WIN a family ticket to the East Anglian Game & Country Fair!

THIS WEEKEND for the sixth consecutive year Dogs Trust will be returning to the East Anglian Game & Country Fair, at the Norfolk Showground, to join in their 10th Anniversary Celebrations. With new attractions, displays and workshops added, the event, yet again, promises a day packed with fun for all the family. The event features animals in their plenty, arena displays including sheep racing & crazy stunts from the like of mountain bike team Savage Skills, Have-A Go activities including clay shooting, mountain boarding, donkey rides & helicopter flights, canine events in the plenty as well as food tents, shopping and so much more…this is a must do date for your diary.

With its eye-catching yellow mobile rehoming unit Dogs Trust will take up position at the fair with two loveable four-legged friends from the Snetterton based rehoming centre which are looking for new homes. So whether you love dogs, have your own, or are looking for a new addition to your home pop in and say hello to the team. The team will be there to offer information on rehoming a dog, the local Dogs Trust centre, and the work of the charity, including ways in which you can get involved, plus the chance to meet a couple of our beautiful dogs.

And what’s more we have a family ticket to attend the fair up for grabs! All you need to do is just answer this question:

Which of these is not a dog breed that could be found at Dogs Trust Snetterton?

A) Collie Cross

B) Beagalini

C) Labradoodle

Please send your answer to feedback@dogstrust.org.uk with your name and address. We will be choosing the winners at 9:00am on the 25th of April 2013.

Please note: The prize consists of one family ticket per winner, which covers 2 adults (17yrs+) and up to three children (5-16, under 5s admitted free). UK entries only. Winners will be chosen at random after the closing date, and notified by email. Dogs Trust reserves the right to reject incomplete entries, so please remember to include your name and address. Your details will not be added to our database.

Sadeece, Haroshinka: Rehoming Russian-speaking Dogs

Lena and Mishka might be German Shepherds, but it's a different language they're proficient in... These two girls, looking for separate homes from Dogs Trust Snetterton, only understand Russian!

Upon first arrival at the centre, the girls seemed to struggle to settle in, and there were some problems bonding with other dogs. Staff were scratching their heads, until a letter from the previous owners clued them in. Luckily there was help at hand as the husband of one of the receptionists speaks the language fluently and is teaching staff phrases that will help settle Lena and Mishka in.

Kate Brewster, Supporter Relations Officer at Dogs Trust Snetterton, had this to say:

“This is one of the more unusual rehoming appeals that we’ve had at the centre and whilst the staff is adept at using sign language to communicate with dogs with hearing difficulties, this is the first time we’ve had to consider learning a new language. As both dogs are still relatively young we’re hoping that with the right, patient family they will be able to grasp English commands and become bilingual!”  

Four year-old Lena and her daughter Mishka are both looking for separate active homes with experienced German Shepherd owners who can take the time to not only help them settle in but help them master a new language.

If you think you could offer Lena or Mishka or any of their Dogs Trust friends a home please contact Dogs Trust Snetterton on 01953 498 377 or visit the team at North End Road, Snetterton, Norfolk, NR16 2LD.

WIN: Five family tickets to the East Anglian Game & Country Fair

For the fifth consecutive year Dogs Trust is returning to the East Anglian Game & Country Fair, a weekend packed with fun for all the family! This year it's taking place on the 28th and 29th of April.

The event features animals in their plenty and arena displays including an array of visual activities from sheep racing to crazy stunts from mountain bike team Savage Skills. There will also be plenty of activities for people to join in with such as clay shooting, mountain boarding, donkey rides and helicopter flights. And not forgetting the canine stars as there will be food tents, shopping and so much more for our four-legged friends. All together this is a must-do date for your diary.

Two four-legged residents from Dogs Trust Snetterton will also be visiting the fair in the larger than life eye-catching yellow mobile rehoming unit. So whether you love dogs, have your own or are looking for a new addition to your home pop in and say hello to the team. The team will be there to offer information on rehoming a dog, the local Dogs Trust centre, and the work of the charity, including ways in which you can get involved, plus the chance to meet a couple of our beautiful dogs.

 Best of all, five family tickets to attend the fair are up for grabs!



How to Enter

This competition has now closed and the winners will shortly be informed by email. Thank you for entering, and hope we see you at the Fair!

Please note: The prize consists of one family ticket per winner, which covers 2 adults (17yrs+) and up to three children (5-16, under 5s admitted free). UK entries only. Winners will be chosen at random after the closing date, and notified by email. Dogs Trust reserves the right to reject incomplete entries, so please remember to include your name and address. Your details will not be added to our database.

Dogs Trust Snetterton: Jasper the Weimaraner needs a home!

Update 16/01/12:

After struggling to cope with kennel life a temporary home (on our Home from Home scheme) was found for Jasper so he could relax while waiting to find his forever home.

We are delighted to report that after spending a few months in the wonderful care of his foster mum, he was spotted on our website, by a family in Norfolk, and is now happily settled in his forever home, enjoying life to the full!



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Dogs Trust Snetterton is making a special appeal for beautiful nine year-old Weimaraner Jasper. A sweet boy, Jasper finds life in kennels hard, so has been in foster care. However, he now urgently needs to find his home for life; could you be the one to offer it to him?

Says Kate Brewster, Supporter Relations Officer at Dogs Trust Snetterton:

“Jasper is a lovely chap who unfortunately found his way to us after his parents split up and is finding kennel life very difficult. After his health started to deteriorate Jasper went to stay with one of our ‘Home from Home’ families and it is clear for all to see that he his health has dramatically improved. But he can’t stay here forever and is on the hunt for his new forever home.

As is typical of his breed, Jasper enjoys using his nose and even though his age is nearly in double figures he still has as much energy as a dog half his age. He enjoys nice walks and loves exercising and playing with his tennis ball or tug rope - its even better if there is someone to play with! A real 'people person', Jasper would ideally like a home with lots of people so that he doesn’t have to spend too much time on his own. This beautiful boy could be a great addition to any lucky family and he has a lot of love and affection to share.”

If you think you can offer this handsome lad a fairytale ending, drop into Dogs Trust Snetterton on North End Road between midday and 4pm Tuesday - Sunday or call 01953 498 377.

These stunning photos of Jasper were taken by the lovely volunteer foster carer who is currently looking after him.

Video: Teaching a deaf dog new tricks - Daphne @ Dogs Trust Snetterton

Training a bouncy Boxer puppy is always going to be quite a hands-on experience, but the fantastic team at Dogs Trust Snetterton had a new challenge to face when it came to Daphne. Born deaf, the 10-month-old pup has been taught to recognise hand signals instead of the traditional audio cues. Here's the girl herself in action:



[Video credit: Norwich Evening News 24]

It makes their job a little easier that Daphne's very friendly and shows a real aptitude for learning. She's mastering the basics - "sit" and "down" - and would need to find a family willing to continue the process of training and socialisation. She came to Dogs Trust because she could not get along with a fellow dog in the home she was in, so she'd prefer to be the star attraction in any family and cats are not on her list of favourite things.

If you have a calm, adult household, lots of time to devote to a pup and think you can help Daphne learn and grown in confidence, give Dogs Trust Snetterton a call on (01953) 498 377 .

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

Dog of the Week: Olive @ Dogs Trust Snetterton

Introducing... Olive!

Breed: Labrador Cross

Age: 6

Likes: I love to play fetch or raggy - anything active that compliments my jolly nature. I also like keeping things clean and am perfectly housetrained.

Dislikes: Noise and fuss; I'm finding kennel life a bit hard because I had a quiet home before.

Needs: My owners moved and couldn't take me with them, but I know I would become a very loyal pet to a new family. I do need to be the only pet, though.
Contact: Call Dogs Trust Snetterton on 01953 498 377 or visit www.dogstrust.org.uk.

Proof that microchipping pets works: dog reunited with owners within 24 hours!

When a group of students found an adorable Collie cross wandering around Leeds' Hyde Park on her own, they took note of the Dogs Trust collar around her neck and called us. John, the Assistant Manager at Dogs Trust Leeds collected her and, knowing we microchip every dog in our care, scanned her for a microchip.

Amelia, as the dog's name turned out to be, had indeed been adopted from us by a Mrs. Swallow, though in Snetterton, not Leeds! Mrs. Swallow's son had set off to visit his brother in Leeds with Amelia, who escaped from the student house and promptly got lost.

The next morning, when the centre managed to track down Mrs. Swallow, she was already in Leeds frantically searching for the beloved family pet. Thanks to a microchip and the fact that Mrs. Swallow kept the details updated, Amelia was reunited with her overjoyed and relieved family just one day after first going missing.

A great story to celebrate National Microchipping Month, don't you think?