Cheltenham pooch Bertie has gone global after his owner’s appeal for a walker brought him thousands of social media followers from all over the world.
Lakeland terrier Bertie’s owner, Philip Stader, created a social media page for Bertie in an effort to find him a regular walker. Within a few weeks, the terrier’s X (formerly Twitter) profile garnered almost 70,000 followers, including fans in New Zealand and the US.
A dog about town
The terrier’s X page shares photos and videos of Bertie out on walks with Philip, playing with his doggy friends and enjoying visits to cafes and restaurants around town. Cheltenham has a number of dog-friendly venues, such as Lucy’s Cafe on Bath Road and Domaine 16 on Regent Street.
While Bertie is cute and sociable, owner Philip admits that the terrier can be hard work. His efforts on X did find a walker, but the arrangement didn’t last long, with the walker taking him home after just 20 minutes for “misbehaving”.
Bertie loves life
Undeterred by this rejection, Philip and Bertie kept up their social media campaign, as well as their real-life social campaign. The eight-year-old terrier loves to get out and about and meet other dogs and people and it’s this zest for life that keeps the followers streaming in.
Making Lakeland terriers great again
There is another aim for Philip and Bertie besides having fun around Cheltenham – Lakeland terriers have a falling birthrate and sparking interest in the breed could reverse this trend. Although Philip didn’t find a walker for Bertie, he has raised awareness of this “rough and tumble” dog.
Since starting Bertie’s X page, Philip says he knows of at least ten people who have decided to bring a Lakeland terrier into their lives. The breed is known for their close connections with their owners and with other favourite people and it’s not unusual for Lakeland terriers to hold onto their trousers to stop them leaving.
