Dog Blog-Man's Best Friend probably was conceived a couple of years ago when I was working on a community photographic project with Signal Films with a resulting exhibition at Artgene in Barrow-in-Furness. The project was called 'Traces' and was about Barrow. I had decided to photograph people using a path known as the 'old line'. Once a railway line via the docks but now a nature trail. I particularly liked photographing people and their dogs. I found myself talking to the people about their dogs and asking them to pose more than any other person! Eventually my photographic collage for the resulting exhibition was a mix of people along the path and detail shots of landscape. So the doggy part of it was bypassed. However, the picture I loved the most in the collage is of a man with his little Jack Russell, called Alfie coming ashore from his boat. I kept all the photos of the other people and their dogs too.
I have grown up with dogs all my life and right into my adult life. However, my husband hadn't and had no wish to have a dog. So when we married for the first time in my life I did not live with a dog! He agreed that when we had children and they asked for one I could get one. From the minute Alex was born I was training him to say doggy! Only kidding but when he was three in 2011 I decided the timing was right. I wanted my child to grow up with animals around him and especially dogs. So I was then on the look out for a Jack Russell type, my husband stipulated it had to be a small and smooth coated dog. I was keeping an eye out for a couple of months when the local kennels had a couple in. A small scruffy, very noisy but nervous Jack Russell Terrier cross caught my eye. Next to her was a smooth coated Jack Russell was also very cute. I would have had them both.
A lady had beat me to the choice of one of them though. So I had to sit it out and wait. I was desperate for the scruffy one but would have had any dog to be honest! What was surprising is that although my husband had said he wanted smooth haired dog he actually prefered the scruffy dog. So we both were then concerned we would get the smooth coated one. In reality it did not matter. Although I had stalked the people at the kennels with phone calls making it clear I was really interested in the scruffy dog. On the day I was to find out which one I would get I was in the garden pruning to pass time, in my anxiety I had practically flattened every bush and tree! At 2pm I found out I had the scruffy noisy one! Whoop! Straight to the kennels to pick her up. My life was suddenly all a golden glow!
A lady had beat me to the choice of one of them though. So I had to sit it out and wait. I was desperate for the scruffy one but would have had any dog to be honest! What was surprising is that although my husband had said he wanted smooth haired dog he actually prefered the scruffy dog. So we both were then concerned we would get the smooth coated one. In reality it did not matter. Although I had stalked the people at the kennels with phone calls making it clear I was really interested in the scruffy dog. On the day I was to find out which one I would get I was in the garden pruning to pass time, in my anxiety I had practically flattened every bush and tree! At 2pm I found out I had the scruffy noisy one! Whoop! Straight to the kennels to pick her up. My life was suddenly all a golden glow!
The scruffy Jack Russell Terrier cross is of an age we can only guess at, maybe 5 years old, maybe a cross with a Westie type terrier, was found as a stray on Walney Island with the other dog that was beside her in the kennels. That is all we know. She was thin, her fur was in bad condition and had a skin infection on her back, she was incredibly nervous but immediately very loving and trusting! My son named her Peppa, after Peppa Pig, his fave programme. She has not looked back. My husband instantly loved her too and enjoyed her company and taking her out and about with us. She had a fantastic first Summer with us. Several camping holidays and day trips with family and their dogs. We called her the perfect beer garden dog because she was happy as long as she was with us.
With that lay a problem, we could not leave her safely. Her seperation anxiety was so extreme she would fit. It was very distressing and debilitating. After lots of solution seeking, I tried them all, I decided to get her a companion. My husband was not keen on a second dog understandably, but I knew it would help her. I saw a posting on a Facebook group advertising a a 14 month old male Jack Russell free to a good home. After a few enquiries it turned out that the dog was in a situation intolerable for the dog and the owners. I went to visit him. Loved him. Took Peppa to meet him too and she was fine with him. He was living with two other dogs and the older male just did not like him and was continually fighting with him. I believe there was some other problems involved since he has been living with me, as he is really timid around people too. I took him home on a weeks trial to see how he would fit in. He was already called George, which I liked and coincidentally Peppa Pigs brother is called George. It was fate. He was very timid and nervous of us at first and did not want much petting. He did not want to sit with us at all. Four months on he is a different dog. He insists on flopping on us for cuddles at any time of day, he particulary enjoys resting his head on our shoulders while he nuzzles. Peppa can now be left without fitting, she rarely fits now and if she does it is after extreme excitement in play on the beach.
When anybody gets a dog whether rescue or from puppy there are trials and tribulations along the way and there has been no exception with our two. Now they are settling in with us and enjoying being with us, they do attend training classes for obedience and behaviour and especially socialisation. Their particular issues at the moment is fear of other dogs when walking on the lead. They are hideous, they lunge and scream. So on my journey with various episodes has come much discussion between my husband and I about how to deal with the issues, at times feeling despondant my husband would ask are they worth the bother to us. So I decided to start asking other people about their dogs, what issues have they had and what have they done to correct it. In so learning that we were not alone in our frustration for wanting well balanced dogs. From that then came the idea of the interviews and dog blog. I am genuinely interested in how people came about having their dogs and what they do. Photographing them is a bonus for me. I have picked up a lot tips along the way and made a new circle of doggy friends. From this other projects and opportunities have come my way.
I am continually striving to be a better doggy parent to my two terrorists, I mean terriers! I know its us that need to learn what to do so we can show them. In the home they are fantastic dogs, loving, loyal and very much part of the family and I have no regrets. They are both much loved by all of us. My husband, although he loves them and interacts and cuddles them often, still has misgivings but I think that is because he is not used to being with dogs as yet and understanding doggy ways and I think in a year when we look back we both will recognise very different dogs. Fingers crossed!!
