Dogs Trust: happy dog stories

Showing posts with label happy dog stories. Show all posts

Wednesday, 7 November 2012

COMPETITION! Get creative to win James Barklee's Sad Tales for Me... A BioDOGraphy

James Barklee has a story to tell. It's his biodography, and it's all about wonderful things like the joy of chasing squirrels and sad things like the terribly slow food service at home. The talented pooch has even beautifully illustrated his story and published it in a gorgeous hardback book.

Would you like your very own copy?

James has kindly given us five copies to give away... but to be in with a chance of winning, we need some happy tales from you!

How to Enter

Email your best happy dog story, name and address to feedback@dogstrust.org.uk and we'll pick our five favourites. We don't mind if they're fact or fiction, but they must be original, and they have to include a dog.
Keep stories short please! There's no set word limit, but up to 250 words maximum would be appreciated. While you're welcome to share your stories as comments, only emailed entries will be considered.
You have until 5pm on Friday 9th November!

If you're unlucky, want to give a copy as a Christmas present or simply can't wait to see if you've won, grab your own copy on Amazon for £9.99. WAIT! If you use the quick, easy, and FREE Give As You Live while you're shopping there, you'll earn a few pennies for the dogs in our care, too!

Terms and Conditions

Entrants must be based in the UK or Ireland. Entries from outside these areas will not be counted.
One entry per address. Entries must be emailed to be included; comments on this post will not be counted.
Fact or fiction; we don't mind - as long as it's yours, and it features a dog. No copying please! Any plagiarised entries will not be counted.
Full name and address details should be provided; Dogs Trust reserves the right to reject an incomplete entry.
Entries after the closing date / time will not be counted. The winners will be chosen after the closing date / time and notified by email.
The prize is as stated and there can be no cash alternatives.
By entering the competition you grant Dogs Trust and any third parties appointed by it for the purpose of organising and managing the competition permission to use your name, location and story for announcing the winners and for related promotional purposed. (Winning stories are likely to be featured on on this blog.)
Data provided for the purposes of this competition will not be held afterwards by Dogs Trust or any third party.
Dogs Trust's decision is final, and the charity will not enter into any correspondence.

Tuesday, 16 September 2008

Happy Dog Stories: Jo and Daisy

We like to share our new happy dog story updates on our Facebook page, and this prompted Jo to leave us a message and then send us some very cute pictures, at least one of which I couldn't resist publishing above. Here's what she had to say about her rehoming experience:

"I just wanted to share my experience from Dogs Trust Snetterton. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable. They matched me with my puppy who had been found abandoned along with her sister a few weeks before. Her sister had been fortunate to have found a home and we're glad we were matched with Daisy as she has bought nothing but fun and excitement since bringing her home! She had been named Susannah but we renamed her Daisy. She is a 9 week old JRT Cross.

"Jo & Daisy (who is curled up next to me having a nap!)"

If you have a happy story about your rescue dogs (whether they came from Dogs Trust or not), please email me with a photo and your tale and it could appear here soon! If you're interested in adopting a dog, please visit our website for more information.

Previous Happy Dog Stories: Kim and Jake | Sarah and Alfie

Tuesday, 9 September 2008

Happy Dog Stories: Kim and Jake

When Kim Adams met Jock, he was a sorry sight, a painfully thin, emotionally and physically scarred victim of dogfighting. Four years on, thanks to Kim and her husband's love, patience and careful training, life for a dog now known as Jake couldn't be more different:

"In December 2003 my husband Steve and I lost our beloved Staffy cross, Harry; he died of old age at 19 and my husband had had him since he was one or two.

"By March 2004 we were pining for another dog so we went to Dogs Trust Kenilworth and had a look round. At first we couldn't find a dog that would be suitable; personally I think we were trying to find a replacement Harry. However, on the second walk round the kennels we noticed a dog that looked petrified and would not come out of his bed. As we got closer to the kennel, we called him over. He came over to us and looked in quite a sad state. His head looked huge as his body was so skinny and it looked like he had many scars and not a lot of fur left on him. His name was Jock.

"We went to the office to enquire about Jock and we were informed that he was a Staffy cross and had just been brought over from Ireland and that was a rescue from dog fighting. I seem to remember that Kenilworth did not hold out much hope for him.

"Steve and I decided to talk him for a small walk as we felt sorry for him. We were advised not to walk too far as Jock was quite tired and as mentioned previously, not in particular good health, so after a few minutes we found a bench and sat down. Jock proceeded to jump up and landed himself on our laps.

"Well, we were quite surprised he had the energy to do that! We sat quietly with him and he looked at us with such sad eyes that we decided that we would take him back to the kennel and find out more about him.

"We were informed of his history as a fighting dog and that he could be quite aggressive, however, we decided to take a chance on him.

"We brought him home in April 2004 and re-named him Jake and he has been with us since. I can honestly say he is a wonderful dog. Yes, he can still be aggressive to other dogs and cats as he was bred to be like this, however, he has never been aggressive to us or our family plus we have learnt how to handle him when he is walked or around other animals.

"Jake is extremely healthy now - he is walked twice a day, he has gained the weight he had lost, his coat is glossy and his eyes shine, in fact he is not the same dog we took away from the kennels - he is an absolute joy to have.

"Here is a picture of Jake relaxing on "his" mat!

"I hope this gets added to your blog to highlight that although Jake was identified as a problem dog, he has turned out to be a wonderful loving dog that just had a bad start to his life. His problems will not go away, but you just adapt and manage."

Tuesday, 2 September 2008

Happy Dog Stories: Judith and Buffy (and Angel and Fred...)

Judith Statham is very proud of her extended family (and clearly quite a fan of Joss Whedon!). Here she shares her story about why she's never looked back after adopting Buffy:

"I adopted Humbug - now Buffy! - when I came to help out with the Dog Training Club from Fleetwood in Lancashire this time last year. I was not looking for a dog as I had two Jack Russells, Angel and Fred, and a rescue cat already! However, she simply stole my heart as she has one of those faces. She had four puppies while in your care and although one died the other three were thankfully also adopted on the same day as Buffy. The staff were fantastic on all three visits we made and fortunately Angel and Fred loved Buffy from day one, as if she had always been with us.

"She didn't know she was allowed in the house for the first hour or so and was very timid. It took a few hours before she realised that this was home. I have never had a single moment's worry or regret in adopting Buffy; she is simply a superstar. Her recall is perfect, she loves cuddling up on the sofa and if I didn't know better would say someone had trained her once. I have since insisted to everyone I know that rescue dogs are worth every minute of your time and attention.

"Buffy enjoys her walks in our local country park and adores the river on a warm day ! She loves other dogs, kids, cats - she is happy to accept anything or anyone that comes across her path. I love her to bits and will definitely bring her back to Dogs Trust Merseyside soon for a visit. Sh is looking really well as you can see from the photo, although we have to watch her weight as she does have a weakness for food of any kind.

"Thanks so much for bringing Buffy into your centre and letting me take her home!"

Tuesday, 26 August 2008

Happy Dog Stories: Sarah and Alfie

Finding a home for a dog with an ongoing medical condition can be hard, so owners like Sarah Kane who will take on such a dog are much appreciated. Here, Sarah tells Alfie's story:

"It has been just over a year now since we rescued our Rottweiler, Alfie, from Dogs Trust Bridgend. He was known there as Philip!

"'Philip' had spent most of his early adulthood in kennels and was also suffering from elbow dysplasia. He had undergone some keyhole surgery prior to our encounter and had also had lots of hydrotherapy. Due to his condition, he was offered on a part foster basis, but he had been in Dogs Trust for a long while, overlooked by visitors.

"After much thought - and as I already owned a dog with a similiar condition - I could not resist him any longer; after a sucessful meeting with our other dog we took 'Phillip' home.

"One year on Phillip aka Alfie is now 2 years old and you would never know he had suffered from dysplasia; he has made a miraculous recovery, and being so impressed with his development, we even took our other dog to the same surgeon that Dogs Trust used with Alf!

"Alfie is a big boisterous boy, and loves to run flat out in the fields we have near by. He is slightly nervous in some situations but loves children and adults to make a big fuss of him. He is a bit of a soppy dope at times, but you must stay one step ahead of him because he is very clever when it comes to food! Many a times the locks on the cupboard doors have been cheated and we're familiar with seeing a Rottie delighted with himself as he's managed to raid the bin...!

"It is always a risk rehoming a new dog, especially one which is 'breed branded' but with patience and consistancy you will get many years of delight from your new friend. Dogs Trust saved Alfie's life and gave him a new opportunity to have a great quality of life, as well as defying his breed's unfair reputation."

Tuesday, 12 August 2008

Happy Dog Stories: Jennie, Lex and Sassie

Jennie Maloney saw my request for happy dog stories and couldn't resist telling us about her two beautiful dogs, both of which were rehomed from Dogs Trust.

"Lex the Lurcher (below, right) was the first dog we got, back in October 2007. He had apparently arrived at Dogs Trust Salisbury with a brother and sister named Lois and Clark! Someone I knew adopted him but then had a change in circumstances. Knowing I was looking for a dog she brought him round to meet me and it was love at first sight. Instead of going back to Dogs Trust, Lex came to me.

Six months later, we wanted to expand our little family and get Lex a friend to play with. We felt that he needed some extra doggy company for those - luckily very few and far between - times when no-one was home. So, one day, we jumped in the car and headed back to Salisbury. The staff there were amazing, really friendly and knowledgeable, and they recommended Sassie (left) to us. She wasn't on show when we visited so we didn't really know what to expect. The minute she walked around the corner, though, we knew that she was the one for us.

Sassie is a Mastiff x Great Dane, and she had been given to Dogs Trust as her owners couldn't cope. Apparently she was copying a naughty, smaller dog in the household. Her size didn't put us off at all - the bigger the dog the better! Although she pulled a lot when we took her out for that first walk, we could tell that she was very responsive and good-natured: the perfect addition to our household. I found it hard leaving her behind to go and wait for the home check, which we passed with flying colours. The lady that visited instantly recognised Lex and was really pleased he had come to live with us.

The next day Lex met Sassie and they got on like a house on fire! Eventually, six days later, I was able to go and collect Sassie and bring her home. She had a good sniff around the house and garden, then curled up with Lex on his bed. Since then, they have been firm friends; there has been the odd scrap but they seem to love each other's company and it is wonderful coming home every evening to their 'smiling' faces."

Tuesday, 29 July 2008

Happy Dog Stories: Iona and Dexter

Iona Pippen and her husband couldn't imagine being without their best four-legged friend. But Dexter didn't have an easy start in life. His story, in Iona's words:

"Dexter was handed in for rehoming as a fairly young dog, about ten months old. He had been given as a present to 3 children, who weren't really able to look after him. As a result, he was left locked in a shed day and night, not much seeing the light of day let alone going for a walk. As a result, Dexter became very stressed, living a solitary existance in his shed. The stress also meant he developed demodectic mange (aka demodex) and all his hair fell out. His owners did take him to be treated but the treatment is a series of baths at £40 each. His owners decided they couldn't afford this and asked Dogs Trust Bridgend to take him.

"When he arrived, Dexter had no hair and the staff thought he looked like a little bruiser. Unfortunately, Dexter had another problem aside from the Demodex; he was scared of other dogs. With no proper socialisation as a pup, he had no idea there were other dogs in the world! After a checkup, Dexter was started on his baths. Within 3 or 4 weeks his hair began to grow back and the staff saw that he was the soppiest, softest dog in the world. Dexter was then advertised for rehoming.

"We had thought long and hard about getting a dog and I had spoken to Dogs Trust staff on the phone a few times about getting a dog before we took the plunge. We were scared in case the centre was a harrowing, upsetting place but we couldn't have been more wrong. We found the office and spoke to the staff, who gave us our forms to fill in, we sat for ages pondering the 'right' answers but we got there and set off to look for our special companion. We saw 2 dogs we liked initially before finding 'Quiet Corner' and seeing a picture of a lovely little terrier with a wide smile. Sadly he wasn't in his kennel but we felt a connection with this little dog and we were quite upset that he was obviously gone. We walked back to the office. On our way we saw this little, happy dog pulling his way toward us; it was Dexter, the little dog we'd just thought had been rehomed. Dexter was on a walk with his carer. We asked his carer if this was Dexter and was he still available and she said yes. We spent a few moments with this little wriggly dog, who seemed so overjoyed to see us. I think it was confirmed he'd adopted us when his carer said 'I've never seen him so happy'. The carer took Dexter back and we looked at each other and said 'That's our dog' but we had to find out if we were going to be suitable for Dexter. As it turned out, the 2 other dogs we had shortlisted wouldn't have been suitable, one disliked cats and one needed a large garden.

"The staff then told us about Dexter's past. He had been so depressed when he came in, he missed his family, he was mistrusting and hated other dogs; he'd also be at risk of developing demodex again, he'd need lots of time and attention, lots of walks and to come back once a week for his special baths. There was no doubt, he'd adopted us, we'd fallen in love and there was no going back, no matter how much TLC he needed! We took Dexter for a walk and met some more staff, who also said he looked right at home with us, so it was decided. It broke our hearts leaving him behind on that Wednesday. We comforted ourselves in as much as we hoped he'd be home for the weekend and decided, somewhat prematurely, to buy a lead on the way home!

"Still, we had to have the home visit. We were so nervous about this but we needn't have been, the lady who came on the Friday said we'd be perfect for Dexter and she was happy with everything!

"Saturday 15th May 2006, we picked Dexter up. Initially it was hard with Dexter, he didn't know how to live in a household, he'd do his business on the carpet, he'd pee up against furniture. It was hard. He was still attending Dogs Trust once a week for baths. Dexter also had an issue with other dogs - only catching sight of one would sending him into a barking frenzy which would take ages to calm down from. Life with Dexter was hard but the joys he gave us in those first few weeks were immense. Sadly, Dexter had lost his pupppyhood but we went about starting from the begining, making play fun, spoiling him, teaching him basic commands. Dexter isn't the brightest spark in the box but he's developed into a fairly intelligent boy now, after 2 years.

"As Dexter hadn't been walked much, he used to tired easily but now he can walk for miles; he still gets just as excited though as he did when we took him for that first walk.

"Dexter is now 3, he visits his friends at Dogs Trust Bridgend at Christmas and sends them some treats. He'll also be going back to Bridgend soon for Dog Training and agility as he still is very very unsociable with other dogs. We've been up to see the staff a few times and everyone has said how happy he looks and what a fantastic happy ending he has had.

"Dexter has his own little fan club around our area, he loves the local children and they love him. Dexter has also learnt to love cuddly squeeky toys and play with them until destruction - this was the dog who didn't know how to play or what play really was when he came home - and he's also excellent with our cats.

"Most importantly, Dexter's demodex has never returned, he has a lovely coat of hair. When we had him he had no fur on his front paws - it's still a little thin but Dexter did have one of the worst cases of demodex staff had ever seen, so much so he was named after it. We'd almost called our cat Dexter and went for Baxter at the last minute; then, when we had his medical card from the staff, we noticed he'd been handed in on our wedding day. I think things were just meant to be.

"Dexter means the world to us, we're immensley thankful to the wonderful, caring staff at Bridgend, it is truly a testament to their love, care and hard work that Dexter made such an amazing recovery.

"I think he he still quite famous at Bridgend! He's appeared on BBC website for Welsh Christmas photos and he is a much loved Grand-dog too! In fact, he's spolit in so many ways!"

If you rescued a dog and gave him a happy ending, just drop me a line and you could see your story here.