Hello! - my name is Michael Edwards, I have a georegous wife - ten children - 7 dogs and 10 pigs - which puts me number 28 in the pecking order (I left out the chickens - there are limits!)

Having spent a fun filled and over paid thirty six years in the legal profession, I am now deliriously happy sinking into a financial swamp looking after, showing, breeding and being ordered about by Deerhounds. When I was a child an old lady neighbour had two of these magnificent beasts and I was always determined to have some of my own.

Apart from a brief spell some 25 years ago of breeding Welsh Border Collies, (yes I am Welsh) I never had the opportunity (work does get in the way) of owning Deerhounds - Now I'm in it up to my neck! Having spent a comparatively short time in the dog world, I have been surprised and a little concerned at the lack of information given to people regarding the legal elements of owning a dog. - Don't get me wrong, there are no big or insurmountable problems here - it is just a case of having information which can solve a lot of potential problems.

One of the things I miss about being a full time solicitor is the sound of my own voice - literally or in writing! Accordingly, I am going to write a series of weekly articles concerning the legal aspects of dog ownership and all it entails. Even I (!) cannot do this on my own so I will be looking for e-mail feedback.

Ideally this should develop into a continous chat about the legal ins-and-outs of dog ownership, with me learning more than most and, hopefully, everybody gaining something.

All solicitors work better to deadlines so the first article will be out by Christmas day and cheerfully entitled "Who does own your dog?" - Happy Christmas!

Michael Edwards is a solicitor, whose last paid occupation in that profession was as a Partner in a firm of solicitors in Lincoln's Inn, London in charge of the Corporate and Commercial group.