1st March

Gosh it's cold! The first of March and signs of spring and it's so cold you can't enjoy it, but at least spring is on it's way.

Thank you Gareth for your comment, I appreciate yesterdays blog was rather controversial and may spark less favourable comments than we have been used to thus far.

Dolly went in for her spay today, I understand all went well and she is now tucked up in bed under a blanket.

I was answering emails at lunchtime today when the phone rang. A girl's voice at the other end asked if we had any spaces for a 4 month old puppy. I asked what the story was only to be told she was ringing for her friend, who I was then passed to. She said she was in a second floor flat and had a baby and could not look after the pup. She had only had him a week and before that he was with a man who also lived in a second floor flat and that was why he couldn't keep him! I asked how big he was, this seemed to cause some problems as she just repeated the question back to me, so then I asked if he was a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, this caused even more problems and she had to confer with her friend, who reassured her he was! She then said he wasn't very big and was very good with kids. I then realised she couldn't confirm he was a SBT because she was not familiar with the name, to her he was a Staff or a Staffie, it has reached the stage when some young people do not realise what a Staffie is short for.

She then told me they had driven to the local RSPCA centre that morning expecting to be able to just drop him off! She was adamant she could not keep him.

Can you imagine how I felt telling her that we were not able to help either.............that poor little dog.

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.