I first smelled Penhaligon’s Castile scent when a friend who had traveled to London brought me back a box of three Castile soaps. I always chuckle (and then become wistful) when I think of Castile. The bars of soap in that gift box had been lightly nibbled by my friend’s English bulldog, Bella. When I met Bella (right before pet-sitting her), I patted her rump…which was a HUGE no-no. She raised her hackles, barked loudly and LONG — facing me, then the ceiling, then me again — and circled the room menacingly, like a boxer assessing the opponent. When she calmed down, she ignored me. She wouldn’t even take a treat from my fingers. I did not exist; I was crude and I had broken her protocols.

The early days of dog-sitting Bella were tense. When I sat in a chair or on the sofa, she would climb onto the backs of those and stare down at me…

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