Teddy is a real character. I’m sure he thinks he’s a cat, as I’ll often find him attempting to climb the cat tree, which never ends well for him! He sure knows how to have fun – one minute he’ll be playing with his toys and the next he’s doing his famous Greyhound impression. He can also bea little terror, but no matter what he’s doing, he’ll always put a smile on your face.
He sure knows how to have fun
Lily is 12 years old, yet she still steals any food she can get her paws on! She’s a bit lumpy and bumpy, and distinctly grey around the edges.
When Lily wakes up, her face often takes a while to return to normal after being squished by the side of her favourite chair, but most of all, she’s my 85-year-old mum’s best friend.
She’s my 85-year-old mum’s best friend
They’re both a little unsteady on their feet (and they’re on more medicines than you can imagine), but they love cuddles and cups of tea.
This picture is from one of her previous visits to the vet after breaking into a bag of dog food (she had no regrets!).
Patsy was two when we adopted her from Bath Cats and Dogs Home. She had just had a litter of pups and was handed in. She was tiny, seemed so scared and frail, and we were nervous taking her home. We were so wrong! She walked in, took the bone out of our other dog Eddie’s mouth, pushed him out of his bed and made herself at home. She treated Eddie like her puppy and still does.
Over the months it was clear that Patsy hadn't had the best start. House training was a nightmare, she couldn't walk far as she had little muscle and very cracked pads, she was also scared of walking sticks, but loved people. Six years on and she is so different. She’s much more confident and a local favourite! Patsy loves people and loves a cuddle, and everyone is willing to oblige.
She is our family and we love her
She loves Eddie and still cleans his face every day – even though we don’t think he actually likes it he still lets her do it. Some days she won’t walk, some days it’s like walking a bag of potatoes, but as soon as she’s in the woods, she comes alive! Exploring, chasing squirrels and having fun. And, although she’s not built for swimming (her body to leg ratio is not great) she loves the water and will always paddle in streams and loves a beach trip.
She is getting old, has terrible wind, snores like a steam train and is stubborn like I’ve never known before, but she is our family and we love her. She’s great for a cuddle on the sofa and the comedy value is priceless.
We rescued Wolfie six months ago, and since then he has made our life so much better and happier. Wolfie is perfectly trained, super intelligent and has managed to learn six new tricks even though he is an old dog!
He is sensational at the park and we often get stopped because people want to say hello and take pictures of him. He even comes with me to work and is our office pet.
Everyone that meets him loves him
He also has the cheekiest but funniest personality. You would never guess that he’s 10 years old, and everyone that meets him loves him. He adores playing with all dogs in the park and sometimes forgets how big he is – it’s so funny seeing him play with a tiny puppy!
He is affectionate and loves children, and has made our little family so much happier.
I rescued Shandy from Spain. She was a street dog, and some ex-pats in the village found her and took her to the local rescue centre. When I heard her story, I knew she deserved a safe and loving home with us.
Our dog has completed our family
She has long legs and almost trots when running. She won't eat her food unless I say it's OK and she’s so gentle with our other tiny rescue dog, it makes my heart sing to watch them play and have fun!
Shandy has boosted my mental health. I was feeling pretty low after losing my job, but the long walks we take together have been so good for both of us. Our dog has completed our family and watching her grow more confident every day has been a joy for us all.
Max first came to us as an emergency foster from a shelter in Spain. We immediately fell in love with him and completed the adoption process soon after.
My physical and mental wellbeing started to improve
During lockdown, I was furloughed and then made redundant. Max got us out of the house as we walked to local beauty spots every day, and I found that both my physical and mental wellbeing started to improve. Now, we enjoy travelling further afield visiting National Trust sites, nature reserves and pretty places all over Cheshire, Staffordshire and Derbyshire.
We are so lucky to have found Max and welcomed him to our family. Being out in nature on walks has made a big difference to our lives – I’m hoping to start a blog featuring all our dog-friendly walks, so others can share in the joy of dog ownership and enjoying the great outdoors.