Crystal Rehomed! :)

So all went well today and Crystal went to her new home. She seemed very happy in her new home and had a good explore. She has a nice big, secure garden to play with and already had the ladies family visiting a few hours after she had settled to come visit her and make more friends. So I guess thats all for Crystal, she will always be a stunning girl and one of my extra special foster dogs who I will never forget. 

On to some more good news, Peggy has a viewing planned for next Saturday. A dog sitter/walker in Cheshire is wanting a new companion following the death of her old dog a few months back. So Peggy will be going to a very good, experienced home, with many new doggy friends to make. So all being well Peggy will be rehomed next week! 

So whos next? The plan is for a couple of 10 year old shih tzus. A brother and sister named Josh and Esme. Both have a grade 1 heart murmur but they are not on medication so all should be well there. They both seem like very good looking dogs and are both dog and cat friendly. I will update you next week when they arrive.

Now I am going to curl up in bed and die in peace, haha. 

Lucy, Tinks, Sally and Peggy x

Too Busy

Right I'm really sorry for the lack of updates but I've been away with my boyfriend then when I came back for a day I didn't get chance to update. Now I'm ill and feel totally rubbish so not doing too well on that front. 

So now to update, unfortunately I have some bad news... as well as some good news. The people who were coming to view Peggy decided it was best not to come as their dog attacked another dog on Wednesday so it wouldn't be fair on either their dog or Peggy. I guess it's a good thing it happened then rather than when Peggy went to them because Peggy getting attacked would be the worst that could have happened. Peggy is recovering well from the operation and it is now looking much better and not as sore for her. 

So now onto the good news. Somebody came to view Crystal on Wednesday and they decided they would like to adopt her. She will be going to an older lady with, what seems to be a very close knit family. So Crystal will have regular visits from her children and grandchildren which Crystal would absolutely loved. The lady came with her son who Crystal immediately attached to and went out of her way to visit again today just to arrange a time for me to fetch Crystal tomorrow. She even said herself she had to have Crystal just because of the reaction her son had on her. I can just tell Crystal will be very loved in her new home and I'm pretty sure having regular visits from the ladies family will improve her confidence... not that she isn't already confident enough.

Anyway thats all for now, I'll update when I get chance about how Crystal is in her new home. Unfortunately I have left my camera wire at Dans so I can't update pictures just yet.

Lucy, Peggy, Crystal, Tinks and Sally x

Operation for Peggy

So after the view at her anal glands the other day, the decision was made to remove them. Peggy was so distressed at the vets getting her anal glands cleared and it was horrible to watch. So it was very unfair to keep putting her through that and the pain she would have to go through twice a month, not too mention the discomfort the rest of the time. This is how much the rescue cares for their dogs and I think it goes to show what donations get spent on, the dogs! Because to us that is all that matters, the dogs health, wellbeing and happiness. 

I was actually very worried about the operation, its a very big operation for any dog, not to mention an oldie. However the operation went very well and although she has a bit of a sore bum Peggy is doing much better than I expected. The only problem is she's having difficulty manoevering around objects with the 'cone of shame' on. But she will get used to that and hopefully it won't be long before she can safely walk up the steps. Peggy is eating fine and before she even came home the vets had spoiled her to a tray of chicken! Then she came home and had some naturediet dog food so its fair to say she still has her appetite. Now the one thing to worry about with this operation was incontinence, which can occur if the vets mess up but they did a very good job and Peggy has done her business twice this morning with no issues. So big cheer for the vets who did so well with our Peggy. She is on antibiotics and is very moangy but hopefully all will be well for her viewing next week. I called her potential owners yesterday to update them and they were so nice about it and were happy to know she was recovering well. I'll update them again Tuesday then hopefully they'll come Saturday. And if all goes well Peggy will go off to her new home. Now Peggy has another vet appointment monday, however I am going away Monday-Wednesday so I won't be able to update straight away. 

So all is well for now, thankfully. Now the rescue do currently have an auction running thanks to Jess King so please visit the facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/404220676316993/) and get your bids in before 9pm tomorrow. We are already at around £300 thanks to the kind people out there but the more money raised the better. Along with going towards vet bills and the dogs in our care, the rescue are also saving for a large dog exercise pen. So please donate, and if you can't donate, help in any other way you can :D 

Lucy, Peggy, Tinks, Crystal and Sally x

One Well Trained Dog

Just an update on Crystal. The enquiries we have had have all fallen through unfortunately, one of these simply because people do not answer their phone, so please if you apply an interest for a dog make sure you answer your phone, even if it is a number you don't know! It could be someone from the rescue, including me, whos number is not on the website. 

So that rant over, I am beginning to learn that Crystal is a very smart dog. The other day we went for a walk in the fields by me and Crystal was let off lead. She was great and loved the freedom, however when I wanted her to come back she responded more to the words Crystal here, rather than just her name. Crystal will walk to heel when off lead, simply if you say the word heel/here. They both sound the same so it doesn't make a difference. The walk was ruined when we saw a couple of dogs off lead, not by Crystal I may add, but Tinks. Who is such a little Minx and will go and yap in their faces. Thankfully they were two friendly boxers so all was well on that half. Unfortunately this yapping did set Crystal off and she did seem very anxious with the other dogs which caused her to bark. In all this time I couldn't walk away because I was all tangled up... oh the joys of walking 3 dogs at a time. haha. I know this Summer I have the goal of teaching Tinks to behave more on walks. I'm going to wait till Summer where the fields would be much less of a task and then have one on one walks with her. Although truthfully I'm hoping it will improve with age. She's only 2, so still a puppy in my eyes :) 

Anyway heel is not the only training Crystal knows, however she does respond to it very well, including in the house when she barks. As long as it is said sternly she knows she should respond. Crystal will sit when you tell her to and immediately gives you her paw when shes sat down, she's so cute and her paw literally grips onto your hand. She will also lay down. I think she could still be taught more and is a very smart dog. She would probably be great at agility, but since the weather is so awful at the moment I can't set up my agility set in the garden. Crystal loves playing with toys, especially balls and rope toys. She will fetch her toys to you and give them you in her lap to throw them at you. The one problem Crystal has is she will snatch food out of your hand, however as she is so smart this should be easy to train out of her. 

Although Crystal is good with children, I do believe Crystal will not be suitable for a home with young children. She does jump up and does mouth, which although it is gentle and does no damage to me if she gets overexcited she could accidently hurt a child when she mouths. This is not agression, it is simply play behaviour, much like that what puppies do. Shes not a puppy but sometimes she does think she is! 

 Thats all to update on for Crystal. On the Peggy front, she is doing well. However she does have an appointment with the vet tomorrow to have a check on her anal glands. If they have filled up again, the decision will have to be made to remove them. She will not let me go near her bum and will hide away when I go near so she is clearly in discomfort. Although it is normally said to change diet, Peggy is currently on a healthy diet of Wainwrights and Nature Diet, which should be helping her release them naturally, which does not seem to be happening. I will update on this case tomorrow, or friday and we'll see how it goes. 

Lucy, Crystal, Peggy, Tinks and Sal

Settling in

Crystal has settled in much better than what I thought. She was left for 2/3 hours last night and she was fine. In fact, when I came home from work she didn't make a noise and it took her 5 minutes to trudge downstairs to come say hello so she must have been having a nice sleep. Crystal is such a loving girl and very playful. She'll jump up and let out a little bear growl letting you know she wants to play and does mouth so this needs to be trained out of her. She does no harm, its just a bad habit. Peggy seems to think shes been agressive though and she has actually started becoming protective of me and will bark at Crystal, which in turn causes Crystal to bark then we have the full dog chorus going! haha.

Crystal has been microchipped and 2 people have shown some interest in her so trying to get in contact with one of them, then we'll see where we go from there. 

Lucy, Crystal, Peggy, Tinks and Sally x

Beautiful Crystal

Crystal really is a beauty. She is a collie, possibly crossed with a husky and is 7 years old. The photos of her do no justice but she is such a stunning dog. She just wants to be loved and although she was a little nervous when she came, going down to her level built her confidence and she approached in her own time and nuzzled up to me for a cuddle. She just wants lots of love and attention. She does not like being left and if locked in a room she will cause damage to her self trying to get out. Crystal loves her walks and is full of energy and will pull on the lead. Apparently she is good off lead and has good recall but I'm giving her time before I get to that stage with her. Although she is active outside when in the house she is so relaxed and just splays out in front of the fire or by your feet. She is good with all the dogs and has had a good sniff of Tinks trying to make friends with her. She will bark if she hears a noise, but in my house I think its more she barks when Peggy barks, which just means its worse. 

 

So thats all for now,
Lucy, Crystal, Peggy, Tinks and Sally

Chewie has a home!

So yesterday went as good as it could have gone and Chewie went into their home and made it his immediately. When it was time to reintroduce him to Olive, the families Weimeraner x he sniffed her with tail fully wagging so I think it won't be long till they become the best of friends. I think its fair to say Chewie will be very happy where he is, with kids to keep up with all his energy and a huge doggy friend to play with! Although his first thing to do in the house was make his mark everwhere and destroy 3 toys everyone just laughed along with him and let him settle and just as I was leaving he was getting comfy with the young girl on the sofa. Perfect ending! 

So we will be getting Crystal on Wednesday afternoon and I will update you then :) 

Lucy, Tinks, Sally and Peggy x

Good News and Some Even Better News!

So the good news is we have a viewing for Peggy! In a couple of weeks a couple are coming all the way from Oxfordshire to meet Peggy with their 9 year old Jack russel Jake. They will make sure she has all the walks she needs, getting 3 good ones a day and I'm sure she'll make good friends with Jake. The best thing is they are both similar ages and will live the other half of their life quite happily together. Well thats hoping the viewing goes well, I'll keep you updated on that closer to the time as it isnt until 23rd as the couple have booked a weekend off to come up. 

Even better news? Chewie is going to his new home tomorrow. Yesterday the lady came with her beautiful Weimeraner x Saluki x. At first he did bark but after going into the garden he settled down and was trying to play with her, which I wouldn't mind so much but this involved him trying to pounce on a dog twice his height when he's meant to be on minimal excercise following being neutered. And trust me it is a mission telling a dog he can't play and should rest... he simply does not understand! Anyway today she came again with her children, who Chewie immediately went over to, jumped up at them and started playing with them, then sat with them for the rest of the viewing. 

I will be sad to see Chewie go, it hasn't even been here a week and I've just bonded with him. It's hard not to. He's such a big softie. Today while I was sat by the fire, he came over, stood on me and slobbered me all over and then insisted on a cuddle. He really is the softest dog going. So I'll update tomorrow when he's gone... well I'll try if I find the time.

So hopefully next we'll be getting Crystal, the collie who is currently with another foster, to make way for Alfie P. So hopefully I'll be getting her on Monday, if the other foster has time so I'll keep you updated on her.

Lucy, Chewie, Peggy, Tinks and Sally