Clare Balding talks tail-wagging, telly quiz triumphs, and tears…
Clare Balding has presented coverage of Crufts for long enough to know a Shih Tzu from a Lhasa Apso, but she admits that her latest book – Isle of Dogs – taught her so much more. It explores how canine companions became an intrinsic part of our lives and the extraordinary ways they can help us. ‘We should all be more dog,’ laughs the 52-year-old with her trademark enthusiasm. ‘I am quite dog, generally, in life. I’m always going to see the best in people. I’m always going to wag my tail. I’m always going to bound up, have a lot of energy and be excited about what I’m doing.’
Clare, who lives in London with broadcaster wife Alice Arnold and mum-and-son cats Button and Eric, is currently excited by preparations for a new addition to her family. After the loss of their beloved 15-year-old Tibetan Terrier Archie in 2020, Clare and Alice are looking for the right pooch to join their posse…
Tell us about Isle of Dogs…
It’s part memoir, part our search for a Potential Next Dog, but also a massive celebration of all dogs give us. The structure they offer in our lives, the friendships they create, the exercise, the fact they can alter our emotions. There are dogs that can predict a diabetic episode or assist you in putting on clothes. We’re going on and on about AI and how clever computers are, but look at dogs.
Have you chosen your next dog?
We’re reshaping our lives and buying a new house in a greener place where, if the back door’s open, there’s no chance of the dog getting near a road. It will take a while… we’re waiting for planning permission. I’m fond of a Miniature Schnauzer and a Poodle’s a b****y intelligent dog. I like a Wheaten Terrier, too. I’m keeping in touch with the Dogs Trust. It has to be one that doesn’t shed… Alice is allergic.
If you were a dog, what breed would you be?
Probably a Boxer… the face only a mother could love and that constant optimism and untrainability.
It’s so hard to lose a dog. They’re woven into your life’s fabric…
God, yeah. Archie was the reason to go outside every day. He created a friendship network we wouldn’t have had without him because he made friends with people’s dogs. And the greeting! They bring so much joy into your life. I still miss him. There are photos of him all over. It’s a bit odd because you watch people with their dogs and
