Oops, we did it again!

 

Meet Cooper, our latest family member. 

Yes, we did it again!

Sometimes, after serious and prolonged consideration, there is a moment in time when all the stars align and the puzzle pieces slot most perfectly into place... and for us, that time occurred last weekend.

We had been thinking about whether we could offer a home to one more golden puppy before time and energy required would become too demanding. With our sixtieth birthdays on the horizon and it being nine years since we adopted Polly and seven years since Betty came home, we were aware our puppy clock was ticking. The tick became louder and louder as the months of 2022 tocked by and we watched so many sad faces online, many of them unwanted post lockdown pups, unsold litters and strays... all carrying the saddest of tales deep inside them. It was heartbreaking to see and weighed heavily on my mind.

The plight of Britain's rescues is overwhelming this year. So many puppies were adopted during the pandemic lockdowns and have since been discarded when owners realised they hadn't planned far enough into the future for their puppies. Rescues have always tried to rehome strays of course, but after the pandemic, the world has been in turmoil for humans which of course, has had an immense impact on domestic dogs. We were close to visiting a canine rescue centre recently when I spotted a private advertisement and everything fell into place for us...

We knew what taking on a rescue would have entailed as we have been heavily involved with my daughter's Ukrainian rescue and her rehabilitation over the past year. It has been an intensive process to provide Olive with a sense of trust, security and well-being and thankfully, she is now living her best life in the countryside with my daughter. Polly and Betty have been superstars with Olive from the start and we didn't doubt they would be so again, but Polly's advancing years also needed fair consideration in our own process, so after much thought, we ruled out adopting a rescue dog as we felt it wouldn't have been right for us all as a family at this point in our life.

Five month old Cooper wasn't a rescue, in fact he was very much loved and wanted by his owners but sadly, they had a young family with very specific needs and the puppy adoption they carefully planned for, simply wasn't living up to the dream they had hoped for. After recognising their new pup's needs, as well as the needs of their children, they made the toughest of decisions, to find Cooper the very best of homes and provide him with the life he needed rather than compromise his future. To cut a long story short, my husband and I were selected to talk further with them and after a very thorough exchange of information, which took several days to complete, we were invited to meet Cooper... then by tea time that day, we were home again and introducing Polly and Betty to their new brother!

It has been a whirlwind of a week. The girls have been as amazing as I knew they would and Cooper settled in with them straightaway, thrilled to have two new playmates. There have been a few challenges of course ... to start with, it has been seven years since Betty was a puppy and I had almost forgotten how exhausting new parenthood is, which of course, is why I didn't want to put off a new addition for too much longer. Cooper is a lovely gentle boy most of the time but like all pups coming into adolescence, he has a couple of wild times each day, usually after eating. As he has been an only dog during since leaving his littermates, he hasn't yet learned to properly regulate his play behaviours and can be quite a handful for Polly and Betty on occasion as he is a big strong pup ... almost as big as Betty already! However, they are coping pretty well overall. 

Polly plays enthusiastically with Cooper despite her age and has put him in his place a couple of times but my Betty is more sensitive and at the moment, takes cover by my side whenever Cooper is at his most puppy wild. She is definitely a little more wary and capitulates to him over toys, bones, time with me etc. I am sure her confidence will return with a little encouragement, so am giving her extra praise, fuss and time with me. After just a few days and implementing a couple of firm 'time outs', Cooper does show signs of regulating his own excitement levels, so I am confident he will soon learn to play more politely, as he is a clever boy. He is also excited by toys and bones, preferring to gather them to himself and stealing them from Betty.. there is no aggression in it, just playfulness but of course, it is frustrating for Betty as she too enjoys play with toys and isn't the kind of dog to challenge, so I have been using a clicker to teach turn taking with all three dogs and that looks promising already.

The other main challenge to overcome with this gorgeous new pup will be lead walking three dogs together. Never trust anyone who tells you it is as easy to walk three as it is to walk two ... oh no it isn't! I gave it a go earlier in the week and despite Polly and Betty being well trained to walk to heel, it was very hard work with a pup who hasn't yet been. So, back to basics! I will be booking training classes so Coops and I can focus on this together. I will also walk him separately at times, or with just one of the girls for the time being. A little mix and match with walks should work well and will also give Polly and Betty an opportunity to continue with their pre exisiting routine together on some days, which I think will be important for them. I think they are entitled to a puppy break now and again. Fortunately Cooper seems to enjoy an evening walk, so on some days, we can all walk together in the dark, when I have a spare of hands to take some of the weight off my hands.

On the plus side, we are fortunate that Cooper has already been housetrained and will ask to go outside to toilet. He also came with a pre-programmed sit, which is rather lovely to see and sleeps through the night. After some long line training at our local park this week, he is already beginning to grasp a whistle recall too and is learning to 'drop' toys on request, eat at his own bowl while the girls eat at theirs and not pester the cats... all good building blocks for his future training.

Adopting Cooper is a significant transition for us all at this stage, but it is also a complete joy to share our lives with this lively, funny, clever, golden puppy. I will be dusting off my old puppy training skills in the hope I can help Cooper become a credit to his big sisters over the months and years ahead...should be great fun!

Welcome home Cooper!

Remembrance Day 2022

We like to take a walk into town to pay our respects on Remembrance Sunday each year and of course, Polly and Betty come with us. After their many town training sessions over the years, they are well qualified to cope with dense crowds, a military parade and brass bands. They sit politely through the public Service of Remembrance, maintaining the minute's silence at the War Memorial at 11am, before we head off for a nice walk along the river and if we are lucky, a hot sausage butty from the burger bar in the local DIY store's car park where they are permitted their own freshly cooked sausage as a special treat.

It is a big ask for any dog to cope confidently in such a noisy, crowded events but Polly and Betty always make us proud. One of our trainers, lovely Sam Grice of  Dog Behavioural Services, used to train her groups of dog owners on walks through the town. Sam was once a trainer for Guide Dogs for the Blind and so her training was based on being able to walk dogs in all situations, in all places. It has proved invaluable to us over the years and means we are able to take our dogs almost anywhere, safe in the knowledge they understand what is required of them and will cope in challenging public situations with confidence and polite manners.

Needless to say, after the long lead walk into town, a Remembrance Day parade, a religious service AND a long walk backup the road towards home, the girls are usually ready to shake off their leads and their best behaviour! As a thank you to them, we always head back via the park, let them run free and watch with a wry smile as they roll in leaves and muddy puddles to their heart's content!

If you ever have the opportunity to train your dogs in town situations, I would highly recommend getting involved. The skills the dogs master are wide ranging and transfer into so many other situations. Polly and Betty have trained in shopping centre lifts, learned to walk past escalators and automatic doors without fear, dealt with crowded pavements, people reaching out to them and behaving unexpectedly, buggies, wheelchairs, cleaning trolleys, traffic, sirens, buses, trains, zebra crossings, shop doorways, high level bridges, steep stairways ... you name it, they have trained for it and learned to maintain their focus on and take their cues from me. They have even trained to enter the pet shop politely and learned to walk through the store ignoring guinea pigs, tasty treats, interesting toys, smells and other customers... and of course, they have also become well versed in settling politely under a street café table while we enjoy a coffee and a slice of cake! 

Sam's town training really has been worth it's weight in retriever gold and if ever we adopt another golden puppy (yes, we are seriously considering it!) I hope we will be able to sign up with Sam for training again.

Remember, Remember

 

REMEMBER, REMEMBER

There are those who love 'em and those who don't. Either way, there is no mistaking the cacophony of noise associated with fireworks on Guy Fawkes Night! 

These days, as a dog owner, I am torn. Polly absolutely hates 'em and will spend an entire evening fighting fireworks with barking at a decibel designed to match the warzone she percieves beyond her front door. She is ably supported by 'Back-up Betty', who, dutifully barks each time Polly draws breath, providing an unending, ear piercing, doggy resistance to the invisible foe beyond. 

I know of dogs who have become so disabled by fireworks through fear, they are unable to function. A few years ago, I met one such beautiful Golden Retriever boy ... sadly on his last ever walk prior to being taken to the vet to be euthanized.  I had my hands full with grandchildren and dogs, but spoke spoken to his owner to say a quick hello, only to be told his boy had become so fearful of unexpected noises as a result of exposure to firework bangs, that he was unmanageable and had, in a moment of terror, bitten a family member. As that owner saw things, he had no choice but to put his beautiful boy to sleep before Guy Fawkes Night. It broke my heart to see the pain in the owner's eyes and the trust his dog had in him and I wish upon wish, I had the strength to take his lead and lead him away to a peaceful safety .... he still plays on my mind to this day, I will never forget him.

To be anti-fireworks though, is to be a party pooper in the eyes of the undog world and to be honest, I am not anti fireworks, in fact I love them and was brought up celebrating Guy Fawkes annually with my family as a girl. This year I enjoyed my grandchildren's school display, which took place a few miles from my house. I dosed Polly and Betty with a natural stress calming remedy (Dorwest Valerian & Skullcap) for several days prior to Guy Fawkes Night and tucked them up safely at home with 'Classic FM for Pets' on the radio, before heading out.

My wish is that the Government would make a legal requirement so that fireworks could only be used by professional firework experts, at community displays on a limited number of days each year. It makes so much more sense than allowing all and sundry to purchase dangerous fireworks whenever they fancy, to explode in their gardens... or in the case of unruly youths, along the lane behind my house (!) 

A change to the law in the UK would surely help millions of pet owners prepare for what is a terrifying event for most animals and would also provide a great way to raise money for local community groups, schools and the like. The revenue from the little display I attended last week with my family, will be used to support my grandchildren's primary school, which in the current economic climate, will be of great benefit to all the pupils.

To me it is simple, sometimes we need to remember that our favourite traditions may need a little updating... for the greater good.

Pumpkin pickin' with Olive

PUMPKIN PICKIN'

We didn't really celebrate Halloween when I was child, nor when my kids were kids; generally we spent the evening with curtains drawn, trying to avoid having our door and windows egged and floured by local 'yoovs' (!) ... however, times have changed and my grandchildren love to dress up as cheeky witches and wizards, carve pumpkins with Mummy and Daddy and enjoy gentle Halloween mischief with the wider family, so I was delighted when they invited me, my husband and my daughter, to a local farm to pick pumpkins last weekend... it was heaps of fun watching the children wandering around, choosing pumpkins on the basis of size, shape, colour and 'nobbly bits'!

Not only was Little Fant Farm very child friendly, it was dog friendly too, so we took our gang of family dogs, Polly, Betty, Nobby and Olive, for a little fresh air socialisation. My daughter's rescue Olive must have wondered what on earth was happening, but she took things pretty much in her stride as we collected pumpkins and met all the farm animals...

Beautiful Olive was a stray, rescued from the Ukraine almost a year ago, fostered for a brief while in the UK, then adopted by my daughter who spotted her plight on Facebook and opened her heart and home to her.

When my daughter first collected Olive, she was very shutdown, clearly terrified of every aspect of her new life. There is no doubt she had been mistreated in her past life and it was heartbreaking to see just how desperately scared she was. Her fears were wide ranging... men sent poor Olly into a tailspin as she tried desperately to avoid contact with them, traffic, doorways, light fittings, household noises ... you name it, she was terrified of it. She didn't even understand that she was allowed to eat from a bowl, her own bowl. Happily, she took comfort from the other dogs and was soon best buddies with my daughter's Chihuahua Nobby... an odd couple perhaps, but a lovely friendship. It has taken my daughter and I months of gentle, calm reassurrance to show Olive that she is safe now and for her to show us that she trusts us. She has since become a complete delight, a big, daft puppy girl, full of fun, very gentle, affectionate and eager to learn.

The photograph above is one that makes me smile from ear to ear. Last weekend, Fay was able to bring Olive to the farm with our other dogs and she walked calmly as part of our family, coping with people collecting pumpkins in wheelbarrows, other dogs on leads, children having fun and men in dark clothing. Occasionally Olive asked for a moment just to watch and absorb the scene while she processed things ... which is what was happening in the photograph above. Now and again she needed a little space created between her and a wheelbarrow pushing man, but she coped well and there were none of those panicky tailspins! Olive walked politely on her lead, among and around strangers in a new environment... a huge accomplishment for our lovely Olive and I could not have been more thrilled for her and my daughter!

Olive

 At the tail end of 2021, my daughter told me she had adopted a rescue dog, a beautiful white ball of fur from Ukraine...

Olive, October 2022

Olive as she became known, had lived a troubled short life, a life of fear spent clinging to the edge of survival as she roamed stray along roadsides. It was clear to us that at some point in her young life she had been beaten; she was terrified of men, dark clothing and anyone carrying what might have been interpreted as a stick. When I first met Olive at my daughter's house, she was so shut down I didn't initially approach her, instead sitting as far away as possible to give her the space she needed. The only person she would tentatively allow to approach was my daughter. I had never seen such a fearful dog before, in my world dogs enjoyed the company of humans and were excited to engage with them ... this shaggy white bundle in the corner was clearly terrified and simply did not trust humans to be kind to her.

New girl Olive, watching us warily from the safety of my daughter's chair.

That was almost a year ago, prior to the terrible war now happening in Ukraine. Slowly but surely and with quiet kindness and lots of patience, Olive began to understand that the new world she found herself in, was a safe place. It took a long time and lots of calm, gentle, almost imperceivable encouragement by my daughter and I, to discover the inner Olive and gain her trust. My daughter had an innate understanding that Olive may never become the relaxed happy type of puppy she had always known in my two but was prepared to accept Olive, on whatever terms Olive needed. Olive had found her perfect owner.

Walks with friends, Summer 2022

Olive has taught us so much about how to see the world through her eyes. I don't think she ever lived inside a house before she came to the UK, so everything was frightening to her. We noticed she would keep looking at ceiling lights and it dawned on us, perhaps she didn't trust that it wouldn't fall on her ... and every time we opened a door to allow her through, she edged away backwards as if fearful that it might trap her somehow, so we learned to walk through doors ahead of her, showing her it was okay and we trusted that the door wouldn't hurt us. She learned by watching us. When her bowl of food was put on the floor, hungry as she must have been, she stayed clear, waiting until every other animal in the house had eaten from it first. It took a long time for her to understand that she too was allowed to eat from her own bowl. 

Training days

Getting Olive to accept a collar, lead and harness was the key to her freedom. It also took time and patience as it was important not to impose these on her until she was able to accept them without fear. I remember one day, my daughter invited me and my dogs to join her Olive and their little Chihuahua Nobby at a local 'freedom field', a secure open space for dogs. My daughter was eager to show Olive that life could be fun, so we met at the field, padlocked the gate behind us and let all four dogs meet off lead together for the first time. Olive loved the other dogs and they raced off across the grass together full of excitement. Olive absolutely flew over the ground and took off like a rocket launched into space, making my two look like middle aged plodders! It was a wonderful sight to see them all having so much fun together and to watch the real Olive come to life!

Walking with friends, October 2022

Almost before we knew it, our hour at the field was up and it was time to lead up the dogs and pop them back into our cars ... but Olive had other ideas! Naively, we assumed she would return to the cars with our other dogs and we would be able to re-clip her lead to her harness without too much trouble, but oh no, she wasn't having any of it. She wanted to run, run and run some more and she didn't give a hoot that we were fast exceeding our paid hour's slot! To cut a long story short, the very kind dog owner who booked the next slot, allowed us to stay in the field with her and her dogs, while we tried hopelessly to catch Olive. We tried every trick in the book, but she knew them all and more ... of course she did, she had been a stray on the run and could outwit any human playing by the simple rules of polite positive reinforcement! We stuck with it though and eventually, after forty five very long and humiliating minutes, Olive finally allowed my daughter to grab her new harness and scoop her into her arms. Another important lesson learned! The very next time, we used a long line and began formal recall training ... in earnest!

Hanging out with Polly and Betty

We began walking the dogs together every weekend and Olive gradually settled in to her new home with my daughter, Nobby and their three cats; she also began to relax when she came to my house. It was important that she had somewhere other than my daughter's house that she could stay when necessary as she couldn't be kennelled ... that would traumatize her. We worked hard to build her confidence both in her own environment with my daughter but also with me and my husband at our home. Gaining trust with my husband came much later, that was such a painfully slow process. To begin with, Olive would bark every time he entered the room, then she would cower away in the furthest corner ... but slowly, she came to understand that my dogs loved their 'dad' and were happy around him, so after many months, one day Olive timidly accepted a food treat from him and that was momentous! Since those early days, Olive has relaxed considerably in many ways and now barks from excitment rather than fear when Stuart comes home, she greets him with our own dogs and will even sit comfortably under his chair at the table and accept a gentle stroke on the chest. Months after her arrival and Olive will now recall to my husband if she's running freely on a walk (yes, that recall training really paid off!) I think she will always be a little hesitant with men and who can blame her, but at least Olive has now come to realise that not all men are bad men.

Playtime!

Olive has become an absolute joy since those first days. We feared she may never come out of her protective shell, but thankfully she has and we love her. She is now one of the family, a gentle, affectionate, bouncy daft puppy-dog, full of fun, a dog who, thanks to my daughter's kindness, adores her owner. She relishes walks with Nobby and my girls and is now living the happy life she should always have been entitled to... a million miles removed from the cruel life she was born into. Olive still has her worries of course, some of which are health related, a leftover those early days in Ukraine ... but she is loved and will always be well cared for. 

Olive and friends, with my daughter at a family party, April 2022

Olive could not have found a better home than the one she now has with my daughter.

XXXXX

There are many rescues offering dogs from overseas. They operate under strict regulations imposed by the UK Government bodies APHA and Defra and are obliged to ensure all dogs have relevant legal documentation and health testing prior to entry into the UK. 

Please check very carefully if you are considering adopting from overseas. 

There are health tests which are currently not a legal requirement of these rescues but in my belief, should be undertaken prior to importing dogs into the UK anyway. 

Olive was tested privately by my daughter for such a disease (brucella canis) and thankfully found to be negative by the Government body APHA, however the rescue she came from did not undertake this test or inform my daughter about its importance prior to adoption. We were unaware of the disease and learned the hard way. The rescue took Olive's adoption fee and did not inform my daughter any further. This lack of pre-importation testing for Brucella Canis has cost my daughter hundreds of pounds and been a considerable worry whilst waiting for results... had it been positive the outcome would have been unthinkable. Thankfully, for Olive, all ended well as her test was proven negative by the Government body APHA. However, I have read of other new owners of rescue dogs from Eastern block countries who have been far less fortunate. 

It infuriates me beyond belief to learn that overseas rescues are not taking full responsibility for bringing dogs into the UK beyond the precise legal requirements of the Government and that the Government has not made this test a legal requirement of importation. This has the potential to bring heartbreak and expense to unsuspecting owners of rescue dogs, after they have adopted a needy animal from the kindness of their hearts. 

To avoid heartbreak, please research this information as fully as possible prior to adoption, ask direct questions, don't be fobbed off, check that documentation is legal. Most importantly of all, if you want to adopt a needy dog from abroad, know what the legalities are and go above and beyond to research what is important in terms of health testing ... then ensure you adopt from a responsible rescue. I really can't stress this enough.

The true cost of insurance

 

If it's not one thing, it always seems to be another when it comes to dogs! 

Last year was all about Betty's legs and cruciate surgery recovery and this morning we made a return visit to our vet for stitch removal, after surgery to remove three worrisome lumps a couple of weeks ago.

After general anaesthetic and surgery, Betty looked very sorry for herself when I first collected her from the vet twelve days ago but 24 hours later she was much brighter and keen to shake off her woes. We were advised to have her lumps surgically removed as even benign lumps can grow much larger and cause problems. So, the lumps were duly aspirated, sent for testing and a surgery date booked. Although one lump was deemed to be a 'fatty lump', so nothing to worry about, the other two results were inconclusive, so as you can imagine, it has been a bit of a worry waiting for results.... but thankfully, today our vet greeted us with a big smile and the two words we most wanted to hear, 

'GOOD NEWS!'

It was such a huge relief! 

Betty stood perfectly still while the vet removed all stitches and while we were there, I asked him to give Bets her annual vaccination and check her ear as that has been a bit mucky of late; unfortunately she does have a little ear infection so didn't get off totally scot free this morning and also has to return for further blood tests to check thyroid levels in a couple of week's time ... but that aside, she is fit, well and we no longer need to worry whether those nasty lumps were malignant. So, all's well that ends well!

When you adopt a puppy it can be almost impossible to see health hurdles further down the track and I am sure most new owners don't fully comprehend the full financial impact of potential canine health issues. In Betty's case, as a puppy she came with a good five generation pedigree, relevant puppy health certification for hips etc and as far as I could tell, most likely a healthy future ahead of her. There were no health warning flags on her horizon. I am so glad I took out a decent lifetime insurance policy for both my dogs and have kept it going since they were puppies. Betty is now almost seven and a half years old and Polly nine and a half, so I am certain they will need further regular vet attention as old age creeps up, to ensure they have the best care and most comfortable old age possible. 

If anyone reading is curious, Betty's two cruciate ligament surgeries last year and subsequent recovery care and x-rays etc, have probably cost not far short of £10,000 in total and the latest lump removal surgery has been another £800 or so ... blood tests for thyroid function will be around £200 and if she needs medication subsequently, there will be further regular blood tests, as well as the cost of the meds, to be added. 

So, as you can see, mature dogs can prove very costly to take care of properly and if you own more than one, plus other pets (we also have Polly and our two cats) then a solid insurance policy is absolutely essential. Every year when the cost of our insurance policy rises, I grit my teeth and flinch but stick with it because I know that without that insurance, my dogs can't receive the care they may need. In these days of economic hardship for everyone, insurance policies for dogs are possibly something owners of healthy dogs may consider cancelling, but I would say please do everything you can to keep your dogs properly insured ... you really never know when you might need to make a claim and how much of a difference it will make to their outcome.

Betty was a superfit, active, energetic six year old when her life took an unfortunate turn and she needed two major surgeries. We couldn't have predicted what happened to her and without that surgery our beautiful, loving girl wouldn't have walked again, would have been in constant pain and may very likely have had to be euthanised. Today, she is fit, active, energetic and loving life once again, thanks to excellent veterinary care...

... and her insurance policy.

Making a splash in Cornwall

 

At last, time for a holiday!

We stayed home to take care of Betty and see her through her TPLO surgeries and recovery last year, so were very much looking forward to our early Autumn holiday in Cornwall with the girls this year.

 I wasn't sure if Betty would ever manage to swim in the sea again after last year's surgical trials and tribulations but I needn't have worried, there was no way she was going to let a little thing like major surgery spoil her fun! We drove to Padstow, unclipped their leads and let the girls do 'their thing'... and my goodness, did they make the most of it! 

They LOVED playing on the beach, running like big daft joyful puppies along the beach and straight into the sea for a jolly good swim. Betty had absolutely no fear of the sea and total confidence in her legs; it was a complete joy to watch. Any fears I may have had about Betty's swimming abilities melted away as she swam like a little mermaid.

We also headed onto Dartmoor to roam among wild ponies and sheep, as we climbed steep tors and gazed out across this spectacular landscape. With wildlife abundant and livestock roaming freely, the dogs were naturally very curious, so we took all precautions and walked them on head harnesses for maximum control. 

They were good girls anyway, but with miles of open space full of exciting sniffs, not to mention wild ponies here, there and everywhere, we certainly weren't taking any chances!

Dartmoor was breathtakingly beautiful and we hope to visit again one day soon.

Our holiday cottage was within walking distance of Cotehele House, a National Trust property along the Tamar River. We were fortunate to have a very pretty woodland walk towards the Cotehele Estate from our doorstep, so enjoyed some lovely walks with Polly and Betty, who thoroughly enjoyed splashing in this weir along the way!

It was a  much needed, relaxing week, in a very beautiful area of Cornwall. 

The dogs enjoyed their holiday and so did we!

Keep on running..

 

KEEP ON RUNNING..

This time last year, life was full of worry for our Betty Boo as she had been in pain with a cruciate ligament injury for some time, then developed a nasty infection in her leg following invasive surgery and became worryingly poorly. My husand and I raced Betty to the specialist vet for urgent treatment one horrible May morning, a couple of weeks after surgery and gave up any idea we may have had of celebrating her sixth birthday...

Betty was stoic, determined and sweet-natured throughout what was an incredibly tough twelve months to follow. She became our inspiration in how to deal with each painful day moment by moment and to trust and find joy in even the tiniest of things. Unfortunately our poor girl needed further surgery only four months after her first operation and didn't escape her injuries completely pain free, so is now coping with residual arthritis in one surgical leg but with treatment and careful management, she can now run free again ... and for Betty, that has been the best birthday gift of all.

Happy 7th Birthday my beautiful Betty Boo, may the sun continue to shine for you and may your new legs keep on running for many years to come!

Like the wind!

The past fourteen months have been a rollercoaster. Poor Betty tore her first cruciate ligament at the beginning of 2021, followed by a tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO) in May of the same year. We had no idea back then of how major this surgery was and at that point, were simply praying it would help Betty walk without pain. 

When Betty was discharged from doggy hospital after spending a post op night with the nursing staff, she amazed us by walking to the car when we went to collect her and at that point, we breathed our first sigh of relief ... but little did we know things would take a turn for the worse a couple of weeks later, when a nasty infection set into the surgical wound. Betty was very poorly so we raced her back to our vet and he was kind enough to open the surgery on a Sunday to see her. Thankfully she recovered from her infection and seroma (I had no idea what that was ... a fluid swelling in the wound site) reasonably quickly and then the process of rehabilitation slowly began. Betty was enthusiastic about walking again and very determined, so following the restrictive exercise programme set by our vet wasn't a problem and she was soon taking short, steady, lead walks. 

By three months, Betty was signed off by her vet and free to run again. That was such a joyous moment! Sadly, that too was short lived as within four weeks, Betty tore her second cruciate ligament. I was so upset for her. There was a wait of several weeks while her injury was assessed and we waited for an appointment for TPLO surgery number two. During that time, Betty's mobility deteroriated dramatically and I made the decision to stop walking her as it was just too painful. Thankfully, five weeks after the injury, we were given an appointment with the orthopaedic surgeon and Betty was taken back into surgery. Unfortunately, after surgery she developed another seroma and in view of the first infection, our vet decided to keep her in doggy hospital for five days to make absolutely certain she received the best care. Those five days were very hard, I knew she would be confused and stressed by our absence and it broke my heart when each night I rang to ask about her progress, to be told she needed to stay in hospital for another night. 

When she was finally allowed home, Betty burst through the surgery door into the waiting room and flew into my arms ... there was no way she was going to allow us to leave her behind again! We took her home, slept in the living room with her for weeks yet again and slowly, carefully, began a rehab programme for the second time in six months. 

Betty was incredible. She understood what she had to do and was determined to not only walk again, but run too. The second surgery was six months ago, which will give you an idea of how long recovery for TPLO surgery takes ... Betty has only just been signed off by the specialist orthopaedic vet for her second surgery, fifteen months after her first cruciate tear. This surgery quite literally puts an owner's life on hold. We abandoned any notion of a holiday last year or trips out; we were focused completely on getting Betty strong again.

Even after more than a year of injury, surgery and rehabilitation, Betty is still not completely out of the woods as she has subsequently developed arthritis in her first surgical leg (which we were warned could happen), so she is a little lame in that leg from time to time BUT and this is the important BUT ....

BETTY CAN RUN AGAIN!!!!

She runs like the wind in fact. Just like she used to before her injuries. She loves to run, it is the dog she is and the dog I wanted to allow her to be again. Yes, there is slight lameness in one leg, it tires more readily than before BUT she is doing great, she is loving life and she is strong. The exercise I made sure she had every day and continue with, has rebuilt her muscle mass, given her flexibility and made her strong once more. It can be done!

I don't mind admitting that at times I wondered if surgery was the best route. I was so scared for Betty, hated seeing her in pain and didn't know how we would cope when her world turned upside down ... but we took our vet's advice to heart, believed in him, gave him our trust and thankfully, it was well placed. Without surgery Betty wouldn't have been able to walk, let alone run, but now she enjoys her old life, is back to walking, playing and running freely each day for at least an hour and a half. A little arthritis is a small price to pay and it can be managed by our local vet; also it is only fair to keep in mind that Betty is now seven years old, not a youngster any more ... mind you, to see her run now, you would never believe it!

Mischief and magic

It's hard to believe Polly and I have now been together for nine years... 

She led me a merry dance at times when she was a youngster, diving into a river full of indignant geese without considering her exit strategy, then having to be hauled out unceremoniously by her collar, charging across wide open spaces to introduce herself to unsuspecting picnickers and their sausage rolls, toppling my husband down Bedruthan Steps in Cornwall and almost knocking him unconscious when she suddenly launched herself across a muddy field without warning with him at the end of her long line ... and the barking, oh my goodness the barking! Polly is an expert guard dog, taking her job extremely seriously ... until anyone actually enters the house, then she becomes a most welcoming waggy tailed, licky, hostess, eager to share her teddy! If there was ever a swamp to dive into and become stuck in, Polly would always find it and she has never failed in her lifelong mission to become a poo roller extraordinaire. 

I have worked so very hard at Polly's obedience training through the years but swear there have been days when she blatantly laughed at me as I shame-facedly attempted to reinstate my 'new handler' dignity on the training field, under the irritated gaze of our instructor. She learned all skills required to become a beautifully behaved show dog... and yet somehow also held on to her indomitable spirit and unerring right to show me the error of my ways where necessary. Polly has always been the quintessential golden retriever, minus the biddable bit.

However! My big bossy bird also taught me much over her nine years and for that I will forever be grateful ... I can now spot a shoulder dip and potential poo roll at record speed and understand the true value of a good cheddar. Joking aside, without Polly I don't think I would have learned nearly as much about dog behaviour ... and I certainly wouldn't have learned how important it is to achieve a polite, responsive dog! 

Polly is an amazing dog. Clever beyond clever, loyal, determined, funny, playful and very loving. She is a fabulous girl and I love her foibles. Our nine years have been filled with mischief but also with pure magic. My beautiful girl is begininng to creak a little on occasion now, old age is creeping up ... but she's not old yet! Polly is still the zoomie queen, busting her crazy moves on my living room rug several times a week with all the exhuberance of her young puppyself. Her zest for life is ever present ... nine really is just as number as far as Polly and I are concerned!

Happy Birthday Big Girl, I love the very bones of you! xxx