OWNER Val and Jeff
LIVES DolphinholmeFAMILY NAMES AND AGES Just me and husband Jeff
DOGS NAME BREED AGE
Beau – Border Collie x
(poss with whippet?) – age 7 and Flash – Border Collie – age ... n/k – approx
6?
DID YOU HAVE DOGS WHILST GROWING UP?
Yes – always. We mostly had Boxers, but also had a Pekingese at one time, who came to us because he was a ‘biter’ and was going to be put down.
WHY DID YOU GET A DOG
Couldn’t live in a house without a dog!
DID EVERYBODY IN THE FAMILY WANT A DOG? Yes
HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD YOUR DOG/S?
Beau came to us Jan 2005, Flash joined us Jan 2009
WHERE DID THEY COME FROM WAS YOUR DOG A RESCUE?
Both are rescues. We got Beau, aged about 6 months, from Animal Care, Lancaster. He had gone into rescue just a few days before Christmas – we were told that his previous ‘mum and dad’ had separated and neither could take him. He had really only ever known love and cuddles and not had a tough time at all. Was very scared in kennels though.
Flash was a very different kettle of fish. Got him from Wolfwood rehoming centre – which
is basically the pound – or, rather, the charity which runs the ‘pound’ – any
dogs not reclaimed after their 7 days are up are signed over to the Wolfwood
charity and they then look after them.
He had originally gone in there as a stray and was with them for nearly
a year before they homed him on a local smallholding. Flash was always a fearful dog – and very
‘worky’. He started to do training to be
a working sheepdog, but couldn’t cope with being shouted at, so his owners just
chained him up and left him to his own devices.
One day, a chicken came too close and a bored, frustrated Flash killed
it. After several good hidings he was
returned to Wolfwood, a broken dog – much more fearful than before and prepared
to defend himself if he felt threatened.
Nearly a year later he was still there.
I had started to visit the centre to help exercise the dogs and saw how
much Flash was like Beau in looks. No-one
else was showing any interest in him – he was severely underweight due to
kennel stress. I started to walk him and
asking him to do very basic things like ‘sit’ and ‘paw’. And I saw a little light go on in his head,
as he realised someone was actually communicating with him. The rest, as they say, is history. He’s still very fearful and will only allow
Jeff and myself to touch him really, but he’s a very different dog to the one
who came to live with us.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT SPECIFIC BREEDS THAT
ARE TARGETED AS DANGEROUS?
To be perfectly honest, I’m not sure I’ve ever met any of the breeds
which are actually banned in the UK. I
know that the Pit Bull is considered a dog of excellent temperament by many
people in the USA.
What I find upsetting and annoying is when people see other, perfectly
legal breeds, and call them by the name of one of the banned breeds – eg people
think that Staffordshire Bull Terriers and English Bull Terriers are Pit Bull
Terriers and get hysterical, saying they are banned / should be muzzled etc. All the Staffies and EBTs that I have met have
been absolute cuddle monsters and I was brought up in a houseful of Boxers, so
I love slobbery dogs!
I find the victimisation of certain breeds by the media disgraceful – it
is the Staffy which seems to be getting it at the moment – a few years ago it
was the Dobermann and i wonder which will be next – suspect the Husky or Malamute
as these seem to be the next ‘status’ type dog.
Equally disgraceful is the way in which the DDA is implemented – whereby
a dog which has never harmed anyone and is not a threat, can be seized – and, it does not necessarily have to BE a banned
breed – it just has to be that ‘type’!
It is ludicrous and cruel.
IS HAVING A DOG HOW YOU IMAGINED IT TO BE? Yes
HAVE YOU HAD DOGS BEFORE?
All my life – have never been without a dog for more than about 10 days
at any time.
TELL ME ABOUT THEM
The dogs in the family when I was a child were usually Boxers, but we
also had a Pekingese who we took in because he would have been put to
sleep.
First dog I remember was Ricky – a Boxer. I just remember that he looked like Winston
Churchill. Then we got Butch – another Boxer boy.
He was beautiful but, sadly, he was killed on the road outside the house
when he was only about 2. Another Boxer, Kim, came to us because his ‘mum and dad’ were having a baby and wanted rid of him. I used to dress him up in my nurses uniform! The Pekingese came along while we still had Kim and these two were best buddies. The Peke lost an eye (in a fight with a Great Dane – the Peke started it!) and then lost his sight in the other eye, so was blind. Totally undaunted though, he used to walk along with his head between the boxer’s back legs – using him as a guide dog!
After the Boxers, came ‘my’ first dog of my own – although I was still living at home. This was Kai – a dog from a local farm. His mum was a Springer Spaniel and dad was the Border Collie from the farm next door. I got him on my 16th birthday (1977) and he was with me until November 1990. Stunning dog and incredibly dignified – but a dreadful thief! He’d steal stuff – not only from worksurfaces etc – but also from other people’s kitchens if he could get in! (This was in a rural street, in the days when dogs were allowed a bit more freedom than today!). He never got caught either – or, at least, no-one ever complained about him. And he’d bring his ‘spoils’ home – once he stole a pack of smoked salmon and we could not figure out who, in our street, could afford such luxuries!
WHAT ISSUES (IF ANY) HAVE YOU HAD WITH YOUR
DOG/S?
Flash is the one with issues – he’s very defensive and very suspicious
of people’s motives until he gets to know them very well.
HOW DID YOU CORRECT THEM?
We have used only positive,
reward based methods to try and counter condition him to situations – and a
happy confident Beau has also done wonders for Flashie’s confidence, as he has
seen how much Beau loves people and playing
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER PETS? No
HOW DOES THE DOGS SPEND THEIR DAY?
Mostly with me – I work part time.
We spend a lot of time walking around the countryside here, or down on
the estuary
WHO GENERALLY WALKS THE DOG?
Hubby does the first, short (early) walk about 6.30am on weekdays. I do the 2 longer walks during the week. At weekends we both go out for long walks –
often taking a picnic, when the weather’s ok!WHAT IS THEIR FAVOURITE ACTIVITY?
Beau is ball-obsessed! Flash loves to run and leap over things! He also LOVES to learn things – tricks etc – and we often do little sessions in the garden. They both love activity toys too – things which work their collie brains
WHERE
DOES THEY SLEEP
Wherever they want! Beau sometimes takes himself off to the spare
bedroom and sleeps in there. Flash
prefers to be in our room.
WHO IS
THE DOGS MOSTLY FRIENDLY WITH IN THE
HOUSE?
Beau is a daddy’s boy – Flash tends to stay
close to me
WHAT TIME DO THEY SPEND IN THE HOME WITH
FAMILY MEMBERS?
I spend a lot of time with the dogs – during the week it’s just me and
them for most of the time. Evenings and
weekends, it’s both me and hubby who play / walk them. Beau travels really badly, so if we go away
for weekends or on holidays, he tends to stay behind with friends on their farm
– but Flashie comes with us to our holiday cottages. It’s also very good for him to have a bit of
time away from Beau, as it helps him to gain confidence to do stuff on his own
and not just hide behind or get pushed out by Beau.
TELL ME A FUNNY INCIDENT INVOLVING YOUR DOG
Jeff works at Myerscough College and, when we just had Beau, he used to
go to work with Jeff and spend his days in the Animal Care offices, being
spoiled by the students – and, occasionally, used as a ‘tool’ in classes /
assessments. One day, there was a
student being assessed on basic dog handling.
Her assessor was also being assessed by another assessor. All the student had to do was open a crate,
put a leash on the dog in the crate, bring the dog out and take it for a short
walk. They decided to use Beau as he is
so people orientated.
The student opened the crate, put a leash on Beau ... but Beau took one
look at the assessor with her clipboard – and the assessor’s assessor with HER
clipboard ... and refused to come out of the crate!
The student tugged and tugged to no avail. She failed her assessment. But the assessor also failed HER assessment
too, for not stepping in and helping the student before Beau got more
upset! Very embarrassing but also very funny!
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW DOG OWNER/OR
PEOPLE THINKING OF HAVING A DOG?
Be very sure that you want a dog.
A dog is not a toy and not a disposable item. He/she will live (hopefully) for at least 12
years. You must be prepared to commit to
him or her and to understand that he / she will impact heavily on your family
lives. He is an animal who is trying to
make sense of living in a world built by us, for us. You have invited him into your home,
therefore it is right and proper that you make him welcome. He will be a devoted friend but - He will
make a degree of mess. He will probably
cause some damage. He needs to learn
what you want him to do – he’s not born ‘knowing’ what ‘Sit’ or ‘Stay’
means. Shouting will frighten him – he’s
not out to dominate the world, just to understand what you want. Make learning fun for him. He will need exercising every day. As well as that, he needs company and mental
stimulation. His food costs money and he
will, over the course of his life have accidents and illnesses which will cost
more money. He may have behavioural
problems – most of which can be helped – but they take time and expert
knowledge – and patience. He must be kept safe from harm and not allowed to
stray.
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