28th July

Alison, Dave and Family are on their long awaited holiday.  I hope that it is the well deserved rest that they hoped for. Let's hope they do not have to look for a new fish slice!!!!!!!

It is not an easy task looking after so many dogs, answering the never ending calls and emails from people who want to re home their dogs. especially when it is for 349 days per year.

David Bennett, is kindly looking after Angel, we have Tara,with Saffy and Boycie in kennels.

Tara fast asleep with a smile on her face.

Whilst I am typing this blog Tara is firmly asleep on the bed, snoring her head off, oblivious to everything that is going on. Tara would undoubtedly suit an older person or couple as she is so undemanding, all she want is a quite life, and love. Yet she has been seeking a new home since November 201l even though she is also included on The Oldies website there has been no interest in her.

It is lovely that Chance has at long last found his new family. Alison I were both ecstatic when this happened. Although you learn to let go, you cannot help but worry that everything is alright.





 We had a lovely email from Mike, Jo and family about Molly (formally Luci). I could not contain myself and  looked at the photo before I read the massage, a bit like reading the end of a book when you are only half way through it!!!!

Molly Relaxed

 

Had to share this picture with you

Molly had an hours walk and spent 3 hours in this position dead to the world ( despite the noise we were making)

Had to wake her up to take her outside for a wee before her main sleep.

I remembered that Mike and Jo had only just got this new suite of furniture and they had expressed that Molly would not be allowed on it. It did not seem to be happening!!!!!  I welcomed Mike and Jo to the world of staffie ownership and that life would never be the same.
 I received this response:-

Hi Val

Glad you enjoyed the picture

Its funny that when we got her..i was keen to keep her off the Sofa ( its new)..its changed to she is only allowed on 1 part of the sofa ( with her blanket) to she goes where she pleases…she always maneuvers herself so that her head is on a pillow

She is such a part of the family that we cant imagine being without her..i think its 4 months since she came to us

I was reading the old blogs about Molly from back when you got her..and she has certainly changed and she is a credit to all the hard work and sleepless nights you put in

We were saying that the advantage of getting her from you( rather than Battersea etc) is that you really knew the Dog and understood her..so taking her in was a lot easier because you knew her little ways and were on hand for advice

She isn’t perfect but she is so lovable and very clever….she now spins round on command and shakes Paw…the girls are now working on roll over ( she will be a show dog)..not sure if its good for her dignity getting her to do tricks but she seems to love it and it’s a good way to control her when she is excited

Thank you to Mike, Jo, Nancy and Martha for adopting Molly and a big thank you to all those who have adopted a Guildford & District dog. We cannot express how happy we are when it all works out and a dog in need finds it's new home. xxx

Author:- Valerie

27th July

They are keeping Chance!

I had left it that they would ring me on Thursday (yesterday) to let me know how things were going as long as things were ok until  then, of course, so I had been holding my breath, relaxing a little more as each day went by. Then Thursday afternoon the call came, right number, then a strange voice saying, 'Regarding Chance,' my heart stopped, 'who should I make the cheque out to?'
It is the most wonderful home on a farm which is part of a country estate and the dogs are not confined at all which I thought would suit him perfectly as long as he could cope with so much freedom, it seems he can.

Chance has a new home!

What a lovely 'rags to riches' story, pound dog to country estate!
It is a miracle! But we were certainly in need of one!

I take Saffy and Boycie to Wey farm kennels later this morning, not a happy task but at least it is not for long.
Val and Stuart are picking Tara up tonight.

25th July

Ok we are in survival mode now. All outside jobs including dog walking first and last thing, siesta in middle of day!
Cooler tomorrow? I hope so!


Angel has been collected by David and Pat at great personal cost. A seventy mile drive taking nearly two hours.
I am so very grateful to them and for Angel's sake that she doesn't have to go into kennels.
David and Pat you are stars! Thank you.


Ha ha ha! Thanks for putting us right in your comment Mark! No I don't follow football and I probably am the only person in the world not to recognise Michael Owen! I stumbled across a bizarre link on facebook.
We all know the Staffie was the real celeb, look at that big Staffie grin, looks like Toby adopted by David and Diana. 

Is this Michael Owen?

Not only did I not recognise Michael Owen,  I said he was a human, I was wrong, he is a footballer!


 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/olympics/article-2177729/London-2012-Olympics-Michael-Owen-Battersea-Dogs-Home.html?ito=feeds-newsxml


Finally tired of Jesse pup haranguing Tara when she was in her crate, so we let her out. She was fantastic with him! Gently and patiently putting him in his place until eventually he backed off, at least for a bit.
Anyone with an older female Stafford want to adopt a feisty male pup?
Better still adopt Tara and the pup together!

24th July

I know we shouldn't complain but it's too hot! Especially if you have animals, nightmare trying to get all dogs walked (puppy tired) and keep them cool.
The ponies are being driven mad by horseflies even at six in the evening.
 However, there are some good things, the mud is finally drying up down the garden, the kitchen floor was washed and has remained clean and the dog blankets dried in less than an hour.

Lexus started the day in fine fettle by devouring an entire unopened bag of tripe sticks and another of salmon and potato treats, while I took the puppy down the garden, I had been too tired to put them away the night before.


A lovely surprise today, I was just on my way to the shop to replace the (very cheap) dustpan, puppy had chewed off the rubber strip rendering it useless to pick anything up, when an organic compost lorry parked right across the end of the drive. I was about to shout something when the driver started to shout at me asking if I remembered him. It was none other than Tim who adopted Fawley from us four years ago.

 He was delivering an order of compost to my neighbour.

Fawley travels with him the cab. When I did his follow up I asked how Fawley was when he was left, to which he replied, he didn't know because he never left him.
 What a lucky dog.



The Olympic Torch was carried past Dave's place of work today and yesterday a Battersea Staffie helped carry it. I am sorry I don't know who the human was.

23rd July

Still the phone calls and emails. One rang at 6.30pm on Sunday saying she needed some advice, she told me she had two Staffies and had just had a baby, the advice she was after was how did she go about getting us to take in her dog! I did my usual speech, she sounded most put out and asked if I knew of anywhere else, when I said no she all but slammed the phone down.
Another message, looking after a friend's dog and couldn't keep it, an email, started a new job and did not have time for dog anymore!
As well as that I have heard from two boarding kennels today. One had had a dog dumped, booked in for a week, paid the deposit, gave false details and never came back.

The kennel owner said he had done a bit of rescue quite successfully but this one, a dog aggressive Staffie, had defeated him ... welcome to my world!
The other from a girl who manages a large kennels, I knew her when she was dog warden for one of the councils. This dog had been in kennels since November whilst his owner desperately tried to pay for him until he was in a position to take him back  having split from his partner, or until he found a rescue place for him.
He became further and further behind with payments and she had had him sign the dog over to her. She was horrified when she heard from me how bad it was, this dog also was not good with other dogs.

And so it continues ...

David and Pat Bennet have now agreed to take Angel whilst we are away, this at great personal cost to them, we are very grateful.
Val is somehow going to squeeze Tara in with her pack.
Chance has a place booked in kennels but hopefully will stay in his new home.
That just leaves Saffy and Boycie  to go into kennels unless they get a better offer.

20th July

The torch came! ... We were there! ... But did we see it? ...

Everyday this week I have written my list of 'things to do,' and everyday 'Cut the hedge,' was one of them
.
Dave's electric hedgecutters were broken and in any case he is never around of late so I was determined to borrow some hand cutters and do it. My life being what it is, it was 2.30pm this afternoon when I eventually started (torch due 4.45pm )
We have had signs for two weeks threatening to tow away any vehicles parked on the route and the road was already amazingly clear, the traffic light and the atmosphere beginning  to build.

Being out the front was exactly the place to be!

Sam helped me and it took just over an hour.
 I spend my life doing similar tasks but the difference with this one was, everyone saw me, it made a huge difference and I had numerous chats with neighbours I normally never see all the time keeping an eye on the events as they unfolded. Fantastic!

Police cars and tow trucks did indeed clear the route, though we didn't actually see anyone being towed away.
People came out to the front of their homes, some putting up chairs, a crowd gathered outside the village shop.

We were out there too with Lexus and Jesse.

Suddenly some coaches and minibuses came through led by policecars and a police helicopter in the sky! We waved and cheered, cameras flashed ... 1minute 16 seconds ... it was gone!

That was it!
We went back inside. I took Khan and Spryte down the garden only to meet my neighbour coming back up the drive, 'That wasn't it,' she told me, 'The actual torch is still to come.' Sam ran up the drive I went inside to tell the others, suddenly another coach sped past with police motorcycle outriders shooting past, another helicopter roared overhead.

So technically we missed it!

 But as far as catching the spirit of the thing we were most certainly THERE!

And it was great!





Things are going well so far for Chance in his new home, he has met many of the dogs on the estate, more introductions over the weekend.


An increase in emails and calls asking us to re-home dogs.
 One was moving abroad and said they were very impressed by our website and wanted to start the process as soon as possible. I told them what I tell everyone, we have no spaces and no homes. That one of the dogs with us has been here for over two years and our most recent intake eight months.
Some of them sound genuine but one cannot help  but feel suspicious at the increase as the summer holidays start.
 One it was barely disguised, saying they wouldn't be around much in the summer and the dog needed to go asap, they didn't even tell us the dogs age or whether it was a Stafford, but the biggest twist, they were in my village.
 I replied at length, saying I was happy to see the dog but because I said we couldn't take it in I have had no reply.

18th July

Unbelievably, after all this time, it looks as if chance may have found a home!
He goes for a two week trial to a home tomorrow (Thurs PM)
In light of recent events I do not want to say too much at this time, only that it is on a farm and there will always be someone around, which will suit him perfectly.
There is a bit of a story behind it which I am not at liberty to share at this time.
I am sure you join with me in wishing him all the best and praying he doesn't blow it!

Chance, you have a chance ... please take it!

Other news :- Really have had enough of the rain now. Our garden is under water making it impossible to even get dogs out for a wee without them getting covered in mud which is resulting in sore paws.

17th July

Hey Gareth great to hear about your sixties swinger Bruce, a Stafford was a pretty rare site in those days but good to know the Stafford reprobate Character remains true!
I wonder what Bruce and Lexus would have made of each other?

Any photos?





So tired after an exhausting day I will tell you about when I have more energy, preparing for the Olympic Torch which is passing my door on Friday  (albeit driven) it then continues on my route to the ponies and just opposite the drive way to the ponies it is decanted and carried through Godalming!
Have opted to watch it go past the door, Lexus will be there to cheer it on.
Any ideas what he could wear?

16th July

I am sorry to have to tell you that Lexus is not improving with age, in fact he is growing old disgracefully!
You might think Gareth, that it is He who writes the blog, but when you hear this you might change your mind.

,
Sara was sitting in the lounge reading a book, Khan and Lexus were lying on the sofa next to her when Lexus got up jumped onto the other sofa and began sniffing, he then climbed on top of the puppy's crate and from there disappeared behind the sofa. She could hear him sniffing about, then suddenly she could hear something else ... he was 'relieving' himself on the back of the sofa!
 Horrified she leaped up to come upstairs to tell me, only to look back and see him nonchalantly hop back onto the puppy's crate, back onto the sofa and lie down next to Khan as if this was  ... an everyday occurrence ...
 So that is what the funny smell was!

How shameless is that?

14th July

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEXUS!

'THAT DOG' IS 10 TODAY   

     Lexus birthday was 14th July I am really sorry I prepared all this and forgot to publish it!
We were out for family meal with the 'outlaws' last night so will celebrate his birthday today.

He had his cake (with candles) ... and ate it!

13th July

Having had a good day yesterday, today was not good at all BUT it had nothing to do with dogs!

Chance, Angel and Saffy came with me to the ponies in the morning and all had a short run.
Then home and Steven and I walked Khan,Spryte and Boycie through the corn field (and mud.)

I took Lexus and Tara to the football field, Tara rolled in the wet grass and Lexus went off and found a football. He is incredible, the lads should employ him to find all their lost balls, it was a very smart one and he worked himself into a frenzy pushing it around with his nose and just kept barking madly when I tried to take the photos! Eventually I clipped his lead on and Tara and I led him away, his prize remaining in the middle of the field for the lads to reclaim.

As we left a white car pulled in, drove up to the cottage, then reversed and turned around.
Then as we walked back down the road  the same car pulled over and the driver  explained he was thinking of moving to the village with his young family from an area of Guildford he was not happy with and would I recommend the village as a 'nice' place to live? Had I seen 'Yobs,' congregating at the rec? Had I ever felt intimidated?
I really was the wrong person to ask, I explained I used to work with drug addicts and 'Yobs' and any of the 'intimidating' people in the village were probably my friends and I wanted to lecture him on how he couldn't protect his children from the bad things in life by moving to a 'better' area. I really wish he had asked someone else but at least he seemed to have missed the fact I was walking two of those 'dangerous dogs.'

Lunch and a bit of housework, yes, you did hear right, a bit of housework, we need to get the puppy used to the vacuum cleaner!
Then back over to the ponies with the same three as the morning and the pup.
The pup is getting very independent running off to play on his own, taking treasures to chew up under the trailer.Ten weeks on Monday, second vaccination booked for Tuesday.

12th July

Don't feel too sorry for me, having had a good moan yesterday today I have had a really good day with lots of positive things going on.

Jesse seems to have been very well behaved and I risked letting Chance off the lead with him at the ponies. The result was Chance went tearing off and pup undaunted ran after him , so within five minutes  he was tired out! Not that it stopped him, as soon as Chance was back in reach he launched another attack!  
Chance is very good with him, though I keep a close eye, he holds him down with his mouth around him just for a second then lets go but as soon as he lets go pup is up and at him again!


When I had finished at the ponies I went to Pets at home for some treats and bumped into some friends from the village. They had met Jesse but came for another cuddle which caused a stir with lots of other people coming for a stroke, leading to several good conversations and then there was Jo who owns Socks one of our dogs, and her daughters,  so more cuddles, he was very good throughout.

Also I have discovered another combination of dogs that works, Tara and Boycie. I have taken them to the football field three times now and the last twice let them run together, which they do shoulder to shoulder like the wind, but they also stop and sniff together and seem fine.
Perhaps we could home them together?  A Staffie' buy one get one free' deal ...                                                                                                                                                                                                                

11th July

Things move so quickly in rescue I have intended to write so many blogs then not got around to it and then it all changes anyway.

I have grown from this ... 

I will attempt to summarise :-

 I have been struggling recently to cope with all the dogs, it is difficult as Jesse is now more demanding and also the disappointment when the possible homes have fallen through has taken its toll.

I know I have said it before but it is so hard to keep all the dogs happy and feel we are giving them all they need. WE ARE NOT THEIR HOME. We are caring for them until their permanent home comes along, but all the time we live with this tension, that we cannot give them what they really need and deserve. Probably for most of you the fact that you make your dog happy is what motivates you and helps you cope with the other not so good things in your life, but we do not have that luxury.
 The only thing that keeps me going is knowing how much better the dogs are with us than if they were permanently in kennels.

Take a car journey, Spryte and Angel have a go at each other, although in separate  crates, which makes Chance bark which sets Boycie off and then Angel spins and chases her tail, aaghh!

 ... to this.

 Some days you cope better than others.

Then there are all the phone calls, 'It's my son's little dog, his partner is going back to work full time and its not fair on the dog to leave it.'
'It's my brother's dog, a Staffy x he is in prison and my mother can't cope.'
'We took in a Staff that was going to be turned out on the streets by my ex-wife, we cannot cope as we have two dogs of our own in a one room flat.'
'I need to re-home two Staffs as my partner has walked out and I have a disabled child.'
Or 'Iam pregnant, my daughter is pregnant, my grandaughter is pregnant.'
'I am not allowed to keep a dog in my flat, if I don't get rid of the dog by tomorrow I will be evicted.'
'I cannot give him what he needs, he needs a home where someone is there all the time with no other pets and no children and then he would be fine, HE IS A LURVELY DOG.' 
  Aaaghh!
Or this one yesterday 'Its my daughters boyfriends dog, they have split up and he is in prison so we need to re-home her, she is a lovely dog and just had a litter three months ago.' !!! 
I am afraid I lost my temper with that one.


We cannot help these people as we cannot home the dogs we have.


Then the would be homes who are either totally unsuitable or let you down.


We have remained at this high level of dogs even though Dave is now working and unable to assist with walking. It is hard to keep all the dogs happy and if we do manage it it is very hard work, day in day out.


Which is why I need a break and I am looking forward to my annual week away.


With few foster homes forthcoming and also concerns of safety we have decided to kennel Chance and Boycie and possibly Saffy for our weeks holiday, using a kennel with high standards and experience of Staffords.
The dogs will need Kennel Cough vaccination, an expense, as well as kennel fees, though we hope to get a reduction.
Please if you are not in a position to foster, consider donating towards this.


We still need a foster for Angel as she will not kennel.


Dates 28th July/4th August.


Thank you,


Alison.

10th July

Sorry for the lack of posts, we have been resting on our laurels! Nothing wrong just been getting distracted and running out of time!

Blaze

I took Boycie for a walk at the rec on Sunday and was just returning down the village when I was accosted by a lady driving past! She introduced herself and it was none other than Luci who adopted a dog called Blaze from us some years back, she also helps Val at Battersea Old Windsor, it is Luci's boss who donates the wine.
Boycie was wearing his harness and she came over and gave him a fuss remarking on what a lovely boy he is.
Apparently she spotted us and thought Staffie! In chilworth being walked by a lady with mauvy pink hair, it must be! Whereas I thought, glamorous blonde lady in black sports car, why the heck is she speaking to me!

6th July

And we are in!
Gareth's advice paid off and we are in this weeks Surrey Advertiser!
It is quite small and remember what Gareth said about the photo not being any good? If my head really is that shape I need to be seriously worried!
Also a few mistakes, Sam Keen is, as you know, one of our helpers and does not work at Pets At Home. Also I did not say Jesse needed milk every quarter of an hour, that would be ridiculous, it was meant to say every three to four hours ( I possibly wrote it like this 3/4 hours ) hence the mistake.
 I did not expect all I had written to be printed, but yes, I take full responsibility for the rant!
















Wet here today but not as bad as many have had it, my sympathy to those of you affected.

Jesse enjoyed 'wet play,' at the ponies. He loves the tack room, a treasure trove of delight for him. He swung off the string of a hay net, tossed a sponge around, rolled in the loose hay and dug little holes after delicious and exciting scents. Nine weeks on Monday.

4th July

I am very sorry to have to tell you that the people who were going to foster Boycie have decided against it.
Saying they had under- estimated their work commitments and felt they would have to leave him for too long.

I found this utterly devastating especially as I did not pick up the message until nearly 5pm and had spent the day getting everything ready.
 This was because the message was left on the landline but as we had been in contact by mobile I never thought to check.

Devastating for me, but as Val says, Boycie is the one to lose out, we had hoped he was going to get a chance but yet again it is not to be.
Poor Boycie has so much going for him but needs to be in a home on his own. With all the other dogs here he gets very stressed and I don't know ho much longer we can allow this situation to continue.

Still reeling from this news and wondering if I would ever recover I had to get ready to go over to my ponies as the farrier was coming.I had to  leave everything as it was as we had been unable to mend the Dyson which ceased to function a week or so ago.
 I took Chance,Saffy, Tara and the pup.

Sam and Jesse at the RSPCA show

I had to get some money from the cashpoint outside Sainsburys first.

When I arrived at the ponies Paul farrier had already started on my landlady's horse. I explained my downcast face then got Jesse out.
 Paul Farrier is a discerning dog man owning several of his own and finding most of the people I deal with through rescue slightly ridiculous, so a good person to restore perspective!
He and Jesse took to one another immediately,with Jesse hanging from hisFarriers leather apron!

After a while Paul asked me if I realised I had more holes in the back of my T-shirt than I did shirt!
Oh dear! I had forgotten I was wearing my old, worn out shirt,vowed only to be worn on cold days and had drawn money from the cashpoint , wearing it loud and proud!
Somehow this cheered me up.

Jesse met Sooty the cat who cuffed him and who was twice the size of the pup, another good experience.

Once home Dave had picked up supper as it was village chip van night and was putting a few final adjustments to the Dyson which Jessie (daughter not pup) had worked tirelessly to unblock.

Maybe Boycie will get another chance?

Lo and behold it worked! Such a small thing but tremendously satisfying.
 We had everything back in place and spick and span in no time!

With the support of my family and you guys suddenly everything didn't seem quite so bad, the dogs were all settled and quiet, maybe, just maybe, Boycie would get another chance ...

3rd July

I opened Gareth's comment (see comment Monty's blog Saturday 30th June) expecting the usual wit to make me smile, instead this! How utterly wretched! Well done you Gareth for standing your ground, but that poor little dog what chance does she have? And what chance do we have of changing perceptions when this is what the public see!

Well, for once and at last ... I have some good news. Tomorrow Boycie is going to a foster home!
It is just over the hill from me about ten minutes away with a young man called Ben Charman and his sister.
Ben works from home and his sister is working just five minutes away, both have experience of Staffies.
Ben came on our first Stafford Walk and has persistently offered help ever since! He had not considered fostering but I explained that was the best way of helping.
If all goes well they would like to adopt him.

Now THAT is good news.

2nd July

Having had the usual tiring day on Saturday followed by the RSPCA show on Sunday I could have done with a really good nights sleep and the pup was out for the count after his busy day, but Angel woke me by whining on and off from 2am. I eventually let her out onto the landing just so I could sleep. There was no reason that I could see for her doing this, she was fine this morning, she just does it from time to time and apparently used to in her previous home sometimes.
The result was that I was tired and in an extremely bad mood this morning. I decided to redirect my ill humour and taking  Gareth's advice emailed the paper asking why we weren't in, complaining about the photographer and telling them they had missed a good story, worthy of the Tabloids on Jesse!
I received a very prompt and pleasant reply, saying of course, what I already knew, that it wasn't down to the reporter what got in but that he would let us know if we were in another week.

Raining now so mood not much improved.

It was a good day yesterday at the RSPCA show, despite a rather stressful start and the rain!

Lola from Epsom Canine rescue with her new family.

As well as lovely dogs there were some lovely people, many were professionals but also fosterers and many who had given a home to a rescue dog. All were true dog lovers and it gave the day a wonderful  atmosphere.

A rescued Stafford

 There was lots of interest in our harnesses and at £1 each people chanced it anyway and we made a sale but many just gave donations. We made £53.40

Sarah brought Riley to see me, he now has a new baby to care for but his best friend is still Ethan, Sarah's little boy.  He enjoys holidays in Wales each year, running on the beach.

Sarah with Riley and his new charge.

The team were myself and my son Sam with Jesse pup, Sam Keen with Roxy and Billy the Spaniel and John with Skye.
Roxy was 4th in prettiest bitch and 5th in Best Rescue. Skye was an amazing 2nd in Best Rescue and Billy lay in his bed in the gazebo totally unmoved by anything, even the downpours, all day!

Jesse was whisked away to see peoples daughters and fussed over by everyone. He met several dogs including a 14 week (but not much larger) male Staffy pup. They went at each like gremlins which is probably normal but slightly disconcerting.

We had a surprise visit from Val and Stuart with their four dogs who also met Jesse. Nugget loved him, Honey tolerated him, Daisy told him off every time he moved and Oscar tried to eat him, repeatedly!

Daisy,Nugget,Oscar and Honey.

All in all it was an enjoyable day.

My thanks to Sam Keen and John Ayres for their help