Wednesday 29 February 2012

Holly and Ollie





OWNER NAME  Lesley and Glen

LIVES  Barrow

FAMILY NAMES AND AGES  Matthew 17

DOG/S Holly 2, Ollie 2 both King Charles Cavaliers

DID YOU HAVE DOGS WHILST GROWING UP?

Yes.  We had a Jack Russell, Pip, we had him until he was 17 yrs old.  He was a great family dog and wandered about.  In the old days dogs could do that, you could just let them out.

WHY DID YOU GET A DOG

We got broken into in our first house. So we got one for security initially which was a Boxer. 

DID EVERYBODY IN THE FAMILY WANT A DOG?

Everybody was happy to have dogs.   

 HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD YOUR DOG/S?

Ollie about 7 months and Holly about 3 months.

WHERE DID THEY COME FROM? WAS YOUR DOG A RESCUE?

Ollie is a rescue.

TELL ME ABOUT IT
Alcoholics had him locked up in a caravan, he was beat up. The dog warden had gone and taken him off them.  The previous owner had even asked for it back but they were mistreating him.




WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT SPECIFIC BREEDS THAT ARE TARGETED AS DANGEROUS?

I think a dog is only as good as his owner.  If you bring them up right then there is no problem. 

IS HAVING A DOG HOW YOU IMAGINED IT TO BE?

Yes I was under no illusions with what is involved.

HAVE YOU HAD DOGS BEFORE?

I mentioned we got a Boxer, it turned out to be vicious.  It went for my niece who was about six at the time.  We had to put it to sleep.  It turned out he had a brain tumour.  Which explained the behaviour!

Then we found about some Shah Pei’s, they were living in a hovel.  We had to have him.  Chang was about three months old and we had him until he was nearly 16.  We then didn’t have a dog for a few months and I really missed having a dog. Then we got a dog.  We got contacted about Ollie in the kennels.  We went to see him. He was terrified! He would not come forward in the cage.  He eventually took to me.  We then contacted Helen at Diamond in the Woof to work with him. She helped build his confidence up.  Using clicker and treat training.  Then we got Holly and that turned him around all together.  Holly came from a little small holding.  They had two other dogs, a Newfoundland and a Black Labrador.  She was getting bullied by these other dogs.  Pauline at Scruffy2Fluffy let me know about the situation.  It was like they were meant to be.

TELL ME ABOUT THEM

They are real pets. We love them to bits.  They are so playful and they love each other which is fab.  They even sleep in the same bed.

WHAT ISSUES HAVE YOU HAD WITH YOUR DOGS?

None we have been lucky!



DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER PETS?

Turtles, fish and a hamster.  The dogs don’t even notice them.

HOW DOES THE DOG SPEND HER/HIS DAY?

They love to walk anywhere but they love the beach best of all.

WHO GENERALLY WALKS THE DOG?

Glen and myself mainly but Matty and Tasha, his girlfriend, on occasions.

WHAT IS THEIR FAVOURITE ACTIVITY?

They love to chase each other around the beach.

WHERE DOES HE/SHE SLEEP?

They both share the cage or the big bed.                        

WHO IS THE DOG MOSTLY FRIENDLY WITH  IN THE HOUSE?

Ollie stays with me (Lesley) mostly.  Holly is with anyone who will cuddle her.

WHAT TIME DOES HE/SHE SPEND IN THE HOME WITH FAMILY MEMBERS?

They have someone here most of the time.  They are not often left alone.

TELL ME A FUNNY INCIDENT INVOLVING YOUR DOGS

We love it when poor Ollie has a chew.  He looks the other way and Holly pinches it and he gets confused as to where it has gone!



WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW DOG OWNER/OR PEOPLE THINKING OF HAVING A DOG?

Just to make sure that they know that it is not an easy thing.  Understand how work is involved.  I don’t think ppl realise just what hard work they are.  They are very good company but do need walking and feeding, brushing and playing with.  It is like having children.




Monday 20 February 2012

Jayne and Dane





OWNERS NAME  Jayne and Dane

LIVES  Barrow

FAMILY NAMES AND AGES Cole 17 years

DOGS   Northern Inuit:

Spirit Walker Quanah,aka, Sky 3,

Spirit Walker Sioux,aka, Roxy 5,

Tupilek Lightening Mushka, aka, Lightening 4 ,

Laurian Shilah Flames of Eternity, aka, Shilah 16 months,

Lucky loo, aka, Lucy Black  Lab X Springer 8 yrs.

DID YOU HAVE DOGS WHILST GROWING UP?

Yes. My step dad was like me and bring any pet home.  Hares, birds, cats and dogs.  We grew up down near the docks so we were always bringing something home. When were little my grandad bred Rough Collies.  So that was our first dogs when I was a baby.  Roger and Lady, they lived until they were really old. Jem, we got from a farm on Old Bank Lane. He was a Border Collie and lived until he was 15. 

Midge, a Border Collie, he died a little bit younger than Jem.  We had an English Bull Terrier, Nelson.  He was not socialable.  He could rip a dog apart given a chance. It was given to us and we were not sure if it was fighting dog first.  Eventually he was stolen and police would not give it us back.

We had a Doberman, he was huge we had him for a short while.  I think he was half great dane.  We never had little dogs. 

WHY DID YOU GET A DOG

I always had dogs and I really want dogs around me.  When I moved into my own place I had a dog, didn’t have a cooker but I had a dog. 

DID EVERYBODY IN THE FAMILY WANT A DOG?

Dane was really good. He had never had a dog growing up yet now he gets up and takes them out early morning.  We did not ask Cole.  He was used to having dogs so he was fine.



WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT SPECIFIC BREEDS THAT ARE TARGETED AS DANGEROUS?

I think the dangerous dogs act is used and abused by people that want it to fit the needs of what they are out to achieve, the dogs should be set on their own merit, and judged as an individual dog not the breed.  


IS HAVING A DOG HOW YOU IMAGINED IT TO BE?

Yes, dogs are “man’s best friend” but Northern Inuit dogs no. They are way different to any other dog.  I cannot imagine even being old without a dog.

HAVE YOU HAD DOGS BEFORE?

I had a Border Collie called Cry, got her from someone on Walney.  Had her for about five years.  I had to have her put to sleep when I was pregnant with Cole, she had a bad problem with children and I knew at the time finding a home would have been impossible, this was very hard for me to do, but I think given her problem the right thing. Shady, my other Border Collie, he was four, I rehomed him and he lived until he was 17 yrs!

Doe-dee, Border Collie, got her at 5 weeks off someone in Ormsgill.  She was named Doe-dee cos Cole had a dummy.  Later on there was a woman outside my house and she had a puppy and was saying she could not take the dog home as it would get beaten by her husband so I said I would take it.  Cassie, a Border Collie cross,  we had her until she was 13.  Doe-dee died when she 12.

After Cassie died, I was looking for another dog, I had spotted one at the kennels but when I went back to get it had gone.  Someone I work with was looking to re-home his dog.  He brought him to mine to look at him. Lightening came through the door like a headless chicken and I thought omg and then over the next few weeks we had him in dribs and drabs to get used to him.  We eventually took him on. He was really unsocialised.  

My brother stayed with us for while and brought his dog Lucy.  After he left we kept Lucy, she is a Black Labrador , Springer cross.  We moved house and was looking for a pup.  We spotted Shilah on facebook via the breeder.  We picked her, paid the deposit.  We then went to Newcastle to get her.  On a breeders facebook we spotted someone who was needing to re-home his dogs together.  He was moving to New Zealand.  He wanted a really good home.  He came up from Chester to do a home check, and chose us because we were concerned for the dogs health etc and not about the breeding and papers.  He drove up, bringing the dogs to meet us.  We went on a walk with all the dogs together.  They got on great.



WHAT ISSUES (IF ANY) HAVE YOU HAD WITH YOUR DOG/S?

Northern Inuits, They are very confidant dogs. They tend not to listen some of the time, they are known for their bad recall. They have no sense of personal space with humans or other dogs.  They have a problem with aggression; they don’t have it in them and are so overly friendly. This means they will bound over to other dogs without thinking if the dog is friendly or not.  They suffer badly from separation anxiety. Shilah would eat the house and howl every time we left her, she is getting better but we have slip ups now and again.



HOW DID YOU CORRECT THEM?

They are very good with recall, we work with treats so they come because they get a treat, they can switch off sometimes so with the over friendliness we tend to get hold of two of them while out on walk, so they all cannot be over friendly with other people’s dogs.  It can overwhelming to have 4 extra-large breeds run up to another dog and be intimidating.

DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER PETS?  

Two cats, Mabel and Marble, both 7.  The cats get on ok with the older dogs not so well with the new two ones, but we are getting there.

HOW DOES THE DOG SPEND HER/HIS DAY?

Our dogs are walked every week day morning for an hour or so, then home for a raw chicken/duck wings for breakfast. Every night for at least 2-3 hours. Weekend we tend to walk long walks



WHO GENERALLY WALKS THE DOG?

Morning walks are done by myself or dane, alone. Night walks are done by us both and or family members. Weekends myself and Dane.


WHAT IS THEIR FAVOURITE ACTIVITY?.

Hunting, love chasing rabbits or any small animal ( never catch it ). Playing with balls. Chewing anything they should not be chewing ! Digging up the garden.


WHERE DOES HE/SHE SLEEP

My dogs all have beds, but sleep where ever they can.

WHO IS THE DOG MOSTLY FRIENDLY WITH IN THE HOUSE?

Northern Inuits are over friendly with everyone, and everytime you walk in the room its like you have been gone for months. So the answer is everyone.



WHAT TIME DOES THEY SPEND IN THE HOME WITH FAMILY MEMBERS?

There is only a few hours a couple of days a week my dog are without human company as they suffer with separation anxiety, and don’t like being left.

Our dogs live indoors but have a large garden to play in but never really do as we are out with them and mostly when inside they sleep.

TELL ME A FUNNY INCIDENT INVOLVING YOUR DOG.

Walking back home from beach the way we came and over the hill to find the field we were in, was now full of large cows and a bull.  They were not happy with us being in their field. They took one look at us and the dogs and charged at us, myself, my brother and Dane all ran.  It was like a Benny Hill film. Very scary at the time running for your life but we laughed so much after it was over!




WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW DOG OWNER/OR PEOPLE THINKING OF HAVING A DOG?

Check out rescue centres first.  You find these are most loving dogs, everyone makes the mistake of thinking they all have problems, when most of the time the only problem they had was their last owner.  Then the breed you might be interested in, make sure the breed fits your life and what would you do if your life changed, would a dog still fit in your life?  Think that this dog could be with you for 10-15 years and can you see your life fitting in with a dog or a dog fitting in with your life?  Can you afford a dog?










Thursday 16 February 2012

Taragh and Tyler





OWNER NAMES  Bernie and Rebecca

LIVES  Barrow

FAMILY NAMES AND AGES Shelby 18, James 14

DOGS Taragh 1 year, Tyler 7 months both Yorkshire Terriers

 DID YOU HAVE DOGS WHILST GROWING UP?

(Bernie) We had 4 dogs, 2 Jack Russell Terriers, Sandy and Bruce, for most of my childhood. Bruce was timid but Sandy boisterous. Later on we had a Border Collie called Glitter. He knew exactly what time we finished school and would jump the wall and wait for us.  We had him for about 5 yrs. Then we got a Labrador cross also called Bruce who lived until he was 5.  He ended up being poisoned.  Brandy a Yorkie came along when I was about 15.  He was my baby. He would get up on the table and let me comb him and would wait there until I told him he was handsome. We also got Whisky, another Yorkie too but he caught pneumonia after being caught in the rain.

(Rebecca) No. I was very scared of dogs. There used to be a big dog at the top of the hill that would wait for me and chase me. 

(Shelby) Trixie and Farrell. Trixie was a Pomeranian, Farrell was a Yorkshire Terrier. Trixie was like a bundle of joy who bounced about the place.  Farrell was a more like a lap dog, he would come near for heat. 

WHY DID YOU GET A DOG?

(Bernie) Trixie was meant to be an anniversary present but I ended getting her myself.  I wanted the kids to have a dog growing up. 

DID EVERYBODY IN THE FAMILY WANT A DOG?

Yes. Shelby was not happy at first as no one could go near as she was my dog.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD YOUR DOGS?

Taragh about 10 months, Tyler 4 months

WHERE DID HE/SHE COME FROM

Bought her from an advert on Seek and Sell. Tyler from Cumbria Dogs and Studs.



WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT SPECIFIC BREEDS THAT ARE TARGETED AS DANGEROUS?

(Rebecca) I do not think it is the dog but the owners.  Although I would be the first to move away if I saw a Staffy off the lead.  I do not agree with these specific breed tests.

(Bernie) I truly believe it is the owner and not the breed.  If you were in a household where dogs run riot they....riot.

IS HAVING A DOG HOW YOU IMAGINED IT TO BE?

(Bernie) Each dog is different. When you are a kid you don’t have the hassle of training. 

(Rebecca) I work 60 hrs a week, so the dogs keep Bernie company.

HAVE YOU HAD DOGS BEFORE?

When Trixie was about 4. My mam came home to Ireland and bought Keira, I ended up looking after Keira.  My partner fell in love with Farrell, when she was with my mam buying keira.  Farrell was very possessive.  Unfortunately they soon died, Farrell died about 2.  I came down one morning and he was in his bed. He looked like he had died from a seizure.  Trixie was 7, she had developed a heart murmur and died in my arms. 

Before Trixie died Shelby had Rebel given on her 13 birthday from her Nan. Rebel was a Short Bearded Terrier.  He was absolutely adorable and loved cuddles. He was not keen on men though.

Then there was Xena, James found her at the back of an empty house. She was Rottweiler Cross Border Collie, she had beautiful markings.  She was only a few weeks old. 

Dakota, she was born next door.  Next door dogs were outdoor dogs. We think Rebel got in next door and mated with them.  It was a very cold winter and we advised the neighbour to bring them in as they were freezing to death. We forcibly took Dakota off them when the other pups died. She was a little shit. She was into everything. Dakota and Xena did not get on so we had Rebel and Xena outside. One night about 6 months after getting her.  Rebecca went outside for a fag.  A dog went past me and into the house.  We shooed him out but he stayed nearby so eventually we let him because it was so cold.  In the morning we let him out to find his owner. Vinnie never left.

Then we made the decision to move back to the UK. Dakota and Vinnie were re-homed together.  Rebel and Xena were rehomed via the shelter and Pets At Home. 

(Rebecca) When I was 17 just before going to Ireland I had Murphy the Akita.  He was meant to come over to Ireland with me but my dad ended up keeping him.  He still lives there now!

WHAT ISSUES (IF ANY) HAVE YOU HAD WITH YOUR DOG/S?

Taragh was completely house trained until Tyler came along and she forgot.  Now Tyler is trained she still does not like to go out.



HOW DID YOU CORRECT THEM?

Keeping up on them. Take them out at every opportunity.

DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER PETS?

(James) Two Hamsters, brown one is called Speedy, white one Terence.  The dogs do not really notice them. 

(Rebecca) They get on quite well with my sisters dog.  It is great socialisation for them.

HOW DOES THE DOG SPEND HER/HIS DAY?

(Bernie) Tyler constantly plays, Taragh looks for any opportunity to go to bed. Tyler has a mad 5 mins at midnight, sprinting around the house.

(Rebecca) We get up and they have brekkie, play, take a walk to the park. Bernie will take Taragh to work to put the old lady to bed.  They eat little and often as they graze all day. They go to bed when we go to bed.  They snuggle up with us watching tv. Taragh is more needy, Tyler not too much.

WHO GENERALLY WALKS THE DOG?

(Rebecca) Depends on our work hours, if it is one of us we will take them up town, if we are together then we will go to the park. The kids often walk Murphy for my dad .




WHAT IS THEIR FAVOURITE ACTIVITY?

(Bernie) Taragh loves a bath.  Likes being warm.  Tyler will do anything where he can chew and play. Cardboard, flip flop...you name it!

WHERE DOES HE/SHE SLEEP? 

They do have a pen.  If it is cold they sleep on our bed.

WHAT TIME DOES HE/SHE SPEND IN THE HOME WITH FAMILY MEMBERS?

 Us during the day

TELL ME A FUNNY INCIDENT INVOLVING YOUR DOG

Took them both to the beach, we let them off the lead and Tyler ran for the sea, she followed him, we were worried. She was loving it, she came out dripping and cold.

On the Piel island ferry boat Yaragh yapping her head off at the water.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW DOG OWNER/OR PEOPLE THINKING OF HAVING A DOG?

(Rebecca) Do it.  It costs nothing to walk them.  As a dog walker you meet people and get out and about. Although going back to Staffys I think that has what happened with them is they have became a status symbol for some people which is not right.

(Bernie) You have no business to get one unless you put in the commitment.








Monday 13 February 2012

Ticarna and Farah







OWNER  Farah and Richard

LIVES Newton-in-Furness

DOG NAME Ticarna

BREED Staffy Cross

AGE 1 year old

DID YOU HAVE DOGS WHILST GROWING UP?

Yes. Mickey was a Black Lab Collie cross.  He was my sister’s dog.  He lived until he was about 15 years old. 

WHY DID YOU GET A DOG?

I got Paddy when I was 15 years old.  He is a Black Labrador.  I wanted to have my own dog that I could train up from scratch.

DID EVERYBODY IN THE FAMILY WANT A DOG?

Yes, everybody wanted Paddy.  Not so much the dogs that came along later.  Paddy is 15 years old in December.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD YOUR DOG?

I have had Ticarna about a year now.  Had her since she was a puppy.



WHERE DID SHE COME FROM?        

A client of mine who I trained security dogs for.  Bought her sister, I fell in love with that dog so my client said there is one left and it was chocolate.  I wanted that colour.  I then spoke to the breeder.                                                                                                                 

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT SPECIFIC BREEDS THAT ARE TARGETED AS DANGEROUS?

Its racial profiling, which is wrong.  It is illegal to do it with humans yet it is legal to do it with dogs.  Any dog has the potential to be dangerous, it is just how they are bred and raised at the end of the day.  The owners should be targeted, not specific breeds of dogs.  No dangerous dog’s just dangerous owners!


IS HAVING A DOG HOW YOU IMAGINED IT TO BE?

Yes and much, much more.

HAVE YOU HAD DOGS BEFORE? Yes

TELL ME ABOUT THEM

I got Kiki, a German Shepherd, bred by Merseyside Police.  Then we rescued Xena, a German Shepherd, she was about a year old and she became my dad’s dog.  Xena died when she was three from cancer. Just before that I got Rosti, he was 9 weeks old, a Belgium Malinois.  He was bred by the Royal Dutch Police.  He is probably one of the best dogs for training I have ever owned. My fiancĂ© and I rescued a Chihuahua cross with Miniature Pinscher too.  Persia was 10 months old at the time.  She has become more Richard’s dogs than mine now.


WHAT ISSUES (IF ANY) HAVE YOU HAD WITH YOUR DOG?

Ticarna spoke her leg at 5 months old.  She broke it playing in the woods.  The vet said because she was small but so stocky that it went against her.  She missed out on vital socialization period.  She was sedated for three months to help the healing. She was then crated for four months to help further healing.  Due to the injury she came up with various issues for example she was becoming small animal and dog aggressive.  She became over protective of us two at night time.




HOW DID YOU CORRECT THEM?

Lots of training and perseverance. She needed to grow up basically.  Socializing her with dogs as much as possible.

DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER PETS?

Two cats and a bird.  I also had a Fell Pony called Magic but he died last year.

HOW DOES THE DOG SPEND HER/HIS DAY?

Ticarna is the laziest dog alive.  She does not like getting up in the mornings. I cannot feed her early on.  Later on about 10 ish take her out training.  We also like to take her out on the hills, it helps her old injury.  Then she might go along with my other dogs on walks, Kiki has a calming influence.  She usually goes to work with me all day.  Training client’s dogs.

WHO GENERALLY WALKS THE DOG?

I usually do because of the training that is needed.

WHAT IS HER FAVOURITE ACTIVITY?

Search work.  Searching for people and articles.

WHERE DOES SHE SLEEP?

She has a crate in our bedroom.

WHO IS THE DOG MOSTLY FRIENDLY WITH IN THE HOUSE?

Richard and I.  She does not have much contact with other people in the house.

WHAT TIME DOES SHE SPEND IN THE HOME WITH FAMILY MEMBERS?

She mainly sleeps and cuddles.  Laziest dog ever. 




TELL ME A FUNNY INCIDENT INVOLVING YOUR DOG

We were in the car with Ticarna at the stables.  Just before getting out I asked her where Aunty Mimi (my sister) was.  Mimi was mucking out one of the stables.  Ticarna jumped out of the car ahead of us to find her.  She ran straight into the stable and got accidently pitch forked in the head!  There were no puncture wounds.  On the vet records it read “...accidently ran into a pitchfork!” The vet said it was a good thing we know you very well or we would have thought you were covering something up!

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW DOG OWNER/OR PEOPLE THINKING OF HAVING A DOG?

Do as much research on the type or breed of dog you want.  Get advice and help from a fully qualified dog trainer.  So when the dog arrives the dog trainer is on hand to help.  Also before thinking about buying a puppy take a look around all the rescues and dogs pounds.  As they are very over run.  You easily find your best friend there!!



READ MORE ABOUT FARAH AS A DOG TRAINER SOON........

Go to her website  www.elitek9s.co.uk


Thursday 9 February 2012

Meg and Danielle







OWNER NAME:  Danielle

LIVES:  Barrow-in-Furness

Dog Names: Meg, Rags and Barney

DOG/S BREED/AGE:

Meg (Springer 8yrs) Rags (Lhasa Apso cross 10yrs) Barney (Scottish Cairn Terrier cross 5yrs)

DID YOU HAVE DOGS WHILST GROWING UP?

Yes I did.  We got them from Ravenglass on a farm as pups.  They were English Pointer cross Welsh Springer Spaniels.  Gus, we had until he was fifteen.  Biff until he was eleven.  He died of mouth cancer.  He was a little swine.  He would have put our Barney in his place.

WHY DID YOU GET A DOG?

I got a dog because they are brill.  You just gotta love them! 

 HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD YOUR DOGS?

Meg I got 2005.  Rags I have had just over a year now. Barney I have had nearly two weeks.

WHERE DID THEY COME FROM?

Meg was from a friend of ours.  She needed rehoming.  Rags came from Animal Concern, Cumbria. Barney came from a rescue centre in Lincolnshire.



TELL ME ABOUT IT

A friend of ours had asthma and it got a lot worse and so she had to re-home her animals, so Meg came to me.  As for Rags, I do not know a lot about his background.  I was told there was a split up and needed to go.  I think there is a lot more to it though.  They did not tell me he was aggressive. Luckily he came to me. I dread the idea that he could have gone to kids.  He would have been put down! Barney was my mam’s but is now living with me because I have the time to train him.


WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT SPECIFIC BREEDS THAT ARE TARGETED AS DANGEROUS?

Basically, any dog that is brought up properly is less dangerous than one than is not! Rags could be classed as more dangerous than some!  It is not the breed, it just some can be seen to do more damage because of the size.  The shorter the jaw the more powerful it is said to be and Bull breeds were bred with short jaws.

IS HAVING A DOG HOW YOU IMAGINED IT TO BE?

I did not really imagine what it would be like.  I just wanted them. I help to train Barney. He is my mam’s dog, he is Scottish-Cairn Terrier cross.  He has aggression issues.

TELL ME ABOUT THEM

Barney has dog on dog aggression.  If he can cannot get to the target of his aggression he will redirect it onto the nearest thing to him, whether it be the dogs he is walking with or the handler.




WHAT ISSUES HAVE YOU HAD WITH YOUR DOG/S?

Meg is a good girl. Not too many issues.  Rags he has food aggression issues.  He is still touch sensitive still. His obedience is very good. 




HOW DID YOU CORRECT THEM?

His food aggression it is still ongoing.  Controlled food and treat time is helping. For the touch issues I have to groom and touch him at different times to get him used to it.  I also take him to dog training classes.

DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER PETS?.

I have three mice. They are called Lola, Edna and Pearl. They are all different colours.  The dogs ignore the mice.  Upstairs I have a gerbil called Rhonda and six African Land Snails. They are called Cooper, Harper, Tango, Lilly, Phoenix and Merlin.  The oldest one is coming up four.  The dogs don’t even notice them!

HOW DO THE DOGS SPEND THEIR DAY?

They go out for a walk twice a day. Morning walk is first thing then come back and have their breakfast.  Then it is relaxation.  Then about 2pm they go out for another walk.  They come in and go to sleep.  The dogs then have their tea at about 4pm. In the evening they either get an interactive toy or training session. Barney has the same routine but with more exercise and training.



WHAT IS THEIR FAVOURITE  ACTIVITY?

Meg is obsessed with the ball.  Whoever has the ball is the most interesting person in the world.  Rags can’t really have toys but he likes bubbles.

WHERE DOES THEY SLEEP

They all sleep next to my bed.                                       

TELL ME A FUNNY INCIDENT INVOLVING YOUR DOG

There was a poo incident. Rags will eat the odd poo!  We were wandering along the field one day on a walk.  Rags noticed a poo and would have eaten it given the chance when Meg came along nearby minding her own business and Rags flew at her being possessive over the poo.  As if to say do not dare eat that poo it is mine!  It was funny! Meg didn’t even want it.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW DOG OWNER/OR PEOPLE THINKING OF HAVING A DOG?

Make sure you think about it properly and that you can provide everything the dog needs. For example, time for training and walks. Make sure you are in the financial position to cover vets bills, grooming costs and good quality food. Research the best type/breed for the family’s energy level. Once everyone is happy, contact a reputable breeder or rescue centre.