Parlez-vous français? If so, Archie the Jack Russell might be the chien for you.
Archie was found abandoned earlier this year and is currently waiting on his furever home at the Dogs Trust center at Harefield in London.
But there’s something special about him. He obeys commands spoken in a French accent. Volunteer Marie-Hélène Léoni, originally from Savoie in the French Alps, has been taking four-year-old Archie out regularly for day trips and walks near her home for the past eight months.
She sings him classic French children’s songs.
I call him ‘Poupounette’ too – which translates as ‘lovely doggie’ – and ‘mon petit chou’ – meaning ‘my little darling’ – and after that he started trusting me more and more.
Lizzie Smith, a canine carer at Dogs Trust, says the staff tries to mimic Marie-Hélène’s accent, but to varying degrees of success.
Smith says:
She does have a lovely French accent, and it’s astonishing to see the way Archie will only react when he hears it.
Unfortunately, due to Marie-Hélène’s work and other commitments, she can’t adopt Archie.
Archie is available at the adoption center, and he would love a family who can speak French!
H/t BBC
Featured image via Dogs Trust