Winterwatch presenter Chris Packham, who was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome in his forties, shed light on a touching routine that he shares with some beloved members of his family
Chris Packham has shared personal insights into the life he shares with some beloved members of his family, while touching upon a “disastrous” loss. Chris, who was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, part of the autism spectrum, in his forties, opened up about the touching routine that he shares with his pet dogs.
In a podcast instalment recorded at his home in the New Forest last year, the Winterwatch star disclosed that he wears the same clothes each time he takes them for a walk.
Chris explained that one of the reasons he likes dogs is that both he and the animals enjoy having a routine. Part of their schedule is a six o’clock treat, and at bedtime, they have “BT” or “biscuit time”.
He told the Homing podcast about this nightly ritual: “I like the process of it being… part of my process of going to bed, is sharing the biscuit with them in that routine. So, those shared routines are very much an integral part of the relationship that I have with them”.
Chris went on to explain how they will then head up to bed, and the “whole thing” is “patterned”, viewing the process as a way to settle into a time of “relaxation”.
TV star Chris noted that any disruption to the routine was “annoying”, and, if it came to it, he would “walk naked over broken glass” to retrieve biscuits if he discovered he didn’t have any.
He was then asked what would happen if his pets passed away, to which he replied: “In the past, it’s been disastrous. I didn’t learn much from losing the bird, and then my first dog died, Max.
” I didn’t have dogs, (I) was never into domestic animals when I was a kid. (I) wasn’t interested. Seriously, rabbits, guinea pigs, dogs, cats, what’s the point? They’re not interesting. It’s all about wild animals. “
Chris added: “And then I got my first poodle, and he lived until he was 15, Max. And yeah, I mean, every…I’ll be honest with you, every time I lost dogs up until Itchy and Scratchy, it precipitated a significant mental health episode because I hadn’t prepared myself.”
He went on to reveal that it was” catastrophic”, and when his dog, Fish, passed away, he had to have therapy and became” suicidal”, but told himself that he would have more dogs and couldn’t be in this” position “again.
In July 2021, the naturalist spoke to the Radio Times about his dogs, Sid and Nancy, revealing that he bonds with his dogs” more tightly “than he does with people.
He said:” I bond to them more tightly than I do people. Though Sid and Nancy have found a new place in my heart, the hole left by Itchy and Scratchy is still there. It’s quite hard to talk about. “
Source: Mirror
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