IT'S a dog's life for Sandy, the Golden Retriever.

A few months ago she was living with the masses down in Battersea Dogs Home, dreaming of a kennel ... maybe even a back garden.

Today she sleeps in a luxurious stately home and exercises in a 1,000-acre estate at Castle Howard in North Yorkshire.

The move north came about after a visit to Battersea by Simon Howard, owner of the estate which featured in the TV series, Brideshead Revisited.

He said: "I have kept dogs for many years, and when I came to look for a new one I wanted to give a chance to one from Battersea Dogs Home.

"I already had one dog, a black flat coat retriever called Bassey, and wanted to provide her with some company, so Bassey joined me on a trip down to London to make sure that she and Sandy would get on together - and thankfully they do, very well."

Mr Howard was due to have his home checked out by inspectors from Battersea.

He said: "They seemed rather surprised when I pulled out the Castle Howard brochure and explained that this would be Sandy's new home.

"Luckily, given my experience in looking after dogs, they agreed that perhaps a home check would not be necessary!"

Sandy now enjoys a typical pet's life - she sleeps with Bassey in the house, but they are both excluded from the bedroom, and she eats a dried food diet.

However, the grounds do enable Sandy to indulge in her favourite pastime - lying in puddles.

But the estate said that, thankfully for the carpets in the house, she always gets herself clean before returning.