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| Brindle |
on Wed 14 Jan 09, 9:38 PM to Brindle's blog.
For all the kind messages 
Been pretty hectic few yrs, tradigedy and joy in about equal measures... the best bit of which (and one of the best experiences of my life so far) has been that my wonderful little Honey-dog had puppies last October.
7 puppies. ALL of which I helped deliver* over a 17hr period (which included an attempted audience of up to 8 teenage boys at my kitchen window at some point!).
Something I would NEVER have been able to do 12 months previously and which I take a great deal of pesonal pride in. A truely spiritual and deeply moving experience. Knowing that you have helped be responsible, not just for the emergence of a new life, but for the possible preservation of an existing one, is a somewhat awe inspiring thing. Believe me.
American Staff/Pit Bull (not sure which) - Labrador (that's MY girl) crossed with Japanese Akita/mongrel (the scoundrel who got her up the duff).
BOY were they a mixed bunch!
Two looked like they'd lust walked off the Andrex set, one looked like that but darker blonde with a curly tail, two who looked like little black staffies, one white one with a ginger patch over one eye and grey freckles all down his back and over his lower tummy and one who looks just like a mini rottweiller. No kidding. I mean JUST like a mini rottweiller.
Got good homes for three and the rest went to the National Dogs Trust.
Now, I just wanted to say (and I know that this isn't perhaps the MOST relevant of forums in which to do so, but hey) that I cannot praise these guys enough.
They sent a bloke ALL the way up from Roden, in the Midlands, to Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, to pick up 4 puppies. Yes they had several other dogs in the Yorkshire area to pick up too, but they timed it specially for the pups, as they were 8wks old and due to leave their mum. They timed it to the day.
They were wonderful.
My Dad organised it all for me and was HUGELY impressed with their approach, the way they kept in contact and their integrity, as was I. The bloke who picked them up was very re-assuring, very calm (even when I dissolved in tears all over him at the relief of knowing they'd be taken care of and found good homes, poor bloke), very kind about how well cared for they looked and was just so down-right caring and SENSIBLE that the whole process was made as painfree as possible.
Not that I didn't cry buckets. After all, I helped their mum birth them, fed them, looked after them when they were poorly, played with them, loved them... for two months. So it was sad to see them go, but also a big relief to know that they were going to be safe and be found good homes.** And when I explained why to the guy, he was so sweet. He shook my hand and completely refused to take any kind of donation. Which made me cry again LOL! (cause I couldn't really afford one to be honest).
And I've been in touch since, and I find their approach very reassuring and sensible (they don't advertise puppies as they say it's too emotive and that they prefer to know someone is coming to them for a dog, not a small cute fluffy thing) and I know absolutley that they've gone to the right place and that I was right not to try and sell them or just give them away randomly. Those whom I helped home, I know where they are and the people who have them and I have confidence in them too, but in terms of handing the other puppies over to total strangers? Well, I don't think I could have chosen anywhere better for them to go.
Right, well that's my major news done with bye for now
B
* altho much thanks to my mum for her helping role with two very difficult births, one of them a particularly scary breech birth with a very big pup... but WHY oh why oh why oh why, did no-one tell me that the gunge would be GREEN!
** This was particularly important to me, as I lived in an area where I know for a fact that an aggressive dog culture is an unfortunate fact of life, and that my partner had been approached by people wanting to buy the pups due to their breed mixture - without even having seen them! (Not that I or my partner would have let someone like that into the house let alone entertain that kind of conversation).
Edited Wed 14 Jan 09, 9:56 PM by Brindle
