The owners: Karen Sabiston, 46, and partner Ian Jenkins, 58, from Elgin have three kids Sweyn Macaskill, 16, Conner Jenkins, 19, and Madison Jenkins 16. Karen is a pharmacy technician and Ian is a forklift driver and they have lived in Elgin for eight years. They enjoy spending time as a family and walking their dogs Sadie and Maya at Cooper Park.
As told by Sadie’s owner Karen:
How long has Sadie been in your life?
Our black labrador Sadie is now 12. We were living in Thurso at the time where my family are based and we got her from a breeder in Barrock when she was 10 weeks old.
I wanted to call her Coco because she’s black like Coco Chanel but my son Sweyn said we couldn’t because Coco is like the Coco Pops cereal and they’re brown and she’s black. He said: “I think we’ll call her Sadie Baby.”
Why did you decide to get Sadie?
It was my son Sweyn. He was going through the process of being diagnosed as having ADHD. It was a strange time. I think I wasn’t entirely accepting of the situation and I felt a bit of a failure as a mother really.
He wasn’t communicating very well and it wasn’t that he wasn’t able to speak he just chose not to. He didn’t feel too lonely it was me who worried he was. I decided then that I was going to get a dog so he would always have somebody to grow up with.
They were best pals, they had lots of fun together as Sweyn grew up. Sweyn adores her, she’s hard not to adore.
How did she help support your family?
I had a really low period. I was off work with depression and anxiety and then I was a single parent, I didn’t have a lot of money. Things were just a bit difficult and I was really down.
With the anxiety, the only time I felt ok going outside was when I had Sadie with me. She kept me going and kept me walking and getting exercise. And our bond just got closer and closer.
Just before my 40th birthday, I had to have a hysterectomy and Sadie was amazing. She instinctively knew not to jump up and she just sat by my side. She’s like my wee spirit animal.
What is Sadie like?
We’ve also got another dog now called Maya who is a two-year-old German shepherd and Sadie was so patient with her. She was like the best big sister.
Sadie is super friendly, and gentle. She just wants cuddles and biscuits, a bit like myself, really. My other dog is hyper, she’s mental. The total polar opposite but they’re a good match for each other.
Where are your favourite local dog-friendly spots?
I love to take them to the beach. Either Lossiemouth East or West Beach is lovely and Roseisle Beach. And Sadie loves the beach and being in the sand and the sea.
Is there one core memory of Sadie that makes you smile?
Before Maya was on the scene, Sadie used to come upstairs with me. When I was taking my make-up off she would be nudging me to have her face done as well.
I had to take a fresh cotton pad and wipe her eyes and then she would sit there on the bed feeling like she had a wee facial.
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