A to Z blogger challenge, Z is for Zaza

Well we've reached the end of the A to Z blogger challenge and I've only one last dog for you. She's a little girl who went to Rainbow bridge many, many years ago and it's the perfect example of how our love of our dogs never weakens no matter how long they are gone. I'm going to hand over to my lovely sister in law and mother in law now, as they tell you all about their little girl, Zaza. Enjoy!

Z is for Zaza (aka Zaz). Zaz was a white toy poodle who  graced our family for just short of ten years. We had not long lost our previous pet and went to a local poodle breeder to look for a new puppy. We saw puppies first, then the breeder brought us some older dogs to see. We were sat in a room in the kennels. She then brought in about 5 dogs at the same time and Zaz jumped straight up on my lap. I lost my heart, as far as I was concerned the dog had chosen me.  We went off to 'think about it' (buying bowls etc- we already knew the answer!) we went back to get her the next morning. When I collected her we were told that she could be in pup, as she had been used for breeding all of her life. She had never had a litter larger than two, so to the breeder she was not a viable bitch. When we took her home we let her out in the garden and she was afraid to go on the grass- she'd never seen it before. She was supposed to be white but she was covered in the sawdust bedding that the kennels used  and was apricot in colour. We bathed her and she turned white. She was in good condition when she got to her proper colour! Although she wasn't used to getting up onto furniture and people's laps she soon learnt.

Having lived with us for about a month it became obvious that her belly was growing, and two weeks later she gave birth. The first puppy was apricot, then a black one. We didn't expect any more due to her history, and when she passed what we thought was afterbirth it moved! We had a third puppy who was white and measured 5 inches from the tip of her nose to the tip of the tail. She was tiny. They were named after the characters from the Sooty show, Sooty, Sweep and Sue. Zaz was a brilliant mum and her character came out as she got used to us, the older she got the younger she got. One day we were on the beach and she was running and generally going mad, she was going flat out across the sand but didn't see the puddle in the sand till she landed in it and she was really shocked! She was the best dog we ever had. As she grew older we would take the caravan away at weekends, and despite her angelic features managed to escape the caravan on our first outing with her companion Duchess. We were so embarrassed when we got back to the rally to find them both tethered outside the most prim and proper slightly scary lady's caravan. Oh the shame! In her later years she would happily go for a walk short enough  to do her business and that would be it. She would park her bum and refuse to move, unless that is you turned to go home. If you carried her further away so that Duchess got a good walk Zaza would then be happy to walk the whole way back. She thought that she was Queen of the house. She was a sport, having little choice but to take part in 'show jumping' and obstacles put between the kitchen and the sitting room. One day she had a heart attack which she survived, but became less well over a few months and lost her quality of life. We made the decision and she was put to sleep in my arms. The vet buried her in his little pet cemetery, underneath a large oak tree.

By Jean and Lisa a compilation of both of our favourite memories. (Mother and daughter)

if you want to know more about Zaza's breed watch the video below.

A to Z blogger challenge, Y is for Yorkshire terrier

We are nearing the end of our A to Z blogger challenge and I have only two dogs left for you. The first is Lily a lovely little Yorkshire terrier the beloved baby of Carolann Murry. Isn't she beautiful.

Lily is. Pedigree pup and her really cute pedigree name is Brodies' Bumble Bee. She came by this cute name because her breeder had a son called Brodie who loved Lily the most out of all of the pups from her litter and the boy Brodie, thought that her black and tan markings made her look like a little bumble bee. How sweet is that!

Lily was a surprise Christmas gift for Carolann, three and a half years ago, from her son Jon. What an awesome son, to be clear it was not a spur of the moment purchase, Jon was aware that his mum wanted another dog, having lost her lovely collie Dexter in 2009 when he was thirteen.

Lily was an instant hit with Carolann, who says "Lily is a great wee dog with a real sense of fun, she loves chasing birds and butterflies, but wouldn't know what to do with them if she caught one."

Not everyone in the family took to Lily quite so quickly. Carolann's cat, Gloria took longer to get used to Lily, not helped by the fact that Lily tried to rule the roost at first.

Gloria wasn't standing for that though and would push past Lily to get onto Gloria's lap. Carolann keeps an eye on the pair still, because she knows given the chance Lily would boss Gloria about. Carolann says "I love to see them snuggled up together in front of a nice log fire instead of pinching each others biscuits."

Lily is an affectionate little girl who will run up and greet everyone she meets, in order to get cuddles. She also enjoy meeting other doggie friends and has a Yorkie pal called Ava. Who was purchased by Carolann's friend after the ladies daughter feel in love with Lily.

Carolann and Lily live in the country and so Lily spends a lot of time playing in the fields and woods. She also enjoys going to the seaside for a good run, though she won't so much as dip a paw in the water.

Lily sports the Raggamuffin look, as Carolann calls it, because although she doesn't mind a bath, she's not very keen on letting Carolann cut her fur.

Carolann say's "Goes without saying that I adore her, and only wish she and Dexter had known each other, because he was a beautiful gentle and wise old pal, Jon and I still miss him, and he would have adored Lily too."

If you love Lily too and would like to know more about Yorkshire Terriers, watch the video below.

A to Z blogger challenge X is for Xoloitzcuintle

It's time for another A to Z challenge and today I have a rescue that specializes in all types of hairless dogs including the Xoloitzcuintle. Don't ask me how to pronounce that, you can; however, call them Xolo's, for short.

So X is for Xoloitzcuintle and I love, love, love this breed, because A) they are beautiful and B) without them I don't think I ever could have found and X post :)

The rescue who is helping with this post is the awesome Naked K.9 Rescue and via them we have a couple of beautiful little pups looking for their forever homes. First of all, we have Rosebud.

Rosebud is an Xolo x Dachshund.

Rosebud is a survivor of the Orangeburg, SC hoarding case. She has been in rescue for over a year learning to overcome her fears & healing physically from her ordeal. Dogs from hoarding situations are typically very comfortable around other dogs. They generally mistrust or fear people. Rosebud is no exception. However, she is at the point where she is ready to trust people although she may be a little slow to warm up to strangers.

Rosebud's ideal home would have 1 or more other calm, friendly dogs to help her find her way in the new environment. Ideally, she needs an individual owner or a small quiet family with a predictable routine. Also, every member of the family must be committed to earning her trust. She does trust women more easily than men typically. She does much better in a fenced yard when outside so this would be preferable.
Rosebud is crate trained. She is also pee pad trained. She is mostly potty trained but will have an occasional accident as she has not yet learned a way to alert when she has to go outside. 
Rosebud is very food motivated & intelligent. She would do well in obedience. I have started clicker training with her. She loves toys, especially ones that squeak. She also loves nylabones. She has grown to love car rides. She is still somewhat skittish on the leash the farther she gets away from home. This is the last big fear she is still working on but I have every confidence that she will be successful and will learn to love walks as much as car rides. She loves belly rubs & butt scratches. She grunts when you hit the right spot. She responds well to her name. She knows 'sit' & 'beg'. She can develop a tendency to guard her resources because of where she came from. I can provide strategies to keep her in line!

To learn more about Rosebud click here. 

The second little lovely looking for a home is Jake . 

Jake is altered and up to date on his vaccinations. DOB May 18, 2010.Jake arrived in Nova Scotia on Dec 28, 2013 and is presently being fostered in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. He is a good boy who likes to sit on your lap and be cuddled. He likes to play by rolling around and taking your hand in his mouth and he doesn't like to share his space with other dogs. He is a hairless cc with only a few sprigs of hair on his forehead. He is mostly brown with some white on his feet.He is small but his legs are long which means he can run really fast. He is healthy and has very soft skin with some blackheads on the back of his neck. I use coconut oil after his bath. His ears stick out like a bat and has brown eyes. Jake is house trained but uses pee pads on cold days, especially if there is snow on the ground. He is moderately active and loves to curl up in front of the wood stove also enjoys going for car rides. He is very smart and food motivated. I do not feed him with the other dogs. I think he would do best with an older couple who are retired or in a home with older children. He walks good on a leash and loves to run in a fenced in area. He also likes to stay close to his humans and bonded with us within 24 hours. Jake is a little fearful of men but soon warms up, especially if treats are involved. He is a real MOMMA"S BOY. He is quiet unless you think he is going to sleep in a crate. He would scream and holler all night if you didn't let him snuggle in your bed, under the blankets with your hand on his head. He never moves all night. I crate him when we go out and he is ok with that, except he doesn't like the other dogs looking in the crate at him. Jake is a very affectionate and loving little boy, whoever opens their heart and gives this little fellow, his furever home will be greatly rewarded. A home with older kids or someone who is retired would make Jake, one happy boy. I would not place him with young children because he can be territorial around food and when sitting with his human.

More about Jake

Good with Dogs, Good with Older/Considerate Kids Only, Does Good in the Car, Leashtrained, Likes to play with toys, Likes to be in your lap, Prefers warm climate, Playful, Affectionate, Eager To Please, Intelligent

To learn more about Jake Click here. 

to learn more about the Xolo watch the video below. 

A to Z blogger challenge, W is for Weirmaraner x

I've got up early today to get my W post done and up in order to end the long and torturous wait that getting to the letter W has been for the mummy of our W dog. So I hope the wait was worth while Heather, because today is W day and....

W is for Weirmaraner x Springer Spaniel, represented by the beautiful Bella, thanks to the lovely Heather Caesar-Gordon.

Meet Bella everyone:

 Isn't she adorable, WARNING!!! she is so frigging cute you may get photo overload today. :)

 Bella is 2 years and 7 months old. Sam (Larry's mummy), Heather and I all got our pups around the same time so it has been so much fun watching them all grow into the big babies we have now. Massive in Sammy's case as Larry is a very big boy.

Bella was a very happy accident, as her litter was not planned. Fate is awesome sometimes isn't it. :)

She is a timid girl, who is slow to trust new people; however, once she gets to know you, you need to prepare for the cuddles because Bella really loves a good cuddle. She isn't hard to win over either, a few treats and a bit of love and she'll adore you.

The same holds true when it comes to other dogs. Timid at first but once her confidence around them has built she loves to run and play and when Bella runs, wow!! this girl has speed. So far Heather has only met one dog who can outrun her and that was a whippet cross.

Heather tell's me that as a puppy, Bella was often mistaken for a chocolate lab, at least before she lost her 'puppy fat' after which, people started to assume she was a pointer, but as you already know she is in fact a Weirmaraner x Springer Spaniel.

Bella loves her toys, especially balls; however, she is not so keen on giving them back! I know someone else like that lol.

She also gets to go our for a pack walk once a week, with a dog walker. To help with socialization. I could do with one of them for Ludo, he is so nervous of other dogs since he was rushed on by a big Alsation and it's staffie friend, so, I think like Bella he would love and benefit from a pack walk. Any who, Heather has been told by the dog walker that Bella is one of the most obedient dogs she has walked. Awww I bet Heather was a very proud mummy when she heard that and Bella is good, her recall is great and she loves to do tricks.
Heather says, "If you  ask her to sit on a walk and she knows you have treats she will literally perform every trick she knows, one after the other really fast to get the treat!"

Bella adores treats and there is no real favourite, she loves them all. Heather say's Bella "thinks with her stomach." and one of her slightly more strange treats that she enjoys, is Carrots!

Bella is lucky to still get to spend time with one of her doggie family members, as her sister lives with Heathers own mum. Despite coming from the same litter Bella and her sister are very different. Not only in personality but looks too; however, both are fast and adore their cuddles.

Bella's biggest hate comes in a very familiar and often loathed figure, the vet. A trip to the vets doesn't start in misery however, as Bella get's very excited about going into the waiting room, having learned that this is a guaranteed treat receiving area.  She will jump up at the desk and will not stop staring at the receptionist until she gets her beloved treat, but as soon as the vet calls her in, everything changes and Bella tries to make a run for it. Heather think's this is due to the amount of times she was prodded and poked when she was a puppy as poor Bella had numerous UTI's and a phantom pregnancy all before she was 9 months old. Bless her.

So you've met Bella, now it's time to meet her breeds. Enjoy!

Weirmaraner 

Springer Spaniel

A to Z blogger challenge, V is for Vet

image source 

I've had lots of special post for you lately and this one is no different. My lovely sister in law while helping me figure out what to do for each letter, suggested Vet for V and asked if I would like her to write the post. She was so keen that of course I said yes. So today we have a guest poster my lovely sister in law, Lisa Solheim doing V for Vet. Enjoy! It's brilliant too, well done Lisa.

V is for Vet, or V E T as you may call them when your prized pooch is within earshot. Believe me, the 'vet' word is as well understood as 'walkies' and 'treats'. I wish I had a pound for every time I've seen a dog at the vets park his bum and refuse to enter the consultation room, with owner pulling dog in by collar and lead, yet when that door re-opens it's always the dog towing it's human out! Visits to the vet start from early days with vaccinations, advice about worming and flea treatment, right down to how to give your dog a pill. Well, all I can say is at least with a dog it's not usually the same palaver as giving a pill to a cat! Throughout our adventures with our four footed friends the vet is the one who remains calm in a crisis, fosters hope when all seems to be lost, administers treatment to ease aches, pains and through all this is still seen by canines as being the worst in the world. We cherish the time that we have with our four pawed furry family members, but inevitably the time comes when we must part, my mind likes the idea of meeting again over the rainbow bridge. In keeping a pet we are able to offer more humanity and dignity than we are to our human counterparts. We know when time draws close and in knowing this together with the vet we are able to give our animals a blessed release from any pain or suffering that has come from age or accident. A vet I know chose this career as he thought that being a doctor would be to easy! He said that people can speak and describe their symptoms and illness whereas animals can not. By listening to the owner, and to the story that the animal tells whilst being examined allows him to solve the cryptic clues of diagnosis along with other tools to ensure the healthiest way forward for our pet. Although our dogs may think that a visit to the vet is always bad news, us humans know that he is an indispensable part of our pets lives.

A to Z blogger challenge, U is for Urgent Appeal for help!

Today, I am appealing to all of my readers in the UK, to help save this beautiful girl Tilly.

 Tilly is currently located in Botosani Public Shelter in Romania, where she is in very serious danger. Not only of being put to sleep, but of being beaten and even starved.

Tilly is a Border Collie, who is estimated to be around 2 years old and she is in need of a loving, forever home or a foster home. All cost to bring Tilly to the UK have been raised, so all you need to do, if you are interested in helping, is provide a place for her to come and stay in the UK, either predominately or temporarily until that forever home can be found.  She will be spayed, all her paper work will be sorted and all costs for transport will be covered. She just needs a home in the UK that she can go too. 

Tilly was once someone pet, so she has come from a home previously. She is incredibly gentle and sweet; however, the longer she is in the shelter, the more it will break her. The sooner we can get Tilly into a home the less risk there will be of her become afraid and depressed.
So please, if you can foster Tilly until a forever home can be found or give her that forever home. Please, please visit the Save Tilly the Collie page and let them know. If you can't offer a home but want to spread the word about Tilly you can also head to her page and start sharing the pictures and info for her in the hopes that someone you know may be able to help. I am appealing to UK people here because I am not sure if she can also be sent to other countries; however, if you are in another country and want to help it may be a good idea to head over to the page too, to see if that is possible.

Thank you Joss xx

A to Z blogger challenge, T is for Tinker

Throughout this doggie themed A to Z challenge, I have featured dogs, who have sadly departed for the rainbow bridge and today I have another of those wonderful dogs for you.

Meet Tinker.

Tinker was a beautiful little Rottie, who's life, sadly was far shorter than it ought to have been and who has left behind a very heartbroken Richard Bell who kindly offered Tinker up for our letter T. I am a huge fan of Rottie's and know how hard it can be to lose one young. So I am over the moon to have Tinker here on the blog. 

Tinker was a timid little girl when it came to new people and would hide behind Richards legs, where she clearly felt very safe and secure; however, when it came to her pack of Collie friends and their protection, nothing was to scary. 

Despite her longing to protect her Collie friends Tinker resided at the bottom of the pack, a pack that consisted in her eye's solely of Collie dogs, because Tinker firmly believed that despite her clear differences

she was indeed a Collie. Even if she couldn't quite match their speed for even five minutes.

                 

Tinker was at her happiest when she was outside chasing her Kong, or getting copious amounts of belly rubs. 

Despite being an adorable little girl, she had one habit that made the idea of Tinker Kisses less than appealing. She loved to eat her own poo, which led to the nickname poop face. She did have standards though, only her own poo was deemed edible. :) She also liked to indulge in some window licking. Weird? or perhaps she was just trying to be helpful and give them a clean. Who knows? Regardless, this little girl was adorable and very much loved by her family. 

R.I.P little girl, you are greatly missed and where taken far to soon. 

If you want to know more about Rottweiler's, you can watch the video below. 

A to Z blogger challenge, S is for Stop and think.

It's another day and that means it's time for another A to Z challenge, this time the letter S. I was going to do Springer Spaniels for S, but they I decided to do Stop and think instead. Why? Because I think it is something so many of us fail to do, when it comes to dogs.

So lets start at the beginning. You've decided you want a dog, but have you really thought everything through carefully. Just because your friend is offering up a dog for free, doesn't mean you should jump on it. No dog is ever truly free. There is food to buy, toy's, leashes, bowls, beds and of course veterinary bills if that dog should become sick.

Maybe there is no friend offering one for free, perhaps, you have just decided you would like a dog. Do your research. Work out what breed would fit into your lifestyle best. Different breeds need different amounts of care. Be it extra grooming, lots of exercise, or special attention to training and socializing, to name but a few. By researching breeds before you rush in you will be more likely to find a better match for you and your family.

Another thing to consider is whether to rescue from a rescue centre or purchase a puppy from a professional or casual breeder.

Puppies may seem appealing, but they are hard work. A large number of dogs that end up in rescue are around 6 to 8 months old due to owners who weren't fully prepared for the work involved with raising a happy, healthy well socialised and well behaved dog.

puppies aren't exclusively breeder related. rescues have dogs of all ages, shapes and sizes. Which give a rescue centre a huge plus point over breeders. Not only is there lots of choice but there are staff trained to help you find the right dog for you and your family. Be it pure breed, mongrel, big, small, puppy or adult, high or low energy. They will look at what space you have, what experience you have, if you have children, other pets and the list goes on and on. They want to ensure that there dogs get the best homes possibly as well as a good match first time around and if for some reason that match does proved misjudged, they will support you in bringing the dog back and help you to find a match that does work.

Good breeders will try to help you if you have problems and questions, but if you get it wrong and chose the wrong breeder there may be no help offered, at least, from them at any rate.

I am aware that some rescues do make it incredibly hard to adopt. Often turning away people who would essentially make wonderful dog owners, based on something silly, but not all rescues are like this and if you look around and do your research you should be able to find a rescue that isn't making unreasonable demands.

A dog from a rescue will normally be fully vaccinated and also have had surgery to prevent them form becoming pregnant or impregnating others. I know for some a fully in tack dog is important as they have dreams of breeding the dog, if only once, in order to have one of their pups; however, with how many dogs are currently in rescue centres, do you think it is really wise to be breeding right now. There is a very good chance that at least some of those pups will eventually end up in a rescue centre.

I don't want to say no one should breed and all dogs should be spayed or castrated. The reality is that were that done, dogs would eventually become extinct, but more care should certainly be taken and more thought should certainly go into the decision of whether to breed or not and many breeders I think, could at least do with stopping breeding for a few years at least, just to help minimise the strain on the rescue centres.

A dog is a huge responsibility, so please, just stop and think before you rush out and get a dog. By taking the time to consider your decision carefully and to research the right dog for you, you can save not only yourself, but a dog also, from a whole lot of upset and stress.

well that's it from me today, love and hugs Joss xx

A to Z challenge, R is for Rottweiler

Today’s post is one that really speaks to my heart. As for years I have loved Rottweiler’s largely due to a very special boy in my life who sadly passed away recently.

Meet Hooch.

Hooch was 13 years old when he passed away, which is a very good age for a Rottweiler. He was my very first Rottweiler and a dream come true.

Hooch was a herding Rottweiler, which means he was very tall and muscular. The most common Rottweiler in the UK is the guard type, which tend to be shorter and rounder.

Hooch was a gentle giant. The sweetest, most loving dog you could ever hope to meet. His breed and size often made people weary of him. Including my friend Sam, who normally is unfazed by any dog, but that fear quickly turned to love on getting to know him.

Hooch was responsible for converting a lot of Rottweiler phobics, including my own mother and my mother-in-law.

He loved to play, but wasn’t a fan of going for a walk and on more than one occasion got to the top of the road, sat down, looked at me with his big beautiful eyes and pretty much made it clear that he was trying to tell me. “I’ve had enough now mum, lets go home.”

Another of hooch's passion was children. He absolutely adored them. He would sit there and allow my son to climb all over him without battering an eyelid and loved to go up to the bus stop to wait for the school bus where he could be surrounded by children. Because of his huge size, kids loved to wrap their arms around his neck and just hug him tight and hooch loved it too.

Hooch was so docile that when a young lad was sneaking into our home and gathering up the pound coins my husband used to leave everywhere. Hooch did not batter and eyelid. As far as he was concerned he had a new friend and he followed the teen around happily. When the lad eventually got caught and dragged up by his mother to apologise he said. “Your little dogs evil, but your Rottweiler is awesome.” He was lucky our little dog is left in a dog crate when we go out or he might not have faired so well.

Hooch got to enjoy love in his life with our other Rottie Lady. These two adored each other as the picture below shows. 

They had a beautiful litter of eight puppies together and lady and hooch were by far two of the best dogs we've ever had. 

Towards the end of hooch’s life, he started to lose control of his bladder. Whenever he had an accident, he would look so mortified with himself and dejected, bless him.  It made little difference to us thought, for he was our baby and come what may we were sticking by him till the end.

He was such a big part of all our lives and we were devastated to lose him, but over joyed to have known him. For weeks after his death I continued to instinctively step over his faviourt spot at the end of our bed on the floor, where he loved to lay. Forgetting that he was no longer there anymore.

I look forward to seeing him again in heaven one day. Until then, he will always be in my heart and never far from my mind. He was a truly amazing dog.

If you would like to learn more about Rottewielers, please watch the video below. 

A to Z blogger challenge, Q is for Quiz. Yay!!

Q is for Quiz.

 Yep, today we are having a doggie quiz for the letter Q. Just a little bit of fun for all the doggie fans out there.

Answers will be at the end of the quiz so why not see how many questions you can answer correctly.  

Be aware some of the answers are easy some not so much, but don't worry if you don't know them all this is just for fun and hay, it's always good to learn new things right?

 1)  Which Dog breed prefers yodelling to barking?

     

       2) Which of the following animals is not related to the domestic dog?

·         Wolves

·         Foxes

·         Prairie dog

   

          3)   True or false, dogs can’t see in colour?

    4) Aproximately how many different dog breeds are their around the world?

·         200

·         400

·         600

            5)  What is the tallest dog breed?

   

           6)       What is the smallest dog breed?

      

     7) A male dog used for breeding purposes is called a what?

  

           8)  What internal parasite infests the blood stream of the dog?

  

              9)  How many teeth does a dog have?

        10)  What is the extra claw on the inside of a dogs leg called?

       11)  What breed has a purple or black tongue?

       12)  True or false, you can get roundworm for you dog?

       13)  What is the average temperature of an adult dog?

        

              14)  Can a dog get tonsillitis?

       

             15)  What breed of dogs is considered the most intelligent?

         

              16)   How long are male dogs normally fertile?

                17)  True or false, Bitches spayed before they are 3 years old are less likely to develop mammary tumours?

        18) Which tends to mature faster, small breeds or large breeds?

         19)True or false, Dalmatians are born with their spots?

         20)  True or false, Hot dogs are made from dog meat? 

    So, that's the questions and here are the answers. Good luck!

1) Basenji

2) Prairie dog

3)False

4) 400

5) Irish wolfhound

6) Chihuahua

7) Stud dog

8) Heartworm

9) 42

10) Dewclaw

11) Chow Chow

12) True

13) 101 – 102 degrees

14) Yes

15) Border Collie

16) 8 to 10 years

17) True

18) Small breeds

19) False

20) False of course J

A to Z challenge, P is for Pekingese

Yep! P is for Pekingese and I have the cutest Pekingese for you today compliments of his lovely owner Amber Swinton.

Meet Radley.

This little cutie was born in March 2008. He is a registered pedigree with the Kennel club, but has been neutered as Amber does not want to use him for breeding purposes. Yay! For Amber. With so many dog’s desperately in need of homes right now, it always makes me smile to see a smart owner taking the necessary steps to ensure that her beautiful pup is not contributing to the problem.

Radley hasn’t always lived with Amber, but joined her family in October 2013 when she found and fell in love with him at The Little DogRescue.

He was rehomed due to his lack of tolerance for younger children which suited Amber quite nicely as she told me, “Radley has found a kindred spirit with me as I am not a fan of children either!”

Radley has a keen sense of hearing, especially when it comes to his favourite snack cheese. Amber says, “he can hear a cheese wrapper being opened from many miles away!”

He also enjoys a good life with his new mummy and travels around Scotland with her due to her job as a property manager, which covers the whole of Scotland and Amber has found that Radley loves being out and about.

This very independent little boy likes to have his way, but will do as he is told if he really has to. This does not; however, stop him from trying his luck whenever he thinks he can get away with it.

 Dispite tolerating the two Siamese cats he now shares his home with. Radley makes it abundantly clear that they are nothing more than forced housemates by mostly ignoring them, but occasionally throwing in a growl if they come to close. Which is pretty much how he is with everyone, humans included. J

Like a lot of small dogs, Radley has a big dog complex and, as a result, he enjoys giving dogs, considerably larger than himself, a good telling off.  Amber says, “Most of these dogs seem to be confused as to what he actually is!” oh bless him.

Radley can regularly be found hanging out at his local pub where he enjoys sitting on a stool at the bar with the rest of the regulars.

Although he may seem a little “RUFF” around the edges Amber says, “Radley is the best friend a girl could ask for – once people get to know him they can’t help, but love him too.

Well I think Radley is adorable and I am so pleased to have him as our letter P representing the lovely Pekingese.

If you want to know more about the Pekingese, watch the short video below. Enjoy!

A to Z challenge, O is for Ollie

It's day 15 of the A to Z challenge and that means it's time for the letter O which is being represented by  lovely little dog.
So O is for Ollie.

Ollie is another Hilltop Animal Haven dog. Although unlike most of Hilltops dogs he is not very old at all, as he was estimated to be around 8 months old when he arrived at the rescue. 

His arrival was not planned either, one day Natalie, who works at Hilltop and her husband, were down with the horses when they were asked by a woman at a nearby caravan park if they had lost a dog. By all accounts one had turned up at the camp site and the woman, concerned that he would be hit by a car, had tied him up to keep him off the road. 

Natalie confirmed that she had not but said that Hilltop could take him in until his owner was found and off she went with her husband to collect him. 

Natalie say's when they walked onto the ladies drive they were greeted by a bag of bones. Ollie stood there, shaking, head down so that his nose almost touched the ground with his eyes closed. He was clearly exhausted but far to scared to lie down. Despite his fears, Natalie found him to be incredibly loving. Once in the foot well of the car, he relaxed enough to lay down and rested his head on Natalie's lap and at last allowed himself to sleep. 

The following Monday Ollie was taken to see the vets, so that he could be scanned for a micro chip in an attempt to locate his owners. Sadly no chip was found, but Natalie has taken this lovely boy into her heart and her home. 

Natalie say's that Ollie is very insecure and as a result needs lots of praise and constant reassurance. Natalie and other staff at Hilltop may never know what Ollie went through before he came to them, but his penchant for barking all day, every day, makes them wonder if he were indeed dumped by his previous owners.

When he first arrived with Natalie there were lots of areas that needed address with Ollie, one of the biggest being his refusal to go to the toilet anywhere but in the stable block, where he and Natalie's other dogs are kept. Worse when he did this he often chose to defecate, right on top of his bed. 

Natalie tackled this by taking him for extremely long walks and within months she had him peeing outside, which she believes was due to him no longer being able to keep his legs crossed until he got home. 

It would be a year before his number 2's could be preformed outside also, and Natalie says that when he finally did they were so excited and proud, they were squealing like pigs with joy, while Ollie Ran laps around them like a proper loony. This was a huge step for Ollie and he still goes to the toilet in the stable as well, but at least he also feels happy and confident enough to go outside if needed.

Ollie is a lively dog and rarely stay's still for long, which Sammy, the manager at Hilltop, tell's me, makes for a lot of blurry photos, but not a lot of clear ones. Which is why in this post we have a lot less photo's than normal; however, this energy and zest for speed was utilized in Ollie into a fun activity last Summer, when Natalie took him along to join in with a local agility group. Ollie loved it and as a result Natalie is hoping to take him along again next season. 

Ollie's start in life may not have been the best of beginnings, but he is a very loving, sweet dogs, and is incredibly good with Natalie's young son. As a result of his earlier problems Natalie tells us that he tends to suffer regularly with worms and as a result can lose weight very quickly; however, they have quickly learned to detect the signs early and keep everything under control. 

Sadly Ollie's breeds are not fully know but the vet thought there may be some Huntaway in him. So instead of breed video's here, I am going to leave it blank and ask you what breed's you think might be lingering in Ollie's gene's. I was thinking perhaps some Collie or Kelpie, how about you?