ANYONE who tells you that elderly dogs are less demanding than puppies is wrong.

Our 91-year-old (dog years) basset hound Harry is a quiet and placid soul.

He's affectionate and well behaved. But he needs every bit as much attention as he did when he first joined us as an RSPCA rescue dog back in 2005.

Then his energy was only matched by his stubbornness . . . if he didn't fancy a walk, there was no way he was going. If he did want to walk, we developed shoulder muscles we didn't know we had.

Now, the old fellow takes four short walks a day to keep him supple and regular. He seems to have a bigger appetite than he did when he was younger.

And for the rest, he sleeps a lot of the day. Which you might think makes for an easy life.

Except for his bladder. The old chap can't get through the day without a wee any more, so we have to rush home from work at dinner time to let him out for a quick wee, and then he likes a short stroll.

And after his bedtime constitutional, four hours is all he can manage without another call of nature . . . which means a disturbed night for us, every night!

Not such a quiet life!