IT’S a dog’s life. Now there’s a saying that deserves prosecution under whatever fraud act you have to hand. We should all be so lucky to lead a dog’s life, no canine accessories pun intended.

Take this week. First, the broadcaster Chris Packham told the world, via the Radio Times, that his dog, Scratchy, was the most important being in his life. His partner, Charlotte, not only understands and accepts this, she had the good grace to have her photo taken with the pair of them.

Next, Vladimir Putin did a pup a favour, and his image no end of good, by rescuing the mite from the President of Turkmenistan, who was holding the little darling rather uncomfortably by the scruff of its neck. In Italy, meanwhile, a court has established workers’ right to sick pay if they stay at home to look after a poorly dog.

Still, into every canine life a little rain must fall. It emerged this week that the fashionable new food for dogs was not organic chicken or smoked ham but that little-goes-a-very-long-way delight, quinoa. Maybe it is a dog’s life after all.