ROY, the oldest dog, our brown cocker, is, like the rest of us, getting on a bit now, having just turned 11.

He’s going a bit blind and deaf although both seem to be selective when it suits him.

But he loves the outdoors and still has a keen nose and we were thrilled when he found a hedgehog, funnily enough in a hedge, at the bottom of the garden.

Anyway, that was a few days ago and we were even more chuffed recently to see she has babies.

The babies are born in June and July and are called hoglets.

It’s hard to see how many there are, four or five is usual, but she may only actually raise two or three.

We are very much leaving Mrs Hog alone because disturbance may cause her to move them or, worse, eat the babies, so hopefully we can get through this.

Roy doesn't help a lot, if he sees a mouse or a frog or anything interesting, he will go back to that spot immediately. He never seems to get it that it’s gone.

Tim keeps saying he’s had his last shooting season but try telling Roy that.

Anyway, hopefully Mrs Hog will keep the babies in the nest for three or four weeks then take the family out foraging for about 10 days when the babies will start to move off and hog their own hedge.

It is thought that hedgehogs have a second litter in the early autumn but that these babies rarely survive the winter.

Either way, I really hope they make it. We’ll try to keep Roy away – who doesn’t want to play with a hedgehog? – and let them get on with it in the garden, noshing as many slugs as possible.