The BIG Operation Day

Not too impressed this morning. No food was put down for any of us. What have I done to them? However, Mum Human says it is for my sake as I am off to the vets for a sleep and an op. Not sure what on earth she is on about but I think that I trust her. So off we went in the car. Mum had to lift me out of the car at the other end and we went off to the vets.
Once inside, we went upstairs in the lift with this lovely veterinary nurse and she gave me a little injection which made me feel all relaxed. Mum popped me inside a nice comfortable cage, next to a lovely looking female Springer who comforted me and Mum went and I drifted off to sleep.............

Some hours later I woke up feeling very sorry for myself. My leg was not sore but uncomfortable and I felt a bit bewildered. the nice nurse human was talking gently to me and said my Mum had phoned and as coming to collect me later.

Around tea time Mum & Dad collected me and made a real fuss of me. They walked me back to the car with me on three legs. I think that I am very clever to manage so quickly on three legs. There was lots of discussion about me doing no walking, jumping, climbing etc and I didn't like the sound of that.

Once home though Mum fed me and I woofed that back. Dad went and fetched this "thing" which I vaguely recognised as a cage - but it was larger than I had seen before. What do you think? Though that is Toby trying it out for size!!

Anyway, they made me a nice comfy bed in it and I slept most of the evening and through the night.....zzzzzzzzz

Off to the Vets

Mum took me to the vets this morning. He was a really nice chap. Very kind and reassuring and gave me a good check over. Said my heart, lungs, eyes etc all A OK. The pretty nurse also weighed me. 11.5kg and that is after over 3 weeks of good feeding!!
He also checked my back legs out. Said that after Mum's description and after examining me, he is confident that I have bilateral luxating patellas
This needs repairing to prevent further problems in the future (especially as I am such a young thing) so I am booked in for tomorrow morning - gulp!!
Please cross all your paws, legs and anything else for me

My First Full Day

After a very restful night with me only frightening myself with my snoring twice during the night, we got up early and went for a walk, had a good breakfast and pootled round the new Kingdom.
It was Uncle Adrian's birthday today so we are going out for lunch for a BBQ and a gossip. An opportunity for me to meet some new people.

Happy Birthday Uncle Adrian

Later on we all went out in the car. Now I love the car, but am not keen on jumping in or out. However, after Mum had lifted me in and we went to this super park, Toby & Jasper encouraged me out telling me what fun we would have if I got out and went round the park with them. I believed them and they were absolutely correct.
Mum & Day had bought me a long training lead and I wore that and it meant that I could run off with my brothers but still remain safe, especially whilst I am so skittish and also learning my new name.
In the afternoon we went to a friend's house Henry. He is a handsome Springer Spaniel and welcomed me into his home. Overall I coped very well but at one stage the neighbour's Cocker Spaniel Charlie and his Humans cornered me behind my Mum and I felt very frightened and had to give a bit of a warning which they listened to and everything was OK. Henry's Mum Mandy was lovely and said I had a beautiful face - what immaculate taste she has!!
I was absolutely exhausted when I got home - a lot of nervous energy expended I think.
Had a great day and I think that these Humans and my animal friends are going to be good to me and I am going to enjoy living here.

My New Home

Well the first few hours have gone well. I think that I have made a hit with my new brothers as they both gave me a Cocker kiss within a few minutes of me arriving home. I particularly feel that Toby may be a real mate for me - I think he loves the way that I sidle up to him and push my body alongside his.
I have an ENORMOUS garden to run round with lots of fascinating smells. I have also met my Uncle Adrian who is another of these Humans and I think he said that he was my Mummy Human's brother. I haven't met so many new people in one go in all my life. The only person that I haven't seen yet is my Human Daddy. Apparently he is in a place called Silverstone, supposedly with a lot of other people, watching cars go round and round and round and round....................!! He eventually materialised at home at 11pm.
Nearly died of shock around tea time. Just had my second meal of the day and had gone outside to perform (as all good doggies do). I was sniffing round a lovely shrub called a Mock Orange (having to educate my Humans about these things)when out popped this mink coloured "thing". Well too be honest, I am not sure who was more shocked. After a second or two, this "thing" bounced away so I followed him up to the house. It was once we got into the glass thing, now I know known as a conservatory, that Mummy Human introduced me to Bayley, my Sooty Fawn Dwarf Lop brother. Well after we had said hello properly, I thought he was great and we are becoming good friends.


And eventually to bed. After a long and very exciting day I am now in my Forever Home and am just soooooooooooooooo happy.

My Journey to My Forever Home

Well I was up early and getting ready for my new home. Brushed my hair and checked I was clean and tidy and packed my bag. Sharon and the boys were anxiously waiting for Pip to arrive, but I was chatting with Remy and thanking her for supporting me and starting my recovery from my awful start in life.
This Human known as Pip arrived about 10am and after completing the paperwork to make them officially my family, I left Remy's home & family for the last time. I had a bag with some food and a frisby in it plus a whistle which presently I am absolutely terrified of! Plus my paperwork and off we went.
I actually managed to walk to my Human's car but had to be lifted in to the cage. I actually quite like a car so enjoyed the journey once we had got going.
When we got to Syston, I escorted my Human Pip into a big building which had lots of lovely doggy smells in it. Lots of people made a fuss of me and I chose a very smart red collar with prints of paws and bones on it. I also chose a smart name tag in red and shaped like a bone. At lease I wont lose my Humans now!
And then we drove home.

What Fab News

Sharon has been on the phone and internet all evening and some of the discussions have been with Kevin, Foster Coordinator and some with Pip. The ultimate outcome is that I'm going to my Forever Home tomorrow morning. Pip & Nigel are going to sort out the x-rays for me and then if I need something doing to my legs they will organise this.
Yeh, yeh, yeh!!!!!

Been to the Vets

My Human Foster Mum Sharon took me to the vets this evening to get my funny back legs checked out. The vet was very nice and I was an extremely good boy - though I was very frightened. People really don't realise how frightening I find the world. Talk about being frightened of your own shadow.

Me, I'm frightened of mine AND everyone else's plus anything else that moves, makes a noise, looks at me in the wrong way or even stays still. I cope with lots of reassurance from my Humans and just taking things very steadily.

Anyway, the vet says that they think my left leg has a problem with the knee cap. This is either an old untreated injury or a congenital thing. Basically my knee cap is slipping out of place. They need to make me sleep and then they are going to take some x-rays of me.

Very interestingly, when we get home my Human Foster Mum gets a phone call and naughty me listens in. It seems as though it is that Pip Human from Sunday. She seems to be asking about me and how I have got on at the Vets. When she is finished on the phone, Sharon explains to me that Pip & Nigel are hoping to adopt me and will take me to my forever home as soon as I have had my x-rays and people know what is wrong with me

I for one have absolutely EVERYTHING crossed

Great Excitement - Lots & Lots of Cockers

Sunday 20th July
Well great excitement. My Human and Remy got me sorted out early today and we all piled into that tin box thing - I think Human Dad calls it a car. Anyway we all piled in and drove for quite a while. I actually like the car. One of the few things that I am not terrified of.
Anyway, we pulled into this beautiful looking park area. We got out and walked from the car park with my mate Remy leading the way. We walked over this little mound and WOW..... cocker spaniels by the load. They were all very friendly and it turned out that the Humans talk to one another on something called the Tinternet - though Remy tells me it is the Internet. My Human Mum sits for ages at this funny thing in the lounge and "talks" to people all about Cocker Spaniels on a particular site called Cockers on Line
We met up with 8 other Spaniels of all ages and their Humans, both big ones and little ones and everyone was very pleased to see me - I felt like a bit of a star!! It turned out that apparently when Sylvia and Bill rescued me from the puppy farm they posted me on their site Many Tears Animal Rescue so I was a bit of a star.
There were two dogs in particular that, along with their Humans, Nigel & Pip seem to pay particular attention to me. Their names were Toby & Jasper and I really liked them. We walked for a long time and the only frustrating thing was that Human Mum kept me on a lead as I don't really know my way and also have this problem with my back legs.
Anyway, after a couple of hours, we were back to the car park and we then made our way home. What a great day and I hope that we can meet up with some of them again. I wonder if Jasper, Toby & their humans will remember me?

Toby, Jasper, Remy & Molly

My Two Weeks in Northamptonshire

12th - 26th July 2008
Well what a fab time I am having. Remy is absolutely great. She was rescued in January and she keeps reassuring me and telling me that I will be OK. I really have a very soft spot for her and she is also a GREAT pillow


At the moment I am just terrified of everything. The humans have some terrifying things - the laundry basket is very threatening and keeps trying to leap on my back, the mop and broom definitely keep trying to catch me and as for those dreadful metal things (I think they are called dog food bowls) - well I give them a wide, wide berth.
The human "Mum" is very kind. She is feeding me regularly and I certainly appreciate that. They are all very loving towards me and take me on lots of outings. This in turn is very difficult for me but I am being brave and gritting my teeth - mainly because they all keep telling me how much better for me it will be.
Here I am on one of my outings - looking rather gorgeous if I do say so myself


To be continued...............

South Wales to Northamptonshire

12th July 2008
Well, what a day. Some humans called Sharon and Michael and their boys came over to Wales to pick me up to take them into their home. They had a rather lovely dog, a black & tan Cocker Spaniel Remy who welcomed me into her home. It was a long journey home but I like the car so enjoyed it.

Once I had had a good nights sleep, my foster human Sharon decided to give me a bath. Well, though it was a shock to the system it was lovely. It was such a relief to get rid of the smells and dirt of "that place"!! However, I think that these humans were a little shocked about how I looked, especially when wet.

What do you think?

After an Intital Bath & Groom


Think the Dieting Has Gone Too Far!!

Escape to Freedom

6th July 2008
Well, I have made my break for freedom. I have arrived at Many Tears Animal Rescue centre in South Wales today having spent my life so far in a puppy farm where I was a stud boy.
Perhaps I should take a step back and introduce myself.
I did not have a name for the first two years of my life and existed at this farm, meeting some lovely girls but not really enjoying life. My life was very limited, in uncomfortable circumstances and with no real excercise or love.
I then left the farm and moved to Many Tears. Here I was named "Nobby" and lavished with attention, love and food. Boy was I hungry.They whizzed me off to their vet and I had a check over and a brief sleep and when I woke up, there were two things missing from between my legs!! But I didn't mind. People spoke to me, loved me and took photos of me
What do you think? This is my best side and I am trying to look very cute but actually I am absolutely terrified.
Can you see my legs quivering?




All this was really rather traumatic.
Anyway, as it turned out, I wasn't to be at the Centre for long as Sharon, a Foster Parent, came forward and offered me a foster home with her family and her beautiful black & tan spaniel Remi.
So on Saturday 12th July 2008 I left South Wales and moved to Northamptonshire. More excitement for me to try and cope with.

To be continued..................