Letters

Hi all.

Ruth, formerly Lady, has settled in really well and is already relaxed and happy, as you can probably see from the photos (we may have to send them in a few batches as our email service won't cope with them all in one message). Not sure whether you want to tell her previous family, but we've renamed her Ruth, and she's already responding well to it (helped with some roast chicken to start with).

She has met one of our cats (the other one seems to have left home in protest, but he's still around and he'll return as soon as the temperature drops - he did the same when we had our first much loved Springer: Sam). Charlie, the cat who Ruth has met, has established his place as gaffer and has explained this to Ruth quite clearly when she's wanted to play with him. They're now tolerating and ignoring each other, as long as Charlie doesn't move too quickly and attract her attention.

Ruth is eating really well, and has slept well since her first night with us. Today is her first day at home with me while I'm working and she's spent a fair bit of it curled up (or flat on her back) in her new bed behind my chair in the office.

She's loving her walks (as you can see from the blurred tail in the photos), and we've had her off the lead in the fields since day one. We reckon she does about five miles for every two of ours, racing around and diving into and out of hedgerows. She never goes out of sight and always comes back when we whistle or call, as long as there's nothing more interesting to investigate!

She's pulling quite a lot on the lead at the moment, but a few quick about turns when we're walking seem to rein that in quite quickly, so I think she'll be walking nicely on the lead before too long.

We haven't dared let her off the extendable lead on the canal towpath yet, as I have a feeling that a sighting of ducks or moorhens would quickly be followed by a Ruth-shaped splash. She's fascinated by birds.

She's lovely, and she's happy.

Regards,

Huw and Louise.

Hi hope you are all keeping well.

A little update on Leo, we went to vets for booster on Monday, Leo has put weight on, 20.65kg. the vet is very pleased with his progress, coat is looking good energy levels equal to any springer spaniel.

He is still obsessed with playing ball, here is a pic from this morning after our walk through the fields, (I walk, Leo runs, jumps and searches for what ever critters he can find)

Leo sitting waiting to see if we are going to play ball???? path to the left home, path to the right play ball.		Path to the right won. Leo is ready for the chase.

He is such a clever lad he knew just what to do to get his own way, I didn’t tell him to wait, or sit he did it with the please look in his eyes.

Yes I know who’s the sucker :-)

Take care

Trevor

Hi,

It is hard to believe it is almost 2 years since I picked them up and I am pleased to say that both Bolt and Mimi are doing fine. They are both healthy, although Mimi has a touch of arthritis (don't we all ) and has also strained a cruciate ligament in her left rear leg. This has not slowed her down much at all and we are managing it with pain medication for the moment pending a decision on whether to operate or not given her age and the recovery time. We will make the decision on what is best for her so that we can get her fit for the future. Trying to keep a Sprocker off her feet for a few months may be very difficult but we can try !!

Bolt was always a great character but he has grown into a lovely dog and will be 6 next month. He is very obedient (well mostly...), very loyal and we are inseparable these days. I have only been away from him for 2 days when I was in hospital and he sits with me at my desk when I am working, on the sofa when I watch TV and sleeps on the bottom of the bed at night. He is as daft as a brush and everybody loves him.

He and Mimi have developed a fan club on our local walks and the other dog walkers know them now. Mimi is a little more self- contained, knows what she wants and is determined to get it. She has mellowed in the last two years and now often snuggles up on the sofa and falls asleep. She also stakes her claim on the bed at night and will not be moved.

They both travel well in the car and I try and take them with me as much as possible. If I leave them it is never for more than a couple of hours and I get a severe telling off from them both when I get back. I am always amazed at how well they get on together and we never have any arguments. They take the toys out of each other's mouths, never fight over food or treats and quite often sleep side by side (usually on the sofa or bed !)

Bolt has learned to swim and he loves the water. During the summer he was often in the lake on the nature reserve nearby chasing sticks and sometimes ducks. The ducks were always too quick for him thankfully. I have bought him some toys to play with and he is always running around with them in his mouth or playing with sticks when we are out walking. Mimi steals them when she can and hides them and we have lost a few this year.

They are going in for a grooming tomorrow and I will send some "after" photographs. They are a bit scruffy at the moment !!

Regards

Ian

Hi John,

Just to let you know Lola is settling in well with us and she is coming out of shell more and more each day - keeps stealing my slippers though. She has now recovered from her operation and her tail seams to have healed well so did not need to be removed.

We are looking to take her to agility classes as she seams very intelligent and has bundles of energy. She is also more confident meeting other dogs and even started playing with an Alsatian the other day that was about three times her size. She is the only one in our household who looks forward to going to work in the morning - maybe it’s the run in the woods at lunch time she looks forward to!!.

Thanks for letting us adopt her as she has fitted into our family and manages to make us smile every day!

Regards,

Ken

Good morning Di,

As promised here are some pics of Florin.

She's settled in well, just trying to work out her best sleeping arrangements for the evening so she's happy.

Thanks again for all your help in getting her to us, it is very much appreciated and won't be forgotten.

Kind regards,

Chris, Megan and Florin

Hi Ian,

Hello my name is Poppy, I came to live in my new forever home eight weeks ago. I really like it here. I have a lovely new bed (which is very comfortable) and a basket full of toys.

When I first came here the garden rather nice but I didn't think the planting was quite right so I did some rearranging (it looks much better now)!

I have two long walks a day and lots of play time.

I have been on holiday to Anglesey - I loved the woods and fields but not very sure about the waves in what they call the sea. We are going on holiday again in a few days and I shall be very busy sniffing - there is a lot of ground to cover.

I now have my four paws well and truly under the table, I am a very happy girl. Ann & Ron think I'm top dog and I have amassed quite a fan base (which of course I take in my stride).

Thank you very much to all the people at CAESSR and a special thanks to Di Ian John Ann and Veronica for helping to rehome me.

Love Poppy

Hi Ian,

I wanted to get Lucky in the calendar, however I did not take pictures through out the season, hopefully I will next year.

I attach two pictures the one in the house is in the first week I had picked him up and the one in the garden was very recent. He is a good looking dog very obedient - sticks to me like my shadow.

He still has issues with other dogs, but we will get through it - I do not think it is aggression.

We picked him up end of January, he recalls to the whistle and stops to the whistle and does all the normal sit stay etc.

Regards

Jim

Hello Ian, John and all

Just to let you know that Murphy, (Orange Roan Show Cocker), whom we adopted from you at the end of June last year was in the Willows Veterinary Hospital (Birmingham) having undergone spinal surgery. An MRI showed that he had a 'slipped disc' in his neck, compressing his spinal chord with an engorged blood vessel which complicated the operation.

He is recovering well (he really is a stoic determined young chappie, adorable to look at, but a complete thug/hooligan with other dogs, hates cats, loves people, will barge his way through any hedge, and just completely wins your heart over and over again).

He began limping with a slumped gait and initially the vet determined it was soft tissue injury, there was no improvement so we took him back a few days later and continued the same treatment (Metacam). By Monday he was really lethargic,had no appetite (so unlike him!) and we had quite a stressful night with him. On return to the vet early in the morning he was referred to Birmingham, which specialises in neurological disorders.

Thank goodness we insured him, and please encourage all who adopt to do likewise, we could never have met these substantial fees (£5,500 to date) so ultimately we feel that we have rescued him again. I cannot imagine the consequence of what we would then have to face without pet insurance which costs a mere 48 pence a day

He is now home, with instructions to limit his mobility for the next month, a daunting task in itself as any spaniel owner must know and Murphy to understand why he isn't allowed his 3 mile morning walk!

Sue an Brian

Hello Di,

Zoe has settled in really well. We have no problems at night with her and she has obviously been taught the basic commands (sit, walk, heel etc) but just needs a lot of reminding?

She is very alert and loves her walks. It will be some time before I can let her off her lead but I have an extending lead which I use when we get across the field, so she does have quite a bit of freedom. It will be lovely when I can dare let her off but at the moment if she sees a cat, squirrel of pigeon she is after it.

We have been for a good walk in the woods this afternoon and she is now lay at my feet contented.

She is a very loving happy dog so I think we have been very lucky although there is a lot of work to do.

Thought you might like a couple of photos.

Chris

Hi There

Just thought we'd give you a quick update on Charlie, our Golden, working strain cocker Spaniel.

We have had him just over a year now and he has become a big part of our family in that time. He is just as lively as ever and has given a new lease of life to our old Bella!

He is attending "School" every week and doing well! He does think he is a bit special , the way he prances round, but then, he is a very pretty boy!

It's his Birthday tomorrow, he'll be 6.

Attaching some photos of his latest camping holiday on Anglesey!

Regards

Mick & Jen

Hello, hope you don’t mind me sending e-mails about Leo.

He is a fabulous boy, he has settled in fine,so much that he has started to try and take advantage :-)

He is eating well and begs for anything I might have cheeky monkey, he just needs to learn some table manners, I think we are getting there slow but surly. I am not giving into those pleading eyes (try hard not to give in), we have a meal plan I try very hard to stick to it. He has put on weight, we have an appointment with the nurse for a weight in next week, then 2 weeks later he is booked in for his booster and an other weight in. so we can see how he is progressing.

I had a surprise the other day, I was preparing my lunch of ham, new potatoes, carrots and a tomato. I had left the ham and tomato on the work surface while I scraped the pots and peeled the carrot, as I put them in the pot, Leo came and sat in front of me, lifted a paw and put the tomato into my hand, think he wants to be my shoo-chef? wish I could have taken a photo of him. ( I must point out Leo didn’t touch the ham which was in easy reach) each day I have a smile on my face.

Thank you will e-mail again soon,

take care

Trevor.