Now Tommy is feeling better I thought I would share with you his visit to the vets….
He went last Thursday to be neutered as I feel very strongly that all dogs should be and it is the duty of a responsible owner to get it done to avoid unwanted puppies arriving in a world that already has far too many unwanted puppies, who end up is rescues and pounds and often killed as there are too many of them.
It is a simple process and with our local vets feeling strongly that it should be done to reduce strays it is affordable as they work hard to keep the cost as low as they can. We went to Easipet in Burton and it cost under £50.
The evening before Tommy had his tea as usual but then nothing to eat after 8pm. He could drink in the evening but his water bowl was removed in the morning as well.
He hung around us in the morning look unhappy – trying to remind us he needed his breakfast.
He seemed to sense it was not a normal day and hid under the chair to see what would happen….
Things looked up a bit for him when we got to the vets though as he got a cuddle from his friend Nicky the vet who he loves very much!
I brought him home at tea time and he had a quick toilet stop before being helped into the house and onto the sofa where he napped, and napped and napped with his get well card from Easipet close by and me next to him for a snuggle…
Stan stayed close by to make sure no one disturbed his pal.Â
Later on Tommy had a much smaller than usual tea and then popped his head out of the back door to see if he wanted to nip out – he decided it was far too tiring so gave it a miss for once.
He settled down for an early night – for once not in his crate where he usually sleeps as he needed to sleep in the head collar to make sure he didn’t chew his stitches and I was worried it would catch on the doorway of the crate – I leave the door open over night and he does pop in and out a few times and I didn’t want him to knock himself. He seemed to get the idea and lay on his bed as soon as I took it out of his crate.
He stayed settled there until morning when at 5am he woke up and began to cry very pitifully. I went down to him and it seemed he had woken up and was confused by the head collar as when I removed it he stopped crying immediately and gave me a big cuddle and some licks. We didn’t put the collar back on as he seemed to understand that he had to leave the stitches alone.
Now we are a few days on he has made a very fast recovery and this morning we went for a walk in the snow which he loved. The effect on Stan seems as though it will have a longer lasting impact as he was very upset by the whole affair and still is really but more on that later – I now need to go and have a snuggle after the cold snowy walk.
Yesterday we had great fun playing in the garden as it was nice and sunny – oh I mean the dogs played while I helped Ged tidy up 
It was this last mad game at the end of a fun day that caused Stan problems. He grazed the pad of one of his front paws and it bled. It was very sore and he didn’t even want me to have a look at it. I insisted which caused a few growls of displeasure but in the end he let me have a quick look which was enough to see that it was very sore but that it was indeed just a graze, albeit a fairly bad one. What he needed was rest and TLC and to keep it clean for it to heal.
Whenever Stan is hurt or sick we have a problem as he won’t let anyone other than me near him which makes vet visits very hard. This being the case I have done a dog first aid course and I have also built up a good relationship with our local vet – now if he is hurt I examine him and the vet gives advice – not ideal but with a dog that is so scared of people you have to make allowances.  This time I decided he was not going to the vet yet as it was not needed but we will be keeping a close eye on him for signs of infection and we will be off to the vet if there are any problems.
Stan and I took a dog towel and nice fluffy throw and headed for the sofa – the towel was spread out to protect from any blood stains but it wasn’t a problem really as he soon stopped bleeding. The throw was for us to snuggle in. We settled down to make sure he got a rest. Tommy joined us which was a surprise as he prefers to lie on his own chair or in his bed most evenings. After a while I offered Stan food and drink – the food he declined the drink he took while still on the sofa – he is such a baby when he is hurt and loves to be spoilt!
That night I had intended carrying him up to bed after he had made a visit to the water bowl and then the garden but he declined the water and the loo break and hopped off up to bed on three legs by himself! This morning he was still sore but there had been no more bleeding – I carried him down to the kitchen, and the other dogs, and put him down by the water bowl. He ignored the water and hopped into a dog crate with Tommy following. Later he took water and a snack while in the crate with his nurse in attendance.
Tommy would not come out of the crate once he had settled with Stan and despite them looking as bit uncomfy here they did snuggle down a bit more soon after and they are still in there now with Tommy looking after his pal!
I’ll be keeping an eye on Stan over the next few days but it does look as though he is happy to rest and it healing well already.
I read somewhere that 20 thousand dogs were killed last year just because there were to many puppies being born. Now I don’t know how they came up with that number or even if it is true but I do know that far too many puppies are born – many more than are needed or wanted and for lots of them it is a short and unhappy life that ends in a sudden death as they are not wanted.
Yesterday I met a lady who wanted me to look at her bitch and tell me if she is pregnant. She had been mated “by accident†a couple of weeks earlier. The dog was a lab/collie cross and it had been mated with a collie. The resulting puppies will no doubt be unwanted and have a short life. The owner wanted to know what she should do now – I suggested a visit to the vet for a chat about what to expect. I was told that she had tried that but the vet had told her they wanted a £10 examnation fee so she had not stayed as this was too expensive. She also thought that as her dog was fairly young she, “Might have just two or three pups or even just one if we don’t give her too much food while she is expecting.â€Â Shockingly naive…..
These pups will add to the numbers destroyed as they are not wanted.
Their deaths could be avoided.
Get your dogs neutered! Do it NOW before they help add to statistics!
There are places where this can be done at a value price so shop around if you are on a tight budget. Try PDSA or other charity. Easipetcare in Burton on Trent charge £45 for a dog castration and £70 for a bitch spay – any breed, any size. Help reduce the numbers of unwanted dogs and be a responsible owner.
This time last week, when I woke up in the morning, two very spoilt and much-loved pooches lived in this house with me, my husband Ged and my teenage children Cathy and Steven.  This was to change dramatically by the end of the day! At lunchtime I picked up the tiny little Frank. His back story has been well documented on Facebook, twitter, briefly on here and on the website for Border Collie Trust so I will just give a quick over view here for those readers who may be stopping by for the first time….. get the tissues out or skip the next paragraph:)
Frank was around 8 weeks old and he was suffering the effects of neglect and malnutrition. He had been half-starved which had resulted in him developing rickets and possible other bone deformities which we will find out about as the weeks proghress and he visits the vets for more examinations. He was a very unhappy little chap and as if they had not already stuffed up his short life enough his owners then decided they needed to dispose of him. He was put into a carrier bag and thrown from the window of a moving vehicle. Lucky for Frank someone saw this happen and his rescue story began…..
So lets now take a look at the various effects Frank’s early life had on him and see what a week of love and good food has done……
A week ago Franks coat looked dull and he was defiantly on the thin side! (Understatement!) Now his coat shines and he looks like a normal, plump and cuddly little puppy.
Good quality rest has also been important – here ~Tommy makes sure he is not disturbed as they grab a quick nap in Stan’s bed.
His back legs were bowed and added to his mobility problems. Now he can run and jump and his back legs look the same as any other little guy’s. This is the result of the healing powers of a balanced diet together with the exercise he gets with his new pals – Stan and Tommy.
As well as good food Frank has lots of love, here Tommy snuggles him while Stan stands guard to make sure he can rest ready to play again soon.
The biggest medical worry was his front legs which were very bowed and caused him some pain. He was not keen to walk more than a few feet and would only do so if he was excited. When eating he could not stand at his bowl to finish his meal and would lie down to eat.  Now he runs around like a mad thing before flopping down to sleep in the way only puppies can!  He jumps, climbs, runs and generally causes mayhem, even once running up the stairs very fast when he escaped from the kitchen. He still does have misshapen legs but they seem not to cause him problems for now – we will be visiting the orthopedic vet again soon and wait to see what he suggests to improve them further.
Here you can see his right leg especially is held in an awkward looking position. Still the “circle†we could see when he sat as his legs were so bowed is no longer there – a massive improvement in just a week.
Other issues that we can’t capture so well on photographs include his insecurity. He was very distress if he was left in a room alone but now he is already much more confident. He wimpers a bit if he can’t get to me but a week ago he would scream very loud if I left the room. He also hated the car, not surprising considering what happened to him, but now he will sit in the crate in the boot and wait to see where we are going. We take a short drive in the car every day to help with this.
In a week I have come to care very much for this little fella, not because he has had a rough time but because he is such a loving sweet little man. He has also built a strong bond with Tommy and even with Stan, who usually wants to keep his distance. He will need a lot of care to get him fully recovered and this could cost a lot of money but with the support of Border Collie Trust he will have a great life and I can’t help looking to the future and thinking could I overcome the space and time issues and keep him here with me and my family. For now he remains my very special foster baby until he is well but one thing I know for sure is that he will make a fantastic pet for the right owner once he is recovered.
I am thinking of starting “Frank’s Fund†to help pay for his vets bills, which are currently being met by Border Collie Trust, and later to hopefully continue to raise funds in his name to fund the care of other rescue dogs admitted to BCT with health issues. That’s all for the future though – for now I am busy giving him the TLC he needs to recover from his bad start.
Fun on the sofa with his new “mummy†Tommy who will be celebrating his 1st Birthday next month.
Below we can see him sneaking into Tommy’s bed for a cuddle – I have to stop this sometimes as he won’t let Tommy rest 
I have had lots and lots of messages wishing Stan well – thankyou so much
Our vet Kevin, from Waterloo House Vet’s in Swadlincote was very, very good with him and didn’t even bat an eye lid when Stan was growling at him. Kevin knew Stan would not want to stay at the vets without me and that even if he did stay it would be impossible to put him on a drip without heavy sedation so he decided that I could take my boy home to nurse better with lots of advice and after injections to stop him being sick and help with the pain and some antibiotics.  Later that day Kevin showed how very caring he is when he phoned me to ask how Stan was doing and stress that I could bring him back to the surgery at any time if I was unsure of his progress.
Stan is now eating every two hours through out the day – as he was doing so well and keeping the food down I stopped feeds at 10pm and didn’t restart until 6am but he slept with me so I could keep an eye on him. He is eating poached fish and rice cooked in milk. He has a couple of spoons at each meal and he seems to like it very much. He can’t have any treats, sorry Dalton but this includes his fav Wagg treats, and he has no other food at all, just water. He still has a runny bottom and is on medication for this and he wont be offered any other food until this settles down. He has already visibly lost weight so he will be getting some extra goodies when he is better
Our boy needs lots of rest and spends most of his time asleep. We have had a short walk in the evening yesterday, just round the block and then this morning we went to the local park by car instead of walking there and he ambled around the edge before hopping back into the car to come back home for a nap. He has seemed to enjoy these short walks so we will keep them up over the next couple of days as he hopefully gets stronger. This morning Tommy came along and he liked going around the edge of the park as well but looked a little confused when we then went back to the car, I’m sure if he could speak he would have said, “Is that it? No games, no running, nothing!â€
Tommy is not proving to be a good nurse, he is confused as to why Stan does not want to play with him and he has to be watched if he is in the same room as Stan as he keeps rushing up to him and jumping on his head! This can’t be very nice when Stan is sleeping so they are being kept apart most of the time for now. Tommy also keeps trtying to pinch the tablets and the poached fish! Boys will be boys….
Yesterday started early with me and Stan leaving for an early morning walkies on our own. This is something we both love and try to do as often as we can and as I was going to be leaving him at home with Cathy and Steven I wanted us to have some special time first.
Stan and I had a great game of ball on the park early in the morning as well as walking around the ponds to see the ducks. It was a nice start to the day.
Then it was home for breakfast of bacon in crusty cobs with added cheese; Stan and Tommy both got a tiny bit of the cheese which they really love before we set off to Just for Pets in Swadlincote to set up Tommy’s tombola stall ready to raise some money for Border Collie Trust and talk to people about the great work they do.
We love going to Just for Pets as they make us feel very welcome and yesterday was no exception! The team there are all really good fun and always smiling and Tommy loves them all. Stan is also a regular visitor to the shop and enjoys his visits as he knows the staff won’t bother him but they will often give him a biscuit, which he secretly likes a lot.
Yesterday as well as doing the tombola we spent some time doing doggie teeth cleaning and grooming demos which Tommy enjoyed as he likes to be the centre of attention.
I think it is really important to clean your dogs teeth regularly as this avoids problems in later life. If you do the cleaning regularly they soon get used to it and Stan will now come and sit in front of me with his mouth open when he see the tooth-brush out.
Pet shops sell a variety of tooth pastes and brushes – this is a selection at Just for Pets. We like to used a finger brush and these can be bought for around £3 to £4 or you can get packs which have tooth paste and brushes. You can also buy from your vet who can help with advice if you are worried about your dogs teeth.
Tommy loves having his teeth cleaned as he likes the taste of the tooth paste – it’s fish flavour rather than minty fresh like human versions – by the way human tooth paste is not good for dogs and cats.
As we started cleaning Tommy’s teeth when he was so young it was very easy to get him used to it – Stan was a bit more of a challenge but by giving his teeth a very brief clean everyday he soon got used to it – he also loves the taste of the fishy tooth paste – luckily it does not leave a fish smell on his breath which is sweet-smelling due to his extra clean teeth.
Tommy also had a nice brushing while we at Just for Pets and people were surprised how much fur we removed by brushing him with a furminator – these are great at reducing the amount of dog hair spread around your home as they remove loose fur very well. I also use a bristly brush which left him nice and shiny.
We set up outside in the sunshine and met lots of lovely people – many of whom went away happy as they won a prize in Tommy’s tombola. Despite the time of year the weather was great and we got top ups to our tans
The friendly team at Just for Pets nipped out into the sunshine to spend a bt of time with Tommy.
Tommy thought it was a bit too warm so he went inside to help Sue out on the till….
Tommy gets some till training from Sue
Then Tommy relaxed in his shady den while we ate a picnic in the sunshine…
The door to his crate was left open but as it was nice and shady and there was a tasty dog chew Tommy saw no need to come out and join us! He loves his crate and often settles down for a rest in there.
Later we headed home where Stan was waiting for me. The great day got even better as Stan reverted to lap dog mode and snuggled up with me on the sofa for a nap while Tommy slept on the rug close by.
Later we headed off out for a long walk with both dogs and Ged had a great game with Stan chasing balls in the field while Tommy and I practiced sitting nicely and recall.
With tired dogs again we headed home to slob in front of the TV and eat pizza cooked by Ged and Cathy. All in all a great Saturday!
My lovely boys!
Well we got up this morning and the leak in the sky may have been plugged – still a few clouds in the distance but IT IS NOT RAINING and even better THE SUN IS SHINING. This is great news as I have loads to do today and sunshine makes me feel more energetic and able to rush around and get everything sorted. So here is today’s list -
- Nag Steven into having a shower
- Remember not to walk too far on walkies as should still be resting sore legs – knees still hurt and one is swollen but I’ll live – think walkies is ok but today is not time for a 10 m,ile plus hike!
- Do the ironing (as if this one will get done!!!!)
- Go to cheap clothes shop and buy two orange T shirts for Cathy to turn into works of art – look out for photos in future blog
- Visit Border Collie Trust
- Give Lisa our thunder shirt so she can see if it helps nervous collies
- Cuddle puppies that have arrived, which is an essential task obviously
- Take one of the lovely boys and girls they have there for a walk with Stan, Cathy and Steven – this is good for several reasons – gives socialisation activity to Stan, helps me in my mission to be a thin chocolate lover, keeps teenagers fit and gets them out in the fresh air, should be enjoyable for which ever dog we take out, gives me chance to take photos and video to use in rehoming features about the trust
- Buy new lead for Stan from their excellent selection
- Subscribe to Border Collie World – info on website- quarterly mag; it only costs £10 a year – goes to help support the collies in need
- Do further study on my pet first aid course – this is proving to be VERY good and goes into a lot of depth. There are videos and a manual and it is all explained very simply. Focused mainly on dogs but has fair bit about cats as well and other animals. I am about to study dog cpr! Stan has already helped by having his breathing checked and his pulse taken. He will be helping again soon by being bandaged – look out for the you tube video and blog about that one! The course also helped Border Collie Trust as I used the code “bordercollie†when signing up so I got a discounted price and they got a donation. Click here if you want to try it as well http://t.co/Ri28Pok1
- I have joined the Academy of dog training and behaviour as a student – hoping to gain some formal qualifications in dog behaviour to help the dogs I take on walkies and of course my own special boy and today I want to take a look through the info for the first section of the course which is all about what goes on inside a dogs mind, what they are thinking and how to work them out.
- Sort invoices and get ready for posting so I get paid for articles that have been published recently
- Add latest articles to web site so regular readers can see them
- Do final drafting of features that need to be sent to Dolls House Magazine next week
- Make tea!!!
- Chill out – it is Sunday
Oh and most important – play with Stan – he has been sat staring at me the while time as I type this and clearly wants t0 play ball right now!
There are some dog breeders out there that I would like to get together in one meeting room and have a little chat with – following the little civilised chat I would like to send in a few of my friends, who also do a lot to support rescue dogs, to have another little chat. After we had given them our opinions, very nice and polite as, like most animal lovers, we are kind people…. I will send in the dogs!
The dogs I would send in are the ones they have puppy farmed and sent out into the world unprepared for the lives they are facing. The dogs I would send in are the ones they have sold to owners living in homes that are totally unsuitable for the dog they have chosen. The dogs I would send in are the ones they have sold to people who don’t understand the breed they are looking at and are unable to cope with the realities of sharing their lives with a large, hairy, slobbering, teeth holding, food eating, sofa wreaking, fuss demander.
These dogs could have been happy, loyal and loving pets if they had been prepared for life by caring breeders who know that puppies need a good start. They could have gone through their lives blissfully ignorant of the word “issues†if they had been taken into the right homes with the right people who had been helped to understand what needs their new family member had.
A dog I know… A lovely dog; he lives with a single parent and her 7 year old daughter, in a tiny home with no garden. The mum works hard to support them. She loves the dog. She constantly says – “I never knew it would be hard work.â€Â The dog is like a wound up clock spring when he is taken for his daily half hour walk to the park before being confined to the house for the day. Some breeds could live happily in this home where there is much love and a desire to do what is best both for the people and the dog. This dog is a Springer Spaniel and he cries out for exercise, for a purpose, for something to do. The owner struggles to walk him the short distance to the park on lead as he pulls so much – he is excited and at seven months knows no better, she has not been able to enforce her will on him and no one told her she needed to. His owner is now trying to learn how to handle her dog. He is her first dog and she didn’t know what she was taking on when she got him. I wish her luck, he is already a very nervous and confused boy, as he has no boundaries, but he seems to get told off when he is naughty – he does not know it’s naughty! I see her most days and will help all I can, but the help she needed was months ago when the breeder should have told her that this was not the dog for someone with little time and no space for exercise. The breeder should have explained what would be required and then she would have gone away and chosen another dog another day after some study. The breeder just took her money and handed her a puppy.
A dog I know… A lovely dog; he lives with a young girl and her wheel chair bound dad. He is a long-haired German Shepard cross. He needs time and care. He needs walkies, he needs rules, he needs a strong hand, he needs brushing! She has lots of demands on her time, a full-time job and full-time care for her dad, house work, washing, organisation of carers. The dog is often left home with her dad who can’t control him. The carers who come to help the dad complain, as they are scared of the dog. One day I fear he will bite… then what… we all know the answer! The breeder just took her money and handed her a puppy.
A dog I know… A lovely dog; he lives with an elderly couple who have time on their hands and love to give but little energy. They wanted a border collie, they remembered a neighbour having one when they were bringing up their children. They remembered how obedient the dog was and thought if they had one just like that it would be easy to care for. The chose a puppy with lots of fluffy fur. He was perfect and cuddly. They spent time training him in their small bungalow where he loved the pretty garden. He grew, the garden didn’t, he dug it up when he was bored. He grew and the postman ran. He grew and their tiny grandchildren could no longer visit. They had told the breeder they were not really able to get about much any more but they had a small garden. They showed the breeder pictures of their pocket handkerchief lawn – now a bomb site covered in holes with no grass! The breeder just took their money and handed over a puppy.
Ok so each of these people should have made better decisions. They all took on dogs that did not fit into their lives and those of us who know about dogs would have been telling them that this was not going to work before they even took the dogs home. The first lady with her daughter needed to do some research and perhaps delay having a dog until the family are more settled, they could perhaps have another pet or help out at their local rescue centre to get to know more about dogs and what is required. The young lady with her dad would be a great rescue home for many types of lap dog who could provide company for the dad while she is at work and go out on walks when she comes home. The elderly couple could provide a loving home for one of the many old boys and girls currently in rescue centres who just want a health rung to rest on a dn a hand that strokes.
All three of the dogs could be happy, loyal companions in the right home with the right people. There is nothing wrong with any of the dogs or the people they just don’t match.
Down the road from my home is a lady who seems to live life in the fast lane. She has a big garden with high fences. Her garden has a secure dog run with even higher fences and a shady kennel which is used on the odd occasion she leaves her dog at home alone. She seems to be a fitness fanatic and often runs past us in a blur wearing lycra and posh trainers with her dog attached to her waist with a special lead. She is happy. Her dog is happy. Both have a massive need for exercise and a deep bond. I know when she goes on holiday her German Shepard goes to stay with the breeder she got him from. That breeder didn’t just take her money and hand over a puppy and this dog and owner are well matched.
Breeders who just “take the money†should have to help deal with the consequences – have a look around your local RSPCA shelter and ask yourself where did a lot of those dogs come from? What did those dogs do to get themselves locked up in the rescue centre? Was the crime the dogs? Should the dog be the one behind bars? They are there through the stupidity of humans – these owners were nuts to take on the dogs they selected but the breeders had a responsibility to the pups in their care and should not have allowed this to happen.
I love collies and we had one as a much-loved family pet when I was growing up and my first dog when I left home was a border collie cross. When I got out of the rat race and left my job to work from home as a writer I decided that I would get a dog and I knew that dog must come from a rescue centre for a wide variety of reasons which I will explore in a future article. Of course that dog was going to be a collie and that is where Stan comes in…..
“What do you mean I’m not a cuddly and loveable border collie?†says Stan looking confused.
I fell in love with Stan at the RSPCA in Stretton, when he rushed up to the front of the kennel to get a good look at me, and that was that, he was the dog for me. I still hope to have a collie one day, hopefully as a friend for Stan but for now Stan is my Collie in disguise!
When I do add a second dog to our family that dog will come from The Border Collie Trust in Staffordshire where they rescue and rehome around 400 collies a year across the UK. They really do some brilliant work and need all the help they can get, especially as they receive no local or central government funding, they rely very much on the support of caring members of the public. There are many ways you can help them, visit their website to for more information.
Today I want to share Misty’s story to show that not all rescue dogs come with issues…. In fact she is a well trained, happy and loving dog.
Misty getting to know Ged while Stan looks on.
Misty is six and a half years old and until recently she had a very happy home where she was the much-loved and loyal pet of a wonderful man who I am sure she misses very much. Sadly her owner passed away suddenly and his family were not able to give Misty a home so she came to Border Collie Trust where she is being given lots of cuddles, walks and treats to reassure her but she really just wants a new Dad.
It was poignant that we came to the centre to take Misty out for the afternoon on Father’s Day as what Misty wants most of all is a new Dad. She lived alone with her Dad and while she is very friendly to all humans and although she was very affectionate to me it is clear that she really is a man’s dog. When we took her out walking she was constantly looking to see where my husband Ged was and even when I was the one holding the lead she walked alongside him most of the time.
We picked her up at the centre and went straight to the car where Stan travelled in his crate in the boot while Misty wore a dog seat belt and was put on the back seat. I say she was put on the back seat but it would be fair to say that she put herself on the back seat. Misty is clearly no stranger to car travel and she is used to being on the back seat. We had put the harness that fits to the seat belt on her before going to the car and it was just as well, as, as soon as I opened the car door, she jumped on to the seat immediately and was clearly not prepared to move again! She laid down and relaxed so much that by the time we had got ourselves sorted out, settled in the car and backed out of the parking space she was fast asleep. Despite being only inches away from Stan, who was quiet but excited, she slept until we arrived and parked the car.
Misty loves the car and is a VERY relaxed passenger.
Once we got to Shugborough Hall we put both dogs on a lead and began to explore the estate. This is a great place for dog walking so many new sights, sounds and smells and Stan loves it when we visit.
Misty was nose down investigating the smells in the long grass seconds after getting out of the car while Stan looked on in approval.
As we walked we were pleased to see how well she walked on a lead – we used a 4m extender to give her some freedom and she did go to the full length of the lead most of the time but she seldom pulled. When we walked around busy areas she was happy to be called to heel and stayed there with little encouragement, which made her a pleasure to walk with.
When walking in open fields she tends to prefer walking along the hedges and seems a bit nervous in open areas unless she is close by you.
We met lots of other dog walkers and she was very well-behaved and confident when we passed by, seeming to prefer to walk with us and ignore the other dogs. She did greet a couple and the greetings were friendly.
Misty and Stan were unconcerned – even uninterested – when we passed a field of rare breed cattle with impressive horns. The dogs just wanted to get to the next bit of long grass!
There are lots of farm animals on the estate and she was unconcerned by these.
We also met up with lots of people, she was very friendly and wanted to say hello to adult passers by. She was happy to come away from people as soon as she was asked but she did have a tendency to jump up if you were not ready with a calm word of command. We passed several children and she ignored all of them.
Both dogs stopped, briefly, to take a look at the sheep but neither of them tried to go through the fence and they passed by with no fuss.
Misty is a very loving dog and wants to please – she especially likes to please the men around her.
Misty really loves long grass and happily sniffed around in it for ages.
She loves rolling on her back in grass – just for fun or for a belly rub – she does not seem to mind which but she does REALLY love to do it. She rolled in long grass, in short grass, in grass with flowers… anywhere really
She loved running through the long grass with Stan in hot pursuit – as they remained on leads this meant we had to run as well!
Could you offer Misty a place in your family? Do you know someone who can become her new Dad? I like to think that next Father’s Day she will be running in the long grass with her new Dad….
The only negative I could find about this loving and loyal dog is that in the kennels she can be a little defensive of her food. She is already micro chipped, loves people, is not aggressive at all, gets on well with other dogs and could be homed where there is already a dog or where there are children. She is already neutered. She likes to be clean and rolled in the grass to give her coat a shine. I have brushed her and she loved it, seeming to think it was really a good game with lots of stroking! She is a confident girl who is a pleasure to walk and fun to be with.
To adopt Misty or one of the other lovely collies and collie crosses at The Border Collie Trust you will need to visit the centre in Staffordshire -
The centre is open to visitors 6 days a week
Puppy less than 6 months       £150
Young dog more than 6 months and less than 12 months
Not neutered     £120
Neutered            £150
Adult dog from 12 months less than 6 years
Not neutered     £100
Neutered            £150
Adult dog 6 years plus
Not neutered     £80
Neutered            £100
I really hope she enjoys next Father’s Day with her new Dad.
- Misty just wants to make her person happy – so she needs a person.
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A blog from Stan…..
This is where I intend spending much of today …
My comfy bed
To add a little variety I may move to here…
Nice squishy sofa with fluffy throw.
I may do a bit of this …
I like to watch the gerbils chase around and dig.
If I can find a sun puddle I may even do a bit of this …
I like sunshine but it does not come here often enough!
Mum may have plans that involve long walks, chasing balls, hiking even or a bit of swimming…. she could go on her own perhaps?
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