28th February

Enclosed are photos of Dolly in her new home and with her new family. As you can see she is very happy and adored. However, less than a week before she was due to go to them, they rang me saying they were having "second thoughts". What had happened was they had contacted a trainer recommended by a friend, who on hearing it was a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, albeit only five months old, had refused to take it in her class! She also said that just because Dolly was ok with other dogs now she could change.

This coupled with the reaction of friends when they excitedly told them what breed of puppy they were getting!

At first I didn't know how to answer them but said I would talk to my colleagues. Before I had chance to discuss it the phone rang again and it was a lady from another rescue also a Stafford owner. I ran the situation past her remembering as I did so that she had had that very situation, when her Stafford bitch whom she had always trusted one hundred percent, became very dog aggressive. Following a chat with my other "colleagues", Dave and Val, I rang her back to say we could not guarantee that she would not change and if they had doubts they might be better off with a different breed.

Well happily after much thought they decided to take her and the photos speak for themselves.

What answer would you have given?

At the moment there is uproar about an article written for a dog magazine by eminent Stafford people, informing people about Staffords and at one point stating care must be taken with some Staffords with other dogs and other animals. Some Stafford owners are upset because they feel it does not portray Staffords in a positive light at a time when their image needs to be promoted.

I personally feel it is irresponsible and unrealistic not to face up to the fact Staffords can be dog aggressive and as I have said before if you are lucky enough to own a dog who is good with other dogs you still need to own the breed as a whole and certainly not condemn your fellow Stafford owners who are not so lucky.

25th February

Still not much time or energy but we have photos!

Here is the very handsome Dave.



Sandy in the Kale field.

.And the lovely Battley, look at 'em ears!

24th February

Thank you Gareth for your wonderful comment on Lexus' disgraceful behaviour(22nd Feb)

It was a breath of fresh air on the other ghastly things we had going on yesterday. I think it lifted us to a rather cultured place, are we the equivalent of Radio 4 amongst blogs?!

Still struggling with time and energy, as of now I am out of both. I promise more for tomorrow....

23rd February

Bit of a hitch today so still no photos,sorry.

I promised to tell you of Sandy's progress at training and agility.

At agility yesterday we had the see saw for the first time. Sandy was not phased at all by it despite it tipping down with a big jolt as she came down it. Her attitude was commented on by another owner. She is incredibly bold, though she keeps an eye out for Anna the whole way round as her reward is a "snog" with Anna (honestly, who would be a dog trainer!)

Spryte's behaviour last night was dreadful even though I had her all evening. She kept "having a go" or setting up situations with the two Shepherds there. She was faultless on the obstacles!

At training on Sunday we had a brief test on our recall, Sandy was perfect, and then we learnt Sit Stay.

She has learnt Sit by the use of a toy held above her now we were shown how to back away to the length of the lead and then return and release the dog. It worked really well.

These classes are the best I have ever been to. You work with your own dog and there are whole families working together. The methods really work and you are told to practise at home. There are helpful notes given out at the end of each session.

Sandy has proved herself quick to learn, her recall is now excellent and she seems much happier now she understands what is expected of her.

We will try and take photos next week.

She has now been with us nearly four months with hardly any interest shown in her.

That's how bad things have become!

22nd February

Apologies, I am still struggling with time and energy so still no photos of our new boys Dave and Batley.

We had agility tonight on top of a busy day, I will try and fill you in tomorrow on Sandy's progress at agility and training.

Batley was neutered today. He probably wouldn't recommend us as a good hotel, two nights then we send him off to........well, you know what! Poor chap! He woke up quickly from the anaesthetic and is acting like nothing happened but is very whingey, sometimes they react like this, it would have been nice to have one quiet night! Though he has settled now.

Thought it was about time I settled with the vets and was shocked to find I hadn't paid since last June! Things have slowed down alot but even so we now have little left in the funds.

Which reminds me a HUGE thank you to all who have given donations recently, without your gifts we cannot continue our work, thank you.

To all Lexus fans out there you will be pleased to hear he cannot behave for long and  has been up to great wickedness again. Despite both Dave and myself only being in the next door room he managed to get into the dog food bin and "help himself"! This followed by drinking copious ammounts of water so that his belly is almost on the floor as he pads back into the room.

My, almost a vicar, husband sat down to watch a programme on how the king James version of the Bible came into being, interupted by Lexus burping, farting and eventually throwing up! His over indulgence is still working it's way through his system today with various manifestations disrupting our life, ahh Staffords, love 'em or hate them you certainly know you have got 'em!

21st February

Hi, A very brief blog tonight as I am very tired. The reason for my tiredness is I have seven ponies to look after this week as well as seven dogs and everything else.

We have taken in a new dog from Anna and Glenn as they were inundated. He was a stray and is called Batley on account of his huge bat like ears! Apart from his ears he is pretty perfect. Short-legged, good with adults, children, other dogs. Excellent off lead, well trained. He is so good Anna and Glenn wondered how he could have been lost and felt sure someone must be missing him.

Photos on tomorrows blog.

18th February

First thing this morning I managed to watch CD's sent me by Kerry of Reah who was one of our puppies (in 2009 we took in a litter of 6 week old pups) Kerry competes at agility with her other female Stafford and the CD's were of Reah's first runs and her first competition. She is awesome and so well trained for her age.

I also managed a letter to Petlog to transfer some microchips into our name. This is something I have a complete mental block with and keeps getting put off. I think I am clear now about what to do, shame it involves writing ans can't be done over the phone or online.

Then I went to Dorking to meet Dave, a very handsome blue dog who is coming on to our website.

On my return Steven had arrived to start what was meant to be the main job of the day, digging a trench for my dog poo project. We get a lot of dog mess and knowing how to dispose of it is a problem.

I have used the dog loo which is like a plastic bucket with no bottom, you dig a hole put in some large stones and then flush it down with water and a natural bio chemical. These work well but we just filled them straightaway. So this idea is based on them but on a far larger scale.

Steven has dug a grave like trench, if my husband disappears you know where to look! then I intend to put in large stones to a depth of 6 ins then in goes the poo and gets flushed with buckets of water and the bio chem.

I will let you know if it works!

The digging of the trench was not all straightforward as Steven needs keeping an eye on else he goes "Off piste" and undertakes his own ideas.

Part way through the digging we walked Khan, Spryte and Sandy spoilt by the fact I had a nosebleed for the entire walk.

Two phone messages one from a lady with two four month old brothers whom she had got from her sister-in -law  who had a litter of ten pups in a council flat! Now this lady could not cope as they were chewing, she could not give them what they needed so she was putting them first by re-homing them! She told me they were crosses as the dad was short-legged and the mother long.

The other message from a lady who had adopted a dog from E. Anglia Rescue but was in this area and wanted me to ring her back on her mobile to give advice about kennelling!