2 Months Later and Oscar is Gone!

Thats right, Oscar was rehomed to the farmer and his family! They all loved him and he will be a well loved member of the family, and he will fit in nicely with the daschund pup. Oscar was clearly overwhelmed that people had come to see him so pounded all over them, nibbled their hands until they were red and the words at the end of the viewing "We'll have him" really did make me smile. Oscar will spend the rest of his days out every day working on the farm, a dream life for any dog I'm sure. Can't explain how happy I am for the little man. He is a very special dog and deserved the very special home he got. His new owner has said that he has settled in good and is getting along with the pup so I am now at peace knowing he is happy. 

So now I want to introduce Pippa. Pippa is a 15month old Springer Spaniel x Pointer and is beautiful. She is in rescue through no fault of her own and has no issues! She is good with children as has lived with a 2 year old, good with dogs, good recall, easily trainable, housetrained, can be left for a couple of hours without destroying anything and she loves everyone! She is really anyones dog. I can't even describe her as she is too perfect. She is just an all round lovely dog. She has settled in here just fine and has made friends with Tinks quite easily, she hasn't even retaliated to Tinks first meeting snapping or old Sallys growling. I really am impressed with her. As she is still young she is full of life and has a lot of energy to burn but as she is good off lead a good run twice a day will be fine for her. She loves her walks and although she does pull at first she does settle down and walks nice on a gentlelead (a head type collar). I think all I can do now is leave you with pictures and a video so you can see the beauty yourself! I do need some better pictures as it was hard to keep her still today but I'll get them at some point this week. 

 

Waiting for a Viewing

So we are still waiting on a viewing for the person who applied interest in Oscar. He is a farmer who has recently lost his terrier and is wanting a young, energetic terrier to take out with him when hes at work. He has a 13 week old Daschund and should be able to give Oscar everything he needs but this is definitely one that is relying on the viewing to see what they think of him. Hopefully it will go well and if they really love him he will be going as all necessary checks have been done and he seems the right person for Oscar. Obviously it all depends on how the viewing goes. Fingers crossed it will be soon though, the person is hoping to come tomorrow so lets hope for the best! 

Oh and if anyone would be interested in buying a raffle ticket with all money going to West Yorkshire Dog Rescue and if you are local to Huddersfield let me know. £1 a ticket and some brilliant prizes :) 

Thats all for now, I currently have little parrot boy asleep on my shoulder with his little leg around my body... I do love this sweet boy and will miss him when he eventually finds his forever home 

Lucy, Tinks, Sally and Oscar xx

Playful Oscar

Thought I would share this of Oscar playing with our Kong Wobbler yesterday. I don't think he understood the concept to be honest and was just trying to lick them out of the hole but it is funny to watch. Hopefully Ozzy will be having a viewing over the next few days so everyone keep their fingers crossed for our lovely cheeky man.

I'll end with a funny Oscar story: 
Today when we'd come home from the supermarket we'd left the bags in the room as per usual while we unpacked them. I was just taking some bits into the kitchen and came back to Oscar helping himself to some Naan breads... We still have half of each of them left for tea tomorrow. Just had to laugh at him though, he is so cheeky and will do anything for food! 

Lucy, Tinks, Sally and Oscar x

Cheeky Little Boy

Don't feel like I've spoken enough about our lovely Oscar recently. So today I thought I'd spread a few little random bits of information about him: 

• Oscar loves following you around the house, specifically when your in the bath. Oscar will stand on the bath tub and eat all the bubbles... probably not too healthy for him but it is funny to see him with bubbles around his head
• Oscar is such a snuggly boy. At night Oscar will curl up in bed and not move all night
• Oscar and Tinks... match made in heaven. Together they are absolutely nuts and can run around with each other for ages, both with big grins on there lips.
• He loves food! So much that now we have started just feeding him once a day he will look in the kitchen with sad eyes all morning as if asking for his breakfast. 

Oscar is Oscar... hes the most unique dog with such an individual, crazy personality... he really is amazing. If you can look past the first meeting of the crazy boy leaping all over you and nibbling at you in excitement and realise at heart he is a big softy then you will love him! On first meeting him you see a dog that you wouldn't believe could be controlled but when you've lived with him so long you realise he just loves to lay down on the sofa with you on the evening for  a cuddle. If hes not walked in the morning Oscar does tend to be all over during the day but after a walk he will happily curl up for a while. Overall I do love Oscar, at first I didn't feel any particular bond to him but now our bond is growing and he is currently looking at me with his big loving eyes, wagging his tail at 100mph... this boy will really make the perfect family pet.

We do have another person interested in Oscar but we are awaiting a homecheck and need to find a little more information out before we can sort a definite viewing. The home sounds perfect for a dog like Oscar but theres just a couple of things we need to iron out as Oscar does need the perfect home. 

Tolley has now gone back to his original foster. During his time with us I learnt a lot about collies. Tolley in particular is a very much outside dog, he would not suit a family home, rather a small holding where he will have run all day. I've learnt that boys will be boys and in the house both boys were dominant in the house, leading to problems... oh and never try separate dogs in the wrong way as you will get hurt! People tend to get bit for a reason and I am a strong believer for that, so when I got nipped trying to keep the boys apart it was my own fault for getting in the middle of them both. One day I will learn, its not the first time that has happened and doubt it will be the last but I am learning... I just care more for the dogs than I do myself haha! Now I will leave with some pictures of Oscar and Tinks cuddling at night! If I leave the room, Oscar will tend to go up and curl next to her, which is so cute to see! Sorry for the quality... my phone doesn't really like the dark 

And one other note for life in general.... just smile! 

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