Double Trouble !!

 LIBBY and DICKIE are never far from each other.  They really have become good friends and "Mr Indispensible" Dickie has done so much for her. He has shown her that not all humans are bad and that sometimes they can be good fun and useful when it comes to having plenty of food, a comfy bed, lots of toys, lovely walks across the fields, games of football and lots of love and kisses.

 When I first arrived home with LIBBY she would run and hide behind the furniture if we so much as looked at her and so we just left her alone and let her work things out for herself.   Now look at her !!  she loves to lay on the settee etc and loves to be near to me. In fact she is my little shadow and likes to follow me around, so much so that I cannot even go to the loo or have a bath in peace, without her little face watching me !!!!   

She is still quite nervous around men. It has taken her three weeks of living here before she went and sat next to Neil and gave him a big lick. But she has made such a lot of progress and still has a long way to go. Once she bonds with you and trusts you she is extremely loyal and I think she will be a wonderful and devoted companion.  She is still young and is discovering the joys of playing racey chasey with Dickie, tug of war with a string of sausages, seeing how loud each squeaky toy is and how much stuffing they contain !!
Libby is looking for her "special" people who will not rush her or put any pressure on her, and who will take things at her pace and accept that at times it might feel like you are going backwards instead of forwards.  We do not know anything of Libby's background, but it does seem as if she has "bad" memories of men, is worried that she is always doing things wrong and expects to be told off and has little experience of the "outside" world.  So somewhat challenging times ahead for Libby and her "special" people, but the hard work will be so rewarding, as she is such a beautiful girl.
As for DICKIE, I just cannot understand why he hasn't been snapped up.  He is just fabulous, great fun and a wonderful character. He loves his walks and games but he also loves slobbing about on the settee.  I can only think that people are put off by his looks......but please don't be.  He is fantastic, and really has been my "right hand man" with looking after Libby.
I would love to see them rehomed together.......well you have to wish, don't you ?  They are best friends and are good for each other.
Love Eleanor  and  Libby  and Dickie

Minnie’s progress

Minnie is interacting with everyone who comes here now, if she hasn't met them before then it takes a few minutes until she is brave enough to touch !!
In the mornings we have a jumping wagging little person to greet us even when the other two can't be bothered to get out of bed !
Her training is progressing and she makes friends with all the other dogs and their owners as soon as we arrive.  She will do a sit and a down stay, go through the tunnel and do the dog walk, loves the heel work and will do a short recall.
Here in the fields off lead she will recall from anywhere and is back before Dougie if I am out of sight, and now will sit and stay and wait if she needs to.
In the house she is happy to lay away from us all and often can be found on her bed contentedly chomping on a chew.
Minnie is a much braver friendly, loyal little dog who tries to please and needs her forever home now before we all become too attached.

Waiting for the sun to move a bit closer

Topping up her tan


Helping to water the garden


A thank-you kiss to foster dad Clive for drying her feet after gardening


Time for a rest after a busy day



Sue

Dashing DICKIE Donut !!

These were taken today of the Dashing DICKIE Donut who is still with us, waiting patiently for his forever home.  What can I say about him ?  He is just fab, superb temperament and wonderful personality. He is housetrained, travels well, good with other dogs, people, cats, cyclists, joggers and has been "Mr Indispensible" with helping me look after Libby.  He loves his toys, keen to learn and doing quite well with his basic obedience. He is simply fantastic and a very easy boy to have around. Dickie loves everything and everybody, he is always happy and we have never heard him grumble. We have so much fun with him........but would like to see him settled and having fun with his "forever family", could that be you ?
Love  Eleanor  and Dickie xxxxx

Lovely Libby

LIBBY continues to make steady progress, she is far more relaxed with us and far less scatty.  She actually seems to be enjoying life, but she still worries that she is "doing things right" and is unsure at times whether she should be doing it.  She has discovered toys and loves soft toys and balls and will toss them into the air and run around with them in her mouth...........but that is only if she thinks that no one is watching her!!  As soon as she realises she is being watched, she stops as she thinks that she is doing something wrong.
Libby has a lovely gait ,is light on her feet and looks fantastic when she is trotting along. This morning I took her for a gentle run around some grassy tracks and she absolutely loved it and her whole face lit up, and she really enjoyed sploshing about in the brook at the end.
This afternoon we had a photo session, and as Libby is camera shy Neil had to hide away in the bushes. All was going well until his cover was blown by our other fosterer Dickie who is hormonal and couldn't resist Neils legs, ha ha !!
Libby is a smashing girl who is learning that life can be fun . She lacks confidence so is looking for a patient home where she can continue to "be brave" and learn to trust people again. She is still worried by loud noises, new people and places and can be nervous around men, although she is getting better but she takes more time to feel at ease with men.
She has only been with us for a couple of weeks and is already coming on leaps and bounds. I get a lovely welcome when I come in, a waggy tail and licked all over which is a far cry from her hiding from me behind the furniture which she used to do.
Are you that very special person for Libby ?
Love  Eleanor and Libby xxx

Libby Update

LIBBY has been with us for just over a week and its been a bit of a rollercoaster with her. She is much better and far more comfortable in the house and being with us, but then she hears or see's something which sends her into a panic. She is still quite nervous around Neil and most men but fine with me. Infact she loves to sit next to me and lick me all over. Libby has discovered toys especially soft toys and balls. She tosses them up in the air and runs around with them, BUT, only if she thinks I'm not looking at her.!! Our other fosterdog Dickie is brilliant with her and they play racey chasey together in the garden, then through the patio doors, up the stairs, back down round the lounge and out again, phew, but its lovely to watch them.

Libby loves to be brushed and loves to be fussed.

Libby has made progress but still has a long way to go. Whilst I'd love to see her continue to make progress I would dearly love to see her adopted and settled into her "forever home" where she can build her confidence and her relationship with her special people. Could that be you ?

Love Eleanor and Libby xxxxx

Dickie's Clear Round !!!

Well Mr "humpaDickie" has had another day out and is pushing up the zzzz,s whilst I've had a stiff drink and a lie down in a darkened room to recover My friend and I went to the National Agility event at Rockingham Castle. She took her cavalier and I took Dickie.There were all sorts of dogs but a very high percentage of gorgeous collies and some stunning Kelpies. Infact someone recognised Dickie from the Kelpie Forum he is posted on. Anyway all was going well with Dickie being a star with all the dogs and people he met, but then I noticed that he was really facinated by the dogs competing and wanted to get in the rings and show them how it was done ! ..........well his moment of glory came as his lead snapped at the metal clasp and off he charged into the nearest ring and proceeded to clear the jumps etc. He had a great time and was really enjoying himselfAfter my initial " OMG" reaction , I then had visions of him trying out all the rings, disrupting the event and us getting banned,!! So I just stood and called Dickie, using the commands and funny voice he is used to, and after doing " his stuff" in two of the rings he came running back to me looking very pleased with himself and he had obviously enjoyed the experience whilst his poor fostermum nearly had a heart attack !!But actually, whilst greatly relieved I am also a very proud fostermum as we have both being doing lots of recall training with Dickie. Everytime we go out walking we do some recall and he is getting pretty good. But its one thing coming when called whilst at the end of a long line and very different when running free in an exciting place with lots of playmates, but I was so proud of him. well done Dickie for coming back to me so quickly and Dickie sends his apologies for disrupting those classes

One of the highlights for myself and Dickie was meeting up with his brother Sergei, now called Kai and his new family. They certainly recognised each other and wanted to play racey chasey, infact it was as if they had never been parted.

Love Eleanor and an extremely tired Dickie xxxx

Lovely LIBBY

This lovely girl hitched a lift home with me at the weekend. LIBBY is an Irish girl and she is extremely timid and jumps at any slightest noise. We are just taking things very slowly with her and already she will come and nuzzle my hand and give me gentle licks, but she is not so brave with Neil. I brushed her today and she seemed to enjoy this. She walks well with my older boy Bazra as he is a lovely steady walker who is not phased by anything. But it is Dickie, our other foster boy who has been a star. He has taken Libby under his wing and is showing her the ropes and she has responded well to him and has already initiated several play sessions. I think once she has gained some confidence then these two will be a formidable pair........watch this space !!

Love Eleanor and Libby xxxx

Minnie shows Dickie around her "pad"!!!!

Both MINNIE and DICKIE the kelpie/collie pups are still in foster homes, and have been for 6 months of their young lives !! They are both thriving with their respective fosterers and assortment of dogs, cats and horses for company........but they would really like their own homes, in other words it is time for them both to pack their bags and move out !!!

I took Dickie over to see Minnie, who has a lovely big secure field to run around in. They haven't seen each other for a while but they said a quick hello to each other and then it was off, playing racey chasey. They look absolutely fantastic running around together, they are both super quick, both mentally and physically. In fact at times Sue and I couldn't tell them apart as they really are like "two peas in a pod", but Minnie is shorter legged and shorter in the body than Dickie but their unusual brindle markings are very similar.

They are both housetrained and are doing well with their basic obedience commands of sit, stay and their recall is pretty good. They are both lacking in confidence and are much happier being in the presence of and learning the ropes from an older doggy companion, so they really do need a forever home with another dog to carry on this role. They are both busy and love to be doing things but they also love to have a snooze on the settee.

Could you be that "special" home they are looking for ?

Love Eleanor + Dickie, Sue + Minnie xxxxx