Back to Blogging

Sorry had a bit of a mad week and have way too much to update you on, so lets just go back in time a little bit to the start... can't even remember where I last left off haha. So lets start with this time last week. On a good note Oscar actually had a viewing! A lovely man came on Friday to meet him and adored him and came again Sunday with his wife. They both absolutely loved Oscar, even though he did bounce all over them and nibbled there hands, he was actually calmer than what I expected so I was proud. Unfortunately the couple received some bad news this week and have decided at the present time it won't be fair to adopt a dog, however will come back to the rescue when the time is right. Nobody can fault people for the bad timing when things happen in life and lets hope that when the family is okay they will adopt a dog from us as they were great owners.

Now to this mad weekend. Tolleys foster is currently looking after his 5 year old granddaughter and for the time being we have taken him on until the child goes home for the sake of both of them. Tolley is still very nervous and it wouldn't be fair to put him in that situation. Tolley is an 18 month old handsome pure bred border collie (no papers). Tolley has come in from a family home who could no longer financially cope but it is clear at some point hes had a bad past. As I said he is very nervous! Tolley is doing very well here with the girls, however does not get along with Oscar in the house. When they are outside they are both fine though and run around burning off all the excess energy they have. Tolley needs improving on the lead as he will currently lunge at anything that spooks him and is a strong boy. While he is here we are simply burning his energy by giving him free run on the garden all day. Tolley would need a house with a big garden, preferably where he has free run of the majority of the time as he loves being outside. Tolley is very friendly once he has got used to you and will sit near you for a stroke. He is very well mannered in the house and will not jump on the furniture or go up stairs. He does have separation anxiety and will bark if left, however whilst here we are crating him, simply to separate him from Oscar on an evening. Oscar is also being crated and both are doing very well and currently fast asleep in their separate crates. Tolley has done very well with the girls though as I said, and is actually quite nervous with them if they try play in a way he doesn't understand. Even Old girl Sally has tried to play with him! Tinks has snapped at him and he ignored her and just skirted around her so he is brilliant with most dogs, I'm wandering if its Oscars dominance which means they don't get along. Tolley will need very very(!) collie experienced owners who will be willing to give him time and patience and give him the home he needs. He is not really a pet dog and would do best on a small holding where, as I've said, he has free run of the land. Tolley is cat friendly however unsure of how he is with cattle and sheep etc. I suspect he will be nervous. 

Anyway thats all for now that I can think of, I'm going to relax before a weekend full of work. 

What Do I get from it?

The other day someone asked me that exact question and it was so hard to explain what it is I actually get from it as the person in question meant in a money/opportunity sort of way. So I thought I'd answer in detail on here and give you all an idea of what I get from fostering.

1. When I started fostering I had experience with terriers and poodles. All very different but all generally well behaved dogs. Since then my experience has grown so much. I've met over 20 different dogs in just over a year. The snappy ones, the nervous ones and the mad ones. The escape artists, the destroyers and the plain ignorant ones. In my opinion nobody will ever get so much hands on experience so quickly than when your a fosterer. I've learnt so much being a foster, different behavioural techniques including how different dogs learn. How to handle dogs, how to transport dogs, how to understand dogs etc. 

2. A whole new light behind rescues. How many dogs are abandoned per year etc. Yes we see it all on the tv but when you actually become involved with a rescue and see how many dogs come in for pathetic reasons and then obviously the poundies. And when you go into a pound for the first time and see so many sad eyes looking out of the bars at you, mainly staffies but many other breeds which you would never imagine would be abandoned. When you see how full a pound is and realise no matter what one of these dogs will be PTS because of lack of room. And when you see the man in his van coming to PTS a dog, right then and there and your heart sinks to the bottom of your stomach because you know why hes there. I get the pleasure knowing that when I save a dog from the pound that dog will not be PTS, not only that but a space has being made and another dogs life has been saved.

3. Confidence. Because of the rescue I have met so many people (mainly animal lovers) and it is so nice to talk with people who share the same interests. People who I would have never spoken to before. But now with the foster dogs and memories I have a whole bout of confidence to talk to people. 

4. An amazing reference. When you apply for a job you know they'll be looking for an outstanding reference and I know that Kathy will give me one because of all the work I do.

and finally 5. a sense of Pride! I never truly show it but I am so proud of what I do. I have saved so many dogs lives, I have changed so many dogs lives. And without the rescue some of these dogs would not stand a chance and would not be in the brilliant homes they are now.

The real question is why would I not do it? Yes they can cost a fortune in replacing things they have wrecked (normally remotes). And yes they do take up a lot of my home time. They tire me out, stress me out but then they make me smile, they give me something to do and work towards. Never ask me what do I get from fostering, instead give me 5 reasons why I shouldn't... I'd like to see you try ;)

Lucy, Tinks, Sally and Oscar. 

I am extremely busy this week and next with college, work and my friends 21st but please bare with me, I'll try post again at some point and tell you about Tolley the Collie :) x

Quick Op

Sorry its going to take a lot to beat my last post and I'm afraid I can't do that. It was a hard post to write and I would like to apologise for the people I upset, including my dad and Bunnys auntie. However I am hoping that tug at everyones heart strings makes you realise just how important our dogs are and how we must stick by them through thick and thin. 

Now onto our Oscar boy. Now don't worry hearing the word op. Oscar had managed to catch his nail on something and was pretty much hanging on and it needed to be removed, so he went in on Tuesday morning and won the hearts of everyone at the vets. His new owners must be warned though that apparently Oscar does not like needles and screamed the place down when he saw it for the anaesthetic. And although he reacted badly to dogs at the vets, the nurse introduced him to hers and he was fine. So it is obvious when he is on the lead he just wants to play with other dogs and not hurt them. He was a little drugged up Tuesday evening, having a peaceful night was actually quite enjoyable but he was back to normal yesterday morning.

While at the vets Oscar has had a full MOT. All nails clipped, ears cleaned and anal glands empty so now he is definitely ready to go. He is definitely a lot calmer now and seems to behaving himself a little more. He still jumps up and will mouth occasionaly but if hes ignored it doesn't take long for him to settle down. The vet nurse has informed us of a couple looking for a terrier and she is going to tell them about Oscar and Hugo so fingers crossed for either of them. Their both so similar to each other in their crazy, individual ways. Anyway the couple are away at the moment so lets hope when they return the nurse can persuade them to adopt.

Oscar has a check up tomorrow but don't think there is much else to add on him. He is currently sleeping away right next to me, snuggling up. Someone will be very lucky to have this boy, they just need to understand his ways. 

Lucy, Oscar, Tinks and Sally x

Sa'di (Sad Story Warning)

In September last year Lee who helps out a lot for the rescue took in an old poundie. Sa'di is a collie x spaniel and has been a heartwarming story for all those involved. My dad went to get her from the pound and in his words 'when I picked sadi up from the pound she walked so slow and I had to lift her into the car'. At the vets Sa'di was given a list of problems, she had
mammary tumours, was deaf and nearly blind and her skin was in terrible condition. Sa'di was
given just a few weeks to live. She was in good hands though and although Lee knew her time would be short with Sa'di she gave her the best possible life, and when Lee moved up to Scotland earlier this year it was a shock to see videos of Sa'di running happy and free on the beach without a care in the world. She was happy and still fighting to make sure the end of her days would be the best. 

So it was a shock when I went to petsit for Lee that Sa'di was still fighting and was so happy and bubbly. Her little cheeky grin she gave when she wanted feeding really gave me a reason to smile. For the two weeks I was there Sa'di was going strong but sadly when Lee came home she took a downward turn. Her cancer had progressed, she had to be carried to bed and the kindest thing to do was to put her to sleep. Sa'di brought smiles all around till the day she went to rainbow bridge. Lee knew she was on borrowed time with Sa'di but I don't think anyone expected her to surpass her few weeks to live by a year. She was a fighter and had the best last year anybody could possibly ask for a dog. 

Now please consider this, when you get a dog they will get old, they will break your heart and they may get ill. But they only have you, they are so loyal to you so when it comes to them being old and frail don't dump them and leave them to die on their own, stand by them until their very last breath because they would do that to you. 

When I came home from uni in December 2011, my girl went downhill from the day I went home. Before that she had been fine but she had waited for me as Sa'di had waited for her owners. And when it came the time to say goodbye I held her in my arms one last time and watched as she peacefully slipped away. It is heartbreaking having a dog but the amount of love and memories they will give you is worth the heartbreak so please don't forget that. 

Now is heart wrenching as this post is to read, trust me it was a hard one to write and now to end it I will just post a video that has always made me hold on when I think of my Em.

http://www.indigo.org/rainbowbridge_ver2.html

Run free at Rainbow Bridge Sa'di xx

Mabel

So since I've been promising this post here it is. As you know when I was in Scotland I went to remeet Mabel. Its unbelievable the change some love and a good home can do so here are the pictures :) Please look carefully at these pictures, look how happy this girl is compared to when she came into rescue and think you could be that difference in a dogs life. The picture titled 'The Love of a Foster' will always be my highlight of fostering. I've seen this girl at her worse and at her best and without the rescue and myself, this oldie didn't stand much of a chance. You could give that dog a chance and become a foster. Its not only lifechanging for the dog but for you and we are always desperate for more fosters.

 

 

The Love of a foster

 I also have some sad news, which I will post following this as the poor girl needs a page of her own <3 x

An amazing change

So I returned from Scotland yesterday and was quite happy to see how much Oscar has calmed down. Maybe I just remembered him to be twice as bad as what he actually is but he didn't seem to jump up as much and the biting is definitely becoming less frequent now. Its fair to say he is doing very well. Now he is starting to show signs of calming down and his food agression is becoming improving I am going to start trying to train him more. Oscar will need a lot of work with his recall so will need some offlead walks which will take some confidence from me but with my dad we will both work with it. Along with this I'm going to try doing some basic clicker training with him and see how he does. 

Before I went I had bought Oscar a new head lead. Oscar may be small but he is strong and does pull on the lead, even with a harness on and it was removing the fun element from walks. Now, with his new lead he walks lovely and the difference is so noticeable. Although he does complain a little at the start, once on the walk he walks next to me. Anyone who decides to adopt Oscar will be recommended on these leads in hopes that they will continue is on lead training with it. 

I think thats all I have to update at the moment, he is off back to the vets later as one of his back nails is coming back so poor little man may be having an op at some point this week to get it removed. I'd rather it be professionally removed than him managing to snap it off himself and cause him alot of pain but then again the only thing we want with the rescue dogs is to make sure they are as happy and pain-free as possible (obviously).

Now since its being Summer, everyones being away and we seemed to have hit a brick wall but 5 dogs have being rehomed this week, meaning we have more room to get dogs into fosters. I was lucky enough to go send Barnaby Boo off yesterday and I feel he will be very happy in his new family home which will just be perfect for him.

Currently in rescue:

Roxy - 1 year old loveable labrador cross
Patch - 6 year old collie cross
Misha - 5 year old staffie
Doris and Dixie - Pair of 10 year old jack russels
Cinders - 10 year old poodle cross

Vikki - 1 year old jack russel x chihuahua 

Bobby - 2 year old yorkie

Baxy - 5 year old yorkshire terrier

Tolley - 16 month old border collie

Gilbert - 2 year old patterdale

Benji - 7 year old yorkshire terrier

Max - 5 year old agility jack russel 

Hugo - 2 year old jack russel

Bert - 5 year old labrador x collie

Stanley - 8 year old terrier
Marley - 4 year old patterdale x lab
Cleo - 1 year old mastiff x great dane
Eddy - 5 year old American cocker spaniel

Lucy, Tinks, Sally and Oscar x

Please pester me if I don't post Mabel pictures at some point this week... will try remember either tomorrow or Wednesday!