The pet I’ll never forget: Mike Gayle on Sail the dog, ‘who showed me how friendly the world can be’

We wanted a big dog, but not too big; a young dog, but not a puppy. We came home from the rescue centre with a huge eight-year-old hound

Although I am naturally quite shy, we talked to strangers all the time on our walks. I say “we” because while Sail, my rescue greyhound, was mostly silent during these interactions, I was keenly aware that without him my daily chats wouldn’t happen.

My wife had lobbied hard for a dog for years, but I come from a family that doesn’t really do pets. Over time, my stance softened and we welcomed Pip, a netherland dwarf house rabbit, into our lives, followed by another, called Milo. Lovely though they were, they weren’t a dog.