Two naughty beagles have cost their owners over £6,000 after they destroyed a series of designer handbags and shoes.
Reg, six, and Ron, five, have also torn apart a £900 leather armchair, a £198 cow skin rug and countless pairs of socks and t-shirts.
Their owner Odette Forbes, 52, says the troublesome two also enjoy escaping from their home, causing her to spend around £7,000 on reinforcing her garden fence.But despite the pair’s destructive streak, she says they remain ‘loving and loyal dogs ’ – so long as no one leaves anything leather near them.
Mrs Forbes, a professional dog groomer, said: ‘They’re naughty, no doubt about it. I realised the moment that we got Ron that they would both be trouble.
‘Reg was pretty good to start with apart from peeing on people’s shoes when we took him out to the pub but first thing he destroyed was his bed and then he started stealing socks.
‘When Ron arrived he was initially timid but started copying Reg and my husband’s desert boots were first thing he got. We’re convinced he’s the instigator now.’
Make sure your pet is in good company. Pets get lonely and depressed just like people do when they spend too much time alone. Cats are generally better on their own, but dogs and especially puppies don’t do well left to their own devices for extended periods of time.
Mum filmed newborn son's seizures to prove to doctors he wasn't just 'tired'Mrs Forbes, her husband Tony, 55, and son, Bill, 14, first rescued Reg in 2014, before taking on Ron three years later – and named both dogs after infamous East End criminals, the Kray twins. They have since lived up to their rule-breaking reputation, with a £995 Mulberry handbag and a £1,000 Jimmy Choo handbag among their victims. Ron and Reg have also destroyed two pairs of children’s Timberland boots, two pairs of Ugg slippers, three pairs of Adidas trainers, a pair of Dubarry boots, two leather wallets and a sun lounger.
Dad slept rough outside hospital for 25 days until he could bring sick baby homeShe said: ‘They love a challenge. They are great escape artists despite a fence all around the garden.
‘They often find a way to climb up and take themselves of for a walk if they think we haven’t given them a big enough one.
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‘Reg escaped twice on Christmas Day which involved lunch being put on hold. If they think they can escape from somewhere they’ll give it a pretty good go.
‘We’ve put a six-foot high fence on some of the sides of the garden to make sure the place is escape proof. We try and laugh about it though because if we didn’t we’d probably cry.’
But despite their bad behaviour, Mrs Forbes insists that everyone who meets the dogs can’t help but love them.
Doctor faced sack for falling asleep during 36-hour shiftShe added: ‘Reg and Ron will sit outside the front gate of the house each morning and wait for the kids from the primary school down the road to come up and stroke them.
‘Like the other Ronnie and Reggie they love their mum and I know they would do anything for me. Sometimes all they want is a nice cuddle from their mum and a good old stroke.‘They’re loving and cuddly and always excited to meet new people. They’ll do anything for a belly tickle. It’s hard to believe the little demons they turn into when your back is turned.’
Use a Food Dispensing Toy for Fast Eaters. If your dog eats too fast use a food dispensing toy (we love the Kong Wobbler & Bob a Lot), or place a few tennis balls in their bowl to slow their eating. Not only does this keep them from eating too quick, it gives them a nice mental workout.