Anne Cakebread holding a copy of her book "How to teach your dog Welsh"
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Woman learns Welsh to speak to dog, then publishes best-selling book

By Greta Inglis

Anne learned Welsh to speak to her adopted dog. Six years later, their conversations have inspired a book series that has been translated into 13 languages.

When Anne Cakebread brought Frida home, she quickly realised the adopted Whippet didn't understand English. 

Frida spoke Welsh, and it was in talking aloud to her dog, that Anne realised she had overcome her nerves about speaking the language.

"Teach your Dog Welsh" 

The experience inspired Anne to write a "Teach you Dog Welsh" an illustrated guide to 100 expressions in Welsh. 

The book was first published six years ago, and it has now been translated into thirteen different languages. 

Seeing the world in colour

"I've tried to help people with endangered and minority languages" explained Anne in an interview with BBC News Wales. "I'm currently working on teach your dog Breton". 

"I see it as, because I only have one language I see the world in black and white. But when you bring in Welsh, you see the world in colour."

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