Patrick is a tiny little tan Ibizan Hound rescue dog aged around 2 years old when his luck changed and he found his way into the hearts and home of Jo and Tony Dixon of The Maypole. Patrick is a bundle of fun and loves playing with his toys and his tennis balls! Jo and Tony are going to get fit keeping up with him!

Day 1
Just to give you a quick progress report, Bella is settling in very well. She managed to get a loaf of bread last night, having had small dogs for the last 17 years I never really use to think about moving things off the side. Luckily she obviously wasn’t that enthralled and just nibbled it; it was wholemeal so it won’t do her much harm.

You can guarantee I will now ensure things are well out of her way oh yes and she had a good old chew on my flip flops. That will teach me to leave them hanging around. Anyway went and got her some chews and a Kong Bone type thingy. Which she seems to enjoy chewing but I guess it may not be the same as flip flop.

She had a very settled night and even took herself off to bed a couple of times but couldn’t quite bear to be on her own when we were around. She must have been in a family home as she seems so settled. She has been very clean in the house, no accidents as yet!

She has a terrible habit of grabbing hold of the lead and shaking it when you walk her, she just wants to play, I have tried taking two leads so that I can drop the one she is shaking and taking treats to get her to drop. But the excitement is too much for her and she carry’s on until she gets bored or see’s another dog.

Just been for a walk and she has taken herself off to bed in the kitchen, she is one beautiful dog with a loving side to her. Haven’t seen anything to worry about apart from the shaking of the lead and this I think is just excitement. Will keep you posted.

Update 2
As promised here is the beautiful Bella, work in progress with the lead shaking and jumping up, resorted to taking some chicken this morning on her walk, little bit more successful, once she gets bored she stops, all a bit of a game. 

She is definitely a bit more at home and is popping in and out of the garden and  bringing a twig or two back, she is full of character with a very laid back attitude to life.  Last night she sat with her head on my lap and then one foot came up  and then the other and then her body until she get all four legs off the ground and was the biggest lap dog in the world.  She is one beautiful dog, not a barker as yet, but I suspect once she has settled in that  will follow.

 Play time is always outside, so maybe this is why she grabs the lead so much, she is so strong when she does this tug of war with her lead, but I am sure with time and patience she will grow out of it.  Despite this tug of war she does sit before she crosses the road.   

She really is a treasure and a joy to have around, looking forward to taking her to Sutton Park and introducing her to other Furry Friends. 

So wearing so many layers I’d give the Michelin man a run for his money I arrived at Denises house. What a lovely start to the day, I was just in time to see Patrick heading off to his new life with his new family, before we set off.

We arrived at the kennels Dog Watch use when they do not have enough Foster Carers to rendezvous with the van and several prospective adopters and fosterers. Quick introductions so we knew who was who and which dog they were here to meet. One lucky dog waiting patiently in the kennels was Bessie who melted Mary from Solihulls heart, they went home together.

  Before we got too cold the first car arrived, only 20 minutes late. The back door opened and 2 pairs of eyes stared out – wondering what was happening to them now.

First out was Sky, an English Bull Terrier, she went straight into the kennel block as she was being collected in a couple of days by Bull Terrier Rescue.Safe at last.

Next out was Chubub a cuddley staffie, corgi cross, a lovely laid back boy, taking all this in his stride, he went off to the kennel block to wait for his forever home to be found.

Then out came Larry – a handsome German Shepherd cross with magnificent ears. He did not mind posing for a photo, especially with a sausage bribe. He also went off to the kennel block, but hopefully to a foster home early this week.

Finally we met Bianca, a lovely brindle Staffie – her collar said princess and someone had painted her claws bright pink – but she still ended up in the pound, due to be put to sleep last Friday.
Lucky Bianca set off to her new foster home with Carmel, although she nearly didn’t get there as Carmels car would not start and the RAC had to be called.

But where was the second 4×4, which was supposedly just behind. Some frantic phone calls revealed they were caught in a tail back on the Motorway after an accident. So we paced up and down, we played with the dogs we drank tea, kindly supplied by Fay from the kennels, then we paced some more and tried to forget our feet were wet through and so cold we could no longer feel them!

Then about 2 hours later than planned we saw a 4×4 turn in at the gates. And suddenly it was go go go and out came the dogs. First a tiny staffy called Polly Pocket, fully grown but the size of a puppy,
there was no shortage of people to welcome her with a cuddle.

Next came another Polly, a rough haired Jack Russell Terrier – very cute, but dying for a wee, bless she had held it in all the time they were stuck in traffic. Hopefully we have identified a home for Polly, we’ll let you know.

And then it was puppies – Lulu, a lovely white and tan girl – a little bemused with what was going on, she had been travelling for many hours and was delighted to be out and about, cuddling everyone. Lulu is now safely in a foster home waiting for the right person to come along.

And then it was Hestons turn, a dark little staffie boy only 16 weeks old. In the time it took to open the van door he went from scared with an uncertain future to loved and secure with Sarah from Hall Green.
I just love this photo of him wrapped up with his teddy.His future is looking rosy.

And suddenly its all over, dogs have left for their new lives or gone to the kennels to wait for their chance. And I’d managed to take some reasonable photos with the help of a pocket full of sausages.

 But one more happy ending, poor Doris who was already in the kennels was looking so sad Denise was wracking her brains to find a way of getting her out, then a phone call came through Cath and Jon in Weoley Castle had just become fosterers and were all ready for their first house guest. Result – Dorris was out of the kennels into the back of the car on her way to a secure home where she can learn that life doesn’t have to be scary and can actually be a lot of fun.

Sarah x

Heston a 16 week old puppy found the secure loving family home he deserves with Sarah from Hall Green and family. Shown here arriving from the pound in London, straight into his new families arms and hearts

Isla is safe now with a new name, Molly and a new home

So we rehomed through the Christmas period and then January went mad !!  and so far in 2012 we have homed and sorted safe refuge for 20 dogs so its relentless – the dogs keep coming in and we rehome them to better homes. Millie, Kim, Rusty, Monkey, Bubbles, Molly, JJ, Nessa, Cleo, Ty, Ambi, Mira, Ginger, Sonny and Coco. 15  dogs enjoying their lives with their new families, but as soon as they leave there are always more at the gate waiting to come in.

There is no rest, the Dogwatch team are well known for helping poundies (dogs in Dog Homes and pounds under sentence of death if no one claims them) and Denises in box is constantly pinging with lists and photos of dogs in desperate need of saving. The Dogwatch foster carers all have their quota plus some and our kennel spaces are full, but what do you do when you get a message like this
“Below are poundie dogs which are mega urgent, if they are not moved out in 5 days they will be put down on the 8th day without fail as the pounds are overfull to bursting! “

Polly saved from a pound before being put to sleep.

Denises response “oh God the pressure is on again – more poundie lists – hard to look and say no because you know they will surely die !!  so she askes…….Sarah can you put Polly on the website for me – we are taking her !

Ruffy so needed rescuing

We say yes we will take the dogs but its imperative to get them homed before they even get here as we cant put them in kennels – we are desperate for foster homes. They will take 4 weeks to get here so we can see what we can do in meantime – Julie from a rescue in Somerset will start to advertise them too so she may home some down there – we are trying between us.