Hello
We have finally had to say goodbye to Buzz our lovely collie. His back legs started to give way more so it was time. It broke our hearts.
I have had dogs since 1981, the house was empty so we decided to look for a new friend.
We were really lucky to find Burt at the Dogs Trust. He had only been there a couple of days, he had been handed in by his elderly owners as the chap had become ill and hospitalised. The lady was frail and couldn't manage the dog anymore. It must have been awful to hand such a dear boy into the Trust.
He wasn't coping in the kennels at all, he was very excited by all the dogs (he loves to play) and was very stressed being fastened in a kennel despite them putting a doggy friend with him. He wouldn't eat so they rushed through his adoption as quick as possible. So on Sat morning off I went in my van to collect him.
The first day he was very stressed, but slowly started to find his feet. I took him for a long walk, he soon started to walk on the lead properly.
On Sunday, I concentrated on stopping him diving out of the front door, it didn't take long for him to stop doing it. He has separation anxiety, so gets very upset when he is left for even a minute. He has been very well trained, he sits, lies down, gives a paw, really great heel work on a lead,
Monday, he was more settled, still not eating properly but he started to play with Buzz's toys so my house looks normal again, toys every where. I did lots of trips out in the garden leaving him in the house to help him with his anxiety of being left, walking in without fussing him. It made a difference, he became less anxious.
Tuesday, he was in the back garden more as the weather was cooler. He is frightened of the Llamas and barked at them if they looked at them so they spat at him! Yuck. He is not bothered by the sheep or pony unless they are looking at him which sets him off barking. The answer was to chuck apples off the tree to get the animals to look elsewhere.
He likes to stay near the fence watching the animals, a bit like a dog TV!
Burt is only 13 months old so is still a pup really. He is quiet in the house (famous last words), I have started to leave him for longer so we are getting there.
We had a big thunderstorm he wasn't the least bit bothered about the thunder so not noise sensitive yeah.
Thursday and today he was home alone for a couple of hours while I went to work, he was a good boy. He had moved a couple of my shoes but not eaten them.
His personality is starting to show, he loves his toys, he can hold 2 toys in his mouth while he plays foot ball with another ball, he is a very skilled dribbler. He is good at undoing your shoelaces when you are not looking, and likes to have a sly gentle nip at your heels when you walk away from him, naughty boy. He loves people, very friendly, goes potty when he see kids but wants to jump up.
He has been to the pub with us, not sure at first until he realised that our neighbours wanted to fuss him then he was in 7th heaven.
We have started to let him off the lead in the field so he can stretch those long legs.
Buzz was such a perfect dog, Burt has big paws to fill but he's doing OK.
Cheers
Sharon
