Waggy-Tailed West Calder Look-alikes

There is a unique situation happening at Dogs Trust West Calder!  The centre have had a flood of white dogs that have similar breeds, ages and characteristics.  Unfortunately these loving pooches aren't finding homes as quickly as we would hope.  The staff at the centre think that because they are so alike, they are being overlooked as a whole.

All these dogs are incredibly playful individuals who would love to find their loving forever homes. Below is some more information on each white, wag-tailed dog.

Diesel

Fun loving Diesel is a 2 year old English Bull Terrier cross, who loves nothing more than being outside as much as possible. He is an energetic, playful boy whose favourite thing is to go for long walks and roll in the grass, especially on sunny days. Diesel loves to explore new places and he travels very well in the car.

Although he enjoys his active lifestyle, he is a big fan of cuddles and loves attention. He would prefer to be the only pet in the home. Diesel needs an active, all adult home with owners that are able to keep up with him and who are able to settle him into a routine.

Find out more about Diesel on our website.

Buddy

 

Buddy is a 3 year old Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross Lurcher. He is a happy lad who loves being the centre of attention. Buddy is very loving and he just adores getting his ears scratched. He is full of energy and loves playing with his ball - he would fetch it all day long!

Buddy is deaf and can get frustrated easily. He is looking for owners who have had some experience in dealing with deaf dogs before, or someone with time and patience to help teach and guide Buddy. He is fully house trained and is happy being left alone for short periods of time.

Deaf dogs can have a perfectly normal life and can be trained fairly easily once both the dog and the owner have got the hang of a few basic principles – the most important of which is that you have to train using hand signals instead of verbal commands. Here is a video of Buddy being trained to help explain: 

If you’re looking for a Buddy then visit our website to find out more him.

Jake

This handsome boy is Jake. He is a 3 year old Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Jake has a very cheeky personality and can easily make you smile. This gorgeous lad is very happy and full of fun. His favourite thing to do it to play with his toys, he likes the squeaky ones the best! He also loves going for long walks to explore and adores trips away in the car.

Jake would prefer to be the only pet in the house as he likes having his owners all to himself. He is looking for an active, adult home who have had experience with SBT types. He can be easily distracted and needs someone who can allow him to settle at home and who can give him their undivided attention.

If you want more information on Jake then go to our website.

Maisie

Maisie, a 1½ year old Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross, is a very sweet and gentle girl who adores getting attention from people. She loves to roll on her back and have her belly rubbed. This beautiful lass loves to play catch, it’s her favourite game! She loves going for long walks and investigating new surroundings. Maisie thrives on human company and she will do her best to please you.

Maisie loves people so much that she occasionally forgets her manners and automatically thinks everybody loves her too, because of this she can be strong on her lead and sometimes finds it hard to concentrate on one thing at a time.  Maisie has lots of potential to learn and, with the right owners, will make a great family pet.

If you’re crazy about Maisie then find out more about her here.

Patch

This is Patch, a stunning 3 year old Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Patch can be shy around new people but once he gets to know you, he wants you to be his friend. This playful boy’s favourite game is fetch. He will play all day long if you let him! Patch enjoys long walks and adores the water, he loves nothing more than to splash around and have fun.

Patch loves to be busy so he is looking for new owners who can keep up with his abundance of energy. Patch can sometimes lack confidence, so he is looking for a quiet adult only home with owners that can help him settle into a new routine.

Have you got a soft spot for Patch? Visit our website.

Tia

This gorgeous girl is Tia. She is a 4 year old crossbreed. Tia is very loving, loyal and full of energy. She loves playing with toys and loves it even more if you play with her! She enjoys her food, loves long walks and she travels very well in the car. Tia likes her energetic lifestyle but she is also a big softy, she loves her cuddles and being made a fuss of.

Tia has basic house training and is very clever so she has lots of potential. However, Tia can be nervous around new people so she is looking for an experienced new owner who has most of their day free. With the right owner, Tia can build her confidence and settle into a new home.

There is more information about Tia on our website

If you are interested in more dogs at Dogs Trust West Calder you can visit the centre during their opening hours, which are 12:00 - 16:00, every day but Tuesday. You can also get in touch by giving them a ring on 01506 873459.

If you don't live near West Calder, why not find a centre near you and check out the dogs available in your area? You can do this by searching your postcode on our website.

Meet Dogs Trust West Calder's UNusual Supects (aka the Collie Collective!)

If you look at our website or drop into a centre you'll find that - while individual dogs vary a great deal in personality - some traits are quite common. The majority of the dogs that we rehome are very much indoor pets, for example. Also, working households often find that they need to arrange 'daycare' for their dog in some form or another, be it a paid professional or a keen friend or relative - we even give advice on working out if you have time for a dog.

Some dogs just like to be different, though! As 2013 kicks off, Dogs Trust West Calder finds itself with a collection of Collies that don't fit the mould - and need an equally individual owner to make their dreams of a home of their own come true.

To offer any of these beauties a loving home, please call 01506 873459 or drop in during opening hours.

Shelley: Home Alone

A hugely affectionate girl who loves a good cuddle or game with her carers, 8 year old Border Collie Shelley is also a bit of a comedian who makes funny faces - sticking her tongue out - when you throw a toy!

Shelley can be nervous with strangers and dogs, but she's obedient, and does enjoy a country walk. Some coverage of vet bills is offered (please speak to staff at the centre to find out more). She needs an adult only home, and would prefer to be the only pet.

Distinguishing Feature: Shelley could easily go to a working household as she will happily pass the time with her toys and enjoying her home comforts when left alone.

Cassie: The Great Outdoors

3 year old Collie Cassie loves her walks; she is a very outdoorsy dog.  She is happiest around water - she splashes in it, digs in it and fishes for stones  She would be great fun for someone who loves long walks in the country side.

Cassie is worried by strangers and dogs but is very obedient and keen to learn new behaviours.  She loves when we play with her but is also happy lazing around most of the day. She needs an adult only home and would prefer to be the only pet.

Distinguishing Feature: Cassie would be happy living outside in a cosy den and she's relaxed about being home alone

Rocco: A River Runs Through It

Rocco, a 5 year old Border Collie is affectionate and loves to play - he will play with any toy that moves!  He is worried by strangers and dogs but has slowly been building up his confidence here at the centre and has met a few dogs that accompany him on his walks.  He would enjoy walks in the countryside.

He needs an adult only home and would prefer to be the only pet and can be left at home alone if his owner works or would also be happy with an outdoor kennel.

Distinguishing Feature: Rocco is a full-on water baby. He has a pool in his kennel in the summer and misses it so much in winter he'll head straight for the shallow river on our grounds whenever we let him.

Buster: Home Alone 2 

Buster is a sweet 8 year old Collie who enjoys playing with his toys on his walks.  He has lots of energy and loves nothing better than chasing after his favourite toy ever: a ball. Still, he'll happily play with any toy, given the chance!.

Distinguishing feature: Having tired himself out on his walk, Buster then enjoys a long lie-in at home, so much so that he’d be happy living with owners who worked all day.

Marty: The Ladies Man

2 year old Border Collie Marty is a youngster who bonds strongly with his carers and enjoys long walks in the countryside.  He loves to chase things, so staff have channelled this desire onto games and Marty is delighted when it is play time especially when it is a squeaky toy.

Marty needs an adult only home but would be happy living with another dog or  keeping someone's working dog company.  Marty can also be left at home alone if the owner worked.

Distinguishing feature: Marty prefers the company of women.

Jock: Sleepy Hollow

Jock, a 4 year old Border Collie would get on fine with a working owner, provided he gets lots of time outside. He's worried by strangers and dogs, but is doing very well learning new skills at the centre.

Distinguishing feature: Jock would be happy in a cosy outdoor den; his carer always fills up his kennel with duvets and he loves retreating there at the end of a busy day for a long snooze.

To offer any of these beauties a loving home, please call 01506 873459 or drop in during opening hours!

The Ballad of Patsy and Jack

Update 28th June 2010: Patsy has now been rehomed! She's settled in extremely well and her new owners report that she's an 'angel'. Jack has also been reserved, so fingers crossed he'll be settling in to his new home very soon!

Update 9th July 2010: Jack's been rehomed too! Read the story on this recent blog post.

Well, not so much a ballad, more a plaintive cry.

These two dogs have just one thing in common: despite mucho media attention they’re still hanging out with their pals at Dogs Trust rehoming centres.

Patsy has appeared on GMTV and in the Daily Record, yet she’s still waiting for Mr or Ms Right to show their face at Dogs Trust West Calder. Honestly, what’s a gal got to do to get your attention?

Jack has appeared on Look North and the Yorkshire Evening Post, but he’s still chilling with his buds at Dogs Trust Leeds. Staff are scratching their collective heads as to why Jack’s not been snapped up by some big dog-loving, large garden-owning son or daughter of a gun.

PATSY



You’d be crazy to let Patsy slip through your fingers. She’s the sensitive brown-eyed girl who could be absolutely fabulous – if only she’s given the chance to come home with you. She’s 8 years old and has been at West Calder for over a year, making her their longest standing resident.

JACK



Don’t leave him on his Jack Jones – this boy seriously needs somebody to love. He’s been a real favourite of Dogs Trust Leeds staff since 2009. This 8 year old chunky crossbreed LOVES people and is the friendliest chap you could wish to meet. He really doesn’t get on with other dogs or cats, so you’ll need to have a good sized garden where he can be sure to get his exercise without meeting any other four legged “frenemies.”

Dial 01506 873 459 for Patsy – West Calder
Dial 0113 281 4920 for Jack - Leeds

Primary school pupil aged 10 cycles 54 MILES for Dogs Trust

It's been a great week for hearing from some of our younger supporters. First we had Lucy who wants to work at Dogs Trust one day, and now comes this wonderful story from ten-year-old Eadidh Monteith, who decided to do a very lengthy cycle ride for her favourite cause: Dogs Trust!

Eadidh cycled all the way from Glasgow to Edinburgh in a single day, braving the elements to follow the canal route across Scotland from one city to the other.

Joined by her father Duncan, mother Una, brother Finn and Golden Retriever Biddy, Eadidh cycled for eight hours in the wind and rain to achieve her goal, raising £78 for Dogs Trust.

Eadidh explains:

“My favourite animals are dogs and I like the fact that Dogs Trust does not put healthy dogs to sleep so decided to raise some money to help them. I didn’t do any special training but my brother and I often cycle to school and we go on family bike rides at the weekend. My granny cycled from Lands End to John O’Groats at the age of 63 so it must run in the family!”

Eadidh, who attends Bonaly Primary School in Colinton, was worried she might not complete the challenge so kept it a secret from her fellow pupils until after the event. Her classmates were delighted and added their pocket money to the pot.

Clarissa Baldwin, Dogs Trust CEO, commented:

“Cycling 54 miles in one day is an incredible achievement at any age, let alone ten! Eadidh did amazingly well and her family must be so proud. We’re very grateful for her donation and it will go straight to help look after the 16,000 dogs we care for as a charity every year.”

Eadidh will present the money to Clarissa at Dogs Trust West Calder later this month.

If you'd like to contribute to Eadidh’s fundraising total please visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/howtohelp/donations or call Dogs Trust on 020 7837 0006.

Missing Greyhound: Poppy (black with white bib, West Calder)

You might have seen this on our other networks, but as I now have an image to share and Poppy still hasn't been found, I thought it best to blog again.

Note: if you think you've seen her, please don't approach her as she's very nervous of strangers, particularly men, and will bolt. Just call Dogs Trust on 01506 873459 or Gracehounds on 07989 963556 if you think you've spotted Poppy.

Two year old Greyhound Poppy was rescued by Loanhead charity Gracehounds three months ago and was being transferred to the Dogs Trust centre last Monday (16th November) when she slipped her harness and fled.

Staff from both charities have searched the local area extensively for the past eight days and are highly concerned for the dog’s welfare.

Kind-hearted members of public have already reported two sightings of Poppy near the Brucefield area of Livingston but she has not been seen since last week.

Poppy was wearing a collar when she went missing and has been microchipped.

A reminder: Call Dogs Trust on 01506 873459 or Gracehounds on 07989 963556 if you think you've spotted Poppy.

Dog of the Week: Buster @ West Calder

Introducing... Buster!

There are so many deserving dogs of the week, that blog editor Alex had to ask our Twitter followers which one she should choose! @jrJuliejr chose me because her kids 'love my smile' and she enjoyed visiting me recently! Thanks, Julie.

Age: 10

Breed: Large Crossbreed

Likes and Dislikes: I'm a friendly, eager fellow who is a great favourite with walkers and volunteers who reward me with the biscuits I love! I'm housetrained and not destructive, but I do get a little anxious being left for long, so I'd need some work on that once I was securely settled in.

My favourite thing is getting off the lead to play football or dog tug-of-war! Don't be fooled by my age - there's plenty of life and enthusiasm in this slightly-older dog yet.

I'm fine with kids, but not cats. I'm sociable and happy to share my kennel with both male and female dogs.

Needs: I was well cared for in my last home, but developed a very strong bond with my owner to the point that I have a few anxieties and nervous behaviours. My carers say my new owner needs to be experienced and confident to help me get along and gently work on my fears without accidentally reinforcing them.

Contact: Call Dogs Trust West Calder on 01506 873459 or look online for more of my friends who need homes.

Edinburgh Film Festival gets new doggy star: Tippy from Dogs Trust West Calder!

When Tippy the German Shepherd Cross went home with filmmaker Matt Hulse and his girlfriend Lucy Brown, no-one realised she'd be a star of the Edinburgh International Film Festival before long!

Tippy and her new owners star together in Follow the Master, a debut feature from Matt which sees them following the 100-mile South Downs Way to pay homage to his grandfather, who died last year.

Matt explains:

“Originally we had planned on doing the road trip purely as a pilgrimage in honour of my grandpa, but I took some filming equipment along and Follow the Master was born!

Tippy was a natural in front of the camera and we always knew she had a definite star quality.”

Susan Tonner, Dogs Trust West Calder rehoming centre manager, adds:

“In the last 15 years we’ve had all sorts of dogs pass through the doors of our centre, but I think Tippy is the first to make it on to the big screen!”

The film’s world premiere takes place at the Edinburgh International Film Festival at 7.30pm on 20th June. To book tickets please visit the website.

Dogs Trust West Calder cares for 60 dogs at any one time. If you are interested in rehoming a dog please call the centre on 01506 873 459.

[Image Credit: Ailsa McWhinnie]

Dog of the Week: Robbie @ Dogs Trust West Calder

Introducing... Robbie!

Age: 2

Breed: Crossbreed

Likes: I had a pretty rough start in life, being alternately mistreated and neglected, so my favourite thing is being treated really gently and lovingly. Once you've gained my trust, my favourite thing is curling up on your lap and getting a lovely cuddle! Long walks and fetch / tug games are also high on my list of fun things to do. I'm currently living with a foster family and getting on well with them and their three friendly dogs, and I'm gaining confidence gradually.

Dislikes: I find it hard to trust people, and men in particular, though I've come a long way in the foster programme, Home from Home.

Needs: I'll need patient adult owners, preferably who don't have any other pets although I could benefit from a calm, older female who'll help me keep making progress. I'm very clean in the house but couldn't be left alone much. Dogs Trust have said they'll be there to help my new owners every step of the way, and they know from experience that when I feel happier I'm the most playful and affectionate friend you could have.

Contact: Call Dogs Trust West Calder on 01506 873459 or see more dogs seeking homes online.

Previous Dog(s) of the Week: Carna @ Dogs Trust Snetterton | Cloud @ Dogs Trust Bridgend

Long term resident Evie finds a home through the Internet

Dogs Trust Ballymena had become the home of a beautiful Collie called Evie for almost a year. Having been abandoned at the Northern Ireland centre last Christmas Eve, Evie was not best suited to the kennel environment, and struggled to show off her best qualities. She became withdrawn, and since Dogs Trust never put a healthy dog down, we were committed to trying everything to find her a home.

Then the Internet came to the rescue! Elizabeth Forsyth was scanning the Dogs Trust website, and came across Evie's picture. Looking at it now, it's not hard to see why she fell in love. However, Elizabeth lives across the Irish Sea from Ballymena in Jedburgh, in the Scottish Borders. Being an experienced Collie owner, Elizabeth was sure she and Evie were a perfect match. All she had to do was convince Dogs Trust that she was right.

That she did, in consultation with staff at both Ballymena and her nearest centre, West Calder; it is rare that we move a dog from centre to centre but if there is a good chance of them finding the right home by doing so (and they have been at the existing centre for some time without luck) then it could be considered. West Calder carried out the necessary home check, and only then was Evie taken over to Scotland to meet Elizabeth. The rest, as they say, is history!

Elizabeth explained:

"As soon as I saw Evie on the screen, I knew that she was the one. I had been looking for a Collie her age since I lost my last dog in July. Evie has settled in so well, loves the garden and sleeps all night in her cosy bed. It is a joy to see her running happy and free in the woods. I could not have picked a better gentle and kind companion."

Staff at Ballymena found parting with the lovely Evie sad, but are overjoyed that she has found the right home for life. We will never give up on a dog no matter how long it takes for the right home to be found, and as a web person I'm also glad to see that the website is doing its job and helping to match homes to dogs. As an organisation we can only do what we do because of committed owners like Elizabeth, so thank you for giving Evie a well-deserved second chance.

Dog of the Week: Connor @ Dogs Trust West Calder

Introducing... Connor!

Breed: German Shepherd

Age: 6

Likes: Cuddles and kids are fine by me: I love the attention. I also really enjoy travelling in the car. I'm housetrained and like walks and playing with other dogs.

Dislikes: My arthritic hips have been known to let me down. Although I'm on daily medication for epilepsy, I rarely have a fit and am very brave when I do.

Needs: A really special, patient family who'll smother me in love and help with my medical condition. Dogs Trust have said that, to help me find a forever home, they'll pay my vet bills for the rest of my life so my new owners don't have to worry about the cost.

Contact: Call Dogs Trust West Calder on 01506 873 459 or see more dogs for rehoming online.

Previous Dogs of the Week: Sunbeam | Poppy

Martin Clunes launches A Dog's Life as Scottish Widows raise funds for Dogs Trust

Martin Clunes, star of the hugely successful Men Behaving Badly and Doc Martin series, delivered a special “audience with” and book signing session for staff at Scottish Widows to mark the launch of his new book A Dog’s Life in September. I've just got hold of the photos from the event and thought this was too adorable not to share.

The exclusive event was secured by Sylvia Dow, arts veteran and spearhead of Scottish Widows award winning Arts@Work Programme in association with Arts in Business. In recognition of Martin’s love of dogs Scottish Widows staff will also be raising funds for the Dogs Trust Rehoming Centre in West Calder.

“Securing an audience with Martin Clunes is a real coup.” said Sylvia. “Staff are thrilled to have met one of the best known faces on television and hear first hand his colourful adventures inspired by his own dogs Mary, Tina and Arthur.”

A privileged audience gathered to listen to witty and humorous tales of dog lover Martin’s experiences as he accompanied a singing dingo on the piano; was hauled out of a sub zero snow hole by trained rescue dogs; and dragged through a blizzard by a team of excited huskies.

Susan Tonner, Centre Manager of Dogs Trust West Calder along with Lizzie and Bryce, two Labrador cross puppies joined Martin and staff at the event.

“We are absolutely delighted at Scottish Widows’ kind gesture to raise money for Dogs Trust. Dogs Trust receives no funding from the Government and we rely on donations to care for the 16,000 stray and abandoned dogs we look after every year. Meeting famous dog lover Martin Clunes was the icing on the cake.”

A signed copy of A Dog’s Life will also be raffled to raise funds.