Dare has done so well today - I cant even remember where his muzzle is ? He is fine on his halti and makes no attempt to lunge at people if they stay a safe distance (which i make sure they do)
He had such a good day and even came out of the van at agility to meet his Auntie Sharon and a few other friends he was fab - no growling or anything. Did lots of 'look' at the scary people for treats and seemed body language wise very relaxed at a safe distance away from everyone and even managed a tiny tail way at some of his new friends
When we arrived home Rogue (wocker) decided that he neeeeeded to bring his treasure (large branch) in from the van to show the rest of the gang . When he got it indoors i not thinking picked it up to move it back outside - poor poor Dare he hit the floor and peed everywhere . I just stood there in shock and then dropped nasty branch . Through my tears we learnt to nose touch the branch for pizza (yep same thing for tea again) and i was able to move it outside and then clean up :o(
Such a stupid thing to do and so so sad
I am so angry at the man who did this to him - to angry to put into words
This big beautiful kind collie reduced to such fear - im not sure i have ever felt so hopless (despite what I have been thru with Kai and Jack)
We seem ok now - we had a long cuddle and shared a pizza the rest of the pack and me sat on the kitchen floor - its official i am mad !!!
He is now sleeping next to my feet and dreaming - hopefully good dreams
Anne and Dare x x x
Wednesday 15 September 2010
Tuesday 14 September 2010
First night and day at the mad house :o)
Decided he should sleep up with me and the pack in the bedroom. Dare had chosen the kitchen as his safe place but didnt really want him to get to used to being in there.
Lights out and i could here a rather large collie pacing the room - Magic listened to this for about 3 mins and then told him in no uncertain terms to get his ass in bed as it was disturbing her beauty sleep (she is such a madam!) Bless him he did as he was told.
About 3.00 there was a Dare shaped collie on my bed!! no idea when he crept up but when i woke again in the morning he was back in his bed looking very smug :o)
He was so so funny when he woke up - he went all silly puppy like and ran round and round the house finally leaping up at me (and he is no feather weight) he generally seemed really pleased to have woken up indoors it made me laugh a lot!
He has has a very busy day (its not called the crazy house for nothing) met 7 new dogs on my rounds and was 100% fab with them all
Met my brother who he tried to eat big time but John having gone through it all before with Jack, Kai and Crusoe did all the right things and soon Dare was lying asleep with John standing the otherside of the baby gate chatting . I have all this on video and will add it to here as soon as i figure out how !
He is absolutely terrified of anything new - doors opening, microwave pinging, kettle boiling and hes a real phobia about cats :o( Not so keen on the van either he gets in happily enough but then drools big time - at the min i hoping this will get better as his confidence grows as i am washing dog beds at an alarming rate !
He is like my shadow and has decided that i am the only safe thing he knows - i cant wait for the day when he has enought confidence to go and lie in a different room to me :o)
Thanks for reading
Anne and Dare x x x
Lights out and i could here a rather large collie pacing the room - Magic listened to this for about 3 mins and then told him in no uncertain terms to get his ass in bed as it was disturbing her beauty sleep (she is such a madam!) Bless him he did as he was told.
About 3.00 there was a Dare shaped collie on my bed!! no idea when he crept up but when i woke again in the morning he was back in his bed looking very smug :o)
He was so so funny when he woke up - he went all silly puppy like and ran round and round the house finally leaping up at me (and he is no feather weight) he generally seemed really pleased to have woken up indoors it made me laugh a lot!
He has has a very busy day (its not called the crazy house for nothing) met 7 new dogs on my rounds and was 100% fab with them all
Met my brother who he tried to eat big time but John having gone through it all before with Jack, Kai and Crusoe did all the right things and soon Dare was lying asleep with John standing the otherside of the baby gate chatting . I have all this on video and will add it to here as soon as i figure out how !
He is absolutely terrified of anything new - doors opening, microwave pinging, kettle boiling and hes a real phobia about cats :o( Not so keen on the van either he gets in happily enough but then drools big time - at the min i hoping this will get better as his confidence grows as i am washing dog beds at an alarming rate !
He is like my shadow and has decided that i am the only safe thing he knows - i cant wait for the day when he has enought confidence to go and lie in a different room to me :o)
Thanks for reading
Anne and Dare x x x
Monday 13 September 2010
13.09.10 Dare arrives home
After one year and 2 months in kennels my boy has finally made it home.
3 weeks of kennel visits, 4 dog meetings on neutral ground and 2 home visits and we have finally persuaded him not to eat me or the other dogs and that although leaving the kennels is scary having a place to call home is worth it !
History of Dare
Dare (was Jack) was brought into the National Animal Welfare Kennels in Cornwall as a 12mth old youngster. He was taken by the dog warden from a very very bad man ! (the words i would use are not really suitable for a blog!) Dare was one of the worse abuse cases the kennels have ever seen.
He was initially a wary boy but was able to be handled by most people however despite the staff's best efforts and care - kennels is just no place for a worried collie pup. His kennel stress became worse and worse until the point where he was only able to be handled by staff and would lunge growling and snarling at any new people who came to see him.
Consequently this seemed to put a few people off rehoming him !! One of my friends is a very lovely lady and works at the kennels (thank you Linda ) - sent me a message on facebook to see if there was anyone i knew who may be interested in Dare.
I went along to meet him that weekend and yep fell in love with him - 9 dogs !! really !!! oh well whats one more :o)
So we have already had quite a long journey for 2 weeks of walking Dare refused to look at me or acknowledge i existed however he so badly wants someone to love that in the end he came around and would gently wag his tail when i turned up, and quickly learnt to offer his paw and to nose touch would get him some liver !
The huge break through was taking him away from the kennels up to our fields so he could have some time out and meet my dogs on neutral ground (Thanks to Lucy from the Kennels for giving up so much of her spare time to do this with me ). It was like seeing a butterfly emerge ! he was such a different dog his tail curled up over his back bouncing, ball chasing , herding and generally being a collie ! Just thinking about it makes me smile !
And so finally he is home - he was very stressed on the journey and i now have a van full of dribble and snot (nice) but he is home home home. I wish i could explain it will all be ok - but i think i will leave that up to good old time and my other dogs :o)
I am going to try and update this loads with pics and videos as i think its a long journey ahead of us . Developing his confidence with strangers is going to be a real learning curve ! So watch this space and wish us as much luck as you can
thanks for reading
Anne and Dare x
3 weeks of kennel visits, 4 dog meetings on neutral ground and 2 home visits and we have finally persuaded him not to eat me or the other dogs and that although leaving the kennels is scary having a place to call home is worth it !
History of Dare
Dare (was Jack) was brought into the National Animal Welfare Kennels in Cornwall as a 12mth old youngster. He was taken by the dog warden from a very very bad man ! (the words i would use are not really suitable for a blog!) Dare was one of the worse abuse cases the kennels have ever seen.
He was initially a wary boy but was able to be handled by most people however despite the staff's best efforts and care - kennels is just no place for a worried collie pup. His kennel stress became worse and worse until the point where he was only able to be handled by staff and would lunge growling and snarling at any new people who came to see him.
Consequently this seemed to put a few people off rehoming him !! One of my friends is a very lovely lady and works at the kennels (thank you Linda ) - sent me a message on facebook to see if there was anyone i knew who may be interested in Dare.
I went along to meet him that weekend and yep fell in love with him - 9 dogs !! really !!! oh well whats one more :o)
So we have already had quite a long journey for 2 weeks of walking Dare refused to look at me or acknowledge i existed however he so badly wants someone to love that in the end he came around and would gently wag his tail when i turned up, and quickly learnt to offer his paw and to nose touch would get him some liver !
The huge break through was taking him away from the kennels up to our fields so he could have some time out and meet my dogs on neutral ground (Thanks to Lucy from the Kennels for giving up so much of her spare time to do this with me ). It was like seeing a butterfly emerge ! he was such a different dog his tail curled up over his back bouncing, ball chasing , herding and generally being a collie ! Just thinking about it makes me smile !
And so finally he is home - he was very stressed on the journey and i now have a van full of dribble and snot (nice) but he is home home home. I wish i could explain it will all be ok - but i think i will leave that up to good old time and my other dogs :o)
I am going to try and update this loads with pics and videos as i think its a long journey ahead of us . Developing his confidence with strangers is going to be a real learning curve ! So watch this space and wish us as much luck as you can
thanks for reading
Anne and Dare x
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