KIERAN HOWARD: Louie learns that dogs aren't all cute and below knee height

The hugely popular annual event offers children, and adults the opportunity to sit in and on emergency vehicles, try on various uniforms and equipment and watch demonstrations, including police dog displays.

Up until our visit there, the little man had innocently assumed that all dogs were cute, fluffy, yappy little things.

His minimal experience prior to that point had suggested that ‘woofers’ were all under knee height and spent all day sleeping, licking your face and curling up in a ball next to you.

His limited understanding of the canine world was largely due to us only having cute dogs which yap, sleep, lick your face and curl up in a ball.

We’ve got a Yorkshire Terrier (Rupert) and a Chinese Crested Powder Puff (Rosie).

I’ll admit the latter isn’t the most masculine-sounding breed in the world.

And you won’t be the first if you’ve never even heard of the Powder Puff before.

Basically, she’s from the same family as the hairless mutts who always win the ugly dog competitions.

Hopefully that’s helping to create an image in your head.

The only difference with Rosie is that she’s the more aesthetically pleasing furry version.

Kerrie thinks we’ll get a hairless one day. I’m not so enthused about the idea, although the prize money could come in handy.

Anyway, I digress. So, Louie discovered many things while witnessing the police dogs in action.

Firstly, he learned that some dogs are rather large and, at times, have quite a mean streak running through them.

He was also enlightened to the fact that some have to actually go out and work to earn their keep.

Yes, the police dogs can be cute and fluffy too, but they may also try to bite your arm off if you do anything wrong or ignore instructions.

To my surprise, Louie wasn’t at all fazed by any of what he saw. Even some loud bangs, which were part of the demo, didn’t unsettle him.

I wish I could say the same, but I leapt about five feet into the air with each and every boom.

And that was despite them giving us ample warning that it was going to happen.

Who’s the child and who’s the adult here?

I DIDN’T WANT NEIGHBOURS TO GET A SHOWER

It’s great having an 18-month-old. It’s at this age that they start showing an interest in helping out a bit around the house.

I probably should clarify here. I don’t mean in a child labour sort of way. We haven’t got him doing the dishes, making dinner, pegging the washing out and ironing.

I just mean little things which give him that fraction of independence. He’s craving that more than ever right now.

He’s now extremely mobile and determined to help with the mini-chores he sees us undertaking.

I was watering the flowers the other day and he came and yanked the hosepipe from my hand.

He then proceeded to do a surprisingly impressive job, successfully continuing from where I’d left off, albeit with a small amount of pipe guidance from me every now and then.

I felt my assistance was necessary at times because I didn’t want our neighbours, who were out enjoying their garden, to receive a sudden shower from over the fence, particularly as the little man had just changed the setting to ‘jet’...