29th July



Bully and Simon

 I knew I shouldn't but I just couldn't resist. I sat down in a gap on the sofa to watch a TV programme with my family. Khan was next to me with his head on Dave's lap, Lexus immediately crawled over inflicting agony on my inner thighs before exhaling a deep shuddering sigh, as if to say,"At last, now I can rest."
There is something very soporific to have a deeply slumbering dog lying across you so it is impossible to move even if you wanted to! "I can't get up, I've a dog lying on me." has long been an excuse in our house.
The dogs, too, seem so deeply settled I wonder if they feel as they did as puppies, kicking and stretching and jostling with their litter mates their mother's warm protective presence close by.
We do not allow dogs upstairs or on the bed (officially anyway) but I know many of you do sleep with your dogs on the bed.
I remember hearing research found the majority of pet owners did have their dog or cat or both on the bed at night.
Despite all the advice from behaviourists when asking new  owners where they intend the dog to sleep, I am always secretly pleased when they answer sheepishly,"Well, we'll probably have him in with us."
Dogs, and particularly Staffords, are meant to be companions not shut away in a separate room.

We took Marley for his second vaccination this evening. All is going swimmingly and he is now called Taz! So I don't think he will be coming back! He really is amazing, 9 months going on 9 years!


Dolly with her young owner.

 We wish Bev and Ashlyn and the rest of the family many happy years with him.

28th July

Well I managed to wash my hair and cut the grass in the back garden. Not much you may say, but two things I have been trying to ger round to for days!
Highlight of the day was David and Pat Bennet collecting Angel for her stay with them (and jess) while we are on holiday. They drove all the way from Oxfordshire to collect her early so we have extra days to sort ourselves out and insisted on meeting all the dogs especially Lexus whose fame had spread before him.
It was lovely to see Jess again who seemed  much smaller and tamer than the dog I took in three years ago, and wondered if I would ever home.


Jess

 Down to six dogs tonight, hardly know we are born...

26th July



Some of the 12 pups left in a recycling box near Swansea.

 I visited Paul and Cleo today and we walked Jade and Cleo together as Cleo has been a bit naughty with some dogs recently. She and Jade were fine together and both ignored the one dog we saw.
Cleo's leg is completely better and she only very occasionally favours it despite running fast at times which is fantastic news! Thank you to all who gave money towards her treatment. It was very satisfying to see her fully recovered.
Marley the pup is doing well in his new home.
Apparently my present "condition" is known as "De-mob happy." Just want to be away on my hols now. Forgetting, struggling to get round to, certain things and getting a bit annoyed at the hassle......not long now.

25th July

Good news! Marley is being fostered by a friend of mine and if it all works out they will keep him.
Ashlyn (the daughter) is friends with my older daughter,Sara, they live relatively close and own Bullet who is sister to our own dog Spryte and also to Jade.

We walked Marley and Bullet together this afternoon and all seemed well, so Marley stayed there, lets hope he has no more changes and he can have some stability in his life.

As for us, we can regain seating round our kitchen table and marvel at how easy life is with only seven dogs!
Until Thursday when Angel goes to stay with David and Pat Bennet (and Jess of course) then we shall have almost nothing to do!

I recommend to you the following link which portrays just how bad things really are. From my experience I would say this is true. Be prepared with your hankies, I wept unashamedly...........


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzYhtJEyxVQ

23rd July

Here is Marley after we brought him home yesterday.
I am sure you will agree he is very handsome.
Taking him in takes us two dogs over what we can comfortably cope with. We have taken the chairs away from our kitchen table so we can put his crate underneath. You can be fairly certain we will not be inviting you to dinner in the near future, there is nowhere to sit!!

He is a lovely boy and no trouble.

Here he is discovering the river with Sam.

22nd July

For once I feel we got it right.
I went and picked up the 8 month old male. He is lovely and the lady had taken him from her son who was abusing him and keeping him in a crate for 20 hours plus.
Apparently he had been under weight. She had re-started his vaccinnations and done a good job but when she had to leave him for a hospital appointment he had chewed up her home and she really couldn't cope.
So we have managed to take a very nice Stafford from a bad situation which is what rescue is supposed to be about.
He is zonked out under my kitchen table at the moment, he is no trouble and for now we can cope.
By the way, his name is Marley.
Photos tomorrow.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

21st July

Three messages when I got in today.

The first the girl whose sister in law is worried about a dog next door to her. This is at least the third time she has rung me, and I have rung her back as many times, yet we still have not managed to speak to each other and I have no idea where this dog is!

The second a lady with an 8 month old male who was destroying her house. She said she wanted it sorted that day and she would put it down  if we didn't come and take it.

The third a lady with a five year old female who was bad with other dogs and had recently started attacking her elderly male whom she had previously been fine with.
I could only advise, this is not a case for re-homing.

As for the 8 month old pup, it turns out to be local, and desperate from everyone's point of view, especially the pup's.
I have arranged to pick him up tomorrow lunchtime........any volunteers to foster him?
It could be worse. It could be this time next time next week with our holiday only two days away.......

20th July

Ugh! Don't like this rainforest weather! So warm with it! The dogs don't like it either.
Dreamt I was talking to someone about the rescue dogs and they indicated that I had forgotten one pointing to a building. We went inside and there lined up in crates (though it was a bit like horses in stalls) were 6-8 more dogs! I thought "Oh no, I still have to walk all these, how did I forget."
I think I am ready for my holiday, not long now.

18th July

Over the weekend we received an email from a lady who belonged  to a group who tried to secure rescue places for  pound dogs from Wales. She was enquiring if we had any places for several SBT's who otherwise would be put to sleep.
Today when I came in she had left a message, asking did we have any spaces and to get back to her with an answer.
I quickly returned her call. "I am sorry, we have no spaces." She sighed, "I am getting used to those words, never mind I will keep trying."

I have learnt to button my lip.
 There was so much more I would have liked to have said.
The reality is WE HAVE NO SPACES!

We have four dogs here which is at least one more than we can comfortably cope with. Three have been here over six months, one is a return after two years in a home. We still long for each to find a home where they can be loved and treasured.
 Yet they are sticking and until they are homed we cannot take on anymore dogs.
 We have several calls a day from people wanting to re-home their dog, some are genuine and have no choice, we cannot help them.
 So how do you think I feel when I get asked to take on a pound dog from hundreds of miles away whose history and temperament are unknown?
There are so many SBT's unwanted or abandoned in pounds that some have to die, and many are dying every day, this is the reality.
We can only help a few....
I put the phone down and turn to Sandy who has finished eating her dinner, I rub her ears and settle her in her crate with a treat, then bring Jade in and feed her......and so it goes on.

17th July



Order out of chaos! Kathy and Alan in front of the miraculously constucted stall.

 We did it!

After an unpromising start due to the weather, tiredness,lack of communication, Reigate's one way system and three stressy dogs, we still did it, and did it really well!
After what felt like half an hour driving round Reigate's one way system I arrived in a cloud burst with twenty minutes to spare. Fortunately for me help was at hand in the shape of Kathy and Alan who I had not met before but who had kindly offered to help and had succeeded in arriving before me!
In next to no time Alan had put the gazebo together and we had our stall, I still don't know how it all suddenly came together but thankfully it did!
We had the most secure gazebo there.
Then it was time for the parade of rescue dogs which coincided with a downpour and caused the megafone to give up the ghost. Maybe it was not all bad news though as it also dampened the spirits of some feisty Staffords!
Alan took Jade, I took Angel, and Kathy took Sandy and it all went off o.k.
We changed the pricing on the tombola after Kathy and Alan visited another stall.
Then looking at the dark clouds we decided we could be generous and allow a prize every time, then we found giving people what they had their eye on and swapping the ticket also worked. For some people it was a complete hook and they came back again and again.


Alan and Jade on the agility course.

 It was a win win situation.
We had the best tombola.

As things quietened down we each took a dog round the agility course.
I took Angel, Alan Jade and Kathy Sandy.
The dogs excelled themselves, all having done agility before,promoting the breed in a positive light.
Everything got soaked, including us, the dogs, tombola prizes, leaflets, money and even the delicious cup cakes Kathy had made at gone midnight the night before!
My greatest thanks to kathy and Alan who were total stars!
Also to my son, Sam, who spent all night folding the tombola tickets.





Tonight I have three very tired dogs.
It wasn't perfect, but we did it and we did it well!

16th August

WE ARE OFF TO EPSOM CANINE RESCUE COMPANION DOG SHOW AND FUN DAY AT

PRIORY PARK REIGATE            IN THE MORNING

THE CAR IS PACKED

TOMBOLA  ORGANISED

WE HAVE A GAZEBO WITH SIDES DUE TO FORECAST

SANDY<JADE AND ANGEL ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PARADE

SEE YOU THERE~~~~

15th July





Yes! That Lexus has been at it again!

He celebrated his birthday by helping himself to a drink of Coke from a large bottle we had left on the kitchen floor. He chewed the lid until it loosened and when I found him he was licking up the Coke as it leaked from the lid. You have to admit he is clever. Presumably this was to wash down the soap he had eaten earlier! Yes, the soap eating is becoming a daily occurence unless we keep a very sharp eye!

On Monday he really excelled himself.
I wrote the blog earlier and Dave was getting ready for college. Sam had come  home from school with his cooking including a box of icing sugar which I put away in the slide out cupboard. Half an hour later Dave went downstairs and I heard,"Oh no! Come and look at this!."
Lexus had opened the cupboard, removed the box of icing sugar and taken it into the lounge and onto the (thankfully) leather sofa, where he had ripped the box apart so that clouds of icing sugar dust covered the sofa and half of the room! Including quite a bit of Lexus himself! He had dust falling from his chin and clogged around his whiskers!
He drank a fair bit of water that night but apart from that he showed no ill effect.



The sofa!

 Lexus, hey? That dog!

14th July

HAPPY  9TH BIRTHDAY    LEXUS!!!!

TOMORROW I WILL TELL OF HIS LATEST ANTICS!

12th july

TOMBOLA PRIZES  / GAZEBO  STILL NEEDED FOR SUNDAY 17th JULY



So many dogs are no longer part of the family



I have had SIX calls today from people wanting their dogs re-homed. In fact it was seven dogs as one girl had two.

One lady was from Leicester where we have another branch  of rescue, she had rung them but because they hadn't answered the phone sraightaway she had rung me.

She had a bitch of about two whom they had owned from a pup but was now too boisterous with the four children and she wanted her gone ASAP

Another had a two year old female also owned from a pup who was messing in the house every night, she had another dog as well. She had two children and was expecting another. She had contacted Battersea who had told her she would have to wait two days for an appointment which she felt was too long so had rung me!

A chap with a male just under two years of age who had to move into rented accomodation. He really wanted the dog fostered until he could have him back.

A girl struggling to afford two dogs, also wanting a foster home until she was straight.

A lady with a six year old, bad with other dogs and growling at her toddler grandchild so she could no longer cope with the dog, again owned from a pup.

And a lady desperate to find somewhere for her daughters dog which was being left too long since the husband left........by the time I got back to her she had found somewhere yet had not let us know. This was the only one who was thinking of the dog's needs, and may come back to us.

It is hard to know how many are genuine as summer holidays are fast approaching and we know from experience it will all go quiet again in a few weeks time!

On a brighter note, Sandy did really well in her trial night in kennels.

I thought she wouldn't cope at all and thought about her all night, but they kept a watchful eye and she was fine, settling in her bed and eating all her food, in fact much better than another Guildford Stafford who is a regular guest.

11th July

HELP NEEDED

We still need TOMBOLA PRIZES     anything even something you could send by email!

A GAZEBO

HELP ON THE DAY  at EPSOM CANINE RESCUE SHOW SUNDAY 17th JULY


Angel..."Butter wouldn't melt..."


Rule one :- Don't let your dog off the lead when you need to be somewhere important in less than an hour!

There was a morning course at Guildford Cathedral that I really wanted to attend. I left it too late to book but found I could still go. I double booked to take Sandy into kennels, then managed to re-arrange. My friend said she would come then found she couldn't. I was determined to go!
After a big day yesterday, this morning I had to keep reminding myself, I needed to drop my daughter at college, bring the ponies in, time was tight.
 I told my friend how excited I was as we did the ponies, I checked the time, five minutes to give Angel a quick run, should I let her off? After all she didn't have a long run yesterday.
Off she ran!
Back she came!
 Off she went again into the woods......"Angel! Come! Angel!"

She didn't come back.....I couldn't hear her.....panic began to rise....I texted Dave......5 mins.....I was going to be late.....15 mins.....was she ok?.......25 mins.......what if? ..what if?

Dave set off to help, my course, now a distant memory would have started, it no longer mattered we just wanted her back!

There are acres and acres of woods so the threat of roads is minimal, but as anyone knows who has been in this situation when you cannot see your dog you don't know what it is doing and that is scary.

Dave arrived as a couple came along the bridleway, I posted him in the field whilst I went up the bridleway, it turned out the couple had a nervous Labradoodle, and the lady a friend of a friend is even more nervous, I bet she was thrilled to hear there was a white, not great with other dogs, Staffordshire Bull Terrier on the loose, just what I needed!
Then Dave's calls changed, "Cmon, Good girl!" She was back! but,as the Labradoodle owner remarked she was not white.... but black!

Oh the relief! She was fine and it looked like she had just been running round the woods.

I even made most of the course.......

10th July

I spoke to Kerry with Reah,Saturday evening, they had competed at an agility finals with a team of four Staffies including Reah. Despite not being in the prizes as three dogs were eliminated, including Reah for going down the tunnel at the wrong time! Kerry was really pleased with them and said what wonderful ambassadors they were for the breed. She was especially pleased with Reah who did a really fast run.

Congratulations to Kerry and Reah and the rest of the team we are proud of you!

We still need TOMBOLA prizes for Sunday 17th July.

Also a GAZEBO

and HELP on the day!

8th july

And still they come.....call after call, email after email different stories and circumstances but the same result.....a Stafford needing a new home and we cannot help.

I saw a lovely 8 month old white male today, his owner is going to try and keep him she was just feeling overwhelmed with a boisterous pup and four children after her partner left. We are paying for him to be neutered.

On a brighter note an example of how much dogs bring into our lives.

I was walking Angel along the bridleway at the ponies this evening when I saw her sense something. Looking up across the field standing on the edge of the wood was a deer and her fawn. They saw us but didn't run. We stood quietly and watched. I have never seen deer with young in the eleven years I have been at there.

We watched for several minutes, the mother was standing still whilst the youngster nibbled at grass, then suddenly a movement in the long grass and another fawn skipped from the cover of the wood into the meadow. Twins! The mother then relaxed and all three settled to graze. How precious was that?

I would have missed it if not for walking a dog.

7th July

HELP NEEDED

We need TOMBOLA prizes

A GAZEBO   

Help on the day      at Epsom Canine Rescue show on 17th July  



Jade



We are getting so many requests to take dogs in I am feeling quite overwhelmed.

There is no room at the inn, we really couldn't cope with another dog but some of these situations are so desperate it is hard to just turn them away.

 I have already been out to see two dogs this week and have agreed to see another tomorrow.

Even if you do just say you cannot help, replying to emails and answering phone calls all takes time, many are so similar you end up getting them muddled up.

 Some are heart breaking for the dog and the owner. One chap having parted from his partner and children is sleeping in his car with the dog because the dog is not allowed in the temporary accommodation he has found.

Some just make you angry and some dogs should not have been bred and are not suitable for re-homing despite the love of their owner.

Heartbreaking, desperately sad and still people keep breeding them.

We have four lovely girls here yet no-one wants them.



Angel





6th July

Ali Taylor has started up on Facebook with Staffie with Responsible Owner. Alison and I have both joined, although it is a forum, unlike many it has informative information for those of us who own a Staffie.

Today there was a Parliamentary debate on Dangerous Dogs and reform., deed not breed, owner accountability, compulsory  micro chipping and more. Certainly worth listening to but one could easily fall asleep! For those who wish to listen to it the link is:- www.parliamentlive.tv


Another interesting item is:-

Staffies.....A tribute to the Nanny dogs vol 2 x

www.youtube.com

Which Alison and I both enjoyed.

Stuart today posted on You Tube a video of Doris our old girl who could hardly walk around the block when we first got her and how she is today. It is called Life In The Old Dog Yet, taken on his mobile phone. The title is adapt as many do not want to re home an older dog many having a cut off point at the age of 3 years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgiGZY802d4

  
 Author Valerie

5th July

Thanks to Val and team for such a fantastic effort at Battersea Old Windsor. I just love the photos they really catch the buzz of the day!  From the two blogs you can see what an effort and sacrifice it is, we are so grateful.

Now I am girding up my loins for Epsom Canine Rescues show at Priory Park, Reigate on 17th July.

I hope to take Sandy, Jade and Angel to take part in the rescue dogs parade at midday and run a stall!

So if anyone is free to help that would be great.

We also need a gazebo and

Prizes for the tombola (anything you can logistically get to me will do)

Remember Val was given two vouchers for ironing!

It seems ages since I have given accounts of my daily walks. For weeks now we have not been able to walk through the rapeseed fields as it has all tangled together making it impossible.

So Sandy and Sprite I walk along the bridleway and then footpath below the Chantries. Sandy is very good now, staying close and taking less notice of people and dogs we meet.

Angel comes to the ponies and I have progressed to letting her off the lead in the fields where I have a clear view of the bridleway. She is very good, sometimes venturing into the woods to chase rabbits but she is soon back, running flat out down the hill towards me, and not always stopping in time, ouch!

Both Jade and Saffy have improved enormously, taking no notice of the farm dogs ( two spaniels and a Collie) when they are running round the yard which means they can have far more time out whilst I get on with work in the stables.

Jade hardly leaves my side and Saffy ignores everything when she has her ball. They are a dream. Such a shame they are still waiting for homes.

2nd July

After a heavy nights rain the skies were gray but we were optimistic. The weather forecast for Saturday 25th June was skies clearing and brighter in the afternoon. This would be ideal, people would venture out with their dogs giving a good attendance.
Parked opposite the stand was the ice cream van, a very good place to be! We noticed that this year outside stands were thin on the ground and we were the only rescue at the show. When we enquired, thinking that this probably due to the recession, we were told that we were the only rescue invited as we work closely with Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.
Just before the gates opened a young lady appeared at the stand in her Battersea uniform with a tray of soft drinks for us! How lovely, it set the mood for the day.

Ali came up with Squirt after Squirt had done her agility competition. For those of you that do not know, Squirt is not good with other dogs and requires her own space. She is great with the dogs that she lives with and is focused whilst doing agility, she does not show aggression towards other dogs unless they invade her space. Whilst I was cuddling and patting Squirt a lady was about to let her dog put its face into Squirts face. Squirt started to growl and I asked the lady to take her dog away from Squirt she promptly pulled her dog away and walked off. During the day I watched so many owners allowing their dogs to face one another which in my opinion is not the best way of two unfamiliar dogs meeting.
The start was very slow but true to the weather forecast the weather brightened up and with it the dogs and their families arrived. Most dogs were those re homed by Battersea which needless to say at least 70% of the dogs were Stafford's or Stafford X's.
I spied an elderly lady with an elderly Staffie (sound like a line of a song!) and approached her to stroke the dog and talk to the lady. She explained that she had adopted her aged 8 years from Battersea 8 months previously. in her words she said "She is the best thing that I have ever had and she is my life" It is these moments that brings back faith to what we are doing albeit that it was not a Guildford rescue dog but it was a dog requiring a home none the less.
Even though Luci had just come back from holiday and did not get to bed until 4am that morning, she did not let us down and was going great guns with the wine tombola. Although I think the jet lag showed when a couple of people won two bottles of wine after buying five tickets she had not put enough tickets in the tombola. Ops! but we love you Luci for you exuberance and personality.

Helen Parker, from Supreme Steam, Guildford came to the stand and kindly donated 2 vouchers for £20 of ironing to the London Tube treasure map as prizes. We thank her for her kind generosity. She could have so easily just walked on. A young couple won an ironing voucher to which he exclaimed to his wife "At last I will get my shirts ironed properly!". I think he would have suffered when he got home but they also won a bottle of wine to make it up with, I did warning them that sometimes that's how babies come along, To which we all laughed.


On the stand at either end we have two banners promoting adopting the older dog. The dog depicted is our dear Percy who is still doing his bit for re homing of others. He draws in the people remarking how lovely he is and enquiring whether he requires a home. Sadly when Percy needed a home there was not many interested in him due to his age or the home was not suitable due to his poor mobility at the time. However 4 dogs found a home due to enquires for him, one of which was Luci's Blaze. So whenever we do a show Percy comes too.
A young couple approached with a fantastic male Stafford they explained that they had wanted to adopted a Stafford but had been turned down by the rescues they had approached as they work full time. So they had brought their dog when he was 8weeks old. But what the rescues had not listened to was that they work from home most days and the days that they go into the office the parents would look after the dog. Sadly a home was lost and a breeder will probably continue to breed litters of pups.
Mel, Heather and Stuart took charge of the treasure map and bric a brac whilst I helped in between talking to those who wanted advice and enquiring about re homing or adopting.
With out the support of  Mel, Heather, Luci and my husband Stuart who is my rock (when his not asleep or moaning at me) none of this would be possible. They are a great team and I thank them for all their hard work and help. Not forgetting all our dogs forgoing our company for the day to help those needing a home.
Valerie

1st July

A small insight for the preparation for Battersea Dogs & Cats Home Old Windsor starts weeks in advance. Stands are allocated by invitation only, although an application form is required with the obligatory risk assessment and now supported with public liability insurance. Thankfully Staffordshire Bull Terrier Welfare had the relevant insurance for the affiliated groups.
Luci and Mel were contacted to put the date in their diary with enough time to enable them get sitters for their dogs Tara, Blaze (Luci's) and Sasha (Mel's). Heather, Stuart's sister also offered to help who runs the  canteen supplying us with food and drinks.
Next was how to attract people to the stand to raise money for the rescue whilst promoting the breed and responsible ownership. Quite a few nights were taken up thinking how we could raise money other than the usual bric a brac. Finally we came up with a London Underground Treasure map, buy a pin for £1, pin it to a station of your choice to reveal whether a prize is attached to it.

Luci's friend Susie of Maidenhead Wine Company kindly donated two boxes of wine for the tombola. Armed and ready for the day albeit that the London underground map did arrive until the day before at 7pm when my neighbour knocked at the door to hand it to us as she had taken it in we sighed a sigh of relief.
Saturday morning we got up at 5am to load the van up and take our dogs for a walk leaving home at 7am to get to Battersea Old Windsor for 8am. On route a BT van cut across Stuart with out any indication nearly taking the front of the van off, perhaps the Queen's telephone was down!! I have never known BT to rush to a job before indeed they normally take days to repair a phone line.
Once on site it was a frenzy of activity putting up the gazebo, banners, bunting, tables and bric a brac but we made it before the doors opened at 10.30am and were waiting ready for the people to arrive.
When visiting an event for smaller charities please give a thought to those people with stands and organising the event who do not have public relations/event managers. Many hours are spent whilst still running their day to day life and working. It does not cost anything to say hello!!