Letter from Birch & family

Just to let you know that I have settled in very well and am successfully training my new family.  I have made many new friends of all sorts, we have a funny little hen that I have to be careful not to fall over and two friendly rabbits, we talk through the fence but I am not allowed to play with them.   I have to be very careful with my friend Bob as he is very old but there are lots of other dogs around here, I race round the field with Katie and Paddy and have wrestling matches with a large poodle called Ziggy, I like poodles.

I have been boating, I really like sitting on a boat watching all the ducks and things go by and it is great to walk along the canal and jump in the reeds.  I love paddling and I think the perfume in my garden pond is marvelous, but my mistress made me have a bath, she doesn't like badger either, can't think why not.

I am taking my mistress to obedience classes, I think she should do all right in time.  I have been to several dogs shows, it looks great fun, can't wait to start competing, will have to let you know how I get on.

Bye for now, have some holes to dig.

Birch

Letter from Rex (now Max) & family

Hi guys, just a few photos of Max which are so hard to get as he can hear a camera switch on even when he appears fast asleep or is occupied doing something else , then the ears flatten and he manages to sabotage my efforts to get a nice picture. 

The settling in period is coming to an end now, that meek little thing we bought home is disappearing and he is flying up the garden chasing birds, butterflies or the midges flying over the pond . Out on a walk most of the time he is out in front leading the way and from mild apprehension meeting other dogs and people, he is now straining on the lead to play with them (which is a reminder that he probably has selective hearing when it suits him , cos i know he is so focused on them he would not hear me ).

We have had a few problems with food guarding which is totally understandable, but he is getting better with a bit of work, and he has gone from tentatively climbing on the sofa he is now boldly getting up and climbing all over us almost demanding our undivided attention like a naughty toddler.
 
He also pulls our coats off the coat hooks or his bedding into the middle of the room when we go out.  I went to bed before Mick sunday night and lying in the dark felt him appear in the room jump on the bed put his head on the pillow where Mick should be, then not content with that  started pawing me to stroke him, so i guess we can say he has definitely found his feet and testing his boundaries.

regards,
Ann and Mick

Letter from Peggy-Sue & family

All is well. Peggy has had her last jab and microchip. She loves her walks and we have lots of fields around here.
She is now barking after being totally silent when she first came.

She is the most adorable dog.  The only non fan is the cat.  Despite being the top animal, she will act like a kung fu cat up - on 2 legs and waving her claws around whilst spitting!   Quite a sight, but one that Peggy could do without.

Hope that all is well with you and the dog.


With best wishes,
Anne Bowen   

Letter from Mac & family

Dear Sarah and Paul,

We just wanted to say a huge thank you for letting us have our darling Mac. 

Even though he has only been with us for a week it seems like he has been there forever.  When we decided to get another dog as company Cosmo we were all adamant that we would only have a dog that was around the same age (9 months) or up to 2 years at a push, but when Cosmo saw Mac it was obvious that there was an attraction there and we just could not ignore it.  Well, that attraction is still there and Cosmo will lick and cuddle Mac at every possible opportunity.  Mac has been absolutely great, he is so placid and has only got cross with Cosmo a couple of times, which is surprising as all Cosmo does is jump all over him.  It's so lovely to watch him becoming more and more secure in his surroundings with us and he is slowly beginning to play with Cosmo.  He is so well trained too, on Sunday evening he tried to eat Cosmo's food so Alan just gently told him no, he looked at us both and ran straight to Cosmo's bed and wouldn't get out until we told him he could, just need to teach Cosmo the same now!

On Monday afternoon, Lizee and I took the two dogs for a long walk in the woods, along with a friend of mine who has a cocker spaniel, we were a little nervous as we weren't sure how Mac would be, we have brought him a 10 metre training lead but thought he might want to run around in and out of the trees and bushes, but once again he was great, he had a great time with the two dogs and seemed to be very protective over Cosmo and kept jumping in when it seemed that the rough and tumble between Cosmo and his cocker friend was getting too rough.  Of course Mac and Cosmo both had to jump in the stream at the end of the walk so they both went home very wet and very smelly!

Alan and James have been taking the boys over the park every morning and evening and Mac is beginning to make some new friends, he has managed to pull both James and Alan over on several occasions but what can they expect if they throw the frisbee huge distances for him, of course he is going to chase it! Just wish that I had been there to see it.

Mac has also been a constant source of entertainment to little Grace, she sits on the sofa and keeps throwing the ball for Mac who then returns it for her to throw again, she thinks it's wonderful, she can still watch her favourite TV programmes and play with the dog at the same time, unfortunately it's usually Grace that tires first, Mac being a typical collie will never stop playing ball.

Best Wishes
Jane xx

Letter from Brownie (now Rustie) & family

We just thought you would like to know that Brownie (now renamed Rustie) has settled down really well. He went to sleep in the car on the way home, had a little walk, and then ate his supper, and spent the rest of the evening sleeping on the sofa with Ben! He is lying at my feet as I write this, with Blue and Jess close by. He was very good over night, we did not hear a sound from him. We will keep in touch and send photos soon.

Thanks and best wishes 

Fiona and Ben

Letter from Marco Polo & Maggie

Good morning Paul, Sarah and all my friends at Wiccawey's.

Marco here calling to let you know how I'm doing and to say sorry for taking so long to get in touch, truth is I've been so busy settling in and having fun I haven't had much spare time. 

I'm loving it here in Headingley Leeds ,mum keeps me and Bibi the black cat very comfortable and she is always laughing at our games I'm always chasing him but he's too quick for me and always manages to outrun me. I'm just chilling with him on mum's bed now, having been out in the woods since half past seven this morning, the squirrels drive me nuts, I just can't seem to get up the tree's after them.

I've got lots of new friends to play with but my favourites are Blitz the greyhound, Bruce the boxer, Wilma the cocker spaniel and Sprout the Jack russell, but I'm not too keen on Buffy the retriever cos he thinks I'm a girl and just wants to kiss me but he knows when I've had enough. Mum takes me to play with them every afternoon and we play for hours, I have such a good time.

I'm learning to do new things and have lots of toys, I like my frisby, sticks and playing pull it when I'm chilling in the garden which i can do safely in all weathers.  All mum's friends adore me and make a fuss of me whenever I see them.  

We do have some photographs to send you but mum has to find out how to send them on the computer as soon as she does we'll let you have them. Well I think I'm gonna catch some zeds for 10mins whist mum goes in the bath,

Love to you all and thanks for finding me my new home, 
Marco and Maggie.x

Letter from Rex (now Max) & family

Hi Paul and Sarah,

 

just wanted you to know the lovely Max (Rex) sorry about the name change but he didn't mind.,  anyway just to let you both, and Mick and Julia know he is an angel, a very happy and contented boy and is loved to bits.

 

thank you so much for all the good work you all do .

regards

the very happy Oram family.