotland:

• Dachshunds 
• Those brown and white spaniels (the same kind as Simba, the fire investigation dog) 
• Black Labradors
• Tan-coloured Labradors  
• Husky-type dogs 
• Hush Puppy dogs 
• Those ones that look like Frankenweenie  

Every time we find ourselves in such a Dog Situation, we wonder whether it would work if cats were involved instead. Usually, it’s a no.

Dog people: is it normal for that many dogs to share the same (limited) space and BEHAVE? Nobody barked or started a fight. Nobody, erm, bathroomed inappropriately. Everyone just minded their own business, in a way that most cats absolutely would not. 

And, if you think that cats couldn’t possibly cause much bother on a ferry because they’d be encased in their transportation pods, trust me, this doesn’t stop them. Ask anyone who has ever been in a vet’s waiting room with Louis Catorze.

On Tuesday, Cat Daddy and I had front row seats at the local sheepdog trials. Now, these are clever doggies. Each had learned, and was able to respond to, a series of whistles (different for each dog), and the trials involved running to the next field to collect their sheep, bringing them over, then herding them to through three gates and into a central enclosure. Apart from one participant, who steered the sheep through the barrier and into the crowd without completing the course, and a second, who ignored his human’s instructions and did his own thing, scattering sheep in all directions, all did a good job. However, there was one standout dog who didn’t put a paw wrong, who probably went on to win.

Could a cat have done this job? Probably not. In fact, we’re not even convinced that many other dogs could; after all, there must be a reason why those taking part were all black and white Border Collie types (although watching a dachshund trying it would be pretty funny). 

Our favourite holiday dog is probably so because of his cat-like ways: keen to be in the centre of it all, yet not trying too hard. Here is Mac the West Highland White terrier, CEO of the pub where we had dinner on Friday night, relaxing on the bar (yes, actually ON TOP OF the bar):

We’ve only been here for six days, yet it feels as if we’ve met every dog in Scotland. There can’t be many more out there? 

For more Catorzian capers, please visit http://louiscatorze.com