Bentley the sausage dog sniffs out some choice treats from this year’s events

Hi everyone my name is Bentley and I am a miniature Dachshund, but you can call me a sausage dog. I am delighted to be featured in this year’s Wigtown Book Festival with an Explore & Colour workshop on Sunday, 4 October. Before my grand day, I’ve been asked to share with you what I’m most looking forward to over the 10-day festival as there’s loads to see and do.

I love a bit of a sing song

The first weekend of the festival is a busy one as, for starters, I cannot miss Poochie Pete & His Very Big Feet by Dougie Payne and Rachel Seago on Saturday, 26 September. I love a bit of a sing song with my mum so I’m hoping to tap my paws to the rhyming tales of when Pete meets Henry in the music shop.

I will then have to get my wag on as next up on the same day is Peter MacQueen’s Tails of Scotland. Although I am a German breed of dog one of my best friends is Skye and he’s a Dandie Dinmont who lives in neighbouring South Ayrshire. Skye famously appeared in Peter’s television show A Puppy for Peter which aired in November 2024.

Digging and yoga-ing!

On Sunday morning I plan to attend Slow Flow Morning Yoga with Jeny as it’s very important with my extra-long back to take time out of my busy schedule to stretch all my muscles and keep myself lean. It’s a balancing act as I do love the odd bit of cheese, like we all do.

Mid-week I must go to see Graeme Cavers with my mum and dad, as he’s going to tell us all about archaeology in the Machars and everyone knows I love a good dig whether it’s in an iron age fort, a copper mine or my own back garden! My mum has helped Graeme on a number of recent excavations along the Wigtownshire coastline.

Sharing stories, poems and sniffs

Wednesday, I get a chance to walk along the disused railway line overlooking the fabulous Wigtown Bay with Paul Tarling and John Atkinson and, while they share stories and poems, I’m hoping to catch up and sniff the air with two of my bestest friends Fergus, who is a handsome black labrador and Wilma, a bearded collie I enjoy a sleep over with.

No doubt dad will be taking me to Kirkyard Chronicles by Bre Martin on Thursday as dad is forever taking me to the local churchyards to discover the oldest engraving and research the local history. Bre is also a very funny storyteller despite the dark nature of his tales and he makes me do lots of belly laughs.

Paws in the air

If I haven’t already managed to attend a Book at Bedtime with Renita Boyle then Friday is the day, as I’ll be exhausted and who doesn’t enjoy a story before bed flat out on my back with paws in the air. Although I can’t have any chocolate as it’s not good for me, but you dudes can.

To finish off my festival experience I am overjoyed to have secured tickets to see Sam Heughan in the gigantic Festival Marquee. I was thinking of taking my Explore & Colour to show Jamie - sorry Sam - our local standing stones at Torhouse which features not only on the front cover of my Wigtownshire colouring book, but as a sketch inside for painting in.

Check out the full programme on the Wigtown Book Festival website.