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|  | "I have called pupsie, Chester Parsley-Quinn, (Chess). I like my pets to have sir-names. Anyway, all is going well, Chester is getting better at going outside, but obviously we will have the odd accident, which doesn't bother me at all. Both dogs get on and Blaine is letting Chester sleep whilst leaning on his back, he has become quite paternal and if Chester sleeps for too long, Blaine will go up and give him a nudge. Chester is great at bringing a ball back, sticks and loves carrying in his mouth whilst on a walk. He is now the proud owner of about fifty teddies and carries them all over the flat - he keeps moving my shoes, socks and slippers about the place, so he has his own toy box now! Anyway, he is adorable, and like you said, very respectful of older dogs, always stands back to let Blaine leave the house first. He loves children and again, very aware that he mustn't jump and is extra gentle. He is turning out to be very bright, getting instruction almost immediately, he is fine being left with Blaine, he has a couple of barks and settles down. My dog walker said when she comes round at lunch-time, he is always asleep on one of the sofa's. I absolutely adore him." from Siete's mum 14/06/2010 |
 | "We adopted Petal from Lizzies Barn only 6 days ago. Everyone was really helpful and communicative in making sure we would offer her the right home for the rest of her life, and that she would be a good fit for us. She was fit and healthy when we picked her up, and had already been spayed and chipped, so everything was made easy. She travelled very well all the way home (5 hours) in the car with her new pack mate Fred, and they have already bonded well (even though Fred thinks she should have been named Bossy Boots!). She is a really affectionate dog and a pleasure to greet in the mornings. We’ve already started clicker training and she is quick and responsive. She’s also really interested in Fred’s agility sessions, so it won’t be long before she and I join the beginners class again. The only argument Petal and I are having at the moment is that she thinks bones should be eaten indoors, and I don’t! We’re looking forward to many years of great company and lots of long, companionable walks. Thanks again for putting your faith in a great little dog!" from Ingrid's mum 29/04/2010 |
 | "Rusty has been with us a few months now and has settled in and behaves as if she's been here forever.
She now weighs almost 12kgs, her coat is glossy and she loves being brushed.
She sleeps on my bed and doesn't budge all night. As she is profoundly deaf, I have to give her a nudge in the morning to wake her up for breakfast!!!!
She will only eat fresh raw meat (chicken, rabbit, lamb or beef)with either cooked rice or pasta, and loves scrambled eggs, but I have to blend in the veg and fruit otherwise she puts them aside and won't eat them.
As her sight is not very good, she now wears a little bell on her collar so that I know where she is at all times.
She's very bossy towards my Kate who ignores her totally. She runs around the garden with the others and it's hard to believe she is very old. My vet reckons she's at least 17 years of age.
I'm sending you a photo of where she particularly likes to snooze.
Funny position, but she's fast asleep." from Rusty's mum 02/07/2010 |
 | "Everything is fine with Chico, still has his moments but overall he is reasonably well behaved boy.
He is fantastic with us and such a character, we have had so many Yorkies over the years but he is the funniest and most intelligent of them all. So loving too, we are so pleased that Dave passed on our details to you, cant change fate!
He loves caravanning and gets plenty of exercise. He was naughty last time, chased a sheep so he's kept on the lead on that walk now." from Pookey's mum and dad 14/07/2010 |
 | "There weren't really any problems with Taz settling in because he was already such a lovely chilled dog. The kids adore him and he loves running round our local park with his new doggie friends, and chasing squirrels!" from Taf's mum 15/07/2010 |
 | "Max is a gentle giant and wins the hearts of everyone he meets. He has settled in brilliantly and gets on extremely well with our Jack Russel Pippa. Max is enjoying long walks and is socialising well with other dogs. He enjoys lots of cuddles and where ever you are Max is close behind.
He is a pleasure to own (except for when he buries his bone in every flower pot in the garden before deciding to eat it) and we are glad to have him as a member of our family." from Max's mum 31/07/2010 |
 | "Jasper came to me as a foster dog and slotted right in with my dogs. He is a joy to have around, obedient, gentle and very loyal. He is very good with all other dogs, no matter what size or age. While he stayed with us he learnt how to be a dog and started playing with my dogs.
Jasper came with some food guarding issues, but we have worked on that and made good progress.
As he is such a lovely dog we decided to keep him. My children adore him and vice versa. He recently started Agility training and really seems to enjoy it. It is a joy to work with him as he is so focused and tries so hard to get it right. Jasper is a lovely boy inside and out and we are very happy to have him with us :) And he has turned into a very happy dog now :) " from Jasper's mum 31/07/2010 |
 | "We wanted an older, quieter, calmer male as a companion for our 2.5year old hyper collie/lab bitch, Rosie. Rosie was a rescue, and a big challenge for our first dog so I was hoping for an easier ride with my second – but when I saw ‘Bonzo’ , a gorgeous chocolate lab, 2 years old, described as a ‘bit of a bull-dozer lacking in manners’ I decided the specification was really more guidelines, anyway.
We had a home-check and waited anxiously for the results of a cat-test, which he passed with flying colours… and he became our Frank.
We made the 3.5 hour journey to Wales with Rosie, all very excited to meet the new member of our family. On arrival, we were shown to a yard – and there was our Frank, huge, slobbery, grubby, and stinky.
He hurled himself at us in delight, covering us both – and Rosie – in mud. On the way home, new brother and sister travelled happily together. We were even happier, congratulating ourselves on adopting such a happy, confident, dog who was such an instant hit with Rosie.
Back in Hampshire, Frank launched himself over the threshold of his new home in full bull-doze mode. We stood frozen on the doorstep, wincing at the sounds of crashing, banging, breaking and shattering, punctuated with horrified yells from the cats. Frank explored every inch of the house (including the dustbin) like the proverbial bull in a china shop. Later, after everything broken had been swept up, the bin was repositioned outside, and the cats were soothed, I relaxed with an Indian take-away. Frank let me know that he likes to share - by chomping half my food clean off my plate in one gulp.
The first few weeks were punctuated with frequent incident as we battled with Frank’s addiction to food. On our walks he took off and gobbled up picnics, tore open passer-by’s shopping bags, or thieved treats from other dog-walkers pockets. Much to the utter disgust of the cats, he stole daily from their food bowls; despite their new elevated feeding station. He stole everything and anything off the kitchen worktop; including our Sunday roast. He never missed an opportunity; not even from the bird-feeder in the garden, from the shelf display in the vet’s waiting room, or the condiments trolley at our local pub. He stole banana's from my neighbours car-boot as she unloaded her shopping, he pinched sausages straight out of the frying-pan from right under my nose. At one point we considered putting a sign above the kitchen door that read, ‘Franks All He Can Eat Buffet”. There is nothing Frank will not eat – one of his recent escapades involved eating a whole tub of Vaseline!
Frank was in poor condition (he is an ex-puppy farm stud dog who was being kept caged outside before going to Lizzies Barn), he was on the thin side, his coat was harsh and brittle to touch, and he had dandruff. He smelt horribly, assaulting us incessantly with his flatulence, and his ears were filthy. However, he tolerated the repeated bathings with medicated shampoo, grooming, vet visits, and adjustments to his diet. He was placid and easy-going, but he he was very aloof. He loved Rosie because she liked play-fighting with him, but mostly because she never finished her raw-hide chews. With us, he was friendly but he kept us at a distance, more often than not seeking solitary places in the house to spend his time. He liked us when we fed him, but if we stroked him, he would look at us in confusion. If we talked to him quietly or tried to cuddle him, he thought he was being restrained and would push us away.
One night, about a month after we brought him home, Frank sat beside me on the sofa and suddenly, he leant into me and put his head on my shoulder. My heart was in my mouth, I was afraid if I touched him he would move away. I turned my head and looked into his big amber eyes and his expression was easy to read. “Do I really belong here?” I cautiously stroked his ears and talked to him quietly, and after a moment he made the noise we now recognise as signalling contentment, and sank down beside me with his head in my lap.
In the few short months since we adopted Frank, he’s come a long way. He’s a playful, contented, confident, affectionate soul. Starved of human affection and home comforts for so long, these are now his top priorities in life – after food, of course. The changes we made to his lifestyle and diet have gained him weight, brightened his eyes, and given him a soft, glossy coat. I am constantly being complimented on his handsome looks. He’s not the bull-dozer he was around food; having settled on being more of an opportunist. He loves Rosie, goes all soft when the cats groom his big nose, and adores snuggling up to me on the sofa.
We love him to absolute bits!" from Bonzo's mum 02/08/2010 |
 | "What a difference a puppy makes …. We saw the photos of the 8 puppies on the internet, and it was the one on the far left with the little goatee and a thin face that caught my eye. When we turned up to collect the puppy, just three remained and Abi was an easy choice, she was cute, lively and we fell for her at once not realising until a few days later that she was the one that had caught my eye from the photo. She was brilliant from the very start - she travelled well, was toilet trained (2 accidents in 3 months), was crate trained and socialised easily with other dogs and people. After a few weeks we took her to puppy training and she was the star of the class, learning quickly and taking everything in her stride. She’s 6 months now, dog training has just started and again she’s keen to learn. It’s hard work, as we must be consistent and practice regularly but it’s so worth it – I’ve even lost weight with the extra exercise I’m getting. We are proud to be her owners and are looking forward to many years of long walks and fun. Thank you Fiona (and team) for all that you did for her and for introducing her to us." from Abi's mum 27/08/2010 |
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